21 Years of Storytelling

The 2024 Bend Film Festival is gearing up for its 21st year, ready to showcase some of the most exciting films from around the world. From October 10-13, Bend will be buzzing with film screenings, panels, workshops, and enough cinematic excitement to keep everyone talking long after the credits roll. And while there’s plenty of industry chatter and international talent, this year’s festival feels more connected than ever to its Central Oregon roots — locals are not just welcome, they’re integral to the whole vibe.

With over 38 features, 68 shorts, and a powerful spotlight on Indigenous programming, this year’s festival is a celebration of diverse voices and bold stories. But it’s not just for the cinephiles — whether you’re stopping by for a single film, or diving in headfirst with a festival pass, there’s something for everyone. With films like Indigenous basketball drama Rez Ball opening the festivities, and Anora, a fast-paced, gripping tale about a Brooklyn sex worker and her oligarch-in-law (it’s complicated), closing the show, attendees can expect a genre-bending roller coaster of stories.

Basecamp: Where Emerging Filmmakers
Find Their Footing (and Network Like Pros)

Before the festival kicks off, a group of emerging filmmakers will be sweating it out at BendFilm’s inaugural Basecamp. Running from October 7-10, this residency and networking retreat is BendFilm’s latest foray into filmmaker education, designed to give up-and-coming directors, writers, and producers the resources they need to not just survive, but thrive in the industry.

“We’re excited to welcome the first class of Basecamp alumni at this year’s Festival alongside attending directors, producers, and more,” says BendFilm Executive Director Giancarlo Gatto. “It’s exciting to see so much of our year-round work and community engagement coming to fruition.” In other words, expect a lot of productive conversations at panels and post-screening Q&As, where hopefuls are sure to absorb all the wit and wisdom seasoned filmmakers have to offer.

BendFilm’s Lineup Casts a Wide Net

Elsewhere on the honoree front, Karyn Kusama is named the Indie Filmmaker of the Year and will treat attendees to screenings of her breakout Girlfight and the wildly intense Destroyer, starring Nicole Kidman. With films that explore gritty, often violent worlds through a deeply personal lens, Kusama has carved out a space for herself in the indie film scene that few can rival.

This year’s festival is, as usual, an eclectic mix of narratives, documentaries, shorts, and music videos from a global roster of filmmakers. The competition features span four categories — Narrative, Documentary, Indigenous, and Environmental/Outdoor — and reflect BendFilm’s commitment to showcasing work that is as diverse as it is daring.

Herewith, a selection of some of the programming team’s favorites:

Goodbye, Julia

Set against the backdrop of Sudan just before the secession of South Sudan, Goodbye Julia tells the tense and heart-wrenching story of Mona, a retired singer, who accidentally kills a Southern child in a hit-and-run. Overcome with guilt, she offers the child’s mother, Julia, a job in her home without revealing the truth. The film explores themes of class, guilt, and the devastating effects of war on personal lives. With a riveting emotional core, this film is sure to leave an impression.

Bye Bye Tiberias

This intimate documentary focuses on four generations of Palestinian women, led by actress Hiam Abbass (known for Succession). The film follows Abbass and her daughter as they return to their Palestinian village, exploring the enduring legacies of separation and displacement across generations. Bye Bye Tiberias isn’t just a documentary — it’s a poetic meditation on family, identity, and the lasting effects of exile.

Firebreak

Follow Brandon and Royal, two men who met while incarcerated and working as firefighters. Now out of prison, they’re training other formerly incarcerated individuals to join their new, self-owned firefighting organization. With institutional barriers and environmental dangers at every turn, the film highlights their struggle for redemption and a second chance at life. A powerful story of resilience, Firebreak is a timely exploration of the intersection of incarceration and climate change.

A New Kind of Wilderness

Set against the stunning forests of Norway, A New Kind of Wilderness follows a family who chooses to live off the grid, embracing a lifestyle as wild and free as their surroundings. However, when tragedy strikes, they are forced to reevaluate their values and reintegrate into modern society. With beautiful cinematography and a haunting reflection on the push-and-pull between nature and civilization, this documentary is a lyrical meditation on survival, family, and the cost of isolation.

Your Fat Friend

Over six years, director Jeanie Finlay follows activist and anonymous blogger Aubrey Gordon on her journey from online sensation to a New York Times best-selling author. Gordon’s mission is to challenge societal perceptions of fat people, and her work has made her both a beloved advocate and a target of threats. Your Fat Friend doesn’t just examine fatphobia; it also explores the personal toll of activism and the complex relationships that come with public life. Emotional, raw, and timely, this is a documentary you won’t forget.

Rent Free

Hitting rock bottom never looked quite like this. Two down-and-out Gen Z friends concoct a scheme to live a year without paying rent by crashing with friends, family, and the occasional stranger. Set in Austin, this hilariously scrappy film is both a love letter to creative freeloading and a biting commentary on the challenges of economic survival in a rapidly gentrifying city. It’s clever, relatable, and sure to strike a chord with anyone who’s ever had to think outside the box to make rent.

Indigenous Programming:
Spotlight on Voices That Need to Be Heard

Sydney Freeland is a true multihyphenate — writer, director, producer — and this year, BendFilm is adding Indigenous Honoree and jury member to that list. After Rez Ball opens the Festival, two episodes of the Freeland-directed limited series ECHO will screen in Madras as part of the Festival’s programming there. Beyond Rez Ball, the festival’s Indigenous Features Competition shines with films like Missing From Fire Trail Road, a haunting documentary about the disappearances of Indigenous women in America and Singing Back the Buffalo, an epic reimagining of North America through a buffalo’s lens. These stories, like the cultures they represent, are multifaceted, gripping, and offer unique perspectives.

Keep It Short

Let’s not forget the shorts — 68 of them, to be exact, drawn from 24 countries. Three categories (Narrative, Indigenous, and Animated) are Oscar-qualifying, meaning some of these bite-sized gems might go on to nab the film world’s most prestigious gold statue (indeed, last year’s Knight of Fortune cinched a nomination). Shorts are grouped into thematic blocks like Fear Eats the Soul (because, of course, it does), Modern Love (for the romantically hopeful…or doomed), and Late Night (featuring films that are likely to have you squirming in your seat, or at least wildly uncomfortable in a good way).

“We love that the shorts program lets these films speak to one another,” says Programming Director Selin Sevinç. “It creates a dimensional take on an issue or mood and allows the audience to come away with a really rich, layered perspective.”

Panels, Prizes, and Plenty of After-Parties

Offscreen, the festival will also feature panels, discussions, and workshops that promise to give festivalgoers insider intel they crave. Juries comprised of industry heavyweights will hand out over

$12,500 in prizes across categories, ensuring that emerging and independent filmmakers get their due.

And let’s not forget the après-screening festivities. Bend, a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, foodies, and beer lovers, will be buzzing with film industry types and eager cinephiles alike, making it the perfect setting for spontaneous pitch sessions, or maybe just a very passionate debate about the film you just saw.

Tickets, passes and more information are at BendFilm.org.