"Thoughtful and thought-provoking, nurturing and supportive, in a soul-deep kinda way. Cannot recommend it highly enough!"

- Elizabeth Rao, Filmmaker, Sabbatical Fellow 2026

Who is the Ouray Film Sabbatical for?

At the Ouray Film Sabbatical, we offer creative support, rest, and community for filmmakers (in any role), film writers (critics, academics, journalists), and film programmers (festivals, theaters, and filmmaker education) – all through a fully funded residential experience in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. 

While many film programs are built around the development of a specific project, the Sabbatical is built around the person behind the work. Participants may arrive with a film, essay, program, or idea in progress, and the experience offers time and space to engage with that work. But project advancement is not the primary measure of the Sabbatical. Instead, participants are invited to step away from deadlines, deliverables, and professional momentum in order to reconnect with their creative lives and the questions that continue to draw them toward cinema. Ultimately, the Ouray Film Sabbatical is a casual and intentional space for rest, connection, and renewal.

How did the Sabbatical come to be?

This sabbatical was born out of the Ouray International Film Festival (OIFF), now entering its seventh year. After six iterations of our film festival, we have learned how much these remote mountains and the people who live here can transform artists. Now, we’re looking to extend that same connection to a sabbatical that can nourish the film community in one of the most beautiful corners of the Rockies. 

Where is this located?

The Sabbatical is located in the stunning mountain town of Ouray, Colorado, known as the “Switzerland of America.” Located at an elevation of almost 8,000 feet, Ouray is a unique place that leaves creatives feeling refilled and ready for whatever is next in their journeys. With this sabbatical, we hope to share this experience of place and community that has come to define our festival. We cover airfare, lodging, and meals for all participants.

"There are few places on Earth that feel more creatively supportive than the Ouray Film Festival, a gorgeous mountain setting where creators come together to support each other’s visions." - Brian Tallerico, Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com

When is the sabbatical?

The 2027 Sabbatical is slated to take place between January 9-12, 2027. We will fly out the cohort a day prior (January 8) and depart from Ouray on January 13. This will give us four full days together, plus travel days on each end, to help participants acclimate to the altitude and accommodate work schedules.

What is the venue, and what will the schedule look like? 

The Sabbatical will take place at a series of venues across Ouray, Colorado. Artists will be placed in private homes and other lodging. Daily gatherings each morning will allow the cohort to check in with the lab hosts on their goals. Venues include an excursion to Ouray School, a theater space in Silverton, Colorado, and this 1902 restored Victorian Home, where our lab leadership will host daily meals and discussions for participants.

"Focused on rest and community - two things almost everyone in the filmmaking industry seems to be craving - the Ouray Film Sabbatical not only helped reinforce my perspective on my work and where it might be heading, but also shifted how I think about life more broadly. "

- Rob Munday, Managing Editor of Short of the Week, Sabbatical Fellow 2026

Who is leading the sabbatical? 

The 2027 Ouray Film Sabbatical will be guided by a group of on-site facilitators, including filmmaker Alexandria Bombach (On Her Shoulders, It’s Only Life After All; Netflix) and Ouray International Film Festival leaders Jared LaCroix, Jake Abell, and Ben Wiessner. Together, they will help shape the sabbatical experience through conversation, community-building, and creative support. Stay tuned for the announcement of two more on-site facilitators.

How do I apply? 

Applications are now open for the 2027 Sabbatical! You can apply by clicking the “Apply Now” button below or by clicking on this FilmFreeway link. If you have any trouble with FilmFreeway, please email us at ofs@ourayfilmfestival.com with the subject line “Ouray Film Sabbatical.”