Film festivals were founded with a specific purpose in mind: to support the success of film and filmmakers from beyond the mainstream. Some of the most beloved movies of all time got their start at film festivals. Slumdog Millionaire, Pulp Fiction, and Juno all found their first audiences at festivals before they went on to play in theaters and become fixtures of the popular imagination. Without the infrastructure, support, and community of film festivals, these movies might never have become a part of our collective artistic culture.

Our festival stands in this legacy of support. We bring in films from around the United States and across the globe to expose audiences to material they’re unlikely to see on streaming platforms or in theaters. Our filmmakers are established artists in the industry and new voices making their first films; regardless, the movies we screen come from independent spaces that sometimes challenge our conventional notions of what a movie is or can be. At OIFF, we celebrate that independence through films that challenge and inspire.

We also univocally stand with artists and audience members who bring diversity and difference to our communities. We believe these principles create the best environment towards deepening our understanding and compassion towards each other and ourselves. We embody this commitment through the films we program, the discussions we start, and the diverse range of artists that we invite to the mountains. The fest is a space of openness and inclusion of many perspectives, identities, and worldviews; we invite you to join us in pursuing that vision of community through film.