Each year BSFI selects up to 10 high school students from across Montana to participate in a 3-day filmmaking intensive in Missoula during the first weekend of the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. Students devise, shoot, edit and complete a short film which screens during the festival, giving them the opportunity to work on a collaborative project, see their film on the big screen and share their final project with world-class filmmakers and local film-goers.
The intensive challenges students to think about how their Montana upbringing impacts the story they are interested in telling and encourages students to translate their existing talents, learning styles and interests into the filmmaking process. This compact weekend course accommodates the busy schedules of motivated students to participate from all corners of the state, encouraging collaborative group work and creating an environment for students to share their Montana experiences with one another, all without students having to miss school.
Applications will be open September 2026.
For more info on the 2026/27 program, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
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Thank you to our sponsors & partners:
PAST TEEN DOC INTENSIVE FILMS
2026
LOOKING THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS - by Emma Benn, Lorenzo Alvardo, Isla Bute, Amy Cox, & Mikaela Doney
WE SELL FUN - by Henry Scott, Kinzee TakesHorse, Kyra Fetter, Bowie Bettencourt, Theo Delay, Payton Pierre
2025
HONOR THE SETTING SUN - by Emma Benn, Henry Scott, Evan Seyler, Taven Newberg, Robert Haggard, Lorenzo Alvarado, and Seth Ironchild
MOZAIC - by Kiizhigaatekwe Stark, Kinzee Takeshorse, Bowie Bettencourt, Naomi Fisher, Alice Wolfblack
2024
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT by Michaela Buck, Amy Cox, Chloe Coyle, Naomi Fisher, Robert Haggard, Milo Oliver, Sebastian Ortega, Evan Peters, and Daniel Wiesemann
2023
STARVE THE BAD DOG by Mitchrena Begay, Bowie Bettencour, Amilia Blackcrow, Evan Doney, Robert Haggard, Tre Heath-LaFrombois, Kadynce Morgan, Evan Seyley, and Amy Snyder
2022
STORYTELLER by Amilia Blackcrow, Mitchrena Begay, Tre Heath-LaFrombois, Evan Seyler, K Kipp, Robert Haggard, Kadynce Morgan, Vivi Sterinberg, and Tanner Harmon
2020
SOUND OF COLOR by AudriAnna O'Conner, Clint Brown, Dante Jackson, Mitchrena Begay, Nellie King, Angelica Lopez, Tre Heath-LaFrombois, Issabella Dupuis Shotman, Thea Vrentas, Dante Willes, Sapphire Pilny, and Alexis Bigby
2019
TEEN DOC INTENSIVE SHORT created by Angelia Lopez, AudriAnna O'Conner, Clint Brown, Daniel Pepion, Dante Jackson, Hunter Gray, Julian Schonbrod, Taleah Hernandez, Hannah Hicks and The Vrentas
2018
QUIET PLEASE by Lily Allred, Kylie Big Bow, Caitlyn Farris, Angelica Lopez, Amaya Harman, Zoey Patton, Omar Perez, Aubree Radtke, Josh Scrivner, Thea Vrentas, and Lisette Wells
