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Vail Film Festival

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 Vail, 81657

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The Vail Film Festival is an annual independent film festival staged by the Colorado Film Institute, a nonprofit, and its organizers list December 3 to 6, 2026 for the next edition. That puts it in the first weeks of the ski season, before the holiday rush, so a festival trip can also be a ski trip.

It suits film lovers and working filmmakers more than casual moviegoers: the program pairs screenings with panels, workshops and networking, and the festival runs a screenplay competition alongside it. This is a seasonal event rather than a venue, so plan around the published dates.

The 2026 program

The headline strand for 2026 is a French Showcase of new cinema from France and the French-speaking world, built on a partnership with the ÉCU-Paris Film Festival, the European Independent Film Festival. The organizers describe a French film screening series, Franco-American panel discussions and a masterclass with a French filmmaker. Film titles, screening venues and pass details had not been published when this listing was checked, so watch the festival's website as December approaches.

For screenwriters

The Vail Screenplay Competition takes original, unproduced narrative features, shorts and television pilots written in English, with submissions, rules and deadlines handled through FilmFreeway. Judging is anonymous and past results are posted on the festival's site. Writers who want notes can buy paid feedback, from short first-look notes to full coverage with a review of a revised draft. A separate French and Francophone screenplay competition is being launched for writers from the French-speaking world.

Planning a festival trip

Vail is about 100 miles west of Denver on I-70, and early December is a snow-driving month, so allow extra time. The Vail Village and Lionshead parking structures are the most convenient places to park, with the free Town of Vail bus linking the villages. The festival names partner hotels on its website; the list was last updated for an earlier edition, so confirm any festival rate directly with the hotel.

Sources: festival home, about, screenplay competition, screenplay feedback, travel. Checked September 23, 2026.

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Vail Film Festival
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Vail, 81657

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About Vail Film Festival

Quick answer: Vail Film Festival is a business at Vail, CO 81657. Vail Film Festival, December 3-6, 2026: a French Showcase of new francophone cinema, panels and the Vail Screenplay Competition.

Last updated

The Vail Film Festival is an annual independent film festival staged by the Colorado Film Institute, a nonprofit, and its organizers list December 3 to 6, 2026 for the next edition. That puts it in the first weeks of the ski season, before the holiday rush, so a festival trip can also be a ski trip.

It suits film lovers and working filmmakers more than casual moviegoers: the program pairs screenings with panels, workshops and networking, and the festival runs a screenplay competition alongside it. This is a seasonal event rather than a venue, so plan around the published dates.

The 2026 program

The headline strand for 2026 is a French Showcase of new cinema from France and the French-speaking world, built on a partnership with the ÉCU-Paris Film Festival, the European Independent Film Festival. The organizers describe a French film screening series, Franco-American panel discussions and a masterclass with a French filmmaker. Film titles, screening venues and pass details had not been published when this listing was checked, so watch the festival's website as December approaches.

For screenwriters

The Vail Screenplay Competition takes original, unproduced narrative features, shorts and television pilots written in English, with submissions, rules and deadlines handled through FilmFreeway. Judging is anonymous and past results are posted on the festival's site. Writers who want notes can buy paid feedback, from short first-look notes to full coverage with a review of a revised draft. A separate French and Francophone screenplay competition is being launched for writers from the French-speaking world.

Planning a festival trip

Vail is about 100 miles west of Denver on I-70, and early December is a snow-driving month, so allow extra time. The Vail Village and Lionshead parking structures are the most convenient places to park, with the free Town of Vail bus linking the villages. The festival names partner hotels on its website; the list was last updated for an earlier edition, so confirm any festival rate directly with the hotel.

Sources: festival home, about, screenplay competition, screenplay feedback, travel. Checked September 23, 2026.

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Amenities at Vail Film Festival

  • Film screenings
  • Panels
  • Workshops
  • Screenplay competition
  • Paid screenplay feedback

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the 2026 Vail Film Festival?
Thursday to Sunday, December 3 to 6, 2026, in Vail, Colorado, in the opening weeks of ski season. One caution when you check the festival's own site: its page titles still show the 2023 edition's dates (December 7-10, 2023); the December 3-6, 2026 dates are the current announcement in the site's homepage content.
What is showing at the 2026 festival?
The announced headline strand is a French Showcase of new cinema from France and the French-speaking world, presented with the ÉCU-Paris Film Festival (the European Independent Film Festival): a French film screening series, Franco-American panel discussions, and a masterclass with a French filmmaker. Individual film titles and the screening schedule had not been published as of late October 2026; watch vailfilmfestival.com as December approaches.
How do I get tickets or passes?
Pass types, prices and sales channels for the 2026 edition had not been published on the official site as of October 27, 2026, and no passes were on sale there. Do not rely on pass prices quoted by third-party sites; those describe earlier editions. For the latest, check vailfilmfestival.com or contact the festival at [email protected] (its contact page calls email the quickest route) or (970) 306-6843.
Where are the screenings held?
Venues for 2026 had not been announced as of October 27, 2026; the festival's homepage shows a "Festival Screening Venues" gallery without naming them. For reference only, the last fully published edition (2023) screened at the Cascade Theater near the Grand Hyatt Vail and at Chasing Rabbits in Solaris, Vail Village, 2026 venues may differ. The festival's own office address is 141 East Meadow Drive in Vail Village; that is not a screening venue.
Who runs the Vail Film Festival?
The Colorado Film Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is fostering independent film through screenings, panels, workshops, networking and educational projects; donations are tax-deductible. Brothers Scott Cross and Sean Cross serve as Executive & Artistic Directors, and Corinne Hara is Festival Director. The festival was founded in 2004 and, after online-only editions in 2020-2022, returned in person in December 2023.
Can I enter a screenplay?
Yes. The 2026 Vail Screenplay Competition accepts original, unproduced narrative features, shorts and television pilots written in English; optioned scripts are allowed, and judging is anonymous. Entries, fees and deadlines are handled through FilmFreeway. The festival is also launching a separate French and Francophone Screenplay Competition for writers from France and the French-speaking world. The 2025 competition's full results are posted on the festival's site.
How much is screenplay feedback?
For features (up to 140 pages): first-look notes $79, development notes $149, comprehensive coverage with a revised-draft review $249. For shorts (up to 60 pages): first-look notes $49, development notes $119, comprehensive coverage $99, comprehensive coverage with revised-draft review $149. For TV pilots (up to 70 pages): first-look notes $49, comprehensive coverage $99, comprehensive coverage with revised-draft review $149. Notes are delivered privately by email, and the service is independent of competition judging, buying feedback does not affect placement.
How do I get to Vail for the festival?
Vail is about 100 miles west of Denver on I-70 (main Vail exit 176); allow extra time for snow driving in early December. By air, the closest airport is Eagle County Regional Airport (about 35 miles west); Denver International Airport is about a 2-hour drive. Epic Mountain Express is the festival's named official ground transportation. In town, the Vail Village and Lionshead parking structures are the most convenient parking, and the free Town of Vail bus links the villages and Cascade Village.
Where should I stay?
The festival's published hotel partners are the 2023 edition's list, Grand Hyatt Vail, The Sebastian Vail, Sonnenalp, The Hythe, Gravity Haus Vail, Lodge Tower, Mountain Haus, Vail Racquet Club, Vail Spa Condominiums and Evergreen Lodge, and no 2026 partner list or festival rate has been published, so confirm any festival rate directly with the hotel. Vail Village and Lionshead put you within walking distance or a free bus ride of the village venues; book early, because the festival falls in the opening weeks of ski season.

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