S/eason 8 of Streetside Cinema

Streetside Cinema was named to MovieMaker magazine’s 15 Film Festivals You Can Enter for Free, Presented by Film Freeway! click here

Streetside Cinema is an outdoor, year-round film festival that aims to further immerse the public and our Winston-Salem community in the magic of cinema by offering free access to a curated selection of short films from around the world.

Reel to Real

The Glass Closet

January 9th – January 22nd, 2026

Forbidden (2025)

Two girls fall in love in a part of the world where same-sex love is forbidden.

The Gaze (2025)

young white feminist’s beliefs are challenged when a woman her age enters the pool wearing a hijab. Their encounter sparks an unexpected tension.

twenty-three reels. thirty-two countries. seventy films.

Streetside Cinema boasts an impressive collection of films that are both visually varied and geographically diverse. Featuring animated shorts, narrative films, and documentaries from across the state, over the country, and around the world, season 8 has something for everyone.

You’re watching the best of the best. Out of 1,644 submissions, only the top five percent of films were selected for screening. Entries were submitted through FilmFreeway and are now open for the 2025-2026 season.

come watch with us!

Visit a/perture cinema on 4th street and look for the street-facing TV mounted directly to the right of the main entrance. Each reel of short films will run on loop throughout the day and will screen for approximately two weeks.