The seeds Jake Abell and Jared LaCroix planted three years ago in launching the Ouray International Film Festival have grown and blossomed.

This year’s festival showcases the transformation of the event – from 40 masked attendees in a room during the pandemic to a full-scale multi-day event expected to have 180 participants. But don’t worry, the intimate charm of the downto- earth festival remains intact, something the organizers have worked hard to preserve. For Abell and LaCroix, it’s about showcasing the best films, celebrating the work and keeping the festival accessible and intimate.

Organizers received nearly 200 paying entries this year for consideration – the first year the festival started charging entry fees throughout the year. The change is just one of the signs the film festival has become more established. For the first time, the festival has two event managers – Ouray graduate Eva Wister and filmmaker John Lee — to help out the co-founders, who are both full-time teachers when they’re not running a film festival.

Highlights of the fourth-annual festival include more than 30 film screenings, ranging from short films to documentaries, as well as presentation of a lifetime achievement award for actor Paul Raci, who was nominated for an Oscar for his 2021 performance in “Sound of Metal.” His latest film, a narrative feature titled “The Secret Art of Human Flight,” will make its Colorado premiere tonight at 9:30 p.m. at the Wright Opera House.

The festival kicks off today (Thursday) with short films and continues with a packed itinerary of events through Sunday evening, including panel discussions with filmmakers, Q&A events and screenings. This year’s selections include a short film titled “Breathing” by Ukrainian filmmaker Maria Pankova, who is being honored with the Excellence in International Filmmaking award. The film chronicles the earliest moments of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and will be shown Friday morning. Pankova is traveling from Ukraine to attend.

Most events will be held at the Wright Opera House and are ticketed, but the festival has also continued its tradition of hosting a free public outdoor film in Fellin Park on Friday night. The film is scheduled to start after dusk, around 8:30 p.m., so attendees are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs and blankets and get a spot by 8:15 p.m.

The free films in the park include three short films, including one with a setting Ouray County residents will recognize. “Culture Within the Ice” is set in the Ouray Ice Park, produced by three native filmmakers Shannon Spencer, Israel Duran and Laelah Jaye-Kizzia. The film features a Southern Ute tribal elder and indigenous youth learning ice climbing techniques in the tribe’s ancestral homeland. The three filmmakers were fellows in the Native Lens program, which focuses on supporting indigenous storytelling through film.

Spotlighting indigenous voices was something the festival co-founders wanted to continue from previous years, building on last year’s screening of “Spirit of the Peaks.”

The outdoor films will also include “Berry Pickers,” a short film from Sweden which explores the impact of climate change on migrant farm workers. They will also show “Watershed,” the film produced by Robert Redford which inspired the Raise the River Coalition to form between U.S. and Mexican organizations working to restore the Colorado River Delta.

Though the festival doesn’t have a theme, necessarily, attendees can expect a continued focus on indigenous works and examination of how humans interact with the world.

For Abell, a 2009 Ouray High School graduate, keeping the festival accessible for the community he feels strongly connected to is a priority. He loves not only bringing the festival to Ouray, but also watching the filmmakers and attendees revel in the unique setting.

“Many artists talk about how impactful and unique their experience was in Ouray compared to other film festivals,” he said. “They’re impacted by the hospitality, the beauty and intimacy with the artists and the people who come to the festival.”

“It’s like Christmas,” LaCroix said. There are still a few passes available for the whole festival, available online at ourayfilmfestival.com. But day passes for $45 and tickets for individual film blocks (starting at $20) are also available this year through the Wright Opera House box office. These are also in limited quantities and dependent on how many pass holders attend events. For a full schedule and more information, visit ourayfilmfestival.com.

“Many artists talk about how impactful and unique their experience was in Ouray compared to other film festivals.”

FILM FESTIVAL CO-FOUNDER JAKE ABELL