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Redfish Film Fest is a documentary film festival in Historic Downtown Panama City, Florida. Redfish plans to be the premier event of its kind in the Southeastern U.S.

The festival will include a full day of screenings at an eclectic collection of downtown venues: Panama City Center for the Arts, Gallery of Art and Bay County Historical Museum. In addition to the screenings, filmmakers and film industry professionals will be on hand to answer questions after their films are shown. Panels of industry professionals will also assemble to discuss specific industry topics. The event schedule includes an opening night red carpet event and community block party.

The screening venues as well as the slate of social events, according to Redfish director and Panama City local Kevin Elliott, are meant to not only celebrate documentaries but also what he sees as the rebirth of Historic Downtown Panama City.

“I love the documentary form. I always have. I also love downtown Panama City,” said Elliott, who has been involved in the downtown arts community since 1988. “I want people to fall in love with downtown as much as they fall in love with the festival.”

The festival’s presenting sponsor this year is Coca Cola.

Fast Facts

• Panama City is the largest city between Pensacola, less than three hours to the west, and Tallahassee, two hours east.
• Redfish is one of a small handful of doc-only fests in the country, and one of only two in the Southeast U.S.
• The event will feature documentary screening across three venues in Panama City’s walkable historic arts district.
• Panama City is home to four historic districts: Downtown Panama City, St. Andrews, Glenwood, and Millville.
• Featured films range from seven-minute shorts to feature-length documentaries.
• Panama City and Panama City Beach are two separate municipalities and uniquely different cities separated by St. Andrews Bay and connected by the Hathaway Bridge. Different from the beachside city, Panama City is a community surrounded by St. Andrews Bay, with thriving historic districts, two full service public marinas, diverse dining establishments, eclectic shops, galleries, live music, historic walking tours, farmers markets, dolphin tours, fishing charters and sailing excursions.