At long last - it’s time to get back to in-person film festivals, and I couldn’t be more excited for North Bend Film Festival to be my return to seeing film festival movies in a theater.

During the pandemic, North Bend Film Festival worked in conjunction with a number of other genre festivals across the country to host a brand new virtual festival: Nightstream - an experience I was thrilled to be a part of in covering a few feature length selections.

This is where I was introduced to North Bend Film Festival. Based in my home region of Western Washington - in the town best known for as the original shooting location of Twin Peaks - North Bend Film Festival aims to be a platform for emerging filmmakers while being an special event for the local community and the genre filmmaking industry. The festival runs from Today, July 15th, to Sunday July 18th.

This year, North Bend Film Festival has returned with a hybrid version of the festival featuring a wide selection of feature length films, short films, and in-person experiences and activities.

The opening film for North Bend Film Festival this year will be an in-person screening of Swan Song, the SXSW debuted feature film from director Todd Stephens starring Udo Kier. (Tickets | Review from Taylor Beamont)

The centerpiece films at North Bend Film Festival are two films that premiered at Sundance 2021: coming-of-age horror drama We’re All Going To The World’s Fair (Tickets) from director Jane Schoenbrun and animated comedy adventure Cryptozoo (Tickets | Review from Taylor Beamont) from the team that made My Entire High School Sinking Into The Sea. 

North Bend Film Festival will then conclude with the Sundance debuted horror-thriller The Blazing World, from director Carlson Young and also starring Udo Kier (Tickets)

The festival will also offer a special in-person 20th anniversary screening of Donnie Darko (Tickets | Review/Article from Taylor Beamont) along with a celebration event featuring Richard Kelly.

Other feature length highlights include other SXSW selections Ninjababy (Review from Taylor Beamont), a Juno-esque drama comedy from Norway; Ayar, a COVID-themed family drama; and Potato Dreams of America, a semi-autobiographical dark comedy from Russian born Seattle-based director Wes Hurley.

There is plenty to indulge in the shorts category as well, like The Nipple Whisperer, a SXSW 2021 debut; Stuffed, which debuted at SXSW 2019 and has made been a highlighted selection at fellow Pacific Northwest festivals SIFF and VIFF; and Skinner 1929, which has introduced itself at North Bend Film Festival with a bizarre and fascinating marketing campaign that I’m excited to follow during the festival.

North Bend Film Festival also offers immersive experience events both in-person and online, including the Strange North Bend Walking Tour, which is described as an exploration of “ the darker side of North Bend, Washington.” Also,  Marcia Needs Space is a self-guided interactive tour of North Bend hosted by an extraterrestrial named Fred, which can be done either in-person or at home.

For the full lineup of films and events at North Bend Film Festival, just visit the lineup page on their website.