By Bodhi McClung
“Where Mountains and Movies Collide”…The Breckenridge Film Festival is one of the longest running film festivals in the United States celebrating its 43rd year this September 21-24 in Breckenridge, Colorado. The festival began in 1981 and through the years has shown documentaries, dramas and adventure films which brings the joy of cinema to the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Attendees and filmmakers alike rate the Breck Film Festival highly - it ranks consistently on USA Today’s Top 20 Film Festivals as well as making FilmFreeway’s Top 100 Film Festivals annually. In 2021, The Breckenridge Film Festival expanded its operations into The Eclipse, its own community theater, and now shows blockbusters, independent films, and cutting-edge cinema year-round.
Being Julia starring Annette Benning and Jeremy Irons, Race to Witch Mountain, starring Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock and Kung Fu Panda, starring the voices of Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman are just a handful of movies that have premiered over the festival's 43 years. Each time, over 70 films are shown over a four day period across three different venues located inside of the Town of Breckenridge. These venues include The Riverwalk Center, The Backstage Theater and Breck Film’s own Eclipse Theater. During past festivals, The Riverwalk Center has been home to national and world premieres of popular, award-winning films and is the largest venue in Breckenridge with a seating capacity of 750.
With this avenue given to new and upcoming filmmakers to showcase their films, it is no surprise that hundreds of filmmakers provide submissions to the festival for review. Brent Deal, a previous submitter to the festival and Breck Film’s “Filmmaker of the Month” for January 2023 says of the festival, “Breck is completely devoted to making the filmmakers feel special. Rare in festivals, I admire that about the team at Breck.” The festival offers a liaison system that allows the filmmakers to enjoy Breckenridge not only from a filmmaker perspective but as a member of the community.
The Breckenridge Film Fest is truly an event where “Mountains and Movies Collide.” Fall in Breckenridge is a true work of beauty with the aspens at the peak of changing and perfect temperatures. This makes for the perfect time to combine the beauty of a town and the beauty of movies. Whether it’s your first time coming or your 43rd, this event continues to touch audiences and change minds with the innovative movies premiered. Now, if all this excitement hasn’t enticed you enough, come check us out:
