Welcome to the inaugural film festival of Ely, Minnesota, where we celebrate stories from the End of the Road! Ely is a small town in Northern Minnesota that is surrounded by Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Because of its unique location, Ely has become a crossroads of history and cultures.

Our festival seeks to entertain, inform and engage our audiences by sharing stories of adventure, advocacy, indigenous traditions, rural economies, crafting in nature, mental health awareness, comedy, horror, and more! We recognize that Hollywood has played a huge role in shaping our society -- we aim to uplift filmmakers whose stories offer alternatives to mainstream narratives. This type of work can take on many forms, and so we are encouraging submissions from all genres, categories, and seasons! Programmed films will appeal to adults and youth alike as we foster a family friendly event!

End of the Road Film Festival is an official event of the 17th Annual Ely Winter Festival, so it's a great time of year to visit Ely! In between screenings, you can take a stroll through the Snow Sculpture Symposium in Whiteside Park; grab a hot cup of coffee at one of our local shops; check out the work of local artists in the Ely Artwalk; enjoy live music events, guided snowshoe hikes, or a fully outfitted dogsledding trip; visit the Bois Forte Heritage Museum, the International Wolf Center, or the Dorothy Molter Museum; take a class at the Ely Folk School; or spend an afternoon shopping and dining at our local stores and restaurants. There will be something for everyone at the End of the Road Film Festival, and it is one event you don't want to miss!

Awards & Prizes

Prizes To Be Announced.

Rules & Terms

Films completed on or after January 1, 2017 will be eligible for the 2023 festival.

Submission fee is non-refundable.

End of the Road Film Festival (ERFF) does not pay screening fees.

Films may be submitted by Vimeo link, DVD or Blu-Ray. If accepted, DCP delivery is required for festival screening purposes. Filmmakers will assume any shipping and handling costs to the festival.

More than one entry may be submitted. Each entry must be accompanied by its own online entry and entry fee.

Films produced in languages other than English must provide legible English subtitles.

If your film is accepted, ERFF has the right to show, post, or broadcast images from the film in association with materials related to advertising and promoting ERFF.

10 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Jerry Wilson

    I wonderful festival and I feel honored to be selected.

    February 2023
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    Response from festival:

    Hi Jerry,

    Thank you for sharing this review! We feel honored that you chose to submit your film "The Shadow of Shakespeare: Henry V" to our first run festival! We had a great time and hope that you may be able to attend in person in the future. We wish you good luck on all your future projects. Please never stop creating!

    Sincerely,

    The ERFF Team

  • Nathaniel Hoff

    Jacob and the team at End of the Road Film Festival put on an absolutely incredible event. The whole festival was welcoming, encouraging, and receptive to our film "State of the Unity". Screening in Ely, MN to a sold out audience is something that I will never forget as an artist and filmmaker. We wish them all the best as they continue to grow into a top tier film festival. They are doing an incredible job of raising up independent voices. Ever Upwards, Nathaniel

    February 2023
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    Response from festival:

    Hi Nathaniel,

    Thank you so much for your positive review of our first-run festival! Our team had an absolute blast hosting you and Jillian (The Bergamot) in Ely. We are so glad you decided to submit your film "State of the Unity", and we're stoked that you've been able to play in so many great festivals around the country!

    The community seemed to respond really positively to your messages of unity, and we were so excited when you received a standing ovation after you concert following the film screening! Please never stop creating work you are passionate about. You bring a shining light of joy and support to every project you work on.

    Sincerely,

    The ERFF Team

  • Justin + Kristin Schaack

    A big shoutout to Jacob White and the entire End of the Road Film Festival staff & volunteers! You would never know it was a first year festival. The entire weekend was organized, well-promoted, and well-attended by filmmakers and the community of Ely. In addition to the films, there was a great representation of local artists, musicians, and workshops. It was a pleasure and honor to screen our short film at this festival and connect with filmmakers from across the country. We hope to return in the future and highly encourage other filmmakers to submit and attend.

    February 2023
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    Response from festival:

    Hi Justin + Kristin,

    Thank you so much for writing this review of our first-run festival! We were so honored that you decided to submit your film "The Family We Chose". We were really excited to see how much of our community and regional audience turned out to support the event. We are glad to hear that you felt the weekend was well organized, well promoted and well attended. We agree!

    We are so glad that you enjoyed taking in some of our local talent, including some of our many talented artists, musicians, and presenters. Connecting our filmmakers with our audience and with one another is what we are all about! We would love to have you submit to and attend future festivals! Never stop creating work you are passionate about!

    Sincerely,

    The ERFF Team

  • Matthew Koshmrl

    This was a very fun festival to screen at! The team at End of The Road was inviting and the venue was incredible! All of the screenings I attended were full or nearly full. I hope that I can screen again and visit Ely in the future!

    February 2023
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    Response from festival:

    Hi Matthew,

    Thank you so much for writing a review of our first-run festival. We were honored that you chose to submit your feature film "Land of My Father" and two regionally relevant short films "Supper Club" and "The Poachers", and we were so excited to be able to include them in the program this year. We would love to have you come back again in future years! Please never stop creating work you are passionate about! Thank you for your leadership and commitment.

    Sincerely,

    The ERFF Team

  • Jim Morrison

    Sadly, we were unable to attend, but was extremely thankful that our film was selected. This festival is run by a passionate group that genuinely cares about films and the filmmakers.

    Thank you so much.

    February 2023
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    Response from festival:

    Hi Jim,

    Thank you for your review of our first ever film festival in Ely, MN! We were so honored that you chose to submit your film "Rent a Neighbor". Our program team and the community responded really well to the film screening! We are absolutely passionate about our work, and we hope that you'll consider submitting and attending in the future!

    Sincerely,

    The ERFF Team