Washington Summer Film Festival
August 6 – 29, 2026 · Five Cities

The Festival
Goes On Tour

The festival doesn't end on closing night. Five featured selections — Primavera, The Essence of Eva, Diya, Happy Birthday, and Everybody to Kenmure Street — travel to historic independent cinemas across the mid-Atlantic. Every stop plays the complete slate, Thursday through Saturday.

The Films On the Road

5 Films · 5 Cities · 25 Screenings
01 Still from Primavera Official Selection · Nominee

Primavera

Damiano Michieletto — Italy, France · 110 min 02 Still from The Essence of Eva Official Selection · Nominee

The Essence of Eva

Alex Fegan & Malcolm Willis — Ireland · 82 min 03 Still from Diya Official Selection · Nominee

Diya

Achille Ronaimou — Chad, France, Germany, Ivory Coast · 96 min 04 Still from Happy Birthday Official Selection · Nominee

Happy Birthday

Sarah Goher — Egypt · 92 min 05 Still from Everybody to Kenmure Street Official Selection · Nominee

Everybody to Kenmure Street

Felipe Bustos Sierra — UK · 98 min
Itinerary

Dates & Venues

Tickets for tour screenings are sold by each venue. Doors open 30 minutes before each screening.

1

Avalon Theatre

Washington, DC · August 6–8

5612 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20015 — Washington's oldest operating movie house (1923)

  • Thu Aug 6 · 7:00 PMPrimavera — with a recorded introduction by director Damiano Michieletto
  • Fri Aug 7 · 4:00 PMHappy Birthday
  • Fri Aug 7 · 7:00 PMDiya
  • Sat Aug 8 · 3:00 PMThe Essence of Eva — Q&A with members of Eva Cassidy's DC-area band
  • Sat Aug 8 · 6:00 PMEverybody to Kenmure Street
2

AFI Silver Theatre

Silver Spring, MD · August 13–15

8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910 — Restored 1938 art-deco landmark

  • Thu Aug 13 · 7:15 PMDiya
  • Fri Aug 14 · 4:30 PMThe Essence of Eva
  • Fri Aug 14 · 7:30 PMPrimavera
  • Sat Aug 15 · 3:00 PMEverybody to Kenmure Street
  • Sat Aug 15 · 6:15 PMHappy Birthday
3

The Charles Theatre

Baltimore, MD · August 20–22

1711 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 — Baltimore's home for independent cinema since 1939

  • Thu Aug 20 · 7:00 PMEverybody to Kenmure Street
  • Fri Aug 21 · 4:00 PMHappy Birthday
  • Fri Aug 21 · 7:00 PMPrimavera
  • Sat Aug 22 · 3:00 PMDiya
  • Sat Aug 22 · 6:00 PMThe Essence of Eva
4

The Byrd Theatre

Richmond, VA · August 27–29

2908 West Cary Street, Richmond, VA 23221 — A 1928 movie palace on the National Register of Historic Places

  • Thu Aug 27 · 7:15 PMPrimavera
  • Fri Aug 28 · 4:00 PMThe Essence of Eva
  • Fri Aug 28 · 7:00 PMEverybody to Kenmure Street
  • Sat Aug 29 · 3:00 PMHappy Birthday
  • Sat Aug 29 · 6:00 PMDiya
5

Naro Expanded Cinema

Norfolk, VA · August 27–29 (parallel weekend)

1507 Colley Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23517 — Hampton Roads' beloved repertory house since 1977

  • Thu Aug 27 · 7:00 PMEverybody to Kenmure Street
  • Fri Aug 28 · 4:15 PMDiya
  • Fri Aug 28 · 7:15 PMThe Essence of Eva
  • Sat Aug 29 · 3:00 PMPrimavera
  • Sat Aug 29 · 6:15 PMHappy Birthday

About the Tour

The Festival Tour is organized by the Washington Summer Film Festival in partnership with each host cinema, extending the festival's reach beyond the capital. Ticketing, pricing, and accessibility services are handled by the individual venues — please check their websites before you travel.