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It was almost as if a voice whispered, “If you build it, they will come,†into the ear of Doug Hawes-Davis. Frustrated with the lack of venues for independently-made documentary films, Hawes-Davis sought to fill the void by collaborating with several friends to create the week-long Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in 2004. Luckily for them, the people came. With lines outside the Wilma Theater in the cold Montana winter and 75 sold-out screenings of both new and classic docs, Big Sky became a yearly tradition for members of Missoula’s large arts community.Big Sky continues to grow, as evidenced in the fest’s third outing this past February. The combination of panel discussions, an awards show and, of course, an impressive lineup resulted in a 50 percent increase in attendance and moviemakers traveling from around the world for the weeklong celebration of nonfiction films. But perhaps most impressive is the fest’s mission, in the form of an open letter on Big Sky’s Website: “We are thrilled to bring the theatrical experience of artistic, entertaining and compelling nonfiction film to Missoula,” the fest writes. “Viewers have the opportunity to experience human stories that otherwise would never be shown in this area. These films allow us to connect with and better understand one another, the world and ultimately ourselves.†Big Sky Documentary Film Festival: Changing lives one movie at a time. For more information visit www.bigskyfilmfest.org.
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