Chagrin Documentary Film Festival

Our Mission

The Chagrin Documentary Film Festival is dedicated to educating audiences and empowering talented filmmakers to tell their stories.  The Festival is a five-day celebration of the art of documentary film, at venues in and around the century village of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. This inspiring event draws audiences from all over Northeast Ohio, the US, and the world to experience documentary films and the compelling art and culture they highlight.

16th Chagrin Documentary Film Festival: October 7-12, 2025

Celebrating its 16th year, the festival is located in the heart of downtown Chagrin Falls on the triangle, generating $1.2 million in annual estimated economic impact. Since it's inception, the Chagrin Documentary Film Festival (CDFF) has brought more than 28,000 people from 170 Ohio zip codes and 27 states to downtown Chagrin Falls. CDFF annually presents more than 80 domestic and international documentary films for nearly every age, and is the second-largest film fest in Ohio. These educational and inspiring films cover a range of topics including global cultures, environmental awareness and even Ohio’s local culture and history.

The festival also presents "Illuminate," a program designed to bring specially curated film programming to middle and high school students. The goal of "Illuminate" is for students to develop a deeper understanding of contemporary national and world issues through documentary film. Since 2018, CDFF provides a unique opportunity for students to meet with the subjects and or filmmakers, and ask questions that spark further conversation. The vision is that after "Illuminate," students will see themselves in their roles as problem solvers and significant influencers as community members and citizens of the world.