Grief goes global on screen as first-of-its-kind festival receives over 500 films from six continents

Filmmakers across more than 50 countries submitted work on loss and healing, signaling cinema's growing power as a shared language for grief.

New York, NY, July 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grief Fest™, the first international film festival devoted entirely to stories of loss and healing, has received more than 500 film submissions from filmmakers in over 50 countries across six continents. The milestone reflects growing global interest in using cinema to explore grief and coincides with the launch of the Grief Fest Film Index, a curated and searchable online resource featuring acclaimed films from around the world on bereavement, resilience and healing. The festival entries — documentaries, narrative shorts, personal essays and experimental artificial intelligence (AI) films — will stream during the holiday season, a stretch when, the American Psychological Association notes, grief and isolation are often felt most acutely.

Film Submission Origins

Grief Fest™ directly addresses this seasonal isolation by providing remote, on-demand access to comforting and reflective visual storytelling. Produced by the nonprofit My Grief Angels Inc., the hybrid film festival is anchored by its Virtual All-Access Pass, offering an accessible experience designed to support grieving individuals from Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve.

"Grief touches every life, yet it is often experienced in isolation—especially during the holidays," said Augusto Failde, festival director of Grief Fest. "Receiving submissions from filmmakers in more than 50 countries reminds us that, while every story of loss is unique, the need to be seen and understood is shared by us all. Through these films, Grief Fest makes a seat at the cinema table for anyone grieving this holiday season, offering connection, reflection, and community."

A World That Needed to Tell Its Story

Grief is among the most widely shared of human experiences, yet also among the most isolating — a paradox that became the foundation for Grief Fest™.

Film submissions have arrived from filmmakers spanning nations as varied in culture and language as they are unified in the experience of mourning. Every submission testifies to the same human need: to bear witness and to be witnessed. The largest share of submissions came from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Canada, Germany, Brazil, Italy, India, the Netherlands, South Korea, Ireland, China and Türkiye, with Portugal, Mexico and Japan tied for 15th place.

Unveiling the Grief Fest™ Film Index

In conjunction with the announcement, organizers unveiled the Grief Fest™ Film Index, a free, searchable online catalog of award-winning films on loss and the work of grieving. It launches with 87 acclaimed films in 10 languages, spanning nearly nine decades of cinema (1937–2025) and drawn from festivals including the Academy Awards, Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance and BAFTA. The collection covers every major kind of loss — from the death of a parent, child, partner or sibling to the loss of a friend, anticipatory grief, estrangement and generational loss.

Built as a practical guide as much as a catalog, the Index lets visitors filter films, gauge emotional intensity through plain-language content-sensitivity notes, and follow curated journeys — such as "The First Year" and "For Bereavement Groups" — designed for individuals, support groups, educators and caregivers. Listings can be saved, shared and recommended. Free and available now, the resource serves anyone navigating loss at any time of year, not only during the festival.

Holiday Screenings Designed for Those Experiencing Loss

Screenings are held during the two most difficult stretches of the holiday calendar for those who grieve: Thanksgiving (Nov. 25–29, 2026) and the Christmas and New Year's window (Dec. 24, 2026–Jan. 3, 2027). The screening windows are intended to offer a shared viewing experience during a season that many people find especially difficult after the loss of a loved one. Unlike a card or a gesture, the Virtual All-Access Pass connects viewers to filmmakers worldwide who have chosen to share what they found in grief.

Virtual All-Access Festival Passes are available in multiple tiers, allowing audiences to stream the complete festival regardless of location. The Virtual All-Access Passes are available now at Grief Fest™ Passes.

Film submissions remain open through Oct. 11. Official selections are being made on a rolling basis ahead of that final deadline, so films submitted earlier may be reviewed and announced sooner. Grief Fest™ encourages filmmakers who have not yet submitted to do so at FilmFreeway Grief Fest™. Winning films will be announced on the main festival website on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, and highlighted on the Film Festival Plus platform.

About Grief Fest™

Grief Fest™ is a first-of-its-kind international hybrid film festival focused on loss, resilience, and healing. Created by the nonprofit My Grief Angels Inc., Grief Fest provides a global platform for independent filmmakers and audiences to explore bereavement through the power of cinema. For more information, visit Grief Fest™: The Grief Film Festival.

Grief Fest™ - The Grief Film Index: A a free online searchable catalog of award-winning films on loss and the work of grieving — Academy Award, Cannes, Venice, Sundance, and beyond.

About My Grief Angels Inc

About My Grief Angels Inc. My Grief Angels Inc. is one of the world's most trusted digital grief communities. The nonprofit was named one of the 13 Best Mental Health Resources of 2025 by Everyday Health, recognized as a leader in digital grief support by Research and Markets (2026) and praised by BetterHelp as one of the best online grief support groups. The organization's mission is to use technology to ensure no one grieves alone — connecting the bereaved to one another and to the support they need, wherever they are.

Press Inquiries

Paul Carbonell
Contact [at] GriefFest.com
T: 443-850-8033 (ET)
MyGriefAngels.org

Media and sponsorship inquiries are welcome and can be directed to Contact [at] GriefFest.com

A video accompanying this announcement is available here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=XFfzdJsPJH0

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