Join us for our 2nd annual film festival in the beautiful mountain town of Highlands, North Carolina. Enjoy four unforgettable days of film screenings, events, and community.
Born from a love of film, creativity, and community, the Highlands-Cashiers Film Festival is an annual celebration of storytelling in all its forms. By bringing together filmmakers, media artists, and audiences from around the world, the festival creates a unique in-person experience where stories inspire, connect, and ignite conversation. Supported by volunteers and benefitting the Performing Arts Center, it uplifts emerging voices, fosters artistic exchange, and honors film’s power to reveal the extraordinary in everyday life.
Meet Our Creative Director: Joy Jorgensen
Joy Jorgensen is an independent film producer and festival leader dedicated to building thoughtful, artist-centered spaces for storytelling and community connection. Her career has been shaped by years of producing director-driven independent films and working closely within the international film festival ecosystem. Across projects and premieres, Joy has collaborated with filmmakers at all stages of their careers, helping films find audiences through festivals that value conversation, care, and creative point of view. Joy’s producing work includes acclaimed independent features and shorts that have premiered at major international festivals including Sundance, SXSW, TIFF, and Rotterdam. Through this work, she has developed a deep understanding of how films live beyond the screen and how festivals play a vital role in shaping that journey. Joy has been coming to the Highlands–Cashiers area since childhood and maintains a close connection to the community.