Nevada City Film Festival

2018 Official Nevada City Film Festival Trailer from Nevada City Film Festival on Vimeo.

Nevada City, CA, is home to the “Sundance of the Sierra” also known to locals as the Nevada City Film Festival! From September 7-14, the Nevada City Film Festival makes art into a party, bringing emerging and top independent filmmakers showcasing award-winning short and feature-length films from around the world to this beautiful historic town in the Sierra Foothills.  The week-long celebration of art, music, and independent filmmaking, includes film screenings, workshops, a VR and multi-media pavilion, after parties, and more!  

NCFF kicks off on Friday, September 7 with a Block Party on Argall Way in the 7-hills Business District.  Participating businesses will feature art, food, live music, Virtual Reality experiences, films, and more. The event will also include the Grand Opening of the Onyx Theatre. Attendees who missed their Open House in May, can stop by for a tour of the brand new 2-screen art house film theatre, meet filmmakers participating in the festival, and see clips of this year’s films.

This year’s feature films check all the boxes of what an independent film festival should encompass; from promising debuts by emerging directors to seasoned industry favorites taking creative risks to tell new and exciting stories, and everything in between.

Opening night’s films include The Miseducation of Cameron Post, a timely coming-of-age-story directed by Desiree Akhavan and starring Chloë Grace Moretz (Kick Ass, Clouds of Sils Maria) and the time traveling drama The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then The Big Foot, directed by Robert Krzykowski, with Sam Elliot and Aidan Turner (Poldark) as a legendary American war veteran who is recruited to hunt a mythical creature.  Other films include: The Widowed Witch,Taipei, Meow Wolf: Origin Story, The Money Stone, hillbilly and The Long Shadow.

Other highlights of this year’s festival include the nearly 100 award-winning shorts and feature-length films, with over 35 of the film’s filmmakers traveling from around the world to attend and participate in Question & Answer’s following the films.

NCFF will welcome 400 students from Nevada City schools on Friday, September 7 for a special film presentation from Pixar Studios. Nevada City Film Festival will also host a free screening for kids, 11:30am Saturday morning on September 8 at the Nevada Theatre, of international animated shorts.

The festival wraps Friday, September 14 with an outdoor “Best of the Fest” screening in Pioneer Park at 6pm. Attendees can enjoy delicious eats from local and regional food trucks, award-winning beer from Ol’ Republic and the winners of this year’s festival including the highly coveted Audience Choice Award.

Want to win a stay and play package?  The Nevada City Film Festival and the Inn Town Campground have teamed up to bring you a package that includes: 2 night’s camping at the Inn Town Campground and 2 Festival Passes to the 18th Annual Nevada City Film Festival, a total value of $300.  Package is only good September 7-15, 2018.  Post a comment on the Outside Inn’s blog for your chance to win, winner will be announced on Monday, September 3rd.  And for those who are interested in the stay and play package, there’s currently a special on the Inn Town Campground’s reservation system, get 2 nights of camping and 2 Nevada City Film Festival passes for $160.  Click here to book your tent camping reservation now.  Or if you just want individual tickets or a festival pass, click here.  *Edited to say the winner is Sue M.

© 2018 InnSide Nevada City, Photos by Kial James Photography and Erin Thiem