Winterland Impact Festival in based in Whitefish, Montana, a hotspot ski and boating town in the foothills of iconic Glacier National Park.

Our programming seeks- Narrative Features and Shorts, Documentary features and shorts, Student Films, and Indigenous and Environmental Film Categories.

We have an expert panel of judges from multiple regions of the country and an internal team that screens all films. We don't skim films and appreciate all entries.

We look for storytellers with unique perspectives that have the power to change hearts and minds. We place special significance around narrative themes of resilience, community, collective, future, redemption, hope, shift/change, awakening, against odds, civility reimagined, social justice, climate and other pressing issues of our time, Special points for optimistic takes.

*RESPONSE TO UNION STRIKE IN HOLLYWOOD (posted September 2023)
Like festivals around the world, we had to postpone our fall festival due to the uncertainty of when the SAG-AFTRA union strikes might resolve - making it impossible for union talent to attend festivals to promote their films, and for sponsors to receive their promised entitlements.

Our film judges have made their final selections for 2024 and filmmakers have been notified.
The world of events have been in uncertain times since 2020 and we've have had to be resilient and adaptive to external events from pandemics to weather disruption and now for us, union strikes. Given this, we are holding September 26-29, 2024 for hosting our inaugural festival and have extended the deadlines for film submissions.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Winterland is an annual celebration of film, music, technology, storytelling and community action showcasing innovative solutions that meet the most pressing challenges of our time; inspiring and uniting people in the spirit of the Greater Good.

Our three-day festival launching in September 2024 will feature multiple blocks of independent film programming, and moderated panels featuring thought leaders and professionals in Climate, Regeneration, Energy, Food, Health, Technology, Impact Investing, Film, TV, and Music. Attendees can attend film productions, workshops, panel discussions, networking events, and a number of curated experiences included live music, wellness events, VR experiences and more.

The festival will be held at multiple venues in Whitefish, Montana, a ski town at the base of Whitefish Mountain Ski Resort and in the foothills of Glacier National Park.

Awards & Prizes

Laurels for Official Selections, Best Film, and Audience Choice Awards.

Rules & Terms

1. All entries should be submitted through FilmFreeway. Please do not send any downloadable files to Winterland Film Festival.

2. Official Selections will be announced September 15th and published to our website, Winterland Film Festival, on the following days.

3. Winterland Film Festival has a multi-phase elimination system, where our panel of judges have access to all films and vote without publicly sharing your work. Please be sure to have proper English on the full movie and the trailer of the work submitted.

4. Once a film has been accepted and chosen by the panel, creator's consent will be required prior to posting the work.

5. Winterland Film Festival obtains the right to change the category of the selected film which is submitted given different sections can have more opportunity for a piece.

6. The festival has the right to download portions and pieces of the submitted material to be used as snippets, sequences and still images for the purpose of sharing on print, social media, the Winterland Film Festival website, and all other associated forms of festival marketing. No film may be withdrawn from the festival program after its participation has been publicized, and none will be participating in screenings outside of the festival prior to its official presentation at Winterland Film Festival.

7. Winterland Film Festival will not offer any refunds through withdrawl of festival submissions or lack of their film to be selected.

8. Any filmmakers whom have submitted material and become unresponsive must cover screening sessions, fees, and all other associated submission charges. Failure to respond, will resort in the withdrawl of their submission from the panel of judges.