Boulder Already Has Its Own Film Festival: BIFF’s 2027 Dates, Explained
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Boulder runs its own film festival too, and it is not going anywhere. The Boulder International Film Festival, known locally as BIFF, will hold its 23rd edition April 8 to 11, 2027, about ten weeks after Sundance wraps up its January 21 to 31 Boulder debut. BIFF moved from its traditional late February or early March slot to April in 2026 specifically to avoid colliding with Sundance’s arrival, and organizers liked the result enough, including a record turnout, that the April date is now permanent.
Last verified: September 17, 2026
What’s confirmed about BIFF 2027
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| BIFF’s 23rd annual festival runs April 8 to 11, 2027 | Confirmed |
| Film submission deadlines: August 21 (early), October 2 (regular), November 6 (late), December 11 (extended) | Confirmed |
| BIFF drew a record 2026 turnout: more than 25,000 attendances and 20 sold-out screenings | Confirmed |
| BIFF and Sundance are informally coordinating on select screenings rather than competing | Reported, not yet confirmed |
BIFF’s own July 2026 announcement, distributed as a press release, confirmed the April 8 to 11, 2027 dates alongside the rolling submission deadlines above. The festival has run continuously since 2004 and says it draws more than 25,000 film enthusiasts, media, and industry members each year. Past guests have included Laura Linney, Jesse Eisenberg, Martin Sheen, and Alec Baldwin, and BIFF hosts an in-person taping of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast most years.
Why BIFF moved to April, and why it is staying there
BIFF traditionally ran in late February or early March, but shifted to April in 2026 to put distance between itself and Sundance’s first Boulder edition. Co-founder Kathy Beeck told Axios Boulder that the change turned out to have unexpected upside beyond avoiding a scheduling conflict: warmer spring weather and blooming tulips along Pearl Street Mall boosted attendance and community turnout. With 2026 setting attendance records, BIFF’s organizers decided to keep the April slot permanently rather than treat it as a one-year workaround.
Why it matters for your trip
If you are researching Sundance and keep seeing references to a different, unfamiliar Boulder film festival, this is likely it: BIFF is a separate, locally rooted event, distinct from Sundance’s industry-focused programming covered in our Sundance 2027 lineup expansion update. It is not part of the January festival window covered throughout this site, so you do not need to factor it into Sundance travel planning unless you are specifically interested in returning to Boulder in the spring. For those weighing a second trip, our guide to things to do in Boulder beyond the festival and our history of Sundance Film Festival page both provide useful context on how the city’s film culture fits together.
What we’re watching
We’re watching for any formal joint programming announcement between BIFF and Sundance Institute beyond the general coordination reported so far, and for BIFF’s 2027 lineup announcement closer to its April dates.
