Fresh Cinema Shines at the ‘Sundance of the Sierra'

NEVADA CITY... is not a movie set, though its picturesque central street (that would be Broad Street), its 19th-century architecture, and its on-display creative character can give a person the feeling of stepping inside a film. It's a palpable sense that's heightened by annual events like Victorian Christmas, one of California's most merry fairs, and all of those brilliant fall colors seen around Halloween. And near the end of August? There's a three-day cinema-focused festival, one that touches upon the cinematic town's natural artistic spirit. Make that "almost every August," for the happening, which has festively flickered for over two decades, took two years off, in 2020 and 2021. But here's some news that's as sweet as popcorn is buttery: The Nevada City Film Festival is back in 2022, unspooling with spunk, moxie, and movie fun over the final weekend of the month.

AUG. 26 THROUGH 28... are the upcoming dates, and the line-up is lush with lovely and lively choices, with the added treat of in-person appearances by a host of acclaimed directors. Terry Zwigoff ("Ghost World"), Marissa Maltz ("The Unknown Country"), and Nancy Svendsen ("Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest") will all stop by the festival. A happy hour to launch the fest, a number of programs devoted to shorts (including short films for children), and a filmmaker social are some of the intriguing events on the schedule. Finding a ticket to "The World's Biggest Tiny Festival"? You can do so right here. Tickets run from $9 to $11, while a Festival Pass is $95.

WELCOME BACK, NEVADA CITY FILM FESTIVAL: So what gems will you see during the weekend, and which films will you brag about forever, the films you fell in love with, and championed, long before they broke wide? Start here and discover the bewitching charms of the area, as cinematic a region as any in our movie-loving state.