Festival FAQ’s
The annual Bend Film Festival is a combination of in-person and virtual film screenings, filmmaker discussions, mentor sessions, festival honorees, awards and more. We are jazzed to bring back our annual celebration of independent film and connect with all of you. We can all use more excuses to connect, explore, and escape through film. If any of these sections don’t cover your question, drop us a line at info@bendfilm.org.
In-person dates are October 12th-15th, virtual is October 16th-22nd
COVID FAQ
IN-PERSON SCREENINGS FAQ
Passes are the easiest way to experience the festival and it comes with perks like advanced selection windows, and a discount on next year’s Festival pass. Pass prices range from $100 – $300 per household and more info can be found here. All BendFilm Members get 20% off passes.
Individual tickets in-person screenings are $12 online and $10 for standby and streaming titles range from $5 – 10 depending on the screening. Individual tickets can be purchased directly from the Eventive site when films are live.
Eventive is our virtual festival platform and ticketing system rolled into one. If you attended a Bend Film Festival in the past you already have a login and account. If you are new to us please create an account. Once you’re logged in to your account you can view options for purchasing tickets for virtual streaming titles and drive-in screenings.
First, make sure you are logged into the Eventive site. If you see this: 
in the upper right-hand corner, you are not logged in. Next, check your membership level to make sure you are owed Festival tickets and how many.
Sitting in a dark room, turning off your phone and being entertained? Check, check and double check. But film festivals are different because they’re much more of an experience. At our fest, you get to see films that you otherwise couldn’t because of Hollywood’s stranglehold on theaters. You get exclusive access to discover new filmmaking, acting talent AND you may just meet and talk to the filmmaker. You can either buy a pass, buy an advanced ticket online or just show up at the venue early and hope to get with stand by. Read the rest of these FAQs for more information on those options. But rest assured, it’s as easy as seeing one of those ‘regular’ movies.
At BendFilm, we like to give everyone VIP treatment. Here’s how it works: You buy your pass. Yay! If you want guaranteed seats at our smallest venues and biggest events starting September 14th, log on to our ticketing site (here) and reserve your tickets (no additional charge).
If you have a pass and don’t reserve a ticket, just show up 20 minutes before the film. If there is space, you’ll get in after all ticket holders enter. Then we’ll do our seat count math and odds are you’ll be able to get in at these larger venues.
We’re really drilling in this 20 minute seating window for passholders for a reason. Even if you have a pass, if you show up less than 20 minutes before showtime, you get put in the back of the line. Meaning, if there are a lot of ticket holders, you might not get a seat in the theater. 20 is the magic number to ensure you get priority seating. Did we mention each venue sells alcohol? Well then…there’s your incentive to arrive early for proper hydration!
We’re not much into the shunning business, so there’s still a chance! Pass holders without reserved tickets will be allowed into the theater 5 minutes before the movie starts if seats remain after all people holding tickets get in. Tin Pan and McMenamins are BendFilm’s two smallest venues (hey, we made the reservations available for a reason!) so you’ll have to contend with the possibility that the venues will fill up quick!
Fear not, the pass isn’t the only way to experience BendFilm. We make a limited number of tickets available online for $12 each starting September 16th. But we understand commitment is hard. So if you don’t want to lock yourself in that far in advance, we start selling tickets for $10 each at the theater for all the seats that have yet to be filled. There’s a risk that a $10 seat might not be available, but as Steve Guttenberg always says, “No risk, no reward.”
Luckily, showing up late won’t ruin anything, but it will mean you get directed to the back of the line. It’s possible you’ll still get in to see the film, but you might be out of luck. Tickets are ONLY truly valid 10 minutes and more from the published film start time.
We are really sorry, but tickets are only eligible up to the ten-minutes-before mark. After that we won’t be able to give any refunds, so don’t do that to yourself, get there with time to spare!
It’s always good to have paper proof of your ticket in case a disastrous sunspot wipes out all smartphones before your film starts. However, if you’re willing to take that risk, we can scan your ticket on your smart phone.
You’ve been online, right? You know the deal. Accounts allow you to log in, view your tickets, your film schedule and get up-to-the minute news. If you’re passholder, you must have an account to reserve seats. If the thought of remembering another password gives you hives, you can always avoid the online ticket hassle and visit us at the HQ to purchase your tickets in person.
All is not lost! Get down to the venue early to be first in the “Standby Ticket” line. At the five-minute-to-showtime mark, if there are any empty seats, they’ll be made available to the lucky dogs in line and we’ll sell Standby Tickets until there aren’t any left. Usually, most people CAN get in this way, so don’t give up hope!
Cash is king down at BendFilm! We’ll take your money any way you want to give it to us and it’ll be a lot quicker at the venues.
Todd Looby might just personally parachute into your driveway to deliver it to you by hand. If that doesn’t happen (and, let’s face it, it probably won’t), you will receive instructions by email on when and where you can pick up the pass.
Wear it with pride! All the cool kids will be wearing their passes all weekend to show the rest of the world how awesome the festival is. It also gives you access to early seating at films, entrance to panels and parties, and tells the rest of the world that you are a person of incredible taste and intellect.
Sure! If there are seats available after everyone else is seated, go for it!
Hoowhee, we wish that was always the case! Make the festival easier and a lot more fun and stress free by leaving yourself lots of time to find parking (or ride a bike, take a shuttle or walk!) We highly recommend leaving your car in the City Parking Garage on Lava Street at Minnesota Avenue (map). Parking is free at the Old Mill District (for Regal Theatre screenings) and there is street parking close to Cascades Theatrical Company and Open Space Studios.