STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Sun Valley Film Festival has set the date for its 2025 film festival.

The film festival will return to Ketchum Dec. 3-7 with an expanded lineup of films, Q&A sessions, Coffee Talks and other events.

Festival organizers Teddy Grennan and Candice Pate moved the festival from March to December so that it can serve as a pivotal destination for award-season contenders. It’s timed just before the Academy Award shortlist voting begins.

The Sun Valley Film Festival had a successful Winter Screening Series Dec. 5-8, despite the lament of some valley residents that it coincided with an already busy holiday schedule. The festival recognized longtime Wood River Valley resident Demi Moore with the Vision Award, while screening her new movie “The Substance” and having her headline a lively Coffee Talk.

Variety presented former “Baywatch” star Pamela Anderson and Gia Coppola with the Pioneer Award, while having them conduct a Q&A following the showing of “The Last Showgirl.”

One of the hit movies was “Porcelain War,” a documentary following Ukrainian artists who have taken a creative approach amidst the war raged against their homeland.

"The Sun Valley Film Festival continues to grow as a vital platform for filmmakers and a key stop for awards-season contenders, which we showcased this year with our selection of films and honorees including Demi Moore and Pamela Anderson,” said Teddy Grennan, Executive Director of Sun Valley Film Festival. “By anchoring the festival in December, we’re not just celebrating great storytelling but creating meaningful connections between filmmakers and audiences at a pivotal moment in the industry’s calendar."

The Sun Valley Film Festival made its debut in 2012, tying in to the deep ties to Hollywood that America’s first destination ski resort has always had.

The film festival brought more than 80 independent films to Sun Valley in 2024 through its five-day film festival in March, monthly film screenings and the Winter Screening Series.

Filmmakers like Sun Valley homeowners Freida Lee Mock and Bobby Farrelly attended more than 60 percent of the screenings, offering a look behind the scenes. And Sun Valley audiences were regaled by actors such as Annette Benning during the free Coffee Talks.