The 20th annual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is a hybrid event taking place in-person February 17-26, 2023 in venues across Missoula as well as online in our Virtual Cinema between February 20 and March 1. Each of the 2023 official selections will screen in-person at one of our three theater venues, and the majority of 2023 selections will also be available watch online. We look forward to welcoming you to the festival!
Big Sky will host screenings, DocShop conference events, special events and more February 17-26 across downtown Missoula. MT! Visit the Plan Your Trip page for hotel discounts and information on visiting Missoula during the fest. Passes are on sale now for in-person and virtual access, visit the ticketing page to purchase now! Film selections are now public, the festival schedule will be annuonced January 24th, and tickets to individual screenings go on sale January 30th.
In-person screenings will take place at The Wilma, the ZACC Showroom and the Missoula Community Theater (MCT). The DocShop conference will take place at the Missoula Public Library. The Festival Headquarters, your one-stop-shop for passes, tickets, merchandise and festival information, will be located at the ZACC, open daily during the run of the festival. Find detailed venue information here.
Big Sky cares about the health and wellness of our staff, volunteers, artists, and audience members. The safest possible scenario for Big Sky Doc Fest is an event where the vast majority of attendees are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Please go here to find vaccine clinic locations near you. Masks are recommended at indoor events and Big Sky strongly encourages festival guests to test prior to traveling to Missoula. Read more about our health and safety precautions in our Community Guidelines.
Special announcements and more festival information will roll out in the weeks leading up to the big event! Sign up for our newsletter to stay in-the-know.
The online festival program will be available in the Big Sky Virtual Cinema, powered by Eventive, from February 20 through March 1, 2023. In the virtual cinema you can browse the catalog, reserve films, and watch films all in one easy-to-use place! Short films will be available to stream on-demand February 20-March 1. Features will each be available for a 6-day window, schedule to be announced in late January. Read on to learn how the virtual festival works, and visit the Virtual Festival FAQ for detailed information on enjoying the festival program online.
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE:
The virtual version of BSDFF will be available online with the purchase of a pass or individual tickets to a single film or shorts program.
1) DISCOVER FILMS
Browse the Selections page to discover films available to watch during the festival.
When you find a film you're interested in, click more info to read a synopsis, watch trailers and more. To buy a ticket to watch the film, or reserve a ticket with your festival pass, simply click WATCH ONLINE and you'll be taken to the Eventive screening page.
2) ORDER FILMS
Order a Film to stream online! Click "Pre-Order Now" on the Eventive screening page.
You will be prompted to log in or create an Eventive account. Enter your email and password of choice, then follow the prompts to enter payment information and complete your order. Have a pass? Just log in to Eventive and pre-order films to reserve tickets under your pass! Check your email for confirmations and a reminder to watch when the film is available during the festival.
3) WATCH FILMS
When films are available to view click WATCH NOW on the screening page to enjoy.
You can watch films on your TV using the Eventive TV App on your Apple TV or Roku device, or use Chromecast to view from your Chrome browser on your Android phone or tablet. Films can be enjoyed on your computer, but we highly recommend you set up your home theater to enjoy films that were made for a cinema experience!
If you have an Apple TV or Roku device, you can use Eventive TV apps for these platforms:
Download Eventive TV for Apple | Download Eventive TV for Roku
If you have Chromecast, you can cast the film from Chrome on your computer or Android phone. If Chromecasting, you must have a 3rd generation or later Chromecast stick. Please note: Please Note: Due to content protection restrictions, the Screen Mirroring feature on Smart TVs and other devices cannot be used. Many browsers built into Smart TVs and other devices will NOT allow protected content to play. Visit the Eventive FAQ for more information.
Visit the Virtual Festival Frequently Asked Questions page for more information on how to tune in, avaialbility windows, geographic restrictions and much more.
VIRTUAL SCHEDULE Short films will be available to stream on demand February 20 - March 1. Features will each be available for a 6-day window during these dates. The virtual schedule will be announced in late January and availability windows will appear on all film listings on our website.
GEOGRAPHIC AVAILABILITY
Many of the films in the virtual program will be available to watch from anywhere in the world, but there are a select few that have geographic restrictions. Find a list of films with restricted geographic availability, and films NOT available to stream here:
BSDFF 2023 FILMS WITH LIMITED GEOGRAPHIC AVAILABILITY
Subtitles
Some of our films have the option to turn on English subtitles. To find this option, click the Settings wheel in the playback bar on the bottom of the screen and choose "English" in Subtitles.
Visit the Virtual Festival Frequently Asked Questions page for lots of helpful information on how to tune in online.
Email questions to: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Call our helpline at (406) 541-FILM to speak with a customer service volunteer or leave a message for festival staff.
Visit the Eventive Help Page to find answers or launch a live chat.