THROUGH 16 YEARS of dedicated work the Prescott Film Festival has evolved into a curated, multidimensional showcase for outstanding independent films from around the world and across the US, including Arizona. Celebrating original storytelling and independent spirit, it brings us opportunities to meet imaginative filmmakers, discover memorable films and experience the creativity and insight that make independent cinema so meaningful.
This year’s festival runs for six days, July 13–18, in the Jim and Linda Lee Performing Arts Center on the Yavapai College Prescott campus, the YC Center for Learning and Innovation in Building 19 (housing the exciting new 15-seat Y-Max 360-degree component, offered free all day July 13), and the Black Box Theatre in Building 15, behind the main stage. Additionally the Elks Theatre at 117 East Gurley Street will host a screening of Buster Keaton’s 1925 comedy Go West on July 17, 7pm. A detailed schedule, Platinum Passes, All-Film Passes and individual tickets are available at prescottfilmfestival.com.
How it all began
Truly a labor of love, the festival is the brainchild of founder and Executive Director Helen Stephenson and her software-engineer husband Don. A film lover since seeing the magic of Mary Poppins in her childhood, Helen has over twenty years in the film and video business.
Recognizing a thirst for film culture in Prescott, in 2008 Helen began consulting with Patrick Schweisse, the Sedona Film Festival’s executive director, and with his mentorship formed the festival nonprofit in 2009, deciding to begin with a monthly series. Supported by offers of free office space, family and volunteers, her idea took shape and has since become a beloved and anticipated annual Prescott event.
In addition to Helen’s film passion, Don developed a software application called Film Fusion to assist with submissions, uploading, scoring and curating the entries. Director of Curation Mike Simonyi has been scouting for entries worldwide since 2016.
Passes and events
The Platinum Pass offers the full VIP red-carpet treatment, including access to every film on the schedule, gourmet delights by Barry Barbe in the VIP director’s loft, priority access to the opening night cabaret party July 14, catered by Murphy’s, and the closing-night film and awards party July 18. Reserved seating, admission to the silent screening at the Elks July 17 and a special goodie bag are included. All-Film Passes and individual tickets are also available.
On the opening day July 13 audiences will be able to experience The Cave by Prescottonian Jesse Bertel (8m), running continuously in the new Y-Max 360-degree theater, and attend free workshops 10am–4pm in the YC Center for Learning and Innovation in Building 19, formerly the library. Its 15 seats allow viewers to experience the film free as they wait to attend the day’s workshops.
Six short films by three by Prescott filmmakers will begin at 5pm in Building 19.
AZ Shorts
Films and directors, 5–6:30pm
EZ Driver (21m) Action/drama, written, directed and produced by Bryce Carl in Prescott
Eye for an Eye (20m): Post-apocalyptic dystopian science fiction written, directed and starring Ashley Bowers; produced by Ashley Bowers and Tom Proctor
Long Colts (13m): Western, written, directed, produced and starring Robby Chick Feagins, Prescott
Bad Habits (6:30m): Comedy, written and directed by Gary Sax and produced by Gary and Karina Renee Sax, Prescott
Camp Calloway (10m): Comedy, coming-of-age, period piece, written and directed by Justin Eckert, produced by Jarod Sickler and Kiara Agrawal
Lights Off (3:11m): Comedy, spoof, horror, written by Joseph Nybyk, directed by Mark Stewart Iverson, produced by Joseph Neibich and Joseph Nybyk
Another Prescott connection is Beyond Godolphin: The Hank Jones Story. The film highlights the life of actor,singer and Prescott resident Hank Jones, from his early years on The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show to his many appearances in classic Walt Disney Studio films of the 1960s and ‘70s. Writer/director Kevin MacLean is a prolific animator with thirty years in the business, and has contributed to some of the most celebrated animated films of the past few decades, including recent classics Frozen, Zootopia, Moana, Encanto, Kung Fu Panda and ParaNorman. His love for classic Disney live-action films led him to create his first feature-length documentary.
This year’s Silent Symphony is Buster Keaton’s 1925 comedy classic Go West, to screen Friday, July 17 at 7pm in the Elks Theatre, with seating limited to 300. Filmed in Kingman, it stars Buster Keaton with live accompaniment by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra.
Each year brings a new special horse-themed film, and this year’s choice is Outriding the Devil, the courageous story of a world-champion barrel racer diagnosed with breast cancer and her ten-year fight for life, going from death’s door to the winner’s circle. The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association describes this film as “one of the great rodeo movies, featuring arguably the most inspirational comeback in rodeo history.” The film will screen at 4pm, after the short film ¡Viva Pancho! by Prescottonian David Whitman.
Chalk It Up sing-along
Artist and YC faculty member Dana Cohn, students and faculty will transform the sidewalks around the YC Art Gallery into a celebration of creativity, color and community on July 18 beginning at 11am. The unforgettable Disney film Mary Poppins screens at 1pm as a sing-along, with interactive prop bags to the first 100 people in the theatre.
Free workshops
The YC Film and Media Arts Program will present a series of workshops beginning Monday July 13 at 10am.
Building 19
Foreign Films, Armando Lopez and Donald R. Baier, 10–11:30am (more info TBD)
How to Start Your Screenplay,Tim Boissey, 1–2:30pm
Got an idea but no script? In this session, we’ll turn that spark into a working screenplay draft, step by step. By the end you won’t just know where to start — you’ll already be writing.
Improv for Film: Using What You Know, Matthew Conde, 3–4:30pm
Have you ever been in a scene and felt disconnected from your character, scene partner or dialogue? This workshop will go over how to increase your connections to your character, dialogue and performance.
Black Box Theatre (Building 15)
Inside Arizona’s Film Economy: Incentives, Infrastructure, and Opportunity, Matthew Earl Jones and Ramsay Wharton, July 14, 10am
Join the leaders of the AZ Film and Digital Media Program to discover what’s new in the AZ State Tax Incentive program.
BlackMagic Design: 12K? Yes! Netflix Approved! Tor Rolf Johansen, July 15, 10am
Join Blackmagic Design’s Cinematography Product Specialist Tor Rolf Johansen as he showcases the Blackmagic PYXIS digital film camera.
Booking a Co-Star Role in Television, Michelle Thompson, July 16, 10am
This interactive class provides strategy on how to approach booking a television costar role. We will break down a short set of scenes together, and a few actors will be called up to ‘audition’ the scene while the rest of the class decides who ‘books’ the role. Actors at all experience levels are encouraged to participate.
Courthouse Plaza downtown
Prescott and the Legacy of Billy Jack, Kevin Sandler, July 17, 10am
Partly shot in Prescott, Billy Jack (1971) is a film of the Hollywood Renaissance. This workshop explores the legacy of Billy Jack and its strange mixture of hippie sloganeering, zen violence and indigenous mysticism while visiting some of the iconic filming sites around
the plaza.
Grand Finale
Under the Lights, Miles Levin, July 18, 7pm
The 2026 Prescott Film Festival culminates with Under the Lights by Prescott Film Festival alumnus Miles Levin. “Miles first came to me with a movie when he was still in high school,” said Helen, “and I was a little hesitant given his age, but really saw the potential there. Here he is ten or twelve years later with an exceptional piece of filmmaking.”
Variety November ‘24: “There are 100 little ways you could take a movie like this and make it awful. One of them would be by saying: ‘Oh, it’s about disability (epilepsy), so it has to be tragic. We have to feel bad for this kid.’ We have all seen that movie — it’s bad.” Instead, Under the Lights plays with the idea that “everyone is complicated.”
The festival’s awards ceremony and afterparty, catered by Barry Barbe, will follow the film.
Schedules are subject to change. Visit prescottfilmfestival.com for current updates.
