History of the Fest
Film Score Fest was co-founded in Minnesota by filmmaker Oanh Vu and composer Charlie McCarron. Around 250 short films have been created for the fest and screened at venues around Saint Paul: Landmark Center, the Science Museum of Minnesota, Mears Park, and History Theatre. In 2026, Film Score Fest branched out to Denver, organized by composer and Quarkestra leader Christine Palmer.
Past Festivals
Click below for info, photos, and videos.
2026 in Denver @ The Oriental Theater
- Sunday, May 31
- Theme: Shift
- Featured Instrument: Theravox
Selected Films:
- Passerby – Francesca Hiatt, John Altenbernd
- Revivification – Linnea Stutzman, Gene Pritsker
- -shift_ – Curtis Craven, Olly Manning
- Ome – Benji Salinas, Noah Bauer (Orchestration: Josie Just)
- Defining Shift – Cody Hollar, Cody Ullrich
- Goodnight, Tony – Thomas Slipsager, Julie McCarthy
- Swiss Key – Yadiel Jimenez, Brayden Bogdon
- Night Shift – Shun Matsuhashi, Joe Graves, Nick Salmon
- The Grind – Roe Moore, Lee Knight
- Night Bloom – Chris Lange, Isaac Fode
- Boblin and the Wheel of Goblin – Jack Mirfield, Chase Matthews
- Encore – Crystal Preston-Watson, Logan Dougherty
- Ripples – Marisa Lenardson, Shelly Strunk (Transcription: Josie Just)
- Phantasma – Ryan Kerwin, Benjamin Sunderland, Thomas Osborne
- The Zoo – David Koesters, John Kuntz
2025 in St. Paul @ History Theater
- Saturday, April 26
- Theme: Perspective
- Featured Instrument: Accordion
Top 8 Selected Films (shown in both screenings):
- Born to Move – Jeffrey Schwinghammer, Erik Heathcote
- Side Passage – Jacob Docksey, Ken Takata, Sophie Caplin
- The Depths: Såhågu – Erica Warren, Ritika Ganguly
- Free Zhi Kai – Len Sanqui, Seth Pioske
- Night Prism – Chris Lange, Mike Muncher
- Who Stole the Cookie From the Cookie Jar – Kazua Melissa Vang, Asuka Kakitani
- Marion Dada – Serena Violet Hodges, Arthur Xiong
- Mermaid Land – David Koesters, Mitchell Dietz
1pm Screening Selected Films:
- Projesptive – John Akre, Bongjun Kim
- Welcome to Alaska: Location, Location, Location – Rodney Johnson, Nick Rudnik
- Let Me Start Again – Anthony Hunke, John Kuntz
- See Turtle – Jason P. Schumacher, Josie Just
- The Price of Eggs – Maya Washington, Khary Jackson
- Truffle Kerfuffle – Joe Graves, Shun Matsuhashi, Nick Graves, Christine Palmer
- Lil Mizz Possum’s Pizza – Will Matthews, Liam Vance
- Ventana – Andy Dayton, Will Edwards
- Marion Dada – Serena Violet Hodges, Arthur Xiong
- Mermaid Land – David Koesters, Mitchell Dietz
7pm Screening Selected Films:
- Through the Fractured Lens – Jae-Eun Suh, Edmund Song
- Remembering – Cameron Jones, Nik Stalhammar
- Pellucid – Signe Lisadotter, Aarush Bothra
- Con Cuidado – Benji Salinas, Christian Rasmussen, Noah Bauer
- Bye Bye Kash – Randy Xiong, Erik Ostrom
- Dana in the Nightmare: Manifest – Alan Tracy, Jeff Goldsmith
- Powdery Prances and Such Wondrous Snow Dances – Mavrick Roos, Tom Johnson
- The Fall – Chris Lange, Calley Bliss
2023 in St. Paul @ History Theater
- Saturday, June 10
- Theme: Time
- Featured Instrument: Chimes
2021 in St. Paul @ Mears Park
- Saturday, September 4
- Theme: Adapt
- Featured Instrument: Cajon
2019 in St. Paul @ Science Museum of MN
- Saturday, July 20
- Theme: Unseen
- Featured Instrument: Theremin
2018 in St. Paul @ Science Museum of MN
- Saturday, July 28
- Theme: Unreal
- Featured Instrument: Harp
2017 in St. Paul @ Science Museum of MN
- Saturday, July 29
- Theme: Collision
2016 in St. Paul @ Science Museum of MN
- Thursday, July 28
- Theme: Legend
2015 in St. Paul @ Landmark Center
- Thursday, August 13
- Theme: Home
2014 in St. Paul @ Landmark Center
- Thursday, August 14
- Theme: Quest
