All Genders, Lifestyles, and Identities Film Festival
Austin, United States
79
Tier BScreenings
Festival dossier
Julien Dubuque International Film Festival April 17 - 24, 2027
Dubuque, United States · Est. 2010 · High structural score (80–100) for legitimacy and industry clout — not limited to Oscar-qualifying festivals
Tier ATrusted
Dubuque, United States
98
Legitimacy ScoreShould I submit?
Strong legitimacy signals
Tier A score for legitimacy and industry clout. Still confirm deadlines, fees, and categories on the festival site before paying.
- 16 years of verifiable history
- Physical screenings at Five Flags Center
- 4 verified pro signals
Overview
The Julien Dubuque International Film Festival is an annual independent film festival held in Dubuque, Iowa, typically featuring a week of screenings, panels, workshops, and related events centered in downtown Dubuque. It is notable for showcasing independent features, documentaries, shorts, and premiere titles from emerging and international filmmakers, and for being recognized as one of Iowa’s largest film festivals and a prominent Midwestern stop on the festival circuit.
Last updated Oct 1, 2026
Legitimacy Analysis
Positive Indicators (+48 pts)
- 16 years of verifiable history
- Physical screenings at Five Flags Center
- 4 verified pro signals
- Verified trusted status
- Legitimacy signals outweigh concerns (4 vs 0)
Red Flags (-0 pts)
No red flags found
Trust Signals
Positive Signals
- FilmFreeway Gold festival
- Has FilmFreeway community ratings
- Documented history with archived programs
- Named venues with external verification
Festival Details
Founded
2010
Venue
Five Flags Center
Screenings
Physical screenings confirmed
FilmFreeway communityGold festival
Avg. rating
4.8/ 5
Reviews
197
Synced 4 days ago
- Paula RhodesApr 2025
The entire JDIFF team and experience deserve more stars than are even an option here. They truly are lifting up and fostering the film community. From the meals shared in the filmmaker lounge with other filmmakers, the shuttle rides provided from various airports where we all bonded, the amazing accommodations, the camaraderie fostered, and the gorgeous venues, this is a fest not to be missed. I'm so thankful to have been a part of it and cherish the connections made.
- Wes WorthingApr 2025
JDIFF delivers everything that filmmakers and acting talent could want in a festival! Whether during the panels, or in the filmmakers lounge, or at the fun after-parties, there's ample opportunity to network. The organizers and volunteers go out of their way to accommodate the needs of everyone!
- dennis StaroselskyApr 2025
The gold standard for a filmmaker’s festival ! Three square meals a day in the lounge, a party every night, the nicest volunteer staff, all pointing to how Susan Gorrell is a brilliant executive director. I was honored to share my film there and I leave the festival with a robust new network and a love for Dubuque!
- Patrick LeonardApr 2025
"It was truly a joy to attend JDIFF. The crew was not only professional but also incredibly friendly. The venues were top-notch, enhancing the overall experience. I highly recommend that other filmmakers submit their work in the coming years and make an effort to attend if possible. As someone from the NYC area, I can confidently say that you'll appreciate all that Dubuque has to offer as a host city."
- Nicola RoseApr 2025
Can’t say enough about the hospitality and kindness of Susan and the team of fine folks who run JDIFF. Highly, highly recommend.
FilmFreeway reviews are filmmaker opinions, not our score. Cross-check red flags before paying fees.
Related Festivals in United States
Animation Nights New York
New York, United States
79
Tier BScreenings
Atlanta Horror Film Fest
Atlanta, United States
79
Tier BScreenings
Vegas Movie Awards
Las Vegas, United States
0
Warning35 categories
Hollywood Gold Awards
Los Angeles, United States
0
Warning55 categories
Sundance Film Festival
Park City, United States
100
Tier AOscarScreenings
Research
Live web research is off to control API cost. This shows cached scheduled research when available, plus analysis from our database.
Hard research (cheap model + thorough prompt) runs on a cron for suspicious festivals; a biweekly job refreshes others. No live API calls from the site.
At a glance
How scoring works
Scores are calculated from structural indicators: accreditations, physical screenings, award category count, submission frequency, and acceptance rate. Higher scores reflect more verifiable legitimacy signals.
Filmmaker reviews
No community reviews yet. If you submitted here, your experience helps others avoid award mills.
Write a reviewOr report a problem →Write a review
Get Alerts
Get notified when Julien Dubuque International Film Festival April 17 - 24, 2027's tier changes or new reports are filed.
See something wrong?
Filmmakers and festival teams can propose listing corrections or submit verified evidence. Verified evidence can change a tier, but it is weighed alongside every other flag on this listing.
Request a correction