MINT Film Festival

The Montana International Film Festival takes place in Downtown Billings on the third weekend of September. The official program and schedule will be announced at the end of August. Save the date and donate to support film & education in Montana. We are deeply grateful for your donation of any amount. We are a 501(c)(3) organization, and all donations to MINT are tax-deductible.

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Montana Festivals

MINT is the fastest-growing Montana film festival throughout the Northwest. We attract over 4300 engaged audience members each year (and growing) and connect with hundreds of filmmakers, directors, and actors.

Montana festivals are merging creative experiences with the Big Sky landscape, and it’s an experience worth having at least once in your life. It’s easy to fall in love with this state once you attend a festival screening or a special event. Billings events and festivals are expanding with more creativity, opportunity, and community! Experience film and community like never before with the MINT Film Festival.

How do film festivals work?

Film festivals are ticketed or public events organized by non-profit organizations, universities, or private institutions. A film festival is an opportunity to discover unreleased films and talent from around the world. Filmmakers need audiences to see their movies. Typically, before securing distribution deals, films need to screen at festivals to obtain buzz and reviews from critics and the press.

Festivals can promote a broad range of film genres and topics or focus on niche areas of interest. For example, Sundance Film Festival focuses on a wide range of genres and topical films worldwide. The Big Sky Documentary Festival focuses on documentary-only films. All festivals are unique to their region and play a role in the economic stability of their community.

The MINT Film Festival focuses on a wide range of genres, from short narrative films, traditional and contemporary documentary subjects, narrative features, and animation.

Seeing unreleased films is easier than ever, thanks to virtual platform technology. As modern times adjust to our social and political climate, virtual cinemas have become the go-to method to view online content and discover new talent.

What is the importance of film festivals?

Film festivals attract visitors, filmmakers, and industry vendors and sponsors to their respective communities. Festivals can increase tourism traffic to their state and region, which supports local and small businesses.

A film festival fills the gap between unreleased films and audiences. Festivals attract filmmakers worldwide and are a place to discover the next great actor or director. See movies before anyone else at your local film festival!

How are film festivals important for filmmakers?

It’s critical for filmmakers to engage with audiences and show their work. Depending on the filmmaker, a festival is an essential step towards selling and distributing films. At festivals, filmmakers network with other filmmakers, creating new opportunities for collaboration on future film projects.

Making movies doesn’t happen in a vacuum; they require funding, creativity, collaboration, resources, and energy. At festivals, filmmakers come away feeling energized, inspired, and motivated to tell stories, and it is this type of energy that sparks bold new films.