Big Sky Documentary Film Festival

Now entering its 21st year, the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is the premier venue for non-fiction film in the American West. Big Sky offers an ideal setting for filmmakers to premiere new work and develop lasting relationships with fellow filmmakers and industry. The festival draws an audience of 20,000 and film entries from every corner of the globe to a uniquely intimate mountain town setting with local Montana flavor. A hybrid festival, audiences can enjoy the festival program live in unique exhibition spaces across downtown Missoula and in Big Sky's virtual cinema from nearly anywhere in the world. Selected for 7 years running by MovieMaker Magazine's 50 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee, BSDFF is a top-100 rated festival on FilmFreeway and is an Academy Award-qualifying festival for short documentaries.

The 21st annual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is a hybrid event taking place in-person February 16-25, 2024 in venues across Missoula as well as online in our Virtual Cinema February 19-28. Each of the 2024 official selections will screen in-person at one of our three theater venues, and the majority of 2024 selections will also be available watch online. We look forward to welcoming you to the festival!

The annual 10-day event takes place each February in downtown Missoula, Montana, with the upcoming edition scheduled to take place February 16-25, 2024.

The festival hosts over 200 visiting artists, presents an average of 150 non-fiction films, and offers a variety of exciting events at the historic theater The Wilma and neighboring downtown Missoula venues. In addition to screenings, the Big Sky DocShop is a five-day industry event that includes panels, master classes, workshops, and the Big Sky Pitch session.

Passes to the 2024 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival are now available for purchase! A festival pass is the best way to experience this exciting and expansive event. Access the adventure of over 100 films, live performance, special events, industry networking, virtual cinema access, and the spirit of Downtown Missoula, Montana.

ALL ACCESS - Immerse yourself in the full festival experience with access to all screenings, DocShop conference sessions, parties and special events

ALL SCREENING - Priority admission to every public film screening at the 21st annual festival!

5-FILM PASS - Select five favorites, reserve online, get access to in-person or online screenings!

VIRTUAL PASS - Household or individual access to all films in the virtual program.

Tickets for individual shows will be available for purchase.