2026 Festival Schedule

Benson Theatre - 6054 Maple St. - Omaha, NE

Times are subject to change.

Thursday, April 23

5:00 pm-7:00 pm: Thursday Gallery Night - Benson Creative District

Start your festival weekend off with some Benson flavor! Take a stroll through our historic neighborhood and discover the public art, galleries, and artist studios that bring the Benson Creative District to life. Find your way BFF Gallery for a secret movie screening and check in with our BFF Omaha friends at PETSHOP Gallery, MaMO Gallery, and Trudy’s Artist Studios to see what’s on display this month! If you're nice, they might even give you a prize…

Head to bensoncreativedistrict.org to view the public art map and learn more about galleries and artist studios.

free and open to the public


7:00 pm-10:00 pm: Festival Kickoff Party - Krug Park (6205 Maple St.)

Join us at Krug Parkto celebrate the opening of the 2026 festival! Enjoy discounts on craft beer, signature cocktails, and the best Bloody Mary lineup in town. Pick up your festival pass, meet fellow festival attendees and filmmakers, and be the first to grab new merch!

free and open to the public

Friday, April 24

Schedule subject to change.

Please note: these films are not rated. Some films may contain sensitive and/or triggering content. Viewer discretion advised.

Benson Theatre Doors Open: 5:00 pm (6054 Maple St.)

5:00 pm-6:30 pm: Red Carpet Happy Hour Reception

Show off your red carpet style and snap a photo with Party Booth Omaha. Check out the special cocktail menu and local beer offerings while experiencing a live art session by Spencer Long. Be sure to pick up your festival passes and check out the merch table.

free and open to the public

6:30 pm-8:00 pm: Short Stacks Block A (1:16:13)

MYCELIUM (17:20)

Brent Scott Maze - Omaha, NE

Mom and Dad Live in Different Houses (6:57)

Brad Bischoff - Ventura, CA

Sun Valley (12:47)

Kate Ryan Brewer - Melbourne, FL

A Glance Away (2:39)

Alicia López - Omaha, NE

Donor (21:45)

Wesley Boone - Haughton, LA

Rinse Cycle (14:45)

Caroline Kauffman - Los Angeles, CA

All-Access Pass / Friday Day Pass / General Admission

8:00 pm-8:15 pm: Filmmaker Q&A

All-Access Pass / Friday Day Pass / General Admission

8:30 pm-9:50 pm: Feature Film

Languid (1:20:34)

MJ Strasburger - Lincoln, NE

All-Access Pass / Friday Day Pass / General Admission

9:50 pm-10:00 pm: Filmmaker Q&A

All-Access Pass / Friday Day Pass / General Admission

10:00 pm-12:00 am: Pinball & Patio Party - Beercade + St. Andrew’s Pub (6104 Maple St.)

Following the film screenings, head over to our Pinball & Patio Party! Grab your quarters and hit the games at Beercade, or enjoy a beverage on the back patio at St Andrew's. Discounts are available to festival pass holders.

free and open to the public (21+)

Saturday, April 25

Schedule subject to change.

Please note: these films are not rated. Some films may contain sensitive and/or triggering content. Viewer discretion advised.

Benson Theatre Doors Open: 10:00 am (6054 Maple St.)

10:00 am-10:30 am: Saturday Morning Cartoons

Head to the Benson Theatre lobby to load up on free coffee and pastries courtesy of Hardy Coffee. Plus, enjoy a free cereal bar and experience a live art session by Angela Behrens! Get cozy in the theatre while you watch some vintage Saturday Morning Cartoons and let the nostalgia take over.

All-Access Pass / Saturday Day Pass

10:30 am-11:40 am: Animated Film Block

Ruffin (4:12)

Joseph Pankowski - Omaha, NE

SWiM (17:03)

Ivo Venkov - Los Angeles, CA

Dobrina (5:00)

Hannes Rall - Singapore

Draft Paper (15:23)

Olivia Moon - Chicago, IL

Solar Neighbor (10:44)

Austin Cole - Denver, CO

BOOKANIMA: Martial Arts (16:48)

Shon Kim - South Korea

All-Access Pass / Saturday Day Pass / General Admission

11:50 am-1:45 pm: Documentary Feature

For Your Amusement (1:54:30)

Justin Tolliver - St Louis, MO

All-Access Pass / Saturday Day Pass / General Admission

2:00 pm-3:45 pm: Doc Block A

*Content warning: some films within this block explore sensitive topics that may not be suitable for all audiences. Learn more about subject matter for each film on our 2026 Films page.

The Meloneers (22:00)

Brendan Young - Denver, CO

A Boy and His Dog (33:58)

Ike Somanas - Lincoln, NE

Why We Ride (12:00)

Erin Kirby - Denver, CO

there’s evil here. (9:24)

Maxwell Duryea - Chattanooga, TN

ANNA: Omaha’s Queen of the Underworld (33:58)

Joseph Gerard Giitter - Omaha, NE

O Con: An Event for Everyone (16:58)

Amanda Trudell - Council Bluffs, IA

All-Access Pass / Saturday Day Pass / General Admission

3:45 pm-4:00 pm: Filmmaker Q&A

All-Access Pass / Saturday Day Pass / General Admission

4:00 pm-6:00 pm: Red Carpet Happy Hour Reception

Live music is BACK at the Benson Film Festival! Frankie Chiaro takes over the stage for a show you don’t want to miss. Check out the special cocktail menu and local beer offerings in the lobby and enjoy a live art session by Candi Jay. Don’t forget to snap a photo with Party Booth Omaha, check out the merch table, and grab some free popcorn!

free and open to the public

6:00 pm-6:50 pm: Experimental + Music Videos Block

Music Videos

Fishbowl (4:38)

Jonah Moshammer, Maria Donjacour - Los Angeles, CA

Prism Cell (4:14)

Joi Katskee - Omaha, NE

G’itis Baggs - Country Soul (4:13)

Nick Rohr - Chicago, IL

L’ABRICOT (3:17)

Julia Folio - France

Experimental Films

Smash/Frame (4:00)

Jasia Ka - New York, NY

OF Robots and Rednecks (6:51)

Kevin Davis - Glendale, CA

Natsukashii (6:51)

Chris Toro - New York, NY

LESPRI (4:46)

Jard Lerebours - Bay Shore, NY

All-Access Pass / Saturday Day Pass / General Admission

6:50 pm-7:05 pm: Filmmaker Q&A

All-Access Pass / Saturday Day Pass / General Admission

7:15 pm-8:20 pm: Feature Film

Dad Genes (1:02:34)

Craig Downing - New York, NY

All-Access Pass / Saturday Day Pass / General Admission

8:35 pm-9:45 pm: Short Stacks Block B

JUICE (9:02)

Rachel Williamson - Lincoln, NE

Don’t Bury It (9:56)

Kristian Fitsall - United Kingdom

Angels With Dirty Paws (13:52)

Elijah Fitzpatrick - Omaha, NE

Will You Always (12:12)

Tabitha Healey - Los Angeles, CA

Bullock (16:55)

Karl Yanike - Omaha, NE

Finders, Keepers (6:15)

Russ Lamoureux - Hollywood, CA

All-Access Pass / Saturday Day Pass / General Admission

9:45 pm-10:00 pm: Filmmaker Q&A

All-Access Pass / Saturday Day Pass / General Admission

10:00 pm-11:00 pm: Reverse Mixer >< rexiM esreveR

Stick around for drink specials in the lobby and enjoy a special surprise…

All-Access Pass / Saturday Day Pass

11:00 pm-2:00 am: Saturday Night at the Syd - The Sydney (5918 Maple St.)

Head to the Syd for the Saturday night after-party! DJ Grazy will be spinning. Tip your bartender.

$5 / free with All-Access Pass (21+)

Sunday, April 26

Please note: these films are not rated. Some films may contain sensitive and/or triggering content. Viewer discretion advised.

10:00 am-11:00 am: Filmmaker Brunch - SET The Bar (6121 Maple St.)

Start your Sunday off with some brunch at SET The Baras we celebrate our filmmakers! Enjoy a special festival mimosa and discounts for festival pass holders. Join us for a special toast to the filmmakers at 10:45 before we head to the theatre.

free and open to the public

Benson Theatre Doors Open: 11:00 am (6054 Maple St.)

11:00 am-12:00 pm: Student Film Block A

Three Courses of MoCo (30:00)

Sophia Gould - Bethesda, MD

Nesting (4:10)

Eleanor Benson, Alexah Fort - Papillion, NE

Promised Belt (11:30)

Jelizaveta Aleksandrova - Lithuania

Salty (8:56)

Gaudija Marija Izabelė Būtaitė - Lithuania

The Dreamer (3:02)

Caleb Ephraim Huet - Wayne, NE

All-Access Pass / Sunday Day Pass / General Admission

12:10 pm-1:00 pm: Student Film Block B

PARALLEL (9:29)

Brett Stoffels - Milwaukee, WI

Forgotten Motherland (10:30)

Anja Oelofse - Wayne, NE

Raiven (10:55)

Gracelynn Arbaugh - Omaha, NE

Halfway Saved (6:09)

Mason Chamberlain - Wayne, NE

The Bittersweet Truth About Parking (17:35)

Blake Bodlak, Anja Oelofse - Wayne, NE

All-Access Pass / Sunday Day Pass / General Admission

1:00 pm-1:15 pm: Student Filmmaker Q&A

All-Access Pass / Sunday Day Pass / General Admission

1:15 pm-2:00 pm: Filmmaker Networking Mixer

Emerging and established filmmakers are invited to our filmmaker mixer! Whether you're a seasoned pro, a student filmmaker, or an inspired soul looking begin your filmmaking journey, we hope you’ll join us for an afternoon of connection and collaboration.

Featuring a live art session by Duke Williams.

free and open to the public

2:00 pm-3:40 pm: Doc Block B

Then & Now (46:06)

Raymond J Reiss - Wichita, KS

A Refuge of Scouting (56:00)

Pat Clark, Ross Taylor - Aurora, CO

All-Access Pass / Sunday Day Pass / General Admission

3:50 pm-5:05 pm: Short Stacks Block C

Still Life (17:09)

Hannah Rosalie Wright - Des Moines, IA

What Once Was (10:34)

Alexander Tammaru - Elmhurst, IL

‘Til Harvest Comes (14:46)

Ken Womble - Loveland, CO

Sisterhood (10:22)

Jolee Mallmann - Milwaukee, WI

Something Else Tonight (14:40)

Tyler Brooks - Patterson, NJ

All-Access Pass / Sunday Day Pass / General Admission

5:05 pm-5:15 pm: Filmmaker Q&A

All-Access Pass / Sunday Day Pass / General Admission

6:00 pm-8:00 pm: Awards Reception - 11 Eleven (6061 Maple St.)

Join us at 11 Eleven for our first-ever Awards Reception! Enjoy a glass of wine as we close out the 2026 festival and celebrate Benson’s favorite films.

free and open to the public