$3,050 raised by 4 donors
31% complete
$10,000 Goal
Arts funding is disappearing, costs are rising, and independent filmmakers are struggling more than ever to bring meaningful stories into the world. At the same time, DIFF continues to grow — not in budget, but in impact.
Durango Independent Film Festival
Keep the projector lights on!
From March 4–8, 2026, the Durango Independent Film Festival will once again bring filmmakers, students, and storytellers together — but we’re facing our toughest year yet. Arts funding is shrinking, costs are surging, and welcoming filmmakers from around the world has become increasingly difficult.
Yet our impact has never been greater.
Each year, DIFF’s REEL Learning School Program brings independent film to over 2,000 students, opening minds and inspiring future creators. And our commitment to housing and supporting filmmakers remains at the heart of who we are.
To keep DIFF vibrant and accessible, we need your help now.
Your gift today will:
🎬 Sustain REEL Learning for thousands of students
🌎 Support filmmakers who travel to share their stories
❤️ Protect independent voices when the arts are most at risk
If DIFF has ever moved you, inspired you, or connected you to the power of film, please give today. Any amount helps!
Donate now. Keep stories alive. Keep students inspired. Keep DIFF strong.
Durango Independent Film Festival (DIFF) brings independent films and filmmakers to the 4 Corners via both an annual international festival and a film commission office that facilitates storytelling production throughout our region. DIFF shares films and filmmaking opportunities to build both community and our local economy.
The Durango Independent Film Festival was founded in 2005 by key staff members of a previous festival when it announced it would close due to financial difficulties. To continue filling a need for sharing diverse and relevant films in our community, volunteers met with local business leaders and successfully presented its inaugural film festival in March 2006.
Our IRS designation as a 501(c)3 charity became effective retroactively to our date of incorporation in 2005. The board of directors amended the organization's primary name to Durango Film Institute to reflect a desire to create a presence as a year-round organization. Durango Film continues to partner with the globally-screened Manhattan Short Film Festival as the official presenter in Durango. We also present our much-loved Best of the Fest screenings.
We just brought on award-winning filmmaker, Carol L. Fleisher, as our new Executive Director in 2023. Our volunteer staff are passionate about film and the organization. We leverage volunteer hours and in-kind contributions so that our cash resources can be used as efficiently as possible.
In 2019, we brought the Four Corners Film Office into our organization and updated our mission statement to reflect our commitment to promoting film productions in the area.
Organization name
Durango Independent Film Festival
other names
Durango Independent Film Festival, DIFF
2005
Tax id (EIN)
20-3395808
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Address
835 Main Avenue, #208Headquarters
835 Main Avenue, #208La Plata County, CO, US