Click here for the FLIC 2021 Virtual Festival tickets and screening blocks

Flathead Lake International Cinemafest

Polson, Montana – January 29-31, 2021

The Flathead Lake International Cinemafest (FLIC) is home to breathtaking vistas of a clear blue lake at the base of majestic Mission Mountains. Beyond the great location, FLIC has become a Destination Film Festival for filmmakers from across the country and globe.

FLIC will be celebrating its ninth year of presenting a broad slate of domestic and international films the last weekend of January, 2021. Whether you’re a filmmaker or a film lover, make plans to enter or attend this exciting winter event in picturesque Polson, Montana.

FLIC is CinemaSafe -- Click here to learn more!

FLIC 2021 Virtual Festival Option

FLIC 2021 will also feature a VIRTUAL FESTIVAL component to accommodate film lovers who are not yet comfortable being in social settings. Following encore screening week (Feb. 1-4) our festival audience can access most FLIC 2021 films online through a Virtual Festival Portal on this FLICPolson.com website. This feature will not be active here until February 5th and will run February 5 through March 4th. Screening blocks for short films and blocks featuring longer features will be $5 and it will be possible to purchase and All-Festival Pass that grants access to all FLIC 2021 films available for the Virtual Festival. Holders of FLIC 2021 Live All-Festival Passes will also have access to Virtual FLIC films.

Click here for the FLIC 2021 Virtual Festival

Encore Screenings

January 31- February 4th, 2021

If you missed some films during the festival, you can catch them during the FLIC encore screenings the following week! Your All Access Pass will admit you to encore screenings, or individual encore screening blocks are $5 each. Special thanks to Showboat Cinemas for giving FLIC a home for nine years running!

View The Schedule

Filmmaker Testimonials

Filmmakers share what makes FLIC a destination film festival:

FLIC was a really wonderful experience. It’s a smaller festival with a real sense of warmth, enthusiasm and community. David and Jessica, the co-founders of the festival, were great communicators and incredibly hospitable. I had great conversations with other filmmakers, and the scenery can’t be beat. Looking forward to returning!

Michael Schwartz, Writer/Producer/Director

FLIC was an amazing expereince. The festival had a wonderful program with amazing films, they took care of us, the audience was engaged and attentive and our screening had a full house. Jessica and David, who are in charge of the festival are fellow filmmakers , and they really make this a heartfelt filmmakers festival.

Jim & Sam, Co-Writers/Producers/Directors

We attended FLIC for the first time this year. All the way up to the festival we held constant communication with Jessica who is fantastic. The scenery is truly breathtaking. Everything about this festival is great. People know who you are when you arrive, the audience is engaged and participatory, and the theatre reminds me of my hometown where I first saw many of my favorite movies. The receptions, the Q&As, the after events, everything was a blast. We will definitely be submitting our next project to FLIC again and you should too!
Johnny Ventimiglia, Writer/Director

Wow, what a great festival! Everyone involved with the festival was wonderful to work with and the venue is a very cool independent theater, which I’m told is being remodeled this year. The audiences were incredibly engaged and extremely welcoming. We had a really wonderful Q&A after our film screening. Also, it’s one of the most beautiful areas I’ve had the pleasure of traveling to. I’m hoping to make a summer trip up there because it’s just amazing. It’s not the biggest festival or in the biggest city, but it’s one I will most certainly be entering future films into, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a festival that truly loves the craft of filmmaking and the filmmakers who put so much effort into their films. Keep up the good work FLIC!
Jimmy Boratyn, Writer/Producer/Director

Lovely people who were very patient and calm during our hectic submission process. They really watch the films and value the time spent by filmmakers. In that sense, although they are very professional, they are in touch with their heart and select the films by heart. Usually it is said that you need to know people from the festival world to get into a festival, we didn’t know anybody. We couldn’t join the festival since we were in Istanbul but we wish we could. Thank you, we are honored for being a part of your festival.
Director Stare Yildirim, Instanbul, Turkey

A filmmaker’s film festival! Jessica and David are the most wonderful hosts who treat filmmakers and their films with great care and respect. Well organized from beginning to end. The setting is gorgeous and because the festival is relatively small, it gave us a chance to meet and network with many other filmmakers and audience members. I highly recommend for anyone who is selected to attend. 5 stars.

Paula Mozen, Producer/Director

Loved this festival ! Had such an amazing time networking with other filmmakers & watching great films… David & Jessica put on a world class show!

Charles Moore, Writer/Director

One of the best film festivals I’ve ever attended. Efficiently run in a beautiful location by a super friendly staff.
Cynthia Wikler, Writer/Producer/Director

My second year attending the Flathead Lake International Cinemafest and yes I will try to go again next year. This has become one of my favorites for a number of reason but I’ll list just one: real audiences. So many film festivals have audiences that are comprised mostly of other filmmakers. FLIC has lots of people from the local community attending who just want to watch indie films. I’ve never had so many people come up to me after leaving the theatre to tell me how much they enjoyed my film – and that was nice. Well organized and friendly.
Writer/Director Ray Nomato Robison, Medford, OR

Was great to attend FLIC again for the second time. The crew that put on this festival was nothing short of spectacular and I had a great time showing my film. Polson is a wonderful small town and the community seemed very supportive of the festival and each showing I attended was nearly full! Great work and I definitely plan on coming back again!
Colter Olmstead, Director