After hosting its screenings virtually in 2021 and 2022, the Dam Short Film Festival will mark its in-person return by drawing crowds to a new Boulder City venue for five days of moviegoing magic.
“Virtual had its advantages—you could sit at home and watch from your house—but it’s not quite the same,” says Lee Lanier, the fest’s director of continuity. “It’s really different to see it done with a large audience, having filmmakers who made the films there to answer questions and just hanging out with all the people.”
The festival’s 19th annual edition will screen 153 short films from February 16-20 in several 60 to 90-minute programs: animation, comedy, documentary, drama, music video, Nevada, sci-fi/horror, student and underground. Entries come from all over the world, including Brazil, China, Israel, Mexico and Poland.
“We have two Nevada programs—nothing but films from [around] the state, many of them from Las Vegas,” Lanier says. “Those tend to be our best-attended programs. A lot of people come to support [those] filmmakers.”
For the first time, the 2023 DSFF will take place at the Elaine K. Smith Building, a multipurpose facility in Boulder City’s historic downtown district that once was home to a College of Southern Nevada campus.
Why the change of venue from the fest’s traditional Boulder Theater home? “We were unable to rent it this year. I can’t go into details why,” Lanier says.
Despite moving to a spot with fewer seats—down from 400 to 250—Lanier says attendees should count on the traditional experience, along with an additional perk. “Aside from the venue change, we expect everything to be similar in terms of very excellent projection of film, Q&As … all the things we normally have,” he says. “[Plus,] we can actually sell concessions this year within the screening space, which we weren’t allowed to do in the theater, previously.”
Lanier and his wife, Anita, founded the Dam Short Film Festival nearly two decades ago and have seen it blossom, to the point where it typically attracts thousands of movie enthusiasts and “scores of filmmakers” each year. He estimates at least 100 filmmakers will attend this time.
“We’re consistently rated one of the top-100 film festivals in the entire world … by filmmakers,” he says, referencing Dam Short’s ratings on the film festival website FilmFreeway. “We do make sure we treat them well.”
After each program, audience members can cast votes for their favorite within that group. Awards will be announced and rescreened Sunday night. And as a bonus, on Monday, the festival will repeat four of the most popular programs and screen every award-winning film in two special sessions.
Lanier warns that, “There probably will be more sellouts this year, [so] you might want to show up a bit early to stand in line for a few minutes and make sure you get a seat.”
Dam Short Film Festival February 16-20, times & prices vary. Elaine K. Smith Building, 700 Wyoming St., Boulder City, damshortfilm.org.
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