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Nashville Film Festival Shines Bright in Its Seriously Strong 57th Year
The Nashville Film Festival rolled through Music City, Tennessee September 24th through the 30th, 2026. Its 57th edition showcased more than 150 films from 25+ countries, including 24 World Premieres. In addition to all of the movies there were red carpets, Q&A sessions, insider panels and parties with all providing plenty of opportunities to engage with fellow film fans.
The Nashville Film Festival was seriously good this year in Music City. The Festival took place at the Belcourt Theatre, the National Museum of African American Music, Regal Green Hills and Hooky Entertainment. For those in the industry, the informative Creators Conference was a highpoint as this annual summit brought together creators, screenwriters, producers, music professionals and leadership to discuss the art, business and future of filmmaking. As is tradition for us at MCN, we zeroed in on the music‑driven films first. The festival opened with a pair of biographies about two artists whose careers couldn't be more different, yet both men ultimately faced - and fought through - late‑life health battles that reshaped their stories. FRAMPTON kicked things off with an intimate, full‑arc look at Peter Frampton's journey from The Herd to the present day. The film stitches together sharp archival footage, electric performance clips and commentary from Frampton himself, supported by appearances from Ringo Starr, Roger Daltrey, Alice Cooper, Sheryl Crow, Kate Hudson, Cameron Crowe and Tom Morello. It's a rich, revealing portrait of a musician who lived the highs, survived the lows and kept playing through it all.
Director Daniel E. Catullo III and Filmaker Rob Arthur with Peter Frampton at Regal Green Hills. It is a story of highs and lows and most of all perseverance. As many may recall 1976 was "the year of Frampton" as his Frampton Comes Alive LP was breaking records with many still considering it one of the best live performance albums ever. However, soon after a number of bad decisions paired with injuries from a serious car accident left the superstar broke. Yet, thanks to the help of friends such as David Bowie he rebuilt another successful solo career and even when he was diagnosed with inclusion body myositis (IBM) in 2019 Peter continued to make music and today is still touring thus living up to his personal mantra "never give up". During the Q&A after the well-received feature Peter elaborated on that while touching on the idea that IBM and the other challenges have made him more grateful in regards to other areas of his life including family, friends and his guitars who are always with him. Frampton shared with the Nashville faithful that his latest project "Carry The Light" is a collaboration with his sons and one of their songs was used during the film's lengthy credit scroll - reminding us how much hard work and heart goes into a project of this scope so most definitely check out FRAMPTON when it hits theaters and/or streaming platforms. THE MAN WITH THE BIG HAT tells the tale of Steven Fromholz an unsung pioneer of 1970s Texas Progressive Country. He was revered by legends like Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett and John Denver, yet Steven remained commercially unknown. Fromholz preferred to write stories rather than hits. He was a man who lived life on his own terms. Director and screenwriter Austin Sayre shared in the film's Q&A section that he discover the music of Steven and soon was consumed with telling his story. Austin acquired a lot of archival footage and over time the film came together. When Lyle Lovett heard about the project he insisted on being a part of it as Fromholz was one of Lyle's major influences. This movie is truly a labor of love and tells a compelling story of a talented musician who never became a household name.
The busiest man of the week? Director Daniel E. Catullo III is interviewed on the red carpet. We also learned about the power of music and community. SONGS FROM THE CIRCLE featured Luke Combs, Mumford & Sons, Darius Rucker and more as the Opry went to the UK for a special concert at the Royal Albert Hall to celebrate the Grand Ole Opry's 100th anniversary in September of 2025. This documentary opens with an explanation of the importance of the Grand Ole Opry radio show and the piece of circular wood that made the trip to the UK. In England the artists and the Opry Band spent a week at the legendary Abbey Road Studios to rehearse and work out collaborations. Interviews were sliced into this section of the film which culminates with the live performance at the regal Royal Albert Hall which has a rich history of its own. All the footage is crisp and clean and the storytelling flows perfectly. Interestingly, the debut of SONGS FROM THE CIRCLE was released exactly one year to the day from the concert during its world premiere in Music City. Distribution for this movie is still in the works but many will want to see this as it span three important parts in music history. We focused on music‑related films this year, but many selections across the 57th Nashville Film Festival carried heavy, urgent themes. Fellow attendees were quick with recommendations, which led us to the National Museum of African American Music for Steadfast & True: The Searcy Story. Joyce and Walter Searcy were present, seeing the finished film for the first time alongside Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell. The documentary highlights the couple's decades of activism in Nashville, a city celebrated for country music yet shaped by a long history of racism and segregation. Arriving in the 1970s and graduating from Fisk University, the Searcys committed their lives to "Good Trouble", quietly driving meaningful change across the city. Steadfast & True honors their impact and underscores why acknowledging their work matters.
At the post-screening Steadfast & True: The Searcy Story Q&A session. We stayed in Tennessee for The Lorraine, a powerful look at Memphis' historic Lorraine Motel. Once a vibrant center of Black entrepreneurship and a creative haven for legendary musicians, the motel's broader legacy was overshadowed after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. Director Sam Pollard blends archival footage, music, and firsthand accounts to reclaim the motel's full story - a reminder that the Civil Rights Movement's legacy is still unfolding. Another standout was Little Hollywood, Tennessee, one of the festival's most active screenings. Each summer, twenty‑four high school students from across the state are selected to create a full narrative film through the Tennessee Governor's School for the Arts. Over one intense month, they learn the craft, confront creative challenges, and discover their own voices. The result is a coming‑of‑age story that resonates with anyone who has ever chased a creative spark. It was hard to find a busier director than Daniel E. Catullo III, who appeared on multiple red carpets promoting FRAMPTON and 4000 DAYS in Nashville, along with two additional films he premiered at Tribeca - Alicia Keys: The Girl From Hell's Kitchen and Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour Live From Paris. In Nashville, 4000 DAYS, won the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature.
The Man With the Big Hat was an educational and cautionary tale telling the story of musician Steven Fromholz. 4000 DAYS follows three families who lost their sons to fraternity hazing and refused to let their tragedies be dismissed. Their fight against institutional silence and resistance spanned more than a decade, ultimately leading to legislative reform. Through intimate access and emotional testimony, the film shows how grief became activism and activism became change - a powerful reminder of what determined families can accomplish. True to form for the 57th edition - the festival wrapped on a serious note with Being Heumann, the Closing Night Presentation. Directed by Academy Award winner Siân Heder, the film dramatizes the 1977 occupation of a federal building led by disability‑rights activist Judy Heumann. What began as a spontaneous act of defiance became the longest takeover of a federal office in U.S. history. With performances by Ruth Madeley and Mark Ruffalo, Being Heumann captures the humor, grit and humanity of a movement that reshaped millions of lives. The Nashville Film Festival once again showcased and supported many innovative independent releases of documentaries, long and short format films, unexpected works and so much more. It was a seriously good, week-long celebration of cinema and the 58th incarnation will be back before you know it so start planning now.
More post-film Q&A as the credits roll in Nashville. Related Links: For more information on the NASHVILLE FILM FESTIVAL and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links - Nashville Film Festival | Why the Nashville Film Festival Has Become One of Our Favorite Annual Events to Attend in Music City
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