Ely Film Festival

The Ely Film Festival is a promise of exploration and cultural enrichment. It’s an event that fuses the magic of cinema, the richness of our shared stories, and the compelling community of Ely, Minnesota. Located in Ely’s Historic State Theater, our festival has all the charm of a vintage theater designed in a distinct Art Deco style, and all of the benefits of having been renovated in 2019. You’ll want to come to town and see it for yourself!

Festival attendees from out of town are encouraged to visit Ely.org to explore our broad range of lodging options. Whether you’re looking for a hotel room within walking distance to Ely’s Historic State Theater, a cabin in the woods on the edge of the boreal forest, or an art-filled AirBnB somewhere in between — you’ll be sure to find a heart home in Ely. Purchase your festival pass and book your lodging today!

Individual festival passes are now available for purchase!

Local and regional folks are invited to consider volunteering for the Ely Film Festival. Volunteers earn two complimentary Ely Film Festival movie passes as a thank you for their service. Volunteer opportunities will be posted on this website in January 2027.

Check out last year’s Ely Film Festival guidebook for a sense of our festival:

What do filmmakers have to say about the Ely Film Festival?

“Ely is a freakin’ gem. I was expecting to enjoy a trip to Northern MN and the boundary waters but I was blown away by the organization, the overall “vibe”, the enthusiasm for filmmakers, the crowd turnout – and they’re only in the 3rd year! Seriously, this is everything you want a regional film festival to be and more. I can’t wait to come back for future years. Submit here and make it a priority to go – you won’t regret it!!” – Nathan D.

“Fantastic Festival! They went the extra mile with each facet of this festival to make the filmmakers feel loved. Great communication, organized very well, the venue is breathtaking, and the atmosphere was really nice! We even got to see some actors from our favorite TV Shows! We loved having our films screen there! I can’t wait to go back next year.” – Bodhi W.

“We were thrilled to get to screen Plus One at Ely, the staff and community there were incredible! Communication before and during the festival was top tier. Q&A panels with filmmakers, lots of opportunities to meet other filmmakers as well as the audience. I can not recommend this festival enough!” – Trianna D.