When staying in the Grand Canyon State, there is plenty of entertainment to be found – particularly when staying in exciting accommodations like Talking Stick Resort. Yet while the Scottsdale area has plenty of action to keep vacationers entertained, movie lovers may want to make the quick drive to Phoenix this March, when the 12th annual Phoenix Film Festival brings a wealth of cinematic talent to the capital city.

Running from March 29 through April 5, the Phoenix Film Festival is a must-see event for cinephiles in the area. The event primarily focuses on independent filmmakers and offers a week of premieres, educational outreaches, competitions and seminars celebrating the industry.

Films will be presented in a number of categories including short- and feature-length films, documentaries and animated pieces, with special sections reserved for high school-aged and collegiate filmmakers as well. World cinema will also be represented, with several entrants of past years' competitions coming from Europe and Asia.

The festival, which regularly draws crowds of up to 18,000 moviegoers, is a citywide event, with multiple venues holding screenings, and several local businesses offering special deals for visitors.