That’s a wrap on the 2024 Fargo Film Festival! On behalf of the entire team: THANK YOU! We are so grateful for the generosity of our sponsors who make this celebration of independent film possible. Over the course of five days, we screened 107 films (including two Oscar nominees) and welcomed more than 40 visiting filmmakers to the community. Thank you to our audiences for your passion and continued support.
Submissions for the 2025 Fargo Film Festival will open later in the spring.
Director Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian will attend the 2024 Fargo Film Festival with his critically acclaimed documentary”Green Pastures.” The film is the recipient of the Prairie Spirit Award and the Best Documentary Feature award. The documentary screens as part of the Saturday Morning Session on March 23rd. Mirpoorian will participate in a Q&A after the film and will serve as a panelist in the Character Driven Storytelling luncheon panel on Saturday at noon at the Radisson Blu.
About the film:
Greener Pastures captures the day-to-day lives of four small, multigenerational family farms over the course of four years. Through an intimate, observational lens we examine the various farm stressors, policies and politics farmers must maneuver to survive, connecting the dots between mental health, industrialization, food production and climate change. It is a story of perseverance, patience and determination that tackles nothing less than the future of farming in America.
About Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian:
Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian is an award-winning Iranian filmmaker exploring societal themes at the intersection of time, isolation, health, science, and introspection.
During his undergrad and grad studies at Indiana University, Samuel was a recipient of the Kodak Motion Picture Film Bronze Award for Excellence in Filmmaking. He produced three doc-shorts that played and won awards at Academy Award-qualifying film festivals such as Tribeca, Heartland International, St. Louis International, and others; his work has been released via Peacock/NBC, The Atlantic, PBS, and others.
Samuel’s debut feature documentary, Greener Pastures, is set to premiere in 2023 and is executive produced by Emmy Award-winners, David J. Cornfield and Linda A. Cornfield (THE SOCIAL DILEMMA, WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?, CHASING CORAL). Greener Pastures is also supported by the Catapult Film Fund, Doc Society, and Exposure Labs.
The Fargo Film Festival is proud to announce the winners of the Best in Show Awards for the 2024 Fargo Film Festival.
Best Picture: “Closing Dynasty” (Narrative Short)
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Best Director: Sean Wang for “Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó” (Documentary Short)
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Best Cinematography: Jeong-seok Park for “Children of Light” (Narrative Short)
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Pat Hansen Award for Best Screenplay: J.D. Shields for “Blue Hour” (Student)
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Best Actor: Jorge Martinez Colorado for “Coyote” (Narrative Feature)
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Best Actress: Jennifer Lafleur for “The Day Of” (Narrative Short)
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The Ruth Landfield Award is presented to “Show Her the Money” (Documentary Feature)
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The Prairie Spirit Award is presented to “Greener Pastures” (Documentary Feature)
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The Rusty Casselton Award is presented to “Mum’s Spaghetti” (Student)
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Congratulations to all of these talented artists from all of us at the Fargo Film Festival. Learn more about each of these titles in our 2024 Program.
The 2024 Fargo Film Festival Program is available now. Click the image below to open the program guide to read descriptions of each film and to plan your festival experience.
Feed your tummy and your mind at the Fargo Film Festival’s 2024 Luncheon Panel Discussions. Join us at the Blu Bar in the Radisson Blu Fargo (201 5th St. N) on Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23 for exciting conversations with special guests. Tickets are $15 and include lunch. Tickets are on sale now at the Fargo Theatre Box Office; remaining tickets will be available at the door.
Friday, March 22 at 12:00 noon
Cartoons aren’t just for kiddos! Join filmmakers Owen Dennis, Noelle Duddridge, Toby Jones, Zach Howatt, and Madeline Queripel as they explore the art of animation. Learn how different styles of animation can be used to tell stories and reach audiences of all ages.
Saturday, March 23 at 12:00 noon
Movies help us to see the world through the eyes and experiences of others. Festival guests Matt Klug, Sam Mirpoorian, and J.D. Shields discuss crafting personal narratives on film and creating connections with viewers.