More than 200 films have been selected for screening at the 13th Annual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival (BSDFF), which takes place February 19-28, 2016, in downtown Missoula, MT. The 2016 lineup was curated from over 1,500 submissions--the largest, most competitive open call for submissions to date--from around the world, and features an array of films covering all non-fiction forms and genres. 2016 is another year of growth for BSDFF, with more screenings in more venues than ever before.
The full list of Official Selections can be viewed HERE
Continuing a 10-year tradition, the festival kicks off on Friday, February 19th with a free public screening of an upcoming feature from HBO Documentary Films. This year's opener is MAVIS!, an intimate look at the life of gospel/soul music legend and civil rights icon Mavis Staples and her family group, the Staple Singers.
In addition to the lineup of new films, BSDFF welcomes Lucy Walker and Ondi Timoner, two hugely talented and influential directors, as retrospective artists. Walker, a British director whose films include features THE CRASH REEL and WASTE LAND, has earned more than 80 awards and two Academy Award nominations. BSDFF will screen her entire body of work, as well as a new virtual reality project. Timoner is the only two-time recipient of Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize, for the documentaries DIG! and WE LIVE IN PUBLIC. Seven of her films will be screened during the 10-day festival, including her 2015 film, BRAND: A SECOND COMING, about the actor, comedian and activist Russell Brand. Walker and Timoner will be among the many filmmakers in attendance, offering festival goers the chance to engage in post-screening Q&As.
The themes of “impact" and “change" are at the forefront of this year’s DOCSHOP, Big Sky's filmmaking conference that takes place during the festival (February 22nd – 26th). For five days, content creators from across the nation will come together and share their stories of making media that has proven to be a catalyst for positive change. In addition to helping visiting filmmakers hone their skills and develop their careers, DocShop offers the general public a fascinating look inside the business of documentary filmmaking. Filmmakers, activists, content creators and life-learners will engage in panels, workshops and works-in-progress review sessions from some of the most accomplished media-makers and industry professionals on the planet. For more information or to register click HERE.
Visit bigskyfilmfest.org for more information