Arrive as strangers, experience awe together, and leave united as a tribe.

The Eagle Cap Film Festival brings together the most original storytellers and the most adventurous audiences for its annual program of documentary, narrative, and western films. We are seeking films that inspire awe. Being amazed at things larger than ourselves can be a shared pathway to deeper connections among people and their communities. Our focus is documentary, but in solidarity with the vibrant culture of our local residents, we are also seeking narrative and western films.

Layered in between these screenings are dynamic forum events in local spaces, a community street party, and adventurous group excursions into nearby wilderness areas. Building a sense of shared experience between filmmakers, audiences, and the local community is at the heart of everything we do. This is a festival that if accepted, we do everything we can to encourage filmmakers to attend in person.

The festival takes place in the mountain communities of Joseph, Enterprise, Lostine, and Wallowa, Oregon. These towns are nestled between the majestic Eagle Cap Wilderness and the deepest canyon in North America, Hells Canyon. Attending this festival is a deeply moving experience for filmmakers, film lovers, and local residents alike.

Eagle Cap film festival provides and preserves the space for independent artists to create and present top tier, authentic work that amplifies the culture of our community and the awesome beauty of our surrounding landscapes.

Awards & Prizes

Best Documentary Feature
Best Western
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best Sound Design

Rules & Terms

(1) Documentary Feature Film. Any nonfiction film with a running time of 60 minutes or more. Completed films that have been or will have been exhibited theatrically or otherwise made available to the general public, either for free or for purchase are not eligible to submit to this category. This includes, but is not limited to, public theatrical exhibition (festival or otherwise), television broadcast, home video, or any digital or online platform. If the Project’s final running or exhibition time is projected to be 60 minutes or more, the Project may only be submitted.

(2) Western and other narrative Feature Films: Any narrative or non-scripted work of fiction, that can be classified in these genres, with a running time of 60 minutes or more. In order to qualify, the submitted project must be either scripted or improvisational fiction, or a fictionalization of actual events. Completed films that have been or will have been exhibited theatrically or otherwise made available to the general public, either for free or for purchase. This includes, but is not limited to, public theatrical exhibition (festival or otherwise), television broadcast, home video, or any digital or online platform.

(3) ECFF reserves the right to refund of any or all submission fees previously collected from the Applicant and remove the film from competition.

(4) All films most have met all legal requirements to display the film publically at a film festival; including but not limited to image releases from participants, music licenses, archival footage releases, and other requirements normally required to display films.