Upcoming films that aren’t distributed (yet), smaller independent films with limited release, and lots of documentaries are featured each year in an environment where one can feel the buzz of excitement as people share the viewing experience. Filmmakers, actors and directors are on-hand for Q & A’s and panel discussions. The Rocky Mountain Women’s Film organization hosts a few other events throughout the year.
Tips for attending the festival, held on the Colorado College campus:
– Parking: I usually plan to park a bit farther out and walk — perhaps along Dale Street. So if you choose that option, remember to plan for the weather. Last year (2024) they also had free festival parking in the Robson Arena garage on Dale.
– When I first moved from isolated Abilene, Texas in 2014 to Colorado Springs I was blown-away-excited for this festival (A women’s film festival?! Women in films! Films by women!). Of the first few years I lived here, I went to the full festival each year.
One thing I didn’t know at the beginning is that film festivals’ programming is in “blocks.” So it’s not exactly like showings at a movie theater. When the schedule says a certain time, it can be shown a bit before or after that depending on how the flow of the festival is going. So it’s best to arrive early (if you’re not attending the whole event) so that you can check in, find the right building, and get a seat. Sometimes there are lines before the room opens, or the previous film is going longer or started late. Showings are also blended together. So a short and a longer film have the same time slot.
– Map out the buildings on the campus beforehand, to get familiar.
1. The Cornerstone Arts Center (pictured above) is where you check-in and can purchase tickets at the door. There are also two theaters in this building.
2. Across the street to the west is the Gaylord student center where filmmaker forum interview panels have taken place. I find these really fascinating. Hearing from the people themselves about the process and behind-the-scenes of making the films can also be really inspiring.
3. Across the street to the north in the Armstrong Hall building is the Katheryn Mohrman Theatre which also hosts showings.
– Tickets can be pricey ($185 for a full festival pass) compared to going to the movies, and some types (like the all-festival pass) can sell out quickly. In 2024 there were 42 films (including shorts) listed in the festival guide.
– RMWF’s “Film in the Community” is their charity outreach. This can be an opportunity to attend screenings of certain films showing at the festival for free at different community locations (some places are more set-up for comfortable viewing than others) leading up to the festival. Add yourself to their email list, or follow on socials for updates.
– You might find the RMWF viewing crowd to be somewhat homogeneous. In my experience, the films shown however offered quite a lot of diversity.
– Peruse the schedule beforehand to formulate a plan for films you especially want to see on a big screen with others.
– Think about getting the “Virtual Encore” option for afterwards in order to be able to for a limited time view the films online that you missed, because you couldn’t be in two places at once in-person.
I’ve seen and enjoyed some amazing, amazing, life-changing films here.
Including These Gems:
How to Sue the Klan – “The story of how five Black women from Chattanooga used legal ingenuity to take on the Ku Klux Klan in a historic 1982 civil case, fighting to hold them accountable for their crimes and bring justice to their community. Their victory set a legal precedent that continues to inspire the ongoing fight against organized hate.” (2024)
The Return of Tanya Tucker: Featuring Brandi Carlisle – “Trailblazing, hell-raising country music legend Tanya Tucker defied the standards of how a woman in country music was supposed to behave. Decades after Tanya slipped from the spotlight, rising Americana music star Brandi Carlile takes it upon herself to write an entire album for her hero based on Tanya’s extraordinary life, spurring the greatest comeback in country music history.” (2022)
Writing With Fire – “In a male-dominated media landscape, the women journalists of India’s all-female Khabar Lahariya (“News Wave”) newspaper risk it all, including their own safety, to cover the country’s political, social, and local news from a women-powered perspective. From underground network to independent media empire—now with 10 million views on their YouTube site—they defy the odds to redefine power.” (2021)
Here are links containing further information, to two past articles I wrote about the festival:
Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival marks 34 years with hybrid attendance model
‘Big Sonia’ film screening exemplifies Holocaust survivor’s ‘everyday acts of survival’
