The Alexandria Film Festival is set to make MetroStage‘s new theater its permanent home starting in 2026.
According to a press release published by both organizations, this four-day event, which showcases independent features and short films from around the world, will be the first “In Residence” arts organization to share space with MetroStage.
AFF Executive Committee Chair Dara Sanders says, “MetroStage in the Old Town North Arts District is the ideal home for the Alexandria Film Festival. It’s long epitomized excellence in the arts and its new facilities will be state-of-the-art for both theatre and film”.
The festival’s 20th anniversary, scheduled for November 5-8, 2026, will feature a theater-focused lineup of films jointly curated by AFF and MetroStage. Experts from both film and theater will take part in audience discussions and educational sessions.
MetroStage’s press release states that its new theater at 915 N. Fairfax St. “will be a state-of-the-art facility with 120 comfortable seats, excellent sightlines and acoustics, and film and video projection technology optimized for festival screenings.” It’s part of the Venue condominium complex at North Fairfax and Montgomery Streets.
Carolyn Griffin, MetroStage Producing Artistic Director, adds, “We very much look forward to complementing our live theater offerings with select film presentations and the AFF is the perfect partner to curate, present, and connect films with the entire DMV audience. We are very excited to be the home of the annual Alexandria Film Festival and other film offerings throughout the year”,
The Alexandria Film Festival may also host special screenings and events at MetroStage throughout the year, with dates to be determined.
Both organizations will take part in the annual Spring2Action fundraising campaign to support their initiatives.
