It takes a few months for the data to settle in, but the wait was worth it. The 2025 Fort Smith International Film Festival (FSIFF) reached an astounding 330 million people globally, according to Meltwater’s annual media tracking report. That brings the festival’s five-year total media reach to over 2.2 billion, yes, with a B.
“The idea that over 2 billion individuals across the world know about Fort Smith, Arkansas because of the film festival is hard to comprehend,” said Dr. Brandon Chase Goldsmith, Executive Director. “Our goal when we started the River Valley Film Society was to highlight local and regional talent, and I’ll be honest, I never expected these results!”
Leaning into our international status, we are currently in talks with the Singapore Film Commission to bring in actors, movies, and TV series to the 2026 Fort Smith International Film Festival and MidAmerica Film Market. Our goal is to celebrate the Republic of Singapore's Air Force coming to Ebbing Air National Base. We are also looking to honor all the other countries visiting the River Valley as part of the Foreign Military Sales Mission. We believe film is the best way to introduce locals to the various cultures coming to Fort Smith and to tell the Singaporean story.
We will have more details when we officially announce the dates and location for the 2026 festival in January.
MidAmerica Film Market Builds Global Recognition
The festival’s MidAmerica Film Market, a regional and international industry platform launched in 2023, also continues to perform strongly. With a media reach of 183 million in its second year, the market has now reached 416 million people in just two years. A powerful start for an emerging film market aimed at regional and international distributors and producers.
“Even with shifts in the market, the MidAmerica Film Market still reached over 183 million people this year,” said Jeff Porter, distributor with Porter & Craig Media. “We’re building this into a global force, and the next phase of MidAmerica will set a new standard for how films are discovered, financed, and launched.”
The 2026 MidAmerica Film Market is launching year-long programming. A series of workshops in February, April, and June will provide resources for producers, directors, and actors. The workshops will cover topics such as how to setup a self-tape, creative producing, and unlocking the secrets to distribution.
Border Town Live: 12 Million Reached in Just 7 Weeks
According to the same report, the River Valley Film Society’s new year-long initiative Border Town Live obtained a media reach of 12 Million in only 7 weeks, or 1.7 million people per week. Built from scratch, Border Town Live was on its way to creating a substantial audience when the Oak View Group (OVG), who manages the Fort Smith Convention Center, suddenly withdrew from the agreement.
“We were in the process of putting together our first Broadway show season that would run from October 2025 till May 2026 featuring Addams Family (Oct), Elf (Nov), Dolly Parton Christmas (Dec), Peter Pan (Feb), and Cat in the Hat (April),” explains Dr. Goldsmith. “I believe Fort Smith deserves a quality season of entertainment, but when you’re dealing with huge corporations, greed becomes a hurdle to success.”
OVG co-founder Tim Leiweke was recently pardoned by President Trump for bid rigging and receiving secret kickbacks from Ticketmaster.
About the River Valley Film Society
Founded in 2020, the River Valley Film Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to building a creative economy through film, entertainment, and arts access in Fort Smith and the surrounding region. Through events like the Fort Smith International Film Festival, MidAmerica Film Market, and Border Town Live, the organization has become a cultural force for inclusion, innovation, and community growth.
