Every Film Festival Needs A Place For Local Filmmakers

Originally published by the Daily Camera, August 3, 2026. 

Film festivals are celebrated, and rightly so, for bringing the world’s stories to our communities. They introduce audiences to international voices, award-winning productions, and emerging talent from distant places.

But amid the excitement of global cinema, festivals should NEVER lose sight of the storytellers who live and work in their own backyard.

That is why EVERY film festival should include a dedicated block of programming featuring local filmmakers.

Yes… I’m talking to you, with all due respect, BIFF and the Sundance Film Festival.

A local filmmakers showcase is more than a courtesy. It is an investment in the creative future of the community. Independent filmmakers face enormous challenges in financing, producing, and distributing their work. Festivals strengthen our local creative economy by highlighting regional talent, encouraging collaboration, and attracting the attention of producers, distributors, and investors.

Just as importantly, local films tell stories that might otherwise go untold. They capture the culture, history, challenges and triumphs of a community through the eyes of the people who know it best.

Need an example?

Did you see Katrina Miller’s “This is (Not) Who We Are” at BIFF a few years ago? Of course you did! It was a powerful story about the Boulder community, created by a Boulder County filmmaker. Where else could you have experienced that film in a setting that brought the community together?

Thankfully, BIFF recognized the importance of that story. But this year, there was no dedicated Boulder or Colorado filmmakers block. I’m just saying — it would be a pretty cool tradition to support our local filmmaking community EVERY YEAR.

A local filmmakers showcase provides a much-needed platform for our community’s diverse voices and perspectives, especially since the city eliminated public access television more than 20 years ago!

The benefits extend well beyond the filmmakers themselves. Boulder audiences genuinely WANT to support local artists. There is something uniquely meaningful about watching a film created by someone who lives in the same community, attended the same schools or found inspiration in the places we all recognize. Those screenings create civic pride and remind us that extraordinary creativity isn’t just something that comes to Boulder; it already lives here.

Local filmmaker programming also strengthens the festival experience itself. Filmmakers are more likely to attend screenings, participate in Q&A sessions and engage directly with audiences — especially if they know their parents might be sitting in the audience! Those conversations transform film viewing from a passive experience into a genuine community dialogue.

Showcasing local talent also helps build a sustainable regional film industry. Boulder festivals can and do serve as incubators where filmmakers, actors, crew members, educators and business leaders meet, collaborate and launch future projects.

As a filmmaker myself for more than three decades, I can personally attest to the value of film festivals, both locally and around the world. The relationships built at these events often lead to future productions, new business opportunities, and a stronger creative ecosystem.

Some may argue that festivals should focus exclusively on attracting prestigious films. I disagree.

A festival’s success should not be measured only by the fame of its guests or the awards won by its selections. It should also be measured by its impact on the community it serves.

I understand that, much like the separation of church and state, there is an important separation between a festival’s programming department and the rest of the organization. That’s healthy. That’s necessary.

BUT…

A dedicated local filmmakers block doesn’t compromise programming excellence. It demonstrates that a festival isn’t simply importing culture, but it is helping create it.

It sends a clear message that local stories matter, and that emerging local artists deserve a stage alongside more established voices.

Heck, I’d even volunteer to help coordinate it through the Boulder County Film Commission. That’s how strongly I believe this needs to happen.

Our local filmmakers deserve more exposure!

Film festivals are at their very best when they connect audiences with new perspectives. Sometimes those perspectives come from across the globe. Sometimes they come from just down the street.

Both deserve a place on the screen.

Whether it’s a Boulder Filmmakers Showcase or a Colorado Filmmakers Showcase, let’s celebrate the incredible creative talent we have right here in our own backyard.