May 11-14, 2023
Tickets & Passes on-sale now!
2023 Festival Film Program
Feature Films
A Love Song
Director: Max Walker-Silverman
Thursday, May 11
7:00 PM
In the landscape of the American West, widow Faye (Dale Dickey, WINTER’S BONE) has been calling this vast expanse her home, living off-the-grid and on her own. However, one day, her old flame Lito (Wes Studi, THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS), himself a widower as well, arrives. While by a lake within the Colorado Mountains, the two rekindle and reminisce about old times and decide to spend the night together. Directed by Max Walker-Silverman. Film is Rated PG.
Mystic Vibrosis: A Guide to Living Indubiously
Director: Tim Cash
Friday, May 12
7:15 PM
Two brothers with Cystic Fibrosis who against all odds have pushed passed their life expectancy to bring a message of positivity to the masses through their music as the band Indubious. Directed by Tim Cash.
Accompanied by: CREATING THINGS shows how two brothers use interview fragments, pieces of art, and various family mementos to explore the legacy of their father and what he left behind. Directed by Bryan Simpson, Taylor Simpson.
I Like Movies
Director: Chandler Levack
Friday, May 12
9:00 PM
Socially inept 17-year old cinephile, Lawrence Kweller, gets a job at a video store where he forms a complicated friendship with his older female manager.
Spirit of the Peaks
Directors: Connor Ryan, Tim Kressin
Saturday, May 13
11:00 AM
Caught between athletic passion and cultural obligation, a Hunkpapa Lakota skier learns to be a better relative to the mountains where he skis and to the people who once called them home. Followed by a virtual Q&A with Executive Producer Len Necefer.
Cisco Kid
Director: Emily Allen
Saturday, May 13
1:30 PM
CISCO KID follows Eileen –a young queer dreamer who moves to a desert ghost town in Southern Utah, determined to live an independent and untethered life. Filmed across unfolding seasons, we experience Eileen’s journey as they forge a path among the discarded remnants in the town of Cisco.
Accompanied by: THE CONTROLLED WILD explores human industry, expansion, boundaries, public and private land, wildlife, and wildlife corridors in the West. Directed by Emilie Upczak, Nicholas Emery.
Little Richard: I Am Everything
Director: Lisa Cortes
Saturday, May 13
7:15 PM
LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING tells the story of the Black queer origins of rock n’ roll, exploding the whitewashed canon of American pop music to reveal the innovator – the originator – Richard Penniman.
Cinema Celebration and DJ set immediately following the screening in the Ballroom.
See More Than…Shorts Packages
Take a journey with the See More Than… shorts packages, a series of stories, topics and themes that can at once appear familiar yet alien depending on your perspective and lived experiences.
See More Than… Shorts 1
Saturday, May 13
4:00 PM
Around the World In My Neighborhood (Dirs. Taylor Plecity, Natalie London; USA; 14 min) – 83-year-old Al is on a mission to ride the entire circumference of the world without leaving his neighborhood.
Bread Bike (Dirs. Beth Gage, George Gage; USA; 19 min) – A trio of friends create a unique way of sharing delicious food, supporting farmers, creating community, and having fun.
Buzz: Pollen Nation (Dir. Mike Machian; USA; 9 min) – A volunteer shares her time and experiences to help track and conserve native bumblebee species.
Come One Come All – A Circus With A Purpose (Dir. Nathan Ward; USA; 26 min) – Tells the story of The Salida Circus, a social circus in Salida, Colorado where both kids and adults learn circus skills, then take their acts out into the world.
Fight or Flight (Dir. Lindsey Hagen; USA; 15 min) – Chronicles the journey of the first female pilot employed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and her aim to encourage a culture of whole health awareness and resources in aviation.
Q&A with special guests following the screening.
See More Than… Shorts 2
Sunday, May 14
4:45 PM
A Question of Service (Dir. Erin Brown Thomas; UK/USA; 25 min) – From the cliffs of Wales, to the basement of MI6, to a Wisconsin farmhouse, “A Question of Service” follows Joseph, an MI6 interpreter…who may or may not be a Russian spy.
Dave the Fiance (Dir. Andrew Jasperson; USA; 19 min) – After committing a fatal hunting accident, a newly engaged young man must choose between protecting his fiancee’s family and his future, or doing the right thing that will destroy them all.
Here In There (Dir. Chris T. Anthony; USA; 12 min) – Zeke is lost, stuck in afterlife limbo, desperately trying to get back to his love Beverly. Will he find a way past his own frustration to pass through the light & find a way out?
Hot Set (Dirs. Jenny Urice, Ben Fout; USA; 16 min) – Two longtime friends fight to keep their local production studio alive, one ridiculous client at a time.
Pickled (Dir. Meghan Brotherton; USA; 13 min) – When reigning pickleball champ, Molly, returns to the court after having a baby, hilarity ensues as she adjusts to the realization that no one can be at the top of their game forever.
Q&A with special guests following the screening.
Special Presentation
Celebrate Local Cinema
Friday, May 12 @ SteamPlant Theater
5:00 PM
A special event not to be missed with some of the talented filmmakers that call Salida and the surrounding region home. Moderated by Leslie Matthews, each participant of the filmmaking team will present a short clip of a current or recently completed project and share their motivations, process, challenges and more!
Extra Frames
Independent Look with SeriesFest
Sunday, May 14 @ SteamPlant Theater
2:00 PM
SeriesFest is a non-profit organization dedicated to championing artists at the forefront of episodic storytelling, culminating in a highly celebrated Denver-based festival. We are thrilled to showcase an indie pilot shot in Colorado from the recent SeriesFest: Season 9. OFFLINE is a new series that takes a look at a future without the internet. Q&A will follow with co-creators Andy Juett and Gabriel Dohrn. Open to the public.
Tickets & Festival Pass on-sale now!
Salida Film Festival Pass: $85.00 per person, includes access to all films & ticketed events
Individual Ticket: $11.00 per person
Special Presentation: $9.00 per person
Available at SteamPlant Event Center online and the SteamPlant Box Office (Mon-Fri, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm)