South Bend to Host Inaugural Dynasty Sports Film Festival

A new film festival launching this fall in South Bend, Indiana aims to unite sports enthusiasts and movie lovers.

Named the Dynasty Sports Film Festival (DSFF), the four-day event runs October 22–25 in South Bend, a region deeply tied to Notre Dame football. Organizers describe it as a celebration of “the stories that shape sports culture” and a new hub where sports and cinema converge.

The 2026 schedule includes gala screenings, anniversary showings, and conversations with athletes and creators. Founded and presented by Shade Studios, the festival features six award categories—narrative features, documentaries, shorts, brand films, student films, and social/digital creator content—plus out-of-competition screenings.

“The inaugural Dynasty Sports Film Festival will transform South Bend into a film and media sports capital, positioned in the heart of America’s most passionate sports region,” said DSFF founders Marissa Hill and Alfred Castaneda of Shade Studios. “We are ecstatic to bring together filmmakers, creators, and athletes for the first year of this festival and can’t wait to share what we’ve been building with the Dynasty audience.”

The festival opens October 22 with a world premiere of the documentary “Lou Holtz: 60 Minutes to Play and a Lifetime to Remember,” about the iconic Notre Dame coach. A Q&A moderated by ESPN’s Hannah Storm will feature director Ted Mandell. Sponsored by B&H Creators, Sony, Profoto, and Lexar, the evening concludes with an opening night party at the Studebaker Museum.

Upcoming Prime Video drama series “The Greatest,” about Muhammad Ali, will make its festival debut with a sneak peek of episode 1 on October 23. Executive produced by Ben Watkins’ Blue Monday Productions and Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society, the series also involves Authentic Studios, Roc Nation, Polygram Entertainment, and Grace: A Storytelling Company. That same day, the festival screens ESPN’s “The Brittney Griner Story” featuring WNBA star Brittney Griner.

October 24 features a 40th Anniversary screening of a director’s cut of “Hoosiers” with Q&A from director David Anspaugh and screenwriter Angelo Pizzo, a DSFF jury member. Also screening are “First Five,” documenting Bob Knight’s first recruiting class at Indiana University with NBA player John Laskowski, and ESPN’s “Give Me the Ball!” featuring tennis legends Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, and Serena Williams, alongside Elton John.

The festival closes October 25 with family-friendly programming, including a 20th Anniversary screening of “Cars.”

Additional programming will be announced later.

The festival jurors include Pizzo, NFL agent Eugene Lee, Deirdre Boyle (Emeritus Professor of Media, New School), Maura Shea (Head of Film Production, Penn State), Fede Goldenberg (YouTube Head of TV and Film Partnerships), Wilson Morales (Critics Choice Board member and Black Film and TV journalist), Dr. Galen Clavio (Director/Professor of Sports Media, Indiana University Bloomington), and Ted Mandell (Professor of Film Production, Notre Dame).

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