The Washington West Film Festival is set to return for its 14th year, featuring a diverse lineup of films and special guest appearances. The event, which donates all box office proceeds to charity, will run from October 3 to October 13, with most screenings held at Reston Town Center.
Key Takeaways
- The 14th annual Washington West Film Festival runs from October 3-13, 2025.
- Special guests include former NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Olympic gold medalist Edwin Moses.
- The festival will screen classic films like "Apollo 13" and "Shrek," alongside new documentaries.
- All box office profits will be donated to Our Military Kids and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.
- Events will primarily take place at LOOK Dine-In Cinemas in Reston Town Center.
Festival Program and Special Screenings
The 2025 Washington West Film Festival will commence on Friday, October 3, with a free 25th-anniversary screening of the animated film "Shrek." This opening event is part of Reston Town Center's inaugural Rocktoberfest and will be held at the town center's pavilion.
Following the kickoff, the main festival schedule will run from October 9 to October 13. Brad Russell, the festival's president and executive director, noted the strength of this year's submissions. "We’ve received films from all over the world, as we do every year," Russell stated. "We’re really excited about this program."
Space Exploration Double Feature
A significant highlight of the festival is a double feature focused on space exploration, scheduled for Sunday, October 12. The event begins with the documentary "Apollo 1" at 12:30 p.m., which will have its East Coast premiere. Following the screening, director Mark Craig will participate in a question-and-answer session.
At 3:15 p.m., the festival will present a 30th-anniversary screening of Ron Howard's acclaimed film "Apollo 13." The screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring former U.S. Senator and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. According to Russell, Nelson's participation was arranged through a personal connection and he enthusiastically agreed to discuss the U.S. space program. "The audience will get to interact with [Nelson] about why going back to the moon next year is so important," Russell said.
Ticket Information
Tickets for the "Apollo 1" and "Apollo 13" screenings can be purchased individually for $20 each. A bundled package offering a 15% discount is also available for those wishing to attend both films.
Honoring Athletic Legends
The festival will also feature two documentaries centered on celebrated track-and-field athletes. On Saturday, October 11, at 3 p.m., "She Runs the World" will be screened. The film examines Olympic athlete Allyson Felix's 2019 public split with Nike over its maternity policies for sponsored athletes.
Later that evening, at 7 p.m., the festival will screen "Moses — 13 Steps," a documentary about two-time Olympic gold medalist Edwin Moses. Moses, who won the 400-meter hurdles in 1976 and 1984, will be in attendance for a Q&A session after the film.
"Sometimes this happens, where someone’s film … leads to us learning about an inspiring charity," said Brad Russell, explaining how the programming led to one of this year's charity partnerships.
Commitment to Philanthropy
Since its founding in 2011 by Brad Russell, the Washington West Film Festival has maintained a core mission of donating 100% of its box office proceeds to non-profit organizations. The festival's motto is to "create inspiring stories rather than just watching them."
This Year's Charity Partners
The beneficiaries for the 2025 festival were chosen to align with the themes present in the film lineup. The two selected organizations are:
- Our Military Kids: An Oakton-based non-profit that provides grants for extracurricular activities to children of deployed and recovering service members and veterans.
- Laureus Sport for Good Foundation: A global charity, supported by Nelson Mandela at its inception, that uses sports programs to address social challenges facing young people worldwide.
The selection of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation was influenced by Edwin Moses's long-standing involvement with the organization. He has served as the inaugural chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy since 2000. Russell noted that Moses had already committed to attending the festival before the team was aware of his philanthropic work, creating a natural partnership.
Venues and Future Expansion
Most of the festival's films will be shown at LOOK Dine-In Cinemas located at 11940 Market Street in Reston Town Center. The closing night film, however, will be screened at a partner venue, the Reston Community Center's Leila Gordon Theatre.
The closing film, scheduled for Monday, October 13, at 7:30 p.m., is the Emmy-nominated documentary "American Bombing: The Road to April 19th," which explores the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
The festival also continues its educational outreach. On the morning of October 9, a free screening of the top 10 student-submitted short films will be held at Lightridge High School in Aldie, as part of a partnership with Loudoun County Public Schools.
Looking Ahead
While the 2025 festival is primarily centered in Reston, organizers have plans for future growth. Russell confirmed that they anticipate bringing some screenings back to Tysons in 2026. A longer-term objective is to expand the festival's presence along Metro’s Silver Line corridor, potentially including more events in Loudoun County.
Additionally, the festival is planning to introduce year-round programming, which would consist of special one-night screenings outside of the main festival in October. The complete schedule and ticket purchasing portal for the 2025 festival are available on the official Washington West website.