What to Know About the 2026 Black Hills Film Festival
The 17th annual festival brings three days of independent films, South Dakota stories, filmmaker panels and discussions to Rapid City Oct. 2–4.
Friday night at the Journey Museum, the Black Hills Film Festival opens its 17th year with two films built around adventure, including one with deep roots in the Black Hills.
The festival runs Friday, Oct. 2 through Sunday, Oct. 4, with all screenings and panels taking place at the Journey Museum in Rapid City. This year’s program includes documentaries, narrative shorts, student films, international selections, a block devoted to South Dakota films and another centered on Native American stories.
Opening Night: Adventure and the Conns
The festival begins Friday at 6:30 p.m. with The Great Nomad Expedition, a documentary following a 1,200-kilometer journey across Mongolia by camel, yak, horse and reindeer.
It is followed by the South Dakota premiere of Catching Pinecones, director Chad Heddleston’s feature documentary about Jan and Herb Conn. The couple became fixtures of Black Hills climbing and caving history, establishing more than 200 first ascents in the Needles. A discussion follows the films.
Saturday Starts With Two Free Filmmaker Panels
Saturday programming begins before the films, with two free panel discussions from 10 a.m. to noon hosted by KOTA’s Alicia Garcia.
The first, Documenting History & Nature, runs from 10 to 11 a.m. and looks at documentary filmmaking involving history, nature and wildlife. Courage and Conviction follows from 11:10 a.m. to noon, focusing on what it takes for independent filmmakers to bring a project from an idea to the screen. Several filmmakers appearing in this year’s festival are scheduled to participate.
The films begin at 1 p.m.
Saturday Puts South Dakota on Screen
One of the most locally focused portions of this year’s festival comes Saturday afternoon.
The 3:15 p.m. South Dakota Films session includes four films with familiar places, people and subjects.
Welcome to the BHUC, directed by Scott H. Thornburg, goes underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility to look at the search for dark matter and the work of researchers from Black Hills State University’s Black Hills Underground Campus.
Mount Rushmore: Carved in Stone tells the story of the memorial through six chapters covering presidential legacies, Indigenous perspectives and the workers involved in the carving.
Rumble on the Plains, directed by Erin Page, follows the people behind the annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup.
Chasing Tables, directed by Justin Bergh, follows Sioux Falls chef Jordan Taylor and his path back to South Dakota after training and working in Pacific Northwest restaurants.
Saturday’s evening session moves farther afield, with the short narrative 3 Minutos, documentary Zastava Brothers and feature documentary The Snake and the Whale.
Sunday Includes a Native American Film Block
Sunday screenings begin at 1 p.m. with Aitä, Leaf and Hole in the Wall: The Ultimate Outlaw Fortress, followed by a discussion.
At 3:15 p.m., the festival shifts to its Native American Films session.
The program includes Poos, a short animated film incorporating Blackfoot language and culture; Healing Ribbons, One Stitch at a Time, a documentary centered on intergenerational Indigenous women; Ireland and the First Nations, exploring historical connections between Irish immigrants and First Nations people in North America; and Courage, a short narrative about a Native American boy connecting with identity through hoop dance.
The weekend concludes with the Audience Choice Award presentation from 6 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday.
2026 Black Hills Film Festival Schedule
| Day | Time | Program |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, Oct. 2 | 6:30–9 p.m. | The Great Nomad Expedition, Catching Pinecones + discussion |
| Saturday, Oct. 3 | 10 a.m.–noon | Free filmmaker panels |
| 1–3 p.m. | The Nicobar Pigeon, Unlocking the Wisdom of an Ancient Canoe, Dream Touch Believe | |
| 3:15–5:15 p.m. | South Dakota Films: Welcome to the BHUC, Mount Rushmore: Carved in Stone, Rumble on the Plains, Chasing Tables | |
| 6:30–9 p.m. | 3 Minutos, Zastava Brothers, The Snake and the Whale | |
| Sunday, Oct. 4 | 1–3 p.m. | Aitä, Leaf, Hole in the Wall: The Ultimate Outlaw Fortress + discussion |
| 3:15–5:45 p.m. | Native American Films: Poos, Healing Ribbons, One Stitch at a Time, Ireland and the First Nations, Courage + discussion | |
| 6–6:30 p.m. | Audience Choice Award presentation |
The full schedule also includes lobby entertainment at 12:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Doors open 30 minutes before each screening session.
A New Award for Films Made in South Dakota
BHFF has also added the REEL SD Film Award this year. The award is for films containing scenes shot in South Dakota and was created to encourage more filmmaking in the state.
It joins the festival’s other categories for feature and short narratives, feature and short documentaries, student films and the audience-selected People’s Choice Award.