2025 Attendance FAQ
SPONSORS
Passes or swag will be available for pickup at the festival Will Call (located inside the Boulder Dam Hotel). Any tickets included in sponsorships can also be picked up at Will Call. We cannot guarantee seating for sell-out programs (which generally occur Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights); early arrival is highly recommended.
VIP EXPERIENCE
Passes or swag included in the VIP Experience will be available for pickup at the Filmmaker/Press lounge, located in the Boulder Dam Hotel. We cannot guarantee seating for sell-out programs (which generally occur Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights); early arrival is highly recommended.
PRE-PURCHASED TICKETS
Present your ticket barcode, either printed or on your phone, to the door person at the Elaine K. Smith Building during the festival. Please note that each ticket will receive a unique barcode that will be attached to your confirmation email. We cannot guarantee seating for sell-out programs (which generally occur Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights); early arrival is highly recommended. We will try our best to avoid oversold situations – we will refund tickets that cannot be used.
PRE-PURCHASED 5-DAY PASSES
5-Day Passes purchased online may be picked up at the festival Will Call. We cannot guarantee seating for sell-out programs (which generally occur Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights); early arrival is highly recommended.
The Will Call location and hours:
DSFF Office
Boulder Dam Hotel
1305 Arizona St.
Boulder City, NV 89005
Wednesday 2/12/25 : 10:00am – 7:00pm
Thursday 2/13/25 : 9:00 am – 7:00pm
Friday 2/14/25 : 9:00 am – 7:00pm
Saturday 2/15/25 : 9:00 am – 7:00pm
Sunday 2/16/25 : 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Monday 2/17/25 : 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
The Filmmaker/Press Lounge location and hours:
The Museum
Boulder Dam Hotel
1305 Arizona St.
Boulder City, NV 89005
Wednesday 2/12/25 : 10:00am – 8:30pm
Thursday 2/13/25 : 9:00am – 8:30pm
Friday 2/14/25 : 9:00am – 8:30pm
Saturday 2/15/25 : 9:00am – 8:30pm
Sunday 2/16/25 : 9:00am – 7:00pm
Monday 2/17/25 : 9:00am – 1:00pm
SELL-OUT SHOWS
All pass holders and ticket holders should plan to arrive early for programs. We will form lines for sell-out programs. We will seat VIP, Filmmaker and Press Pass holders 15-20 minutes before each program. We will seat all other pass holders and ticket holders 10 to 15 minutes before each program. Guest filmmakers (does not include entourage) will be granted early access if they are expected to participate in the program’s Q&A on the stage. Volunteers will be granted early access for the Monday Awards Replay screenings. We cannot guarantee seating for sell-out programs (which generally occur Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights). We will form a standby line for sell-out shows, but there is no guarantee there will be available seats.
ON-SITE TICKETS
Tickets are available for purchase at the box office at the Elaine K. Smith Building during the festival. You may buy tickets for any program so long as the program is not sold out. We accept cash and all major forms of credit cards. 5-Day Passes will not be sold during the festival. The Theatre box office will open 1/2 hour before the first program of the day.
LINES AND WEATHER
For sell-out programs, you will be required to wait outside in line. Please dress for the cold weather and dress in layers. The Theatre can get a bit chilly at times too. We will have gas heaters spread along the lines, so an even better reason to arrive a little early!
AWARDS
So, how do the Festival awards work? The award-winners are determined by the audience, who have a chance to vote for their favorite film in each program. The film with the highest percentage of votes in their program wins the category to which they are assigned. The following awards are thus determined by the audience:
Best Drama
Best Comedy
Best Student
Best Animation
Best Sci-Fi
Best Horror
Best Documentary
Best Nevada Filmmaker
Best International Drama
We also give out an Audience Favorite award to the film with the highest percentage of votes in their program regardless of category. (Note that a film can only win one award.) The Dam Short Film Society board of directors determines the winner of the Leslie Paige Award for Excellence in Filmmaking.
AGE RESTRICTIONS
We do not have age restrictions. However, we strongly warn parents that many programs contain adult content. Please read the content ratings for the programs listed on the schedule on our website. All attendees, regardless of age, must have a pass or purchase a ticket.
ANIMALS AND BABIES
Animals are not permitted in the Theatre unless they are assisting with a physical disability. Animals are strongly discouraged because of the crowded nature of the event. Please do not leave your pet in your car while attending the festival (the police may issue a hefty fine for this). Although babies are cute, it’s recommended that they stay at home with family members or a trusted babysitter. Note that there is no place to store strollers in the Theatre.
PHYSICAL DISABILITIES
We will accommodate those with physical disabilities, but please have patience with the festival staff and volunteers. There are a limited number of spaces for wheelchairs in the Theatre auditorium. Please let the line attendant know if you are in need of accommodations.
FILMMAKER / PRESS LOUNGE AND FILM MARKET
If you have a VIP, 5-Day, Press, or Filmmaker Pass, you are welcome to hang out in our Filmmaker/Press Lounge, located in the Boulder Dam Hotel. We’ve located our digital Film Market here, where you can watch all the 2025 film submissions on iPads. We are stocking the lounge with tasty food and beverages. If you would like to request a Press Pass, please contact Authentic Public Relations via our Contact page. Filmmaker Passes are only available to programmed films. VIP Passes are available with the purchase of our VIP Experience package.
NON-PROFIT
We are a 501(c)3 Nevada non-profit corporation. All money is used to put on this festival. It takes thousands of hours of volunteer time to make this happen. Want to help? Make a donation or volunteer!