Dynasty Sports Film Festival

The greatest stories in sports, on the big screens.

October 22–25, 2026 · Downtown South Bend, Indiana

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A packed stadium under floodlights on match night
Dynasty Sports Film Festival October 22–25, 2026 Downtown South Bend, Indiana One of the biggest sports weekends of the year Badges on sale now

Where sports stories have a home.

Fifty years ago, Rocky changed the world of cinema. The film encapsulated inspirational storytelling, and its Oscar-winning legacy is the guiding light for the world of sports content.

The Dynasty Sports Film Festival was created to offer a global stage for the most compelling stories in sport.

Hosted in the iconic sports town of South Bend, Indiana, the festival unites athletes, filmmakers, and fans to celebrate the intersection of competition, culture, and cinema. Four days of curated screenings, live events, industry panels, and athlete-led conversations — during one of the biggest sports weekends of the year — building a new cultural home for sports storytelling in the American heartland.

An audience settling in as the screen lights up
Lights down, game on.

Competitive categories

Six categories
A basketball dropping through the net in a packed arena

Narrative feature

Sports-driven full-length films

Sprinters exploding off the line, mid-race, in black and white

Feature documentary

Sport & sports culture

A butterfly swimmer mid-stroke, water flying

Short film

All formats · 5–40 minutes

A sprinter set in the blocks, baton in hand

Brand film

Agency & commercial · any length

A neon sign glowing against a brick wall

Social & digital

Creator social & digital content

A cycling peloton charging down the road

Student film

Current students · all formats

See the full program  ·  See how to submit

The Dynasty experience

Four days · Downtown South Bend
Premier screening venues
Festival screenings will take place at classic downtown theaters and meeting spaces that bring cinematic history and character to the festival experience.
Podcast & Creator Studio
A dedicated audio and video stage where creators, media personalities, and podcasters record, livestream, and host conversations live from the festival.
Festival Hub & Media Center
The heartbeat of the event — press interviews, media appearances, informal meetings, and daily festival activity in one central gathering place.
Dynamic event spaces
Beautiful venues across downtown for panel discussions, athlete meet-and-greets, industry sessions, premiere parties, and post-screening receptions.

Special screenings

Anniversary Q&As · open to the public

2026 is a milestone year for sports cinema.
Dynasty celebrates the legacy of sports storytelling with anniversary screenings and talent-led Q&As — the moments that shaped the genre, back on the big screen.

  • Hoosiers 40th anniversary
  • Jerry Maguire 30th anniversary
  • Cars 20th anniversarY

Badges

Festival badges and individual screening tickets available here.

Industry Pass

For producers, distributors, programmers, and press covering the festival — accreditation with access built for doing business at Dynasty.

Accreditation opens soon

Plan your visit

First time for everyone — here's the playbook

Arriving by air

Fly directly into South Bend (SBN) — a 15-minute drive from the festival grounds.

Alternatively, fly into Chicago — O'Hare (ORD) or Midway (MDW) — and drive in.

Arriving by train

The South Shore Line runs from Chicago to South Bend Airport for about $15 each way.

From the airport, it's a quick Uber or Lyft to the festival.

Getting around

Dynasty is set in downtown South Bend. Nearly all venues are within walking distance of each other.

Where to stay

Courtyard South Bend Downtown 121 S Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, South Bend, IN 46601 Reserve room block → Book by Oct 8, 2026
DoubleTree South Bend 123 N Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, South Bend, IN 46601 Reserve room block → Book by Oct 8, 2026
Aloft South Bend 111 N Main St, South Bend, IN 46601 Book a room →

The venues

Morris Performing Arts Center, AMC South Bend, Bendix Arena, South Bend Civic Theater, Tribune, and Four Winds Field.

Badge pickup

Momentum Hub (10/22/26)
510 South Main Street
DoubleTree South Bend (10/23/26 – 10/24/26)
123 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd

Made a sports film? Get in the game.

  • Six competitive categories, features to student films
  • Shorts, brand films, and social & digital open for entry
  • At least a US premiere, never released online
  • Feature slots are curated by our programming team
Rules & FAQ Submit on FilmFreeway
A clapperboard snapping shut against an open sky

Founders & event partners

Access & expertise

A festival built on access and expertise by content creators.

  • ShadeTV

    A digital media platform producing original sports and culture content, connecting Dynasty with new audiences across the digital and creator universe.

  • Octagon

    A global sports and entertainment agency representing elite athletes, media talent, and major sports properties — bringing deep connections, on-site activation experience, and production expertise across sports, media, and entertainment.

  • Kris Priemer

    Entrepreneur and community builder, founder of the Momentum Entrepreneurship Hub, and a key producer of IDEA Week in partnership with the University of Notre Dame — anchoring Dynasty's connection to Notre Dame and the South Bend community.

Press

Covering the inaugural Dynasty Sports Film Festival? Press accreditation is now open — apply below.

Apply for accreditation

Volunteers

Festivals run on people who love this stuff. Join the crew for the first edition — sign up below.

Sign up to volunteer

See you in South Bend.

October 22–25, 2026