Where the story begins.
Brian Bennett founds 9FilmFest as a place to discover short films and independent voices.
Our story
Made for discovery.
Built around people.
Independent cinema belongs on a shared screen. 9FilmFest brings filmmakers and audiences together around stories that deserve to be seen.
From Bangkok to Long Island
For the filmmaker
with something to say.
Some films arrive quietly. Some are wonderfully strange. Some stay with you long after the lights come up.
9FilmFest makes space for those discoveries. Founded in Bangkok in 2011 by Brian Bennett, the festival grew from the spirit of the original Bangkok Film Festival. In 2026, its 13th annual edition brings that independent spirit to New York.
What matters is the encounter: a film, a room, and people seeing the world through someone else’s eyes.
Join our next chapter ↗The 12th edition.
The festival’s Bangkok program is preserved in our film archive, including screenings at The Friese-Greene Club.
A new audience.
The 13th edition opens a New York chapter in Blue Point on Long Island.
The Lucky 9 tradition
Nine finalists.
Countless perspectives.
The Lucky 9 is at the heart of the festival: nine award finalists, drawn from a wider selection of films. The number nine is considered lucky in Thailand, associated with progress and moving forward. Every officially selected film has a place in the screening program; the Lucky 9 contend for the top awards.
What brings us together
01 / Discovery
Follow your curiosity.
Explore an unfamiliar film, a different place, or a voice you haven’t encountered before.
02 / Independence
Make room for the unusual.
There is no single way to tell a story. We welcome the imagination that makes independent cinema its own.
03 / Connection
Keep the conversation going.
Films give us something to share. The festival is a place to listen, exchange ideas and meet.
Festival director
Brian Bennett
Bayport filmmaker Brian Bennett founded 9FilmFest in Bangkok and continues as festival director. The library’s November/December 2026 newsletter features the festival’s journey to Long Island.
Read the local feature ↗Contact 9FilmFest ↗