'DIFF'-rent strokes
With 83 films spanning multiple genres, this year's festival offers something for everyone

Whether you’re looking for escapism, entertainment or inspiration in these challenging times, the Durango Independent Film Festival likely has what you’re looking for. Now in its 21st year, DIFF runs through Sunday with films at both the Durango Arts Center and Gaslight Cinema, as well as its usual round of Q&As, VIP parties and filmmaker panels.

DIFF champions films you likely won’t see in typical theaters – from dramas and documentaries to shorts, animated films and family friendly fare. This year’s eclectic lineup of 83 films includes genres in adventure, music, comedy, Native cinema and nature films.

 One film in particular, “The Only Way Out is Through,” may seem extra familiar to viewers. That’s because it was filmed in and around the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo mountains. (One of the film’s pivotal scenes was shot on the Sangre’s 14,074-foot Culebra Peak.) 

The film, directed by Tempe, Ariz., resident Kieran Thompson, centers on a topic that has come to the forefront in many Western mountain towns in recent years: mental health, particularly among men. The story follows three friends who head into the wilderness to reconnect. When one vanishes, the journey becomes a test of friendship, trust and what it means to be there for one another. It was inspired by director Thompson’s own personal journey to reconnect with a childhood best friend after nearly losing him in a tragic accident. According to Thompson, it explores themes of friendship, masculinity and the inner struggles that are rarely spoken about openly, especially among men.

“The film revolves around mental health and the need for men to be more vulnerable with their friends,” Thompson said in an email.

Thompson crafted the story with the help of a writer friend, Kyle Dickinson, whom, he said, helped him process his feelings. “Working together led me to realize how deeply I needed a friend, and just how hard it can be for men to be vulnerable with one another,” said Thompson. “Making this film taught me how to strengthen my friendships, and that’s made a huge difference in my life. We hope our film will inspire others to reach out and connect with their friends.”

In addition to subject matter that hits close to home, the film was edited by former area resident Misty Wilson (Walter.) Born in Durango, she grew up in Bayfield, where her interest in film began by filming her high school sports teams. She now lives in Phoenix, where she moved in 2003 to pursue her motion picture dreams. 

This will be the Colorado premier for the film as well as a homecoming for Wilson. She will attend both screenings and said she is excited to share the film with family, friends and the local community.

“There are truly no words that can capture what it feels like to watch a film you’ve poured your heart and soul into with an audience,” she said. “Every screening feels different … but this homecoming screening means something deeper. To sit among the friends and family who’ve known me my whole life, who’ve believed in me, supported my art and helped shape both who I am and the storyteller I’ve become – it’s overwhelming in the best way.”

Both films will be followed by filmmaker Q&As, which Thompson said have been valuable in their own right. “At prior festival screenings, our Q&As have turned into these beautiful and vulnerable discussions on mental health, friendship and masculinity,” said Thompson. “I’m excited to continue those conversations with audiences in Durango.”

“The Only Way Out is Through” (89 min.) screens at the Gaslight Theatre at 2:30 p.m. Fri., March 6, and 4:30 p.m., Sat., March 7.

The cast includes: Alex MacNicoll (NBC’s “Brilliant Minds,” Amazon’s “Transparent,” Netflix’s “The Society”); Beau Knapp (“The Bikeriders,” Paramount’s “SEAL Team,” Netflix’s “Seven Seconds”); and Emilio Garcia-Sanchez (Netflix’s “The Society,” HBO’s “I Love LA”).

Other top film picks include:

• “Adapted” (adventure and outdoor/documentary, 87 min.) - This story follows three paraplegic athletes in their adventurous and inspiring pursuits, while also reflecting the realities of their day-to-day lives. One attempts to summit Washington’s Mount Baker; one leads an adaptive raft expedition down the Salmon River in Idaho; and another attempts to hand-cycle 87 miles of the White Rim Trail in Moab. The pursuit of adventure is their shared goal, while each faces their individual, deeper journey of resilience, self-discovery and post-traumatic growth.

• “Lost Wolves of Yellowstone” (documentary, 92 min.) - On Jan. 12, 1995, wolves returned to Yellowstone, 50 years after their extirpation. Mollie Beattie, the first female director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, carried the first Canadian- born wolf, Alpha Female No. 5, into the park’s experimental acclimation enclosure. From that day forward, their lives would be forever connected. 

• “The Color of Exile” (narrative and art films, 97 min.) – Forced to flee his West African village due to persecution linked to albinism, Ousmane – a young man marked by both vulnerability and inner light– embarks on a long, perilous journey with his determined mother Aïcha. As they travel from the vast Sahara to Morocco, exile becomes a profound test of dignity, resilience and identity. The film blends poetic realism with emotional depth, portraying the odyssey of a young man fighting to exist fully and visibly in a world that fears his difference. 

• “Dream Touch Believe” (Native cinema, 85 min.) – The inspiring story of Santa Clara Pueblo sculptor Michael Naranjo. As a young man, Naranjo lost his eyesight in the Vietnam War, but not his vision. He fought past critics and a war injury to achieve his lifelong dream of becoming an acclaimed artist.

A variety of different pass options are available for the weekend’s festival, which runs through Sunday. Moviegoers are advised to show up 15 minutes before start time, as popular screenings can sell out. Also new this year, DIFF pass holders get 21% off their tab at El Moro Spirits and Tavern in honor of DIFF’s 21st birthday.

For tickets, details and more, visit: durangofilm.org.