SANDPOINT — In the open creative space of Yellow Goat Studio, three people were having a conversation about video and their imaginative endeavors.  

It’s in that simple conversation, which mirrored so many people who have shared dreams of greater aspirations, that the Sandpoint Idaho Film Fest was born.  

“My wife said, ‘We should start a film festival up here,’” Chris Renfer, marketing director for SPIDFF, said. “We both were like well, ‘That’s a good idea’ and we started meeting weekly ever since.” 

That commitment of Nick Harper-Johnston, Katie Winkler, Michael Boge and Renfer hasn’t wavered, and as of Jan. 1, the film festival will begin accepting submissions for its 11 categories. Set to be shown at a two-night event at the Pandia Theater in late October, Renfer said it was the group’s mission to create a film festival that covered a wide range of topics. 

Renfer said his hometown of Santa Cruz, California’s film festival, which he participated in, featured numerous different categories unlike many of the festivals that come through Sandpoint.  

“We wanted to bring a film festival that isn’t one specific genre,” Renfer said. “A fair amount of people we talked to around here were like ‘I’ve never heard of one like that.’” 

Contestants from around the globe will be able to submit films in the documentary, narrative, untamed, green horizons, love out loud, experimental, animation and past forward categories. Additionally, Renfer said the organizers wanted to encourage youth and local filmmakers to submit in the Made in Idaho, Youth Works and The Next Wave categories. 

Connecting with youth and inspiring creativity is a large part of the festival’s future, Renfer said. He said their plan is to eventually turn SPIDFF into a non-profit, which will go into classrooms and work with students using cameras and creating their own films. 

“Our dream is to create an event that can spawn creativity and put cameras in the hands of youth,” Renfer said. “Digital storytelling is a huge part of marketing now and it’d be cool to give youth in the region a headstart, but that’s a couple years out.” 

Renfer described this year’s event as a trial run as the organizers work through the process and gage interest in the festival. That mindset has not deterred the four, however, Renfer said as the event searches for sponsors; they’ve paid out of pocket for organizing expenses to keep the event alive. 

“It’s been stressful, but we all have faith it’s going to work out,” Renfer said. “As long as people are smiling, crying, feeling emotion. Just making people happy and having a good time... that’s what we want out of it.” 

Renfer said they will review all the films submitted over the next seven months by a rubric they have created and provide feedback for the ones selected for the festival. Those selected should receive the feedback and notification that their film will be shown by Sept. 1. 

Films can be submitted at filmfreeway.com/SandpointIdahoFilmFest with early bird pricing lasting until March 31. More information on the categories can be found there as well as the festival’s rules, awards and prizes.