History

The Roxy Theater, home of MTFF, during the inaugural 2015 festival

The Roxy Theater, home of MTFF, during the inaugural 2015 festival

Montana Film Festival began in 2015 at The Roxy Theater, spearheaded by the Roxy’s well-known, visionary duo Andrew Rizzo and Aaron Roos. In 2018, the festival was handed over to a new pair of Roxy employees, Alana Waksman and Marshall Granger, who cultivated MTFF through 2020’s virtual program. Now engaged and making movies in Los Angeles, Alana and Marshall’s unique aesthetic and special relationships within the film industry shaped a Missoula tradition. 

In 2021, Roxy staff continue to produce the MTFF’s goals of creating shared cinematic experiences. MTFF continues to celebrate indie films and festival gems. With high momentum in the Montana filmmaking industry thanks to increased tax incentives and productions support, MTFF doubles-down on it’s mission to support Montana-made films and to share productions that audiences wouldn’t get the chance to see outside of this locally-loved festival. For the 8th annual festival, Roxy Theater Programmer Mike Emmons and Roxy Film Festival Director, Carrie Richer lead the programming team for the fall festival. The team will curate 8-10 feature selections as well as program a substantial shorts collection and the Montana programming strand. 

Kenneth Turan (LA Times critic) in discussion with Lily Gladstone at Montana premiere of Certain Women

Kenneth Turan (LA Times critic) in discussion with Lily Gladstone at Montana premiere of Certain Women

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Montana Film Forum at The Roxy

The Montana Film Forum was launched in partnership with Montana Film Office and Montana Film Society. This centerpiece event gives a platform to local crew and talent to meet and discuss the state of film in Montana.

These new practices continue to be a huge part of the Montana Film Festival’s core, strengthening our ties to the Missoula community and creating an environment where filmmaking in Montana can thrive.

MT premieres at Montana Film Festival:

  • The Alchemist Cookbook
  • All About Nina
  • Always Shine
  • Among Mountain Crags
  • Bad Hurt
  • Bad Lucky Goat
  • The Ballad of Lefty Brown
  • Beach Rats
  • Birds Without Feathers
  • Certain Women
  • First Girl I Loved
  • I Am Not a Witch
  • I Believe in Unicorns
  • In Between
  • Krisha
  • Lemon
  • Little Woods
  • Love Like Gold
  • Lucky
  • Mandy
  • The Midnight Swim
  • No Light and No Land Anywhere
  • Results
  • A Stray
  • Subterranea
  • Super Dark Times
  • Tangerine
  • Tanna
  • Thunder Road
  • To Dust
  • Too Late
  • Tower
  • Track Town
  • The Triangle
  • Tyrel
  • Walking Out
  • Wildlife
Writer/director Wendy McColm (Birds Without Feathers) at Montana Film Festival 2018

Writer/director Wendy McColm (Birds Without Feathers) at Montana Film Festival 2018

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Shawn Snyder, director of To Dust, speaks after a screening.

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MTFF Opening Night Party with Cash for Junkers