Columbia Falls Academic Foundation hosting outdoor film festival

The Columbia Falls Academic Foundation is hosting a nature and outdoor adventure film festival at the Columbia Falls High School auditorium on Friday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m.  

Tickets are available at the door and online. All proceeds from this event go to the Columbia Falls Academic Foundation which has a mission to provide financial support to academic and arts programs at the high school. 

This year’s festival will feature nine films shot around the world, from Baffin Island to Flagstaff to Mongolia. They focus on adventure, wildlife, and beautiful scenery, including stories of Canadian sled dogs, birding in Brazil’s Pantanal region, wooden boat-building, and falconry. There’s also an animated short about a dad taking his baby son on a kayak day trip. The films are mostly shorts, ranging from 3 to 25 minutes long. There will be concessions, giveaways, and a silent auction.

“There’s really something for everyone in this line-up,” said foundation chair Kim Wortman. “It’s going to be a great night for people to come together, have a lot of fun, and support education in Columbia Falls.”

The Columbia Falls Academic Foundation was formerly the CFHS Alumni/Community Academic Endowment. The group adopted the new name this summer to better describe its work. The foundation uses income from an endowment fund and other fund types to support projects that expand educational opportunities at CFHS. Recent projects have benefitted students in music, welding, speech and debate, social studies, science, and foreign languages. The foundation has also helped fund Flathead Valley Community College dual-credit programs, AP testing, and attendance incentives. It’s a nonprofit, funded entirely by donations.

Tickets for the festival are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased via the foundation’s website, Facebook page, or Instagram account. The festival starts at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.