About Vail Film Institute

Mission
The Vail Film Institute is a 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization dedicated to fostering independent cinema. The Vail Film Institute’s primary initiatives are to promote the art of film by providing a screening platform for aspiring filmmakers and by providing a gathering place for film enthusiasts. Additionally, the Vail Film Institute fosters new filmmakers by providing education, industry expertise, and industry access.

The Vail Film Institute’s primary beneficiaries are film festival attendees and the film world’s newest storytellers and innovators.

History
Founded in January 2003, the Vail Film Institute exceeded expectations with the tremendous success of the 2004 and 2005 Vail Film Festivals.

The first annual Vail Film Festival, conceived and staged by the Vail Film Institute, was held in Vail, Colorado from April 1-4, 2004. The Festival’s screenings, panels, and Q&As were extremely well attended. The festival drew over 5,000 attendees and was heralded as the most successful first-year event in the history of Vail by Bill Jensen, COO of Vail Resorts, Rod Slifer, Mayor of Vail, and Kaye Ferry, President of the Vail Chamber and Business Association. The festival received praise in numerous film industry publications.

The second annual Vail Film Festival, held March 31 – April 3, 2005, drew almost 10,000 attendees, over 150 filmmakers, and some of the entertainment world’s top film critics and distributors. The 2005 festival included an expanded program of panels and a screenwriting program that further benefited attending filmmakers.

The third annual Vail Film Festival will be held March 30 – April 2, 2005 in Vail, Colorado. 2006 VFF initiatives will include the new Vail Filmmaker Project, a Vail Film Institute program encompassing the full range of filmmaking. The VFP will include classes and panels on screenwriting, producing, cinematography, and directing.