Boston Science Fiction Film Festival

What Boston Science Fiction Film Festival does

The Boston Science Fiction Film Festival is a volunteer-run, privately organized annual film festival founded in 1975 at the Orson Welles Cinema in Cambridge, MA, and now operated primarily out of the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square, Somerville, MA. It runs annually during Presidents' Day Weekend, with the 52nd edition (SF52) scheduled for February 6-14, 2027, and operates as the self-described longest-running genre film festival in America. Core programming includes feature film screenings, short film blocks, documentaries, filmmaker panels, workshops, an opening night gala, and a signature 24-hour marathon screening 12-14 classic sci-fi films consecutively in the main auditorium of the Somerville Theatre, alongside parallel virtual screenings hosted on the Filmocracy platform.

Name

Boston Science Fiction Film Festival

Legal name

Boston Science Fiction Film Festival

Website

https://bostonscifi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Boston Science Fiction Film Festival is a volunteer-run annual sci-fi film festival founded in 1975, operating live at the Somerville Theatre and virtually on Filmocracy, serving genre film enthusiasts and independent filmmakers through screenings, panels, a 24-hour marathon, and branded merchandise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Festival Events

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Virtual Community Festivals & Cultural Events (Online Celebrations) (MPAGAOAK)

Keywords

• Science fiction film festival
• Genre film festival
• Film marathon events
• Independent film screenings
• Festival merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Somerville

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, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Festival Passes and Tickets: The primary revenue stream comes from selling festival passes ($225 for full access) and marathon tickets ($125). Individual screening tickets are sold through FilmFreeway.
2. Merchandise Sales: The festival generates revenue through an e-commerce store selling branded merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, pins, blankets, hats, ornaments, and accessories. Price points range from $10 to $59.99.
3. Film Submission Fees: Filmmakers pay submission fees through FilmFreeway to have their films considered for the festival. The festival accepts feature films, short films, and documentaries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Boston Science Fiction Film Festival is an annual genre film festival held during Presidents' Day Weekend in February, featuring science fiction feature films, short films, documentaries, panels, and its signature 24-hour film marathon at the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, MA, with virtual screenings via Filmocracy. The organization sells festival passes, marathon tickets, individual screening tickets, and an extensive line of branded merchandise (apparel, drinkware, accessories, home goods, collectibles) through its own e-commerce store.

Product overview

Boston Science Fiction Film Festival operates as a film festival event company offering core ticketing products for its annual festival. The primary offerings include the SF51 Festival Pass ($225) providing all-access entry to the 6-day festival featuring features, shorts, documentaries, workshops, and panels, and the SF51 Marathon Ticket ($125) for the signature 24-hour cinematic marathon event. The festival also operates a comprehensive merchandise store featuring festival-branded apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts), drinkware (mugs, travel tumblers, camping mugs), accessories (pins, bumper stickers, socks, sunglasses), home goods (blankets, notebooks), collectibles (ornaments, ray guns, LED lights), and special commemorative items. The merchandise includes official SF51 items, legacy designs from previous festivals (SF-18 through SF-50), and themed merchandise inspired by classic sci-fi films. The festival uses FilmFreeway for ticket sales and Filmocracy for virtual screenings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SF51 Festival Pass All-access ticket to the annual Boston Science Fiction Film Festival providing entry to feature screenings, short film programs, panels, workshops, parties, and the opening night gala. Targeted at sci-fi film enthusiasts attending the in-person event at the Somerville Theatre.
• SF51 Marathon Ticket Ticket to the signature 24-hour film marathon event screening 12-14 consecutive science fiction features at the vintage Somerville Theatre. Targeted at hardcore sci-fi fans seeking an immersive, all-night genre film experience.
• Individual Festival Screening Tickets

Quantifiable outcome

• 50+ years of continuous operation as America's longest-running genre film festival
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• DigBostonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAlternative weekly publication covering Boston nightlife, opinion, and events. Founded in 1999. Promotional support through their publication and events coverage.
• DUSTminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSci-fi brand presenting thought-provoking visions of the future through feature films, short films, series, and podcasts. Content library of over 400 cutting-edge stories.
• FilmocracycoreTechnology or IntegrationVirtual film festival platform hosting thousands of independent films. Provides the technology infrastructure for Boston SciFi's virtual festival screenings, panels, Q&As, and networking events.
• The Burren Irish PubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIrish pub and restaurant in Davis Square. One of Boston's unique venues. Hosts industry panels and serves as gathering place for post-screening meetups.
• Museum of Science, BostonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoston museum focused on transforming the nation's relationship with science and technology. Mission aligns with festival's focus on science fiction storytelling.
• Boston HassleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganization by musicians, artists, writers, and enthusiasts in Greater Boston Area. Compiles daily curated list of music, art, and film happenings in Boston and New England.
• Women in Film and Video - New EnglandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganization working to advance female storytellers in film through networking, community, mentorship, and education. Joint promotional support.
• Roxbury International Film FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLargest festival in New England celebrating people of color. Mutual promotional support between festivals.
• Somerville TheatrecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVintage 1914 cinema venue serving as the primary physical location for the Boston SciFi Film Festival and its marathon event.
• SpacefarecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBoston-area company serving as the festival's official printing partner for merchandise. Produces t-shirts, mugs, and other branded items sold in the festival store.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Independent Film Festival Boston: Boston-based independent film festival serving the same New England audience as Boston SciFi. Comparable as a regional indie film festival competing for the same local filmmakers, attendees, and sponsors.
• Maine International Film Festival: Annual film festival in Waterville, Maine, showcasing independent cinema across genres. Comparable New England regional film festival competing for the same regional audience and sponsor base.
• Roxbury International Film Festival: Largest film festival in New England celebrating people of color, based in Boston. Direct regional peer and existing community partner with overlapping audience base and similar volunteer-driven model.
• Woods Hole Film Festival: Long-running New England independent film festival based on Cape Cod. Comparable regional peer with overlapping indie filmmaker audience and similar community-driven festival model.

Direct peers

• Sitges Film Festival: Internationally renowned genre festival (Fantastic/Festival de Cinema Fantàstic de Sitges) with focus on fantasy and horror, founded in 1968. Comparable as one of the longest-running genre festivals globally with similar curatorial and audience model.
• H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival: Genre film festival with parallel niche focus on cosmic horror, science fiction, and adjacent genres. Comparable as a community-driven, volunteer-organized festival with annual programming and filmmaker submission pipelines.
• Fantastic Fest: Major US-based genre film festival focused on horror, science fiction, fantasy, and action cinema. Most directly comparable peer as a similarly long-running US genre festival with marathon-style programming and filmmaker networking.
• Philip K. Dick Film Festival: Science fiction-specific film festival in New York City featuring independent sci-fi shorts, features, and documentaries. Directly comparable niche genre festival with similar filmmaker and audience positioning.
• Screamfest Horror Film Festival: Long-running horror and sci-fi genre festival in Los Angeles, comparable in scale and mission as a focused genre showcase for independent filmmakers with audience and awards programming.
• Nevermore Film Festival: Genre film festival focused on horror, science fiction, and fantasy. Comparable as a community-driven genre showcase for independent filmmakers with submission-driven programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/bostonscifi
• Facebookfacebook.com/BostonSciFi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/boston-science-fiction-film-festival

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Boston Science Fiction Film Festival