Don’t let the bleak headlines fool you: The modern moviegoing experience is still quite magical—and it’s upon us right now. On February 11-16, the 22nd annual Dam Short Film Festival will return to Boulder City with more than 150 films ranging from animation to horror, romance, sci-fi and documentary.
Ken Cioe, the festival’s director of operations, has seen the cultural makeup of the Boulder City festival shift before his eyes. Since the pandemic, more Las Vegans—ranging from ages 35 to 49—have made Dam Short an annual tradition.
“Prior to the pandemic, it used to be 50 to 60% of our audience was Boulder City,” Cioe says. “Now that’s slipped, and about 55 to 60% of our audience is from Vegas and Henderson.”
The festival is steadily attracting a younger fanbase, whereas it primarily drew the 60-and-older crowd before, Cioe says. That tracks with broader trends as millennials and Gen Z specifically become more engaged with cinema.
And it isn’t just local demographics that are shifting. This year, Dam Short’s international program is one of the strongest it’s been. “We probably have more international filmmakers saying they’re going to travel in than we’ve ever had before,” Cioe says, though he’s conscious of how the United States’ immigration policies have affected that. “There’s a lot of history here, and that’s a big part of the allure of the Dam Short Film Festival is Boulder City and the community—how welcoming and inviting they are to the filmmakers.”
Dam Short remains one of the top destinations for filmmakers because there isn’t much else like it. “We don’t have an agenda. It’s not a bunch of executives,” Cioe says. “It’s just people who really like interesting stories and the filmmakers really appreciate that.”
Festivalgoers shouldn’t miss Dam Short’s Friday the 13th horror night, its Love and Romance block on Valentine’s Day (featuring dessert by Grandma Daisy’s), its risqué Underground category and its tribute to festival founder Lee Lanier.
DAM SHORT FILM FESTIVAL February 11-16, times vary, $45-$150. Elaine K. Smith Building in Boulder City, damshortfilm.org.
Five Vegas films to check out
Ideal Distance
Director Danny Chandia and producer Rachel Johnson bring Sam Lemos’ melodic tunes to life in this vibrant music video full of trippy space visuals and bright cityscapes.
PCH
Vegas musician B. Rose falls in love with a mysterious alien in this touching music video about building a connection that spans galaxies.
The Transition Room
Aaron Penney’s comedic short follows a widower trying to return to his loved one only to encounter two very polite and odd strangers.
Hangnado!
Improv comedy fans will love this short from Todd Grinnell and Michael Landier, who pay tribute to Saturday Night Live commercial parodies.
War
Ismahawk co-founder Danny Shepherd directs this intense short about an underground fighter seeking to prove herself, while mending old wounds with her estranged sister.
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