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April 24-27, 2025

FESTIVAL 101

Whether you’ve joined us in past years or if this is your first time, the following information will help you make the most of your 2025 Festival experience.

The free TCM Classic Film Festival App (available on iOS and Android devices) is your one-stop companion to everything going on at this year’s Festival. Our 2025 app allows you to see complete film descriptions and special guest biographies, create your own custom schedule with alerts, get late-breaking news and announcements, view photo galleries, and much more!

  • Click here to download from Google Play (Android). 
  • Click here to download from the App Store (iOS).

Please note: You can download and print the schedule here. A printed schedule grid and venue map will be available while supplies last.

Festival Will Call opens at 12:00pm (noon) on Wednesday, April 23, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Official Festival events begin on Thursday, April 24, and continue through the evening of Sunday, April 27. For those traveling in, we recommend departing on or after Monday, April 28.

For Spotlight, Essential, and Classic passholders, Festival programming will officially kick off at 1:00pm on Thursday, April 24, with Meet TCM, a panel discussion at Club TCM, followed by the So You Think You Know Movies team trivia challenge at 3:00pm. There will also be a passholder Welcome Reception from 5:00pm to 7:00pm in Club TCM.

Palace passholders, whose eligible screenings will begin at 9:00am on Friday, April 25, are also welcome to purchase individual tickets for evening screenings on Thursday, April 24 (excluding the Opening Night Red Carpet Gala screening, Poolside screening, and Club TCM events) if seats are available.

Classic and Palace passholders are welcome to watch the Opening Night Red Carpet arrivals on Thursday, April 24, in a special spectator bleacher section reserved exclusively for passholders. The queue for this spectator section will open at the corner of N. Orange and Hollywood Blvd. (near Madame Tussauds) at 3:45pm and seating will begin at 4:15pm. We ask that those seeking red carpet bleacher seating not bring any collectibles or other items to solicit autographs from talent walking the red carpet. Please note that seating is very limited.

The last official Festival events for all passholders will occur in the evening of Sunday, April 27. The complete Festival schedule is available by clicking here.

Be sure to download the free 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival App to your mobile device for up-to-the-minute schedule changes, late-breaking talent additions, programming announcements, and TBA screenings.

  • Click here to download from Google Play (Android).  
  • Click here to download from the App Store (iOS).

Any up-to-the-minute schedule changes or announcements of additional programs, such as TBA screenings, will also be communicated through the Festival website, at the Information Desk in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, and at individual venue box offices.

INFORMATION DESK HOURS

  • Wednesday, 4/23, 12:00pm – 5:00pm
  • Thursday, 4/24, 10:00am – 8:00pm
  • Friday, 4/25, 8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Saturday, 4/26, 8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Sunday, 4/27, 8:00am – 6:00pm

You can also ask questions of the many friendly Festival staffers wearing blue “STAFF” T-shirts. Don’t be shy, as we’re there to help make the 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival the ultimate film lover’s experience.

Throughout the Festival, follow TCM on social media using the hashtag #TCMFF for exclusive content and festival-related announcements. TCM will be broadcasting live on TikTok at the opening night red carpet and Hand and Footprint ceremony. TCM can be found on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, Bluesky, and YouTube.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for coverage throughout the weekend.

Will Call for the 2025 Festival will be located in the main lobby of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Festival passes (and gift bags for Spotlight and Essential passholders) will be available for pickup at Will Call beginning on Wednesday, April 23. You will be required to present a government-issued photo I.D. when picking up your passes. Passes will be held under the last name of the purchaser unless an alternate has been designated in writing.

  • We ask that only the pass purchaser or their official designee line up at Will Call. If the pass purchaser wishes to designate a person other than themselves to pick up their pass(es), they must notify the Festival Box Office via email at filmfestival@tcm.com prior to their pass(es) being released. 
  • Only one gift bag per Spotlight or Essential pass will be issued.

WILL CALL HOURS

  • Wednesday, 4/23, 12:00pm – 4:00pm
  • Thursday, 4/24, 11:00am – 8:00pm

Passholders who arrive after 8:00pm on Thursday, April 24, may pick up their passes at the Information Desk located in the main lobby of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, beginning on Friday, April 25.

  • Friday, 4/25, 8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Saturday, 4/26, 8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Sunday, 4/27, 8:00am – 6:00pm

Want a quick primer of how our Queue Card system works? Watch our video below:

When you arrive at a screening venue you should look for signs directing you to the appropriate queue line for your desired event, based on your pass level. All screening venues utilize a system of numbered Queue Cards to ensure fairness; to uphold the first-come, first-served waiting line policy of the Festival; and to determine as quickly as possible when a show is expected to sell out. Passholders wishing to ensure best placement in the queue line should arrive at least an hour before the start of their desired show. For films that may be particularly popular, or for those at smaller venues such as the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Multiplex, you may want to arrive earlier. As a general rule, Festival staff begin distributing Queue Cards one hour prior to showtime, and no earlier.

  • Only one Queue Card will be issued per person. You must be present to receive a Queue Card; the saving of places in line is prohibited. 
  • Please remember, Queue Cards are not tickets and do not guarantee entry.
  • Queue Cards are not utilized for the Opening Night Red Carpet presentation of STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, Club TCM events, or Poolside screenings. Seating in Club TCM and Poolside is first-come, first-served.

Once you get your Queue Card, your place in the entry order is secure. However, you must be present when your Queue Card number is called, or you will forfeit your place in line. Please confirm with Festival staff when you should be back in line. When you return, look for signs directing you to the appropriate queue line, based on your Queue Card number. Please refer to the back of your pass for information on what access your pass does and does not provide. Spotlight and VIP passholders receive priority entry, followed by all other levels of passholders. Lastly, individual ticket holders may be admitted to certain screenings if space allows.

Because it is possible that the number of passholders who want to attend a particular screening or event could exceed the number of seats available at any one venue, we cannot guarantee passholders a seat at any event. The only exception to this seating policy is the Opening Night screening of STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX, which guarantees seating for Spotlight and Essential passholders.

Passholders who arrive at least 60 minutes before showtime stand an excellent chance of attending most of their desired events, particularly at larger venues like the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX and the Egyptian Theatre. Those who arrive at a venue fewer than 60 minutes before showtime may have more difficulty gaining entry, depending on seating capacity and pass level. If there is a specific program you consider a must-see—particularly at a smaller-capacity venue—you may want to arrive earlier.

  • Please note, we will be offering repeat screenings of select films on Sunday, April 27, with times listed as “To Be Announced” in the programming schedule. Check the Festival app for TBA screening announcements during the Festival.

As a courtesy to all Festivalgoers and special guests, TCM strongly discourages late seating for screenings. The seating of passholders after an event has begun will be at the discretion of the venue manager.

Festival attendees may not sit through consecutive shows. At the end of each event, attendees must clear the venue and re-enter with any queued audiences before the start of the next event.

For more information about how the Seating process works (excluding the Opening Night Red Carpet presentation of STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and Poolside screenings), watch the video below.

If you have special seating needs, please notify the venue manager immediately after getting your Queue Card for that event. If the number of guests with wheelchairs or other seating needs exceeds the designated accessible spaces, venue managers will address these instances on a case-by-case basis.

To assist with planning your Festival schedule, here is information on the seating capacity for each venue:

  • TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX: 916 seats
  • TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Multiplex, House #1: 350 seats
  • TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Multiplex, House #4: 148 seats
  • TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Multiplex, House #6: 230 seats
  • El Capitan Theatre: 998 seats
  • Egyptian Theatre: 520 seats

More information on the 2025 Festival venues may be found here.

Festival attendees may use their mobile devices and/or handheld cameras until the official program begins. As a guideline to Festival attendees we offer this rule of thumb: when the venue lights are down and/or a film or special presentation is on screen, all personal devices should be out of sight and silenced (or preferably, off).

Additionally, the following are not allowed during any Festival presentation:

  • Flash photography
  • Photography and/or videography of any film or on-screen presentation, including opening and closing credits
  • Positioning your camera, tablet or phone in a way that impedes the view of your fellow attendees
  • The use of tripods or other camera supports without prior approval from Festival staff

Spotlight and Essential passholder entry to the Opening Night Red Carpet is located at the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and N. Orange Dr. (near Madame Tussauds). Passholders must present their Festival passes to gain entry to the Red Carpet and screening.

The Red Carpet opens at 4:45pm, with the program beginning at 6:30pm. We ask that all attendees be seated by 6:15pm.

  • From the official Welcome Reception at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel: exit the hotel on Hollywood Blvd. and head directly across the street towards Madame Tussauds. 
  • From the Ovation Hollywood parking deck: proceed to the 2nd level of the complex and walk west past Dolby Theatre entrance. Continue along the breezeway to the bus tour staging area, turn left on N. Orange Dr., and turn left again at Hollywood Blvd. at Madame Tussauds.

For those attending the Opening Night Red Carpet Gala presentation of STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and/or the Opening Night Gala Party, we strongly recommend cocktail attire: typically, a suit or cocktail dress.

Classic and Palace passholders are welcome to watch the Opening Night Red Carpet arrivals in a special spectator bleacher section reserved exclusively for passholders. The queue for this spectator section will open at the corner of N. Orange Dr. and Hollywood Blvd. (near Madame Tussauds) at 3:45pm and seating will begin at 4:15pm. Please note that seating is very limited.

We ask that those seeking red carpet bleacher seating not bring any collectibles or other items to solicit autographs from talent walking the red carpet. Please note that seating is very limited.

Individual standby tickets to select screenings may be offered to standby attendees after all passholders have been seated. These open seats will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, just prior to the individual program start time at the respective venue box office. Because the availability of individual standby tickets is dependent on the number of passholders that attend a particular screening, individual standby tickets cannot be purchased in advance.

For most events, individual standby tickets are $20 for general audiences or $10 with a valid student I.D.  Individual tickets for the official closing night presentation of HEAT (1995) are $30 for general audiences or $15 with valid student I.D. All individual standby ticket purchases are cash-only.

  • Please note, no individual standby tickets will be offered for the Opening Night screening of STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, Poolside screenings, or Club TCM events, as these are passholder-exclusive events.

For more information about Individual Standby Tickets, please click here.

Several screenings, marked as “To Be Announced” on the Festival schedule, will be announced after the Festival begins. Updated information on these screenings can be found on the Festival app, the Festival website, and at the Information Desk in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

Access to Club TCM at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is available to Spotlight, VIP, Essential, Classic, and Media passholders throughout the Festival. The schedule for Club TCM events can be found on the Festival app, the Festival website (TCM.com/festival), and at the Information Desk. 

  • Please note, no individual tickets are available for Club TCM events.

Club TCM will be open from 12:00pm/noon to 6:00pm from Thursday, April 24, to Sunday, April 27, and will remain open for the passholder Welcome Reception (Thursday, 5:00pm-7:00pm) and Closing Night Party (Sunday, 9:00pm-12:00am).

Throughout the Festival, several authors will be signing copies of their latest books from the TCM Library. These signings will happen at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The latest schedule for these signings can be found on the Festival app and at the Information Desk. Books may be purchased onsite through representatives from Larry Edmunds Bookshop. For particularly popular authors, book purchase and/or signing is not guaranteed.

Opening and closing night receptions will be held at Club TCM in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Entry is available to Spotlight, VIP, Essential, Classic, and Media passholders. Times for these events can be found on the Festival app, the Festival website (TCM.com/festival), and at the Information Desk.

The Opening Night Reception, from 5pm to 7pm on Thursday, April 24, and the Closing Night Party, from 9pm to 12am on Sunday, April 27, both presented by Fandango at Home, will be held at Club TCM in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Entry is available to Spotlight, VIP, Essential, Classic, and Media passholders.

Information on the 2025 Festival venues, including addresses, may be found here.

PARKING

Those driving to the Festival may park at the Ovation Hollywood parking garage, located at 1755 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood, CA 90028. The garage is accessible either from N. Highland Ave. (by the Loews Hollywood Hotel) or from N. Orange Dr. between Hollywood Blvd. and Franklin Ave.

Parking rates at Ovation Hollywood are $3.00 for up to 4 hours with validation from the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX or the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Multiplex; $2.00 for every 20 minutes thereafter. The daily maximum is $20.00. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights from 10:00pm to 2:00am, parking is a flat rate of $20.00 upon entry and no validation will be accepted.

FROM THE AIRPORT

If you don’t plan on renting a car from the airport, we recommend you take a taxi, ride-share, airport shuttle, or private car service: 

  • Ride-share services, such as Lyft and Uber, are widely used in the Los Angeles area. Rates for Lyft and Uber vary greatly by location, the time of day, and the level of service you pick.
  • Many airport shuttle services accept reservations but often don’t require them. We recommend contacting your hotel to see if they have either their own shuttle or a recommend service.

Private car services are also available but could cost more than the other options. If you’d like to hire a private car service, we suggest contacting your hotel for recommendations.

TAKING THE METRO

The Hollywood/Highland station of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system, on the B (red) Line that extends from Union Station to North Hollywood, is conveniently located on Hollywood Blvd at N. Highland Ave., near the TCL Chinese Theatre and TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Multiplex.

Warner Bros. Discovery takes the safety and security of our guests very seriously. TCM security team members may occasionally, throughout the Festival, conduct bag checks at selected venues and events. This measure is taken as part of the precautions necessary to keep our events safe. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Festivalgoers are strongly encouraged to download the official Festival app to their mobile device. In the event of a general emergency, Festival staff will notify attendees with instructions as expeditiously as possible through push notifications.

  • Click here to download from Google Play (Android). 
  • Click here to download from the App Store (iOS).

We encourage Festivalgoers to maintain a sense of their surroundings. Like in any major city, we strongly encourage passholders to travel with a companion when moving between venues, particularly when walking at night.

Past Festival attendees will also be familiar with the colorful characters, many of them in costume, that populate this famous stretch of Hollywood Blvd. Please note that while it is prohibited by law for these characters to solicit tips, it is customary to tip these individuals if you take photos with them or of them.

Should an emergency arise at a Festival venue that necessitates medical assistance, please be aware that the operations team is ready and able to assist with getting a medic or ambulance for immediate assistance.

EARTHQUAKE SAFETY

As many Festival guests may be unfamiliar with how to react during an earthquake, we want to share a few tips regarding safety. In the unlikely event of an earthquake, please follow these guidelines:

  • If you are inside a building, stay inside. Do not rush for the doorways or leave the building. If you are outside, stay outside and move away from buildings.
  • Drop-Cover-Hold On. To reduce the chance of injury, cover your neck and head, and stay low to the ground, to avoid falling.
  • Listen for instructions and guidance from the theatre operations team and security team in each venue. They are familiar with the exit routes for each venue.

It is our goal to ensure all attendees have a safe and enjoyable experience at the TCM Classic Film Festival. The TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX, TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Multiplex, Egyptian Theatre, and other Festival venues, including the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, are wheelchair-accessible and ADA-compliant venues.

If you have special seating needs, please notify the venue manager immediately after getting your Queue Card for that event. If the number of guests with wheelchairs or other seating needs exceeds the designated accessible spaces, venue managers will address these instances on a case-by-case basis.

ADA SERVICE ANIMAL GUIDELINES

Service Animals, as that term is defined by the Americans With Disabilities Act and California Unruh Act, may accompany owners who have been admitted into any Festival area. “Service Animal” means, in part, any dog or miniature horse that is required because of a person’s disability and is specially trained to perform tasks related to the person’s disability.

The Festival does not guarantee entry to any event for animals that do not meet these specific Service Animal guidelines. Owners must keep their animals under control at all times and shall be responsible for any damage their animals may cause. The Festival also reserves the right to ask that a service animal leave the facility should the animal become a distraction, nuisance, or threat to other patrons or to operations.

Additionally, attendees should note that individual venues, places of lodging, and other businesses in the Festival footprint may have their own restrictions and that admittance to these establishments for animals that do not meet ADA Service Animal guidelines is outside the control of the Festival management.

For most events, attendees should dress comfortably and prepare for changes in temperature when moving from inside to outside of Festival venues. While Los Angeles has a generally warm, sunny climate, it can get cool in the evening. We recommend you bring a light jacket or windbreaker just in case.

There are a couple of exceptions to this general dress recommendation:

OPENING NIGHT RED CARPET

For those attending the Opening Night Red Carpet screening of STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and/or the Opening Night Gala Party, we strongly recommend cocktail attire: typically, a suit or cocktail dress.

POOLSIDE SCREENINGS

For our Poolside screenings, we encourage guests to dress to the theme of each screening, but it is not required. Also, guests may want to bring a jacket, sweater, or wrap as evenings in Hollywood can occasionally be cooler than anticipated.

  • Passholders who plan to attend the Thursday, April 24, Poolside screening of MAMMA MIA! (2008) are encouraged, but not required, to dress in white attire evocative of the Greek islands.

A list of special guests appearing at screenings and Festival events, such as panel discussions in Club TCM, can be found here. This list is subject to change, so be sure to check the Festival app for late-breaking updates.

ETIQUETTE

We understand the desire to ask a favorite celebrity for an autograph or picture. However, here are a few things to keep in mind before approaching special guests at the Festival:

  • Given the full event schedule at the Festival, we request that you not approach the stage before or after an interview.
  • There will be signs posted throughout the Festival clearly stating the photography rules of venues and events. If you have any questions about taking photos, simply ask a Festival staff member.
  • Some special guests may have scheduled book signing sessions. Be sure to check the Festival app or website or stop by the Information Desk at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel for the schedule.
  • Celebrities are people too! They need to eat, talk on the phone, get from point A to point B quickly, and watch films just like we do. A good rule of thumb is not to approach our special guests while they are occupied or do anything you might find intrusive yourself.
  • We ask that passholders seated in the Opening Night Red Carpet spectator bleacher section not bring collectible items or solicit autographs from special guests walking the red carpet.

Be sure to stop by the TCM Boutique for exclusive festival t-shirts, hats, bags, books, and much more! You’ll find the TCM Boutique conveniently located in the lobby of the TCL Chinese 6 Multiplex. Note that merchandise offered for sale at the TCM Boutique is exclusively for those attending the Festival in person and will not be offered for sale online.

TCM BOUTIQUE HOURS

  • Wednesday, 4/23, 12:00pm – 9:00pm
  • Thursday, 4/24, 12:00pm – 9:00pm
  • Friday, 4/25, 9:00am – 9:00pm
  • Saturday, 4/26, 9:00am – 9:00pm
  • Sunday, 4/27, 9:00am – 9:00pm

An additional selection of official Festival merchandise, including the official 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival collectible poster, is exclusively available for purchase online at the Fandango FanStore, courtesy of our 2025 Presenting Sponsor Fandango at Home.

Click here to visit the 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival merchandise collection at the Fandango FanStore.

TCM has partnered with several companies to provide discounted rates for Festival passholders. For complete details on how to take advantage of these discounted opportunities, click here.

There are dozens of eating establishments within and near the Festival footprint, ranging from fast food to fine dining.

During the Festival, the many excellent restaurants located in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel offer 10% off any food order (excluding alcohol, tax, and service charge) for Festival passholders. These restaurants and lounges include 25 Degrees, Rosy Café, The Spare Room, Tropicana Pool, Tropicana Bar, Lobby Lounge and Bar, hotel room service, and Shirley Brasserie. This offer is available to all passholders, even those not lodging at the Roosevelt Hotel. You must present your Festival pass when ordering to receive the discount. Please note, all restaurants and bars on the property add an additional 18% gratuity; room service adds 20%.

The following establishments located in the Ovation Hollywood shopping center (at Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave.) are also offering passholder discounts:

There are also national drugstores and a department store within the Festival footprint.

We regret that children under the age of 5 may not attend any Festival event. Additionally, some Festival events and areas have specific age restrictions.

  • Club TCM is restricted to individuals aged 13 and up.
  • The Opening Night Gala Party is restricted to Spotlight passholders age 21 and over.

If you have lost or misplaced any items, you may check at the Information Desk in the lobby of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel to see if they have been turned in.

INFORMATION DESK HOURS

  • Wednesday, 4/23, 12:00pm – 5:00pm
  • Thursday, 4/24, 10:00am – 8:00pm
  • Friday, 4/25, 8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Saturday, 4/26, 8:00am – 6:00pm
  • Sunday, 4/27, 8:00am – 6:00pm