When news anchor Paul Linnman arrived in Florence, Oregon, in November 1970, he had no idea the story he was about to cover would define his career forever. Following a small Oregon town, a beached whale, and the man who turned the event into legend, the film explores how we may not choose our fate—but we do get to choose how we respond to it.

Oh Whale

At a hotline for baking emergencies, a small team fields calls from strangers in crisis, only to discover that behind each kitchen catastrophe lies a tender, messy slice of someone’s life.

The Baker's Hotline

When a story about dropping acid at a Grateful Dead show stirs conflict at a family dinner, the filmmaker drifts between past and present, navigating a marriage, a moment of surreal disorientation in a grocery store, and the long, strange trip of growing up. Told with a collaged, rotoscoped feel and campfire intimacy, it’s a story about getting lost—and dead reckoning your way back.

My Dad Asked Me What Acid Felt Like

As the ocean swallows El Bosque, a vibrant fishing village on the coast of Tabasco, Mexico, it sits in ruins. As tides rise and homes collapse, one woman leads a relentless fight to secure a new future for her community, even if it means leaving behind the only home they’ve ever known.

La Mar

Virtual Shorts Block 6

Virtual Admission

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Welcome to the 23rd annual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival! Enjoy the convenience of browsing through our full festival program, purchasing tickets and special events for this year's festival.

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Thank you for joining us for the 2026 virtual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival!

The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, now in its 22nd year, is the premier venue for non-fiction film in the American West. Enjoy an expansive virtual catalog of new nonfiction films streaming February 17-27, 2025

Here's what's coming up soon. Can't make it? No sweat. Many live streams will be available for on-demand viewing as well.