A tribute to the water warriors, a team of water technicians sets out to measure the streams flowing through the homelands of the Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d’Oreille—and in the process, secures water rights for their Tribal Nation.

The Water Keepers

A mobile archiving center housed in a cargo trailer travels across the Midwest, digitizing VHS tapes belonging to LGBTQ+ folks in Middle America. In real-time sessions, participants watch their personal histories being preserved, offering an intimate window into queer life in the Bible Belt since the 1980s.

The Roaming Center for Magnetic Alternatives

A journey down the algorithmic rabbit hole of online dating coaches takes a personal turn as the filmmaker ponders her own marriage amidst digital appeals to nature. As the computer screen collides with the natural world and everyday life, the film traces a growing preoccupation with the inherent emotional risks of intimacy.

I Think About Birds

Every year in Spring, the Bavarian Asparagus Association elects an Asparagus Queen. During her one-year reign, she has one central task: to celebrate and embody the enticing power of this noble vegetable. From harvest to cultivation and consumption, and shot in 16 mm, the film is a cheerful homage to white asparagus's esteem.

Spargel Tot, Kirschen Rot (Asparagus Dead, Cherries Red)

As childhood memories are made and fade in the same instant, siblings diverge at the dawn of life beyond their home, a Colorado alligator sanctuary.

Gatorville

A musician, his shells, and the surprising sounds they create.

SHELL YEAH

United States of America

Virtual Shorts Block 10

Virtual Admission

Big Sky Film Institute216 W Main StreetMissoula MT 59802 EIN20-1937230

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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.