The 2025 Better Together Film Festival

The Listen First Project invites local groups across the country to participate in the 2nd Annual Better Together Film Festival during the 8th Annual National Week of Conversation, April 21-27, 2025. This festival leverages the power of storytelling to inspire dialogue and foster unity. Featuring nonpartisan films that highlight stories of bridging divides, screenings will be followed by facilitated discussions to encourage meaningful conversations among diverse audiences. Join a screening or host your own! Learn more about how you can get involved below.

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Bridging Communities Together Through Storytelling

In an era of increasing polarization, the power of storytelling can inspire empathy, foster understanding, and bring communities together. The 2025 Better Together Film Festival provides an opportunity for local organizations to engage their communities in meaningful dialogue through film. The festival, spearheaded by the Listen First Project, encourages audiences to experience stories of individuals coming together across their differences to solve problems, build relationships, and strengthen communities.

From April 21-27, 2025, venues across the country—including libraries, museums, community centers, and universities—will screen films selected for their ability to model bridge-building best practices. Each screening will be followed by facilitated discussions or interactive experiences designed to deepen engagement and encourage conversations across lines of difference. The 2025 festival will feature 6-10 films, with hosting partners able to choose which films they wish to screen. 

Organizations interested in hosting a screening are invited to sign up as Hosting Partners. Participating hosts will receive a comprehensive toolkit, including conversation guides, audience engagement materials, and marketing resources to ensure a successful event. Ideal hosting partners include nonprofits, educational institutions, and community organizations with access to a screening space and the ability to bring together diverse audiences. Sign up to host a screening!

​If you are a filmmaker interested in submitting your work to be featured in the festival, the Listen First Project welcomes film submissions that align with the festival’s mission of fostering unity and understanding. Films should model bridge-building best practices and promote meaningful dialogue. The deadline for film submissions is February 12, 2025. Click here to learn more about file submissions.

Filmmakers selected for the festival will benefit from increased audience reach, free promotional support, and access to audience engagement data collected during the screenings. Additionally, filmmakers must provide a Conversation Guide for hosting venues to facilitate meaningful discussions. They will also be required to participate in standardized pre/post audience surveys to measure the impact of their film on viewers.​

More About the Festival

The Better Together Film Festival is an initiative designed to bring communities together through powerful storytelling. Launched in 2024, the festival aims to provide a platform for films that highlight efforts to bridge divides and promote unity in an increasingly polarized world. Each screening is followed by an opportunity for meaningful discussion, helping audiences reflect on key themes and build connections within their communities. By showcasing diverse perspectives and real-life stories, the festival encourages people to listen first and engage in productive conversations that foster understanding and empathy.

Bring the Film Festival to Your Community!

By participating in the Better Together Film Festival, local organizations will have the opportunity to grow their networks, raise awareness of their initiatives, and contribute to a broader movement of bridging divides. The festival is an accessible and impactful way for communities to come together, share stories, and promote dialogue in an increasingly fragmented world.