Tallgrass Film Association

Name

Tallgrass Film Association

Legal name

Tallgrass Film Association

Website

https://tallgrassfilm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tallgrass Film Association is a Wichita, Kansas-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that operates the Tallgrass Film Festival and year-round Emily Bonavia Film Center, serving independent filmmakers, local audiences, and community partners in Kansas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Film Festival & Cinema Venue

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Motion Picture and Video Production (51211)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG), Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers) (MPADAKAH)

Keywords

• Independent film festival
• Film exhibition programming
• Nonprofit arts organization
• Cinema venue rentals
• Filmmaker community programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Wichita

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Festival Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling individual film tickets, festival passes (TALLPass), and virtual screenings for the annual film festival event.
2. Sponsorships: Direct financial support and in-kind contributions from corporate sponsors seeking marketing exposure through the festival and year-round events. Includes presenting sponsors, category sponsors, and in-kind partners.
3. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible contributions from film enthusiasts and community members supporting the organization's non-profit mission. Majority of funding comes from individual donors.
4. Community Partnership Fees: Fees from non-profit organizations that partner with the festival for community outreach and film screenings aligned with their missions.
5. Venue Rental: Rental income from the Emily Bonavia Tallgrass Film Center for private screenings, corporate events, fundraisers, and community gatherings.
6. Membership Program: Annual membership fees providing perks including festival passes, discounts, and access to year-round events and programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Tallgrass Film Association operates the annual Tallgrass Film Festival, the largest independent film festival in Kansas, featuring over 100 films from around the world with competitive categories, filmmaker Q&As, panels, and social events. The organization complements the festival with the year-round Emily Bonavia Tallgrass Film Center for regular screenings, venue rentals, and community programming. Additional offerings include the Take 36 filmmaking competition, Emerging Programmer Apprenticeship youth program, Pridegrass LGBTQ+ programming, Tallgrass Film Alliance networking events, Community Partnership Program, and award programs (Stubbornly Independent, Gordon Parks Award for Black Excellence in Filmmaking, DOXX Award).

Product overview

Tallgrass Film Association operates a multi-product entertainment platform centered on its annual Tallgrass Film Festival, the largest independent film festival in Kansas featuring competitive film categories, filmmaker events, and awards. The organization complements the festival with the year-round Tallgrass Film Center (Emily Bonavia venue) for regular screenings and venue rentals. Additional offerings include the Take 36 filmmaking competition, Emerging Programmer Apprenticeship youth education program, Pridegrass LGBTQ+ programming, Tallgrass Film Alliance networking events, and community partnership initiatives. The festival features multiple award programs including the Stubbornly Independent Award (for low-budget independent features), Gordon Parks Award for Black Excellence in Filmmaking, and DOXX Award (for women-directed documentaries). The TALLPass provides all-access festival entry with VIP perks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TALLPass: All-access festival pass offering VIP access to films, exclusive happy hours, and gala parties during the annual festival.
• Community Partnership Program
• Emerging Programmer Apprenticeship
• Take 36
• DOXX Award
• Stubbornly Independent
• Gordon Parks Award for Black Excellence in Filmmaking
• Pridegrass
• Tallgrass Film Alliance

Products and services

• Tallgrass Film Festival Annual independent film festival held in and around downtown Wichita, Kansas, featuring over 100 films from around the world. Includes competitive categories, gala screenings, filmmaker Q&As, panel discussions, and social events. Festival dates: October 15-18, 2026 (in-person) with virtual programming in October.
• Tallgrass Film Center Year-round cinema venue and community space at the Emily Bonavia Tallgrass Film Center (The Lux) offering regular film screenings, educational programming, and venue rentals for private events, screenings, and corporate presentations.
• Emily Bonavia Tallgrass Film Center Venue Rental Cinema venue at 120 East 1st Street North, Suite 113, Wichita, offering private event rentals for screenings, fundraisers, corporate presentations, and community gatherings.
• TALLPass

Quantifiable outcome

• Named "Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World" by MovieMaker Magazine
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Dark Star PicturesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2025Partnership announced for the Stubbornly Independent Award winner, providing distribution opportunities or promotional support for the winning independent film.
• Venera FilmsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2025Partnership for the Gordon Parks Award for Black Excellence in Filmmaking, supporting the award category for filmmakers of African descent.
• Transgender Film CentermajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership with organization founded by Tallgrass alumnus Sav Rodgers, providing free panels and LGBTQ+ programming through Pridegrass celebration.
• Harvester ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWichita-based nonprofit arts organization entrusted to administer the 2026 Tallgrass Film Festival due to organizational capacity. Founded in 2014, Harvester produces exhibitions, public programs, and large-scale collaborative events. Provides organizational support, infrastructure, and event management.
• Exploration PlaceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal Wichita museum partnered with TFA for community programming and cross-promotion of arts and cultural events.
• Wichita Art MuseumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCultural institution partnering with TFA for community outreach and cultural programming.
• BotanicaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWichita botanical gardens partnering with TFA for cultural programming and community events.
• Music Theatre WichitaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal performing arts organization partnering with TFA for community cultural enrichment.
• Hopping GnomeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWichita brewery hosting monthly Tallgrass Film Alliance filmmaker meetups and Happy Hours at their location (1719 E Victor St, Wichita, KS 67214).
• Wichita State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner through WSU Foundation, Shocker Studios, Digital Arts program, and University Office of Diversity & Inclusion. Partnership includes Gordon Parks Museum and support for the Gordon Parks Award.
• Kansas African American MuseummajorGTM or Marketing PartnerTKAAM collaborates with TFA on Gordon Parks Award programming and community partnerships including Dunbar Under the Stars outdoor cinema series.
• Historic Dunbar TheatremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric Black theater partnering with TFA for Dunbar Under the Stars outdoor film series, bringing community screenings to north Wichita.
• Chicken N PickleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWichita entertainment venue hosting Tallgrass Film Trivia fundraiser events.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sidewalk Film Festival: Birmingham, Alabama independent film festival. Comparable regional indie festival scale, similar mix of features/shorts/awards, and a year-round Sidewalk Cinema operation paralleling Tallgrass's Film Center.
• Oxford Film Festival: Mid-sized independent film festival in Mississippi. Most directly comparable peer: comparable scale, similar indie programming approach, and Tallgrass ED Melanie Addington was previously Executive Director here (2015-2021), indicating close operational kinship.
• Cleveland International Film Festival: Long-running Midwestern independent film festival with curated programming and year-round cinema operations. Closely comparable mission and operational structure to Tallgrass.
• Nashville Film Festival: Tennessee-based independent film festival with year-round programming. Comparable regional U.S. positioning, competitive indie categories, and similar audience-pass-based revenue approach.
• Traverse City Film Festival: Michigan-based independent film festival with year-round State Theatre operations. Similar non-profit status, comparable festival cinema model, and emphasis on curated indie programming.
• Newport Beach Film Festival: California-based independent film festival. Comparable scale, similar mix of competitive categories and filmmaker networking events, with similar sponsor-driven funding model.
• Heartland International Film Festival: Indianapolis-based independent film festival with a year-round screening program (Heartland Film). Comparable in mission, regional U.S. focus, and integration of competitive indie categories with educational/outreach programming.
• Woodstock Film Festival: New York-based independent film festival with strong filmmaker hospitality and industry programming. Comparable non-profit operating model and emphasis on indie filmmaker support.
• Austin Film Festival: Texas-based independent film festival with strong screenwriting/filmmaker focus. More established than Tallgrass but operates the same indie festival + year-round cinema model in a mid-sized U.S. city.
• Denver Film Festival: Denver Film Society-operated independent film festival with year-round programming at the Sie FilmCenter. Comparable Midwestern/Mountain West regional positioning and integrated cinema+festival model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tallgrass
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxH2CN19BeexXI728_fu75w
• Facebookfacebook.com/tallgrassfilm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tallgrass-film-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/tallgrassfilm
• TikToktiktok.com/@tallgrassfilm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tallgrass Film Association