Filmfest

Aspen's premier feature film festival

Each fall, Filmfest attracts engaging and thought-provoking films from across the globe. Whether it be documentary, arthouse, foreign-language, or comedy, Filmfest is curated to highlight unique stories told through diverse lenses that explore the human condition.  

In its 44th year, Filmfest maintains the same core values that Aspen Film founder Ellen Kohner Hunt originally envisioned in 1979 when she passed a hand-written note to a friend at an Aspen Arts Council meeting simply stating: “How about having a film festival?”

Since then, Filmfest has provided a consistent platform for the best in independent, documentary, foreign-language, and art house cinema. Growing significantly from its humble beginnings in Ellen’s kitchen, Filmfest maintains a spirit of independence, a sense of community, and a foundation of inclusiveness.  

Filmfest 2023 will run from September 19-24 exclusively at the Aspen Film Isis Theatre.


Filmfest 2023

Browse past programs


Screening Venues

The Wheeler Opera House

Since 1889, the Wheeler Opera House has been Aspen’s community performance venue. From The Eagles, Jerry Seinfeld, Oprah Winfrey and Sheryl Crow to locally-curated performance experiences, the Wheeler offers a remarkable movie-viewing locale that we’re proud to provide to our film festival audience.

320 E Hyman Ave, Aspen, CO 81611

Aspen Film Isis Theatre

The Isis Theatre opened in 1915 in the heart of downtown Aspen, where it remains to this day. Featuring four-screens, concessions, and diverse programming, the Isis is the only full-time movie theater in Aspen. During Aspen Film festivals, the Isis Theatre is home to many of our matinee showings.

406 E Hopkins Ave, Aspen, CO 81611

The Crystal Theatre

The Crystal Theatre is a single-screen, 125-seat, independent movie theatre housed in the historic Dinkel building in downtown Carbondale, Colorado. We’re proud to partner with The Crystal Theatre during our festivals to screen select programming down valley.

427 Main St, Carbondale, CO 81623


A taste of filmfest

In the news

AT HOME IN THE ASPEN FILM ISIS THEATRE, ASPEN FILM ANNOUNCES PROGRAM FOR 44th ANNUAL FILMFEST

Sep 5, 2023

Aspen, CO (Sep.5, 2023) Aspen Film is excited to announce that Alexander Payne’s new film, THE HOLDOVERS (which just had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival over the weekend) will round out the Saturday night lineup at Filmfest. The film will screen at 8:00 PM on Saturday, September 23rd. THE HOLDOVERS will be […]

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Posterfest 22 will auction off pieces of Isis Theater history

Sep 26, 2022

To help raise funds for Aspen Film, 30-years worth of original movie posters from films shown at the Isis Theater will be auctioned.   When Dede Brinkman traveled to Grand Junction to interview Dominic Linza, former owner of Isis Theater, she couldn’t get the posters Linza had shown her out of her mind. “I kept […]

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Empowering the valley’s youth via film

Sep 26, 2022

Aspen Film’s 43rd annual Filmfest is around the corner. Commencing Tuesday through Sunday with a stacked lineup of engaging new cinema, the festival cultivates educational opportunities for the valley’s youth. Through its Film Educates department, Aspen Film offers year-round educational programming for students and teachers from Rifle to Aspen. And these far-reaching, free programs are […]

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Working to Enlighten, Enrich, Educate, and Entertain Through Film