The Estes Park Environmental Film Festival will be held at the Historic Park Theatre May 15–16 for its third year, bringing together environmental documentaries, climbing films, live music, and conversations about conservation and public lands. Presented by Rocky Mountain Channel, the two-day event began in 2024 as a small Earth Day celebration centered around films produced by the local media company.
“We wanted to bring in filmmakers and do a big traditional film festival, but we kind of had to start small because it’s a lot,” said organizer Claire Mollé. “We started by showing our films and have been working to build the festival from there. This is the first year we have other filmmakers coming in to show their films, which is super exciting for us.”
The festival was originally intended to remain tied to Earth Day celebrations in April, but organizers delayed the event following the death of filmmaker and Rocky Mountain Channel founder Nick Mollé.
“We would have loved for it to be tied to Earth Day again, but it couldn’t happen this year,” Mollé said. “It started as an Earth Day event, and we want to continue to be, but we had to postpone it because of Nick passing away, so we pushed it out another month.”
Now scheduled just before Memorial Day weekend, organizers hope the festival will also encourage tourism and overnight stays in Estes Park during the spring shoulder season.
“We are trying to promote it as a two-day event that will bring overnight stays and people from the Front Range or Denver for a night or two,” Mollé said. “It’s a win-win for businesses and the film festival.”
Friday’s lineup focuses heavily on climbing and environmental storytelling. The festival opens with two Reel Rock 19 films, “Death of Villains” at 3:30 p.m. and “Riders of the Storm” at 5 p.m., both featuring elite climbers tackling physically and emotionally demanding expeditions.
Mollé says Rocky Mountain Channel production manager Seán Doherty helped secure the partnership with Reel Rock and Sender Films.
“They offered us two of their films at a generous price,” Mollé said. “That was really exciting. Sender Films and Reel Rock 19 are Boulder-based and about climbing in Colorado. It’s a fun connection to our Colorado filmmaking scene.”
Friday evening concludes with a full screening of “Water: The Sacred Gift,” the two-time Emmy Award-winning documentary produced by Nick Mollé Productions examining how climate change is affecting alpine watersheds throughout the Rocky Mountains. The screening begins at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a raffle presented by Estes Park Mountain Shop.
For Claire Mollé, memories of last year’s screening remain especially emotional.
“When we premiered the first 20 minutes of ‘Water: The Sacred Gift,’ the theater was just packed,” Mollé said. “People were in tears. I think it made one of the greatest impacts he’s made in the world of climate and education.”
Saturday’s programming shifts toward wildlife, music, and Rocky Mountain Channel productions. The day begins at 3:30 p.m. with “Wildside Australia,” a documentary exploring Australia’s Northern Territory and its wildlife.
A reception and cocktail hour in the Park Theatre lobby follows at 4:30 p.m., before a screening of “Music in Wild Places” and a live performance from Colorado band Snowbelt. The evening also includes several Rocky Mountain Channel short films, including “Hike to Mount Ida,” “Finding the Universe,” and “Hike to Sky Pond with Nick Mollé.”
The festival concludes with what organizers expect will be its most emotional moment: a sneak preview of “Stream of Conscience: The Colorado,” the final film written, narrated, and filmed by Nick Mollé before his death. The documentary follows the Colorado River across the American West while examining environmental pressures facing the river system and surrounding communities.
“I think, ironically, it will be his best film yet,” Mollé said. “Even though Nick isn’t here, he has another film coming out.”
Following the preview, audiences will have the opportunity to participate in a filmmaker and scientist Q&A focused on the Colorado River and the making of the documentary.
Organizers say the Historic Park Theatre remains central to the festival’s identity. Rocky Mountain Channel has worked with the theater for years, and Mollé says the partnership reflects the festival’s broader commitment to supporting local arts organizations and businesses.
“We are always saying that film is meant to be seen on the big screen,” Mollé said. “We like to use the film festival to bring together local businesses.”
All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Rocky Mountain Conservancy and its work supporting public lands.
The festival also arrives as Estes Park continues conversations about its role in Colorado’s growing film community ahead of the Sundance Film Festival’s planned move to Boulder in 2027.
“I think Sundance is the biggest opportunity on the horizon for our community,” Mollé said. “We want to stay in the conversation and be in the circle as much as we can. As far as our film festival, we keep our mission the same: to promote education about our environment.”
Single-day passes cost $35, and two-day passes cost $60. Additional festival information and tickets are available through Rocky Mountain Channel.
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