You Can Call Us DIFF

The community of Durango has presented a film festival since 2001, when the Durango Film Festival (DFF) held its first event.  When DFF became inactive in 2005, staff and volunteers from that festival wanted to continue the presence of a community film festival.  Within a few months they regrouped to organize The Durango Independent Film Festival (DIFF), and registered with the State of Colorado as a new nonprofit corporation on August 24, 2005.

DIFF launched its inaugural film festival March 1-5, 2006. Our vision for our nonprofit expanded during our post-festival retreat, and the Board of Directors amended the name of the organization to “Durango Film Institute, dba The Durango Independent Film Festival” to more fully reflect our updated mission statement and our new activities as a year-round film organization.

As we grow and expand our year-round programs, our main event will continue to be the film festival held every year the first week of March. Our name may be The Durango Independent Film Festival, but when you think of us, remember that we are striving to make a DIFF in our community!