The 31st annual Cucalorus Festival takes place November 19-23, 2025, in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina.
Cucalorus was founded in 1994 by the underground filmmaking collective Twinkle Doon. At the inaugural event, crowds wrapped around the block to see 16 local films screening at Water Street restaurant by the Cape Fear River. These days Cucalorus takes place every November, celebrating independent and international film for five days in historic downtown Wilmington, NC. MovieMaker Magazine has recognized it as “One of the Coolest Film Festivals in the World” for three years in a row.
FESTIVAL PASSES
TICKET PACKAGES
These ticket packages are for any Cucalorus 31 Film Festival event at Thalian Hall only, including film screenings and Film Conference sessions.
CHOOSE YOUR VENUE
Box Jelly Shorts
Cucalorus 31
THU · NOV 20 · 10:00 AM
Thalian Main
Pufferfish Shorts
Cucalorus 31
THU · NOV 20 · 10:15 AM
Thalian Black
Filmed in NC Awards Reception
Cucalorus 31
THU · NOV 20 · 1:00 PM
Thalian Red
Tiger Quoll Shorts
Cucalorus 31
THU · NOV 20 · 1:30 PM
Thalian Black
State of the State & Conference Welcome
Cucalorus 31
THU · NOV 20 · 3:45 PM
Thalian Red
Paradoxical Frog Shorts
Cucalorus 31
THU · NOV 20 · 4:00 PM
Thalian Black
Dance-a-lorus
Cucalorus 31
THU · NOV 20 · 6:45 PM
Thalian Main
Helmeted Guineafowl Shorts
Cucalorus 31
THU · NOV 20 · 7:00 PM
Thalian Black
Anything That Moves
Cucalorus 31
THU · NOV 20 · 10:00 PM
Thalian Black
Snowy Owl Shorts
Cucalorus 31
FRI · NOV 21 · 10:00 AM
Thalian Main
Silent Rebellion
Cucalorus 31
FRI · NOV 21 · 10:15 AM
Thalian Black
The Sound Design of David Lynch
Cucalorus 31
FRI · NOV 21 · 11:30 AM
Thalian Red
Lighting the Way
Cucalorus 31
FRI · NOV 21 · 10:00 AM
Thalian Red
Putting Films to Work
Cucalorus 31
FRI · NOV 21 · 1:00 PM
Thalian Red
The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick
Cucalorus 31
FRI · NOV 21 · 1:15 PM
Thalian Main
For Venida, for Kalief
Cucalorus 31
FRI · NOV 21 · 1:30 PM
Thalian Black
From Studio to Indie
Cucalorus 31
FRI · NOV 21 · 2:30 PM
Thalian Red
Beautiful Evening, Beautiful Day
Cucalorus 31
FRI · NOV 21 · 3:45 PM
Thalian Main
Action Acting
Cucalorus 31
FRI · NOV 21 · 4:00 PM
Thalian Red
Clouded Leopard Shorts
Cucalorus 31
FRI · NOV 21 · 4:30 PM
Thalian Black
The Python Hunt
Cucalorus 31
FRI · NOV 21 · 7:15 PM
Thalian Black
Honeyjoon
Cucalorus 31
FRI · NOV 21 · 7:30 PM
Thalian Main
German Soul
Cucalorus 31
FRI · NOV 21 · 7:45 PM
Thalian Red
F*cktoys
Cucalorus 31
FRI · NOV 21 · 10:00 PM
Thalian Black
Suburban Fury
Cucalorus 31
SAT · NOV 22 · 10:00 AM
Thalian Main
Fiscal Sponsorship 101
Cucalorus 31
SAT · NOV 22 · 10:00 AM
Thalian Red
The Songbirds' Secret
Cucalorus 31
SAT · NOV 22 · 10:45 AM
Thalian Black
Cold Reading
Cucalorus 31
SAT · NOV 22 · 11:30 AM
Thalian Red
Painted Lady Shorts
Cucalorus 31
SAT · NOV 22 · 1:00 PM
Thalian Main
Crowdfunding to Build Independence
Cucalorus 31
SAT · NOV 22 · 1:00 PM
Thalian Red
American Baby
Cucalorus 31
SAT · NOV 22 · 1:15 PM
Thalian Black
From Reflection to Release
Cucalorus 31
SAT · NOV 22 · 2:30 PM
Thalian Red
Suburban Nights
Cucalorus 31
SAT · NOV 22 · 4:00 PM
Thalian Main
Men of Courage
Cucalorus 31
SAT · NOV 22 · 4:00 PM
Thalian Red
Blood & Guts
Cucalorus 31
SAT · NOV 22 · 4:15 PM
Thalian Black
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie
Cucalorus 31
SAT · NOV 22 · 7:00 PM
Thalian Main
STREET SMART: Lessons from a TV Icon
Cucalorus 31
SAT · NOV 22 · 7:15 PM
Thalian Black
Sirāt
Cucalorus 31
SAT · NOV 22 · 10:00 PM
Thalian Black
Helmeted Guineafowl Shorts
Cucalorus 31
SUN · NOV 23 · 10:15 AM
Thalian Main
Lantern Fly Shorts
Cucalorus 31
SUN · NOV 23 · 10:45 AM
Thalian Black
Appaloosa Shorts
Cucalorus 31
SUN · NOV 23 · 1:00 PM
Thalian Main
Touch Me
Cucalorus 31
SUN · NOV 23 · 1:15 PM
Thalian Black
Remaining Native
Cucalorus 31
SUN · NOV 23 · 4:00 PM
Thalian Black
The Confession
Cucalorus 31
SUN · NOV 23 · 4:15 PM
Thalian Main
Snowy Owl Shorts
Cucalorus 31
SUN · NOV 23 · 7:15 PM
Thalian Black
