What is the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival? The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival (BSDFF) has become the largest cinema event in Montana and the premiere venue for non-fiction film in the American West. The festival draws an audience of 20,000 and receives over 2,000 film entries from every corner of the globe. BSDFF takes place annually in Missoula, Montana each February and offers a unique setting for filmmakers to premiere new work and for audiences to see innovative new films. BSDFF hosts over 200 visiting artists, and screens an average of 150 nonfiction films thoughout the ten-day event.
When does THE NEXT BSDFF take place? The next festival is currently scheduled to take place February 12-21, 2027.
Where do BSDFF screenings take place? Screenings will take place at theater venues in downtown Missoula. Big Sky works to plan the festival on a walkable footprint, and screening locations will be announced as the event draws near.
Do I need a pass or tickets to attend? Yes! Multiple pass options are available to build your own festival experience, or you can purchase tickets to single events. Visit the Tickets & Passes page for more information and to purchase.
Is there assigned seating for the film screenings? Nope! All seating is general admission, first-come first-served.
Can I purchase just one individual ticket? Yes, you can purchase a ticket to an individual screening when the schedule is announed and tickets go on sale in late January. Tickets may also be available at the door.
Do I need an account to buy passes/tickets and watch films? Yes, to purchase and or use tickets and/or passes (in person and online), you will be required to create an account in Eventive. You will need to log in to this account to access your tickets, passes and virtual screenings, so hold on to this information! Your username is your email address. If you need to reset your password, click “Forgot Password?” at login.
Is my payment information secure? Yes. All customer payment info is submitted securely to our payment processor, Stripe, using the most stringent, PCI Level 1 compliant security protocols. Eventive stores customer credit card details securely, and the festival staff does not have access to your credit card information. You may request that your payment information be unlinked from your account by choosing Account Management from the menu bar at the top left of the page, and then “Remove” under your payment information.
What is the Return and Refund Policy? Passes and tickets are non-transferrable and non-refundable. All sales are final.
Is there a director in person for a Q&A after every screening? Many filmmakers come to Missoula to participate in Q&A discussions at their screenings, but not all. On average about 75% of films are represented by a director or producer in attendance.
Are the films family friendly? Many of the films have mature content, and most of the films at this festival are not rated by the MPAA. If you are bringing children, please read film descriptions carefully as some films may have sensitive content. If you have questions, please contact the festival office at 406-541-FILM (3456). For family friendly films, please check out our Schoolhouse Docs after-school series. Age ratings for Schoolhouse Docs films can be found in the festival program. Though most of these new films have not been rated officially, we gather a group of educators prior to the festival each year to assign age-appropriateness for each film.
Are there other events at BSDFF besides movie screenings? Yes! BSDFF hosts DocShop, an annual 5-day conference on the art and skill of filmmaking featuring workshops, panels, and the Big Sky Pitch. Additionally, every night at BSDFF there is an event at a different Missoula venue with food, drinks, and networking opportunities available to All-Access pass holders.
What is DocShop? Each year, BSDFF holds DocShop, a 5-day conference for filmmakers and professionals, to discuss the art and impact of filmmaking. For all media makers and enthusiasts, DocShop tackles the filmmaking process through panels, workshops, pitches, screenings and presentations – invaluable continuing education for the veteran and emerging filmmaker. Visit the DocShop page for more information!
What is the Big Sky Pitch? Ten documentary filmmakers pitch their feature work-in-progress to some of the top commissioning editors and funders for documentary film in North America. All documentary forms and all subjects are eligible to submit. Commissioning editors will have the opportunity to critique and comment on each pitch. Selected projects will have 10 minutes to pitch their project and show a sample for the panel.
What sponsorship opportunities are available at BSDFF? The festival’s annual attendance of nearly 20,000—a broad demographic that includes filmmakers and industry professionals from around the world as well as highly engaged attendees from Missoula and beyond—makes BSDFF sponsorship a unique opportunity to communicate brand and breadth of services to a clearly defined and influential audience. Each year, we work with our corporate, public and individual donor partners to ensure that our high-impact sponsorship packages are customized and crafted to meet and advance their objectives—be they shared artistic vision, political advocacy, or marketing and business-specific objectives. Click here to inquire about specific sponsorships or customize your own, or contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
How can I submit my film to BSDFF? Call for entries for the festival are accepted on FilmFreeway. Visit the submissions page for more information on deadlines, eligibility and more.
How can I volunteer for BSDFF? Volunteer signup for BSDFF is now online! Shift descriptions and sign up will be available in January, visit the Volunteer page to learn more and sign up. As always, volunteers will receive a complimentary t-shirt for working two shifts as well as a free screening pass for each shift worked (to be distributed during your shift unless other arrangements are required). Volunteers who work 40 hours over the course of the festival will receive all-access passes good for screenings, parties and special events.
Getting to the BSDFF: Missoula is easily accessible by highway. Interstate 90 runs east-west through the Missoula valley, and Montana Highway 93 travels north-south. By air, you can fly into Missoula International Airport (MSO). Once you arrive downtown, all venues are quite walkable (snow or shine) and there is not a great need for a car while you are enjoying the festival events. It is easy to get around Missoula whether you decide to rent a car, Uber, take the bus or call a cab. Missoula is a community that prides itself in making all attempts to reduce traffic congestion and provide eco-friendly transportation options.
How do I book my accommodation? We work with local hotel partners to offer special rates for your stay in Missoula. Find out more on the Plan Your Trip page.
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