By Deb Risden
For nearly four decades, the Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival has attracted filmmakers and audiences to Colorado Springs for a weekend of films that tell stories through women’s eyes. This year, the festival runs Oct. 17 through Oct. 19 and includes 40 films, live music, filmmaker forums, parties and events. It will be held on the Colorado College campus as it has since its inception.
Founded in 1987 by Donna Guthrie and Jere Martin after a road trip back from the Telluride Film Festival, Rocky Mountain Women’s Film has grown from a half-day program into the longest-running women’s film festival in North America.=
“We hold that title because of our criteria,” said the executive director, Nicole Nicoletta, who has attended the festival since the 1990s and has led the nonprofit for the past two years. “Every film in our lineup has a woman behind the lens. Whether the story is about women or not, we believe in the unique power of a woman to tell it.”
The festival includes a mix of documentaries, narratives, shorts and animated films with a wide range of topics. “Last year, we had a film about grizzly bears in the Tetons,” Nicoletta said. “It doesn’t matter what the subject is — when told through a woman’s perspective, it resonates differently.”
Each year, RMWF reviews hundreds of submissions from around the world. This year’s program lineup will be announced in early September, with the schedule released in October.
What began as a volunteer-run event has evolved into a nonprofit with four staff members who organize and host the October festival and other free and ticketed events throughout the year.
The three-day festival kicks off Friday evening and runs through Sunday, with film screenings, Q&A sessions and live music. Saturday and Sunday will also feature lunchtime filmmaker forums with moderated panels, where attendees can pre-order box lunches or grab a meal from food trucks on-site.
Opening and closing parties, a Saturday night “After Dark” event with live music and complementary popcorn from Patsy’s Candies and a Thursday private sponsor reception round out the weekend.
RMWF also provides a “Virtual Encore” series that allows audiences to stream a selection of films the week after the in-person event. “It’s been a wonderful way to stay connected,” Nicoletta said. “We have people who used to live here but moved away, people who can’t travel, or those who just prefer streaming. But we also believe strongly in the importance of gathering in person — that’s why the virtual component happens after the festival, not during.”
Tickets are on sale now through the festival’s website. Options range from full festival passes, which include access to all films, parties and the Virtual Encore, to single-day passes or individual film blocks
“There really is something for everyone,” Nicoletta said. “Some people go all in for the whole weekend, and others might just want a Saturday date night with films, live music and a party. However you join us, you’ll walk away feeling connected and inspired.”
The festival also offers free admission on Sunday for active-duty and retired military members and their spouses, sponsored by Phil Long Dealerships. Seniors aged 65 and up and military members can receive discounts throughout the weekend.
There is a preview party Sept. 16 at Ivywild. Tickets are available for purchase on RMWF’s website.
The Mining Exchange Hotel in downtown Colorado Springs is partnering with RMWF to offer discounted rates to festival attendees. Nicoletta said people have been coming for years to the festival and staying at the hotel. Some have worked the festival around family reunions, she said.
More than anything, Nicoletta said the festival has endured because of its community. “We have people who’ve been coming for 38 years,” she said. “They tell us it’s like finishing a college course in a weekend because they’ve learned so much. Some say they enjoy seeing people they’ve met from prior years. We’re bringing together people throughout our local community, the region and the country to be inspired by thought-provoking film.”
For tickets, schedules and information about the 38th Annual Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival, visit https://rmwfilm.org.
