About The Ballston Spa Film Festival

The Ballston Spa Film Festival, Inc. (BSFF) was founded in 2013 as an independent not-for-profit corporation with the mission to promote an appreciation of films and filmmaking in the Ballston Spa and Greater Capital District communities of New York. We do this by presenting film festivals in which established, emerging and unknown filmmakers can display their films and by organizing public forums, discussions and workshops regarding films and filmmaking. We have also presented free classic films to the public through our Monthly Classic Film Series.

The Ballston Spa Film Festival is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation.

At the heart of the BSFF is a core of dedicated volunteers who are simultaneously preparing for our free events and operating the new not-for-profit organization. To say this is a labor of love - for films, filmmaking and bringing accessible arts to the local community - is entirely accurate. Every dollar of financial support we receive goes into film-related activities such as presenting the annual international short-film festival, the Monthly Classic Film Series, and the expenses such as film licensing, insurance, and equipment, necessary to run the organization.

The BSFF is committed to keeping our events free to the community because we want the films we present - from the award-winning classics, to the promising works of student filmmakers - available for all to enjoy… and perhaps to be inspired by them.

BSFF History

An annual short-film festival is not new to Ballston Spa. From 2008 through 2012 the Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association (BSBPA) presented as one of their many association activities, an annual, free short-film festival in conjunction with their "First Fridays" promotion of local business. The BSBPA's mission is to promote the business and commercial success of the Village of Ballston Spa by encouraging business development and community pride, and revitalization of the central commercial district and area as a whole.

In late 2012 the Board of the BSPBA decided not to continue presenting the annual film festival. So, in early 2013 the not-for-profit Ballston Spa Film Festival, Inc. (BSFF) was formed in an effort to continue to present a similar film festival and other activities to promote the art of filmmaking, to expand the awareness and appreciation of films to the community, and to provide unknown filmmakers an opportunity to show their films. Ballston Spa Film Festival, Inc. is an independent organization with no special relationship, support, or involvement from the BSBPA.