13th annual FLIC film festival is Feb. 14-16
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Now in its 13th year, the Flathead Lake International Cinemafest (FLIC) screens full-length narrative and documentary features, shorts, animation, and student films. FLIC 2025 once again offers a diverse selection of domestic and international films, featuring entries from 18 countries as well as many homegrown Montana films. FLIC 2025 occurs the weekend of Feb. 14-16, at the Showboat Stadium 6, 416 Main Street in Polson. Dozens of filmmakers will make the trek to Polson to participate in the festival in person this year. FLIC had earned a solid reputation for its attendees, who enthusiastically support independent films and those who produce them. Spirited discussions between audience members and filmmakers cap off most screening blocks, and friendships take root between screenings as film lovers from across the globe converge in Polson to connect over their mutual love of independent cinema.
FLIC 2025 gets underway at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14 with a Valentine’s Day themed “Date Night” dessert reception in the lobby of the Showboat Stadium 6. FLIC screenings commence at 6 p.m. on multiple screens. On Saturday, Feb. 15, at 9:30 a.m., FLIC and the Polson Rotary Club offer their traditional free animated children’s film and egg burrito breakfast. This year’s film is the Dreamworks animated hit, Wild Robot. The Polson Rotary Club will serve breakfast in the theatre’s lobby beginning at 9:15 a.m. Festival film screenings resume at 12:15 p.m. and continue on multiple screens into the evening. There’s a break in screenings from 4:30 to 6 p.m. for an informal filmmaker/attendee mixer at Lake City Bakery, located just a few blocks from the theatre at 49493 US Highway 93. FLIC’s judges enjoy discovering each year’s unique standouts. Included among them this year is the Montana-produced documentary film “Bring Them Home,” which tells the story of a small group of Blackfoot people and their mission to establish the first wild buffalo herd on their ancestral territory since the species’ near-extinction a century ago, an act that would restore the land, re-enliven traditional culture, and bring much needed healing to their community. The FLIC judges were unanimous in their praise for this beautiful film, with its rich Montana vistas, expert cinematography, and overall professional presentation, punctuated with beautiful narration by Golden Globe Best Actress winner Lilly Gladstone.
Another standout FLIC 2025 film is the Netherlands-produced documentary film “Journey of Transformation,” which takes the viewer on a breathtaking journey with the Blue Morpho butterfly as it navigates the perils of the jungle in a remarkable cycle of transformation. “Journey of Transformation” strikes a balance between stunning visuals, a captivating story, and fascinating information about butterflies. It unveils the delicate balance of life where beauty, struggle, and resilience coexist in the wild.
The feature length documentary film “Capturing Kennedy” shares the extraordinary untold story of Jacques Lowe, a Holocaust survivor and young immigrant who, at just 28, became the personal photographer to President John F. Kennedy and his family. Drawing on newly uncovered historic interviews and unprecedented access to Lowe’s personal estate and archives, “Capturing Kennedy” chronicles Lowe’s remarkable journey from surviving the horrors of World War 2 to capturing some of the most iconic photographs of the Kennedy era. Through Lowe’s unique lens, “Capturing Kennedy” sheds light on one of the last untold chapters of the Kennedy Presidency and the young photographer whose images chronicled it.
On Sunday morning, Feb. 16 at 9:30 a.m., the Good Coffee Roasting Company, 214 Main Street, Polson, hosts a light breakfast mixer for filmmakers and festival attendees. A wide variety of drinks and delicious Whistle Bakery fresh baked goods will be available to purchase. The FLIC 2025 weekend draws to a festive close with an awards ceremony and dessert reception on Sunday, Feb. 16 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the theatre. The audience award will also be given to the FLIC audience’s overall favorite film. Free to ticket-holding FLIC attendees. If you miss FLIC weekend, the Showboat Stadium 6 is hosting FLIC 2025 encore screenings from 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16 through Thursday evening, Feb. 20. All films, times and events are subject to change. The FLIC 2025 screening schedule is available to view at FLICPolson.com, where festival passes may also be purchased, and will be available to pick up at will call during the festival weekend. FLIC is also on Facebook, where information is updated regularly. Email: contact@flicpolson.com.
