[photo credit: HARD FAITH]
The Hard Faith Film Festival, organized by the nonprofit Hard Faith Inc., will run Thursday, June 25, through Sunday, June 28, at the church at 393 N. Lake Avenue. Now in its fourth year, the festival will feature 55 screenings drawn from 1,200 submissions, 42 awards and 24 speakers, according to the organization. Tickets start at $75 for a single day or $200 for a discounted early four-day pass.
The event is the creation of Spencer Folmar, a filmmaker who founded Hard Faith Inc. as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Folmar, who studied film at NYU and theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, coined the term “Hard Faith” after his 2017 theatrical debut, “Generational Sins,” to describe films that portray real-world struggles through a lens of faith, according to IMDB.
The speaker lineup includes names recognizable well beyond church circles. Bill Farmer, who has voiced Disney’s Goofy since 1987 and was named a Disney Legend in 2009, will lead a voiceover acting workshop on Friday. Demetrios Troy, who portrays Lazarus on the television series “The Chosen,” will speak Friday morning. Daniel Roebuck, known for “The Fugitive,” “Lost” and “Matlock,” will join a director panel the same day. Mark Joseph, a producer of the 2024 film “Reagan,” will also speak.
New to the festival’s fourth year is a music contest with live performances. John Reuben, billed on the program as the “Greatest Christian Rapper,” will perform Saturday morning.
Thursday opens with screenings, music and speaker sessions at 10:00 a.m. Friday adds workshops, a screenwriter panel and the Pitch Fest — a live session in front of judges and the audience, five minutes, verbal only — that has already sold out at $175 per entry, according to the event listing. Saturday builds toward a Red Carpet at 6:30 p.m. followed by the Awards Show Ceremony at 7:00 p.m. Sunday opens with worship at 9:30 a.m., followed by afternoon coffee and pastries, the Creative Icons screening “Soil & Roots,” a group prayer over festival artists and a closing reflection by Folmar, concluding by 4:30 p.m.
Screenings span feature films, documentaries, shorts, student films, screenplays and episodic works across three spaces within the church. Among the features on the program are “The Hail Mary,” “Elijah Peel,” “Illusion of Faith,” “Problem Attic,” “Miracle on the Precipice” and “The One.”
Afterparties on Thursday, Friday and Saturday are available as add-on tickets at $40 to $50. Thursday’s takes place at Taco Social, 1627 Colorado Boulevard, Los Angeles; Friday’s at Buca di Beppo, 80 West Green Street, Pasadena. Both run 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with food and non-alcoholic drinks included. The Saturday Awards Show Gala, sponsored by Hollywood Prayer Network and Events by McKenna, runs 10:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. with sushi, cookies and mocktails, according to the event listing.
Other sponsors include Lake Avenue Church, Creative Icons, Vanguard Consultants and Events by McKenna. The organization describes its mission as providing “a platform for independent filmmakers, screenwriters, and artists to share their unique perspectives and connect with a diverse audience,” according to its website.
The 2024 edition was held at the Garland Hotel and Theatre in Hollywood. Tickets and the full schedule are available at hardfaith.org, or contact Hard Faith Inc. at info@hardfaith.com or 213-807-3456.
Folmar will deliver opening remarks each day under a four-part series titled “Do Not Fear,” the festival’s 2026 theme.
June 25–28, 2026 | Lake Avenue Church, 393 N. Lake Ave., Pasadena | Hosted at Lake Avenue Church with Hollywood Prayer Network as a sponsor. 🔗 https://www.hardfaith.org/event-details/hard-faith-fest-la-2026
