The Big Bear Film Festival (BBFF) is set to return this September 24–29, showcasing a diverse initial slate of programming that reflects the future of entertainment. Newly relaunched and produced by Visit Big Bear and Hueco Tanks, the festival will highlight transmedia narratives across film, literary, audio, and emergent technologies, including AI, from what has been named America’s #1 lake destination.
The 2025 edition is expected to welcome over 8,000 attendees over six days, featuring more than 120 films, 10+ music performances, 8+ comedy sets, and 20+ panels. Programming will be held across six distinct venues, including the new NeueHouse Holcomb Theater at Sunnybrook Estate and the Utopia House at Hotel Marina Riviera.
According to Damien S. Navarro, CEO of Hueco Tanks, the festival is designed as an “alpine-setting incubator that is accessible, inclusive, collaborative, and inspires creativity from nature.” Navarro, a veteran of organizations like Sundance and Outfest, emphasizes a focus on equity and representation.
The festival’s first wave of programming includes a mix of global perspectives, world premieres, and festival favorites. Local highlights include the documentary Big Bear Move, chronicling the relocation of the Big Bear Alpine Zoo, and two locally-filmed queer films, Shadows of Willow Cabin and IDLE/WILD.
In a nod to new technologies, the lineup features the AI-collaborated film About a Hero, directed by Piotr Winiewicz, and the short Truckin’, created by 20 artists in collaboration with AI.
The Opening Night Gala will take place at the newly completed Sunnybrook Estate, featuring a keynote address from former Marvel Studios executive Victoria Alonso. The night will also include the world premiere of the documentary Big Bear Move and the first US advanced screening of the comedy Wingman, directed by and starring Harland Williams.
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, BBFF will present a robust slate of Latinx and Spanish-language programming. This includes a tribute to Cheech & Chong and a “Big Bear Lowrider Invasion” followed by a drive-in triple feature. The festival will also spotlight stories from AAPI, Black, Hispanic, LGBTQIA+, and disability-forward communities, including Our Water Ways, an Indigenous-led documentary.
Notable feature films and documentaries include the U.S. premiere of Colin Hanks’ documentary John Candy: I Like Me, and the West Coast premiere of Stop the Insanity: Finding Susan Powter, executive produced by Jamie Lee Curtis. Strait Undercover will premiere as the first feature film led by an actor with Down syndrome, Race Eberhardt, whose disability is not mentioned in the film.
Other cinematic standouts include Forge, a tense art-world thriller; Idiotka, a surrealist dramedy starring Anna Baryshnikov and Camila Mendes; and Puppy Love, a raw road odyssey with Hopper Penn and Rosanna Arquette.
The festival also features comedy programming from All Things Comedy, live music from Stones Throw Records, and an interactive Games for Change Arcade. Additionally, attendees can participate in an AI Storytelling Lab and masterclasses on comedy writing.
The festival’s commitment to accessibility extends to its dog-friendly policy and ADA-compliant venues. Early-bird passes and festival details are available now, with tickets going on sale September 1. Pass options range from local and student tickets to the all-inclusive Summit Pass, with prices averaging less than one-third of comparable festivals.
Early-bird passes, program previews, and festival details are now live at bigbearfilmfestival.com