The schedule for the 27th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival presented by Regions Bank (Aug. 18 – 24) has been announced, including the much-anticipated reveal of our Opening Night film, Stolen Kingdom, sponsored by Gilead Sciences. The documentary delves into the history of mischief, scandal, and theft at Walt Disney World. It culminates in the theft of Buzzy, an animatronic valued at nearly half a million dollars. The film is directed by Joshua Bailey who will be in attendance and will participate in a post-film Q+A. Opening Night will kick off at 5pm on Friday, August 22, with a block party on 3rd Ave. N. It will be followed by the film screening at the Alabama Theatre at 7pm, and the evening will conclude with the traditional after party on 3rd Ave N.
The schedule also highlights two other important documentaries in the lineup: Sidewalk’s Saturday Night Spotlight Film, Salão de Baile (This Is Ballroom) (Aug. 23, 5:30pm, Alabama Theatre) and The White House Effect: Inside George H.W. Bush’s White House (Aug. 24, 7pm, Alabama Theatre). Salão de Baile is an upbeat tribute to the Brazilian ballroom scene where LGBTQ+ and non-white people carve out a creative space they might otherwise be denied. The White House Effect is an archival documentary that describes when President George H.W. Bush, who once ran as an environmental candidate, faced an existential dilemma about climate change that reshaped our planet’s future.
In addition to these three documentaries, the lineup includes over 250 other films including narratives, animated film, music videos, episodic videos, and even more documentaries. Sidewalk is proud to announce that over 20% of its lineup is Alabama-related film and nearly 40% of its lineup has a female director or co-director. Sidewalk is also pleased to welcome back alumni with over a quarter of its lineup coming from returning filmmakers.
See the full lineup at sidewalkfest.com/sched. Premium Single Tickets are now on sale. Day, Weekend, and VIP Passes are also available at sidewalkfest.com/tix.
The 27th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival presented by Regions takes place August 18 – 24, 2025 in Downtown Birmingham’s Historic Theatre District.