The Ely Film Festival takes place Wednesday, March 11 and runs through Sunday, March 15.
Tuesday’s Boundary Waters Connect Group was a breakdown of the 2026 schedule from volunteer coordinator Lacey Squier and program director Lucy Soderstrom.
The EFF began in 2019 as a way to get maximum usage out of the town’s newly renovated, historic Ely State Theater, and has been growing in size since.
“You have a group of neighbors who have screened these films for you…curatorial art is getting more and more important in an environment where we are inundated with content,” said Squier.
Soderstrom provided Tuesday Group participants with an exclusive copy of the program for the festival.
Programs are available to pick up at the Ely State Theater on Sheridan Street, or at any of the sponsor storefronts around town, a complete list of which can be found on the EFF website.
The Film Fest kicks off on Wednesday at 3 p.m. with a Creative Expressions Shorts block. At 5 p.m. the Ely Folk School is hosting a free community potluck sponsored by Ely-Palestine Solidarity Group.
The dinner is followed by The Land of Canaan, about a Palestinian olive tree cooperative. After the last film at 7 p.m., everyone is invited to an after party at Insula from 8-10 p.m.
Thursday is Indigenous Youth Film Day, complete with a block of Dibaajimowin shorts all the way to Nika and Madison, a film about two Indigenous women on the run from the law.
The official opening ceremony takes place at 6:30 p.m. with a drum circle put on by the Night Sky Singers. The after party for the day will be held at the Boathouse Brewpub from 9-10 p.m., which is free for everyone to attend.
Friday starts with a free
