Black Mountain Film Festival

Calling all creators,

dreamers, and doers

your path

leads here.

BUY TICKETS
FULL SCHEDULE
SUBMIT

BMFF isn’t some exclusive club—it’s a three-day celebration for creators, dreamers, and doers.

The Black Mountain Film Festival is built around a simple idea: creativity doesn’t need permission.

 

This festival celebrates the storytellers who keep creating no matter how many times they’re told “you can’t.” The YouTubers, DIYers, first-timers, outsiders, and overlooked voices who are carving their own path into an industry that rarely leaves the gate open.

 

We’re not here for pedigree, we’re here for passion, perspective, and perseverance. BMFF is about bridging the gap between independent hustle and industry access. Through panels, workshops, hands-on education, networking, and exposure, we help emerging creators take their next real step forward.

 

Across three days, BMFF transforms downtown Somerset into a hub for creativity, connection, and community.

 

  • Friday, November 7: Red Carpet Premiere Night featuring the world premiere of the Lake Cumberland episode of You Belong Here, the award-winning series produced by Steve Zahn, Rick Gomez, and Jenny Gomez of Macaroni Arts.

  • Saturday, November 8: Our biggest day of the weekend, with screenings, panels, and networking opportunities throughout the day.
  • Sunday, November 9: Appalachian Day, celebrating the roots, stories, and voices that define our region—with films, music, and special guests.

 

On Saturday, November 8, downtown Somerset comes alive for the BMFF Block Party, sponsored by See Somerset. From 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, the streets will be filled with film, live music, art, food trucks, and games. It’s a full community celebration of creativity and Kentucky culture.

 

Free and open to all, the Block Party captures the spirit of the festival itself: welcoming, authentic, and full of energy. Whether you’re a filmmaker, an artist, or just someone who loves a good story, you’ll find something to love at BMFF.

FULL SCHEDULE

No egos.

No gatekeeping.

Just film, music, art.*

*(and the people who make them.)

Welcome to Somerset, Kentucky

—where history runs deep, creativity runs wild, and something big is happening. This isn’t just another small town; it’s a city on the rise, a place where the past and future collide in the best way possible. A cultural renaissance is taking shape here—bold art, live music, craft culture, and a creative community that actually supports its own.

 

And now? It’s the perfect home for a film festival that breaks the mold. Somerset isn’t trying to be anywhere else—it’s authentic, electric, and unapologetically its own. Whether you’re here to showcase, network, or just experience something real, you’ll find yourself in the right place.

The set is ready. The story is yours to tell. Welcome to SomerSET.

Three Days.

Endless Stories.

One Unforgettable Festival.

(But simply calling this a festival is selling it short—it’s an experience. Check out the full schedule below:)

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7

Premiere Night

5:00 – Red Carpet Arrival

6:00 – You Belong Here Reception (Upstairs in VIP Lounge)

7:00 – Opening Remarks & Welcome (Main Theater)

7:15 – Bee Taylor Performance

7:45 – You Belong Here Premiere

8:15 – You Belong Here Panel with star and filmmakers

9:00 – Soozie Eastman, Kentucky Film Commission

9:15 – Introduction to PEAK

9:30 – Mariachi Escudo, dir. Alejandro Aranda

10:15 – After Party at Emerald Hound

COMMUNITY DAY

9:00 – Breakfast (Pastries and Panels)

9:15 – All That’s Left, dir. Patrick Marsh

9:40 – So Tender a Flame, dir. Carolyne Paschal

10:00 – Crew Panel (Trevor Thompson – SFX Makeup, Sara East – Casting, Laney McCormick – Music Licensing, Nyna Lyle – Literary Agent, Moderated by Soozie Eastman)

11:00 –BMFF Block Party (block outside venue), Screenings Inside

11:15 – She’s On The Run, dir. Dylan Query

11:45 – Young Dreams, dir. Forrest K Jamison

12:00 – From The Cowboy’s Boot Heel: The Musical Journey of Rob
McNurlin, dir. Steven Middleton

12:00 – Tristan Frazier Performance (at Finders Keepers)

1:00 – Dalsin Chase Performance (at Flashback Theater)

1:10 – Forememberence, dir. Travis Kane Price

1:35 – Super Scum, dir. Mac Becraft

2:00 – Soul’s Chapel, dir. Jake Young

2:00 – Taylor Lansdale Performance (at Birdies and Barrels)

3:00 – Sophie Delaney Performance (at The Mole Hole)

4:00 – Block Party Ends, Transition Inside

5:00 – Candi Jenkins Performance

6:00 – Producer Panel (Gill Holland, Joey McFarland, Reeve Daulton, Emma Lyle)

7:00 – This Is Pike County Screening with Q&A, dir. Laura Paglan

9:00 – Breakroom Screening with Q&A, dir. Ian Wang (and Short Film Block)

10:00 – After Party at Finders Keepers with performances by Emma Hansman and Jarley Yung

APPALACHIAN DAY

10:00 – Lance Rogers and Jeremy Marshall Performance featuring Jamie Gaddis and Sara Bond

10:30 – Old Driveways Music Video and Long Road to Recovery Premieres

10:45 – Laurel Lewis Performance

11:20 – The Roof Over My Head, dir. Madison Buchanan

11:30 – Honoring Craft & Culture: A Conversation with Appalachian Story Collectors (screenings and panel with filmmakers)

12:45 – Distilled in Kentucky Screening (followed by talk with David Helmers)

1:30 – Shiners: Voices from Owsley County Screening, dir. Seth McClellan

3:00 – Closing Ceremony and Awards Presentation