JACKSON, WY — Fire up the popcorn machine and iron your black-turtleneck “I love cinema” outfit, the Jackson Hole International Film Festival (JHiFF) is back December 11–14. Four days of adventure, artistry, emotional gut punches, and at least one documentary about a guy who really should’ve scheduled that colonoscopy.
This year’s slate mixes local flavor, global stories, stunning landscapes, and the kind of creative passion you only get when filmmakers voluntarily choose to freeze in Teton Village for art. Passholders (aka the cool kids) get access to exclusive screenings, perks, panels, afterparties, and the power to casually drop, “Oh yeah, I saw that before it was released.”
More films will be announced soon, because nothing says “film festival prestige” like withholding the full lineup to build suspense.
JHIFF Featured Films
Inaccessible *
Short Film – 31 min | Fri, Dec 12 – Noon @ Caldera House
Director David Byars takes us behind Wyoming’s steepest peaks to explore something even more harrowing than avalanche terrain: federal land boundaries. Griffin Post goes searching for meaning… and finds out that millions of acres of public land are technically public but accessible only if you’re part mountain goat.
#Melissa *
Short Film – 11 min | Fri, Dec 12 – Noon @ Caldera House
An influencer seeks the perfect Grand Teton photo and ends up learning the hard way that the wilderness doesn’t care about your grid aesthetic.
An ocean’s dream of itself: The Making of a World Premiere *
Short Film – 12 min | Fri, Dec 12 – Noon @ Caldera House
The Grand Teton Music Festival crew composes, rehearses, and unleashes a brand-new symphonic work. Come for the behind-the-scenes magic; stay to feel suddenly inadequate about your own creativity.
ANDRÉ IS AN IDIOT
Documentary Feature – 88 min | Fri, Dec 12 – 6 PM @ Jackson Hole High School
A brilliant fool ignores medical advice, prompting a hilarious, heartbreaking odyssey into life, death, and why prevention matters. Bring tissues. And maybe your doctor.
Artists in Residence *
Documentary Feature – 93 min | Sat, Dec 13 – Noon @ Caldera House
Three Bowery artists in the 1950s buck tradition to prioritize their craft. A moving exploration of motherhood, ambition, and what happens when society tells you to “settle down” and you say, “Nah, I’m good.”
An Autumn Summer
Narrative Feature – 98 min | Sat, Dec 13 – 3 PM @ Jackson Hole High School
A tender, atmospheric look at a couple savoring their last summer together before adulthood barges in uninvited.
SWIFT. SILENT. DEEP. — Centerpiece Film
Documentary Feature – 83 min | Sat, Dec 13 – 6 PM @ Jackson Hole High School
The roots of the Jackson Hole Air Force, the secret society of ski bums, renegades, and powder purists who helped define modern ski culture. Expect nostalgia, big lines, and at least one guy named “Smitty.”
Charliebird
Narrative Feature – 98 min | Sun, Dec 14 – Noon @ National Museum of Wildlife Art
A music therapist and a stubborn teen form an unexpected bond over creativity, loss, and finding your voice. Prepare to feel feelings. Yes, even you.
* Exclusive film screenings for Teton Festival Passholders, with possible limited individual ticket sales.
Passholder Perks
Films marked with * are exclusive to Teton Festival Passholders, who have achieved cinematic enlightenment by investing $1,000 in world-class art, filmmaker access, and bragging rights. The pass includes a tax-deductible donation, so you can support the arts and also justify the purchase to your accountant.
Individual screening tickets range from $20–$50, perfect for locals who want to sample the festival without committing to four straight days of indie-film emotions.
About JHiFF
The Jackson Hole International Film Festival celebrates global storytelling in a place where the scenery often upstages the filmmakers (sorry, artists). As a nonprofit, JHiFF brings international creativity to our small mountain town, creating a space where stories, perspectives, and powder hounds collide.
Learn more and snag your tickets or passes at JHIFF.org before the cinephiles beat you to the good seats.
