A Brief History

The idea of a Film Festival in Ely had percolated in the community as far back as the late 1990's, when it was brought up in a local writer's group meeting. This idea laid fallow until resurrected by local business owner and community member, Anne Kellogg. Bringing the idea to the White Pine Main Street Association (WPMSA) in September 2019, they formed the beginnings of a community event with the express purpose of helping to support and revitalize businesses in White Pine County. Committees are often the death of a good idea, but in this case, strong committee membership and the development of the Nevada Northern Railway (NNRy) as a well-used film location gave a firm foundation to the film festival idea.

An award-winning Canadian film, The Great Darkened Days, had recently completed at the Nevada Northern Railway's East Ely Depot. Reaptown had also recently been filmed in the historic engine houses and rail yard, and was ready for its world premiere. The confluence of films and locations was further supported by the fact that Reaptown was the third film production by Ely native, Dutch Marich, who was and continues to be developing a reputation as a writer/filmmaker in Hollywood. Maxime Giroux, the writer/director of The Great Darkened Days, and Mr. Marich both agreed to show their films at the inaugural Ely Film Festival on March 13-14-15, 2020. The two filmmakers also decided to participate in panel discussions, film location tours, and discuss their films before and after their showings at Ely's historic Central Theater. Kyle Ford, another native Ely son making his mark as a professional videographer, Robin Holabird, former Nevada Film Board commissioner and noted film author and reviewer, and David Purdy, videographer/writer/producer of Spirit of Nevada, all participated in panel discussions. Each of the panel members helped in the judging of the inaugural 5-minute Short-Film contest. Kathy Ong-Sisolak, Nevada's First Lady, was also part of the jury and presented her own "First Lady's Choice" award. The film contest was open to students 18 years old & under. Entries came from Ely, Baker, and Eskdale, Utah.

No endeavor succeeds without financial support. The festival's first financial backing was a grant from the Great Basin Heritage Area Partnership in December 2019 that helped launch the event. Additional financial backing came from KGHM Robinson Mine, Fiore Gold, and Kinross Bald Mountain mine. The support of the local community fortified the efforts of the festival committee.

During that first year, although the COVID-19 pandemic developed globally in mid March of 2020, there was local concern the inaugural festival would not happen at all. With the support given the festival by the community during those early days of uncertainty about the virus, the committee determined it important to proceed. One year later, with the respiratory disease still replicating and spreading, the second Ely Film Festival in 2021 went completely virtual. After two years of public health measures, audience and gathering restrictions, and social distancing, the festival committee launched a new, more significant, broader scoped, and more inclusive cultural arts festival for their third year. Growing in its capacity and increasing its caliber, 2022's Ely Film, Art, and Music Festival (FAM) celebrated its first fully realized, Covid free event. Championing the diversity of the cultural arts, The Ely FAM showcased an array of creative work from filmmakers, artists, and talented musicians.

March 10-11-12, 2023, will again grant Ely and White Pine County the chance to elevate young students and independent filmmakers, artists, and musicians, by providing them their spotlight in historic and cherished locations throughout Ely.

The Ely Film, Art, and Music Festival is open to all who wish to highlight their talent in these three categories of artistic expression. As the Ely FAM Festival grows, we strive to improve offerings to the artists and the festival-going public. Our committee is focused on building community partnerships with organizations that can assist in developing and promoting cultural arts education programs to benefit student and novice filmmakers, artists, and musicians.