18th Annual BendFilm Fest

Every year, the BendFilm Festival delivers a slew of quality films from around the world, and the 18th annual festival promises to deliver even more this year.

In October, the festival will feature in-person screenings and online streaming, increasing access beyond just Bend. It is also now an Oscar-qualifying festival for short films, meaning that shorts that win in one of three categories here (Best Narrative Short, Best Animated Short and Best Indigenous Short) are submitted to be considered for Academy Award nomination.

And the short film contenders are packed this year, with 10 blocks or categories of films plus shorts that will play before feature length films with over 70 films featured across all blocks.

On the features side, 19 out of the 21 films in the competition will be making their debut including the world premiere of “Grasshoppers,” directed by Brad Bischoff, and the U.S. premiere of the Italian film “Neolovismo,” directed by Susanna della Sala and Mike Brice.

If you would like to attend BendFilm in person, the festival has also announced that proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test is required. All attendees will also be required to wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status.

The requirements may change in accordance to the environment of the pandemic. In-person screenings run Oct. 7-11, and the streaming events run Oct. 11-17. More announcements will be made leading up to the festival.

Fore more information and a full list of films, visit bendfilm.org.