International Fly Fishing Film Festival kicks off in Hamilton on Friday

The International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4) will be featuring a selection of 11 films this year, along with a locally produced short film by the Bitterroot Water Partnership.

The film festival starts Friday, March 6, in Hamilton at 7 p.m. at the Bedford Building. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and the screening will be co-hosted with Bitterroot Water Partnership and Hamilton Community Cinema.

According to a press release the curated collection is full of world-class films spanning conservation, family, adventure and culture. There will also be a raffle with a chance to win a full day on the Bitterroot River fishing with a guide.

"The Bitterroot Water Partnership (BWP) has been hosting the International Fly Fishing Film Festival for many years," said Alex Ocanas, BWP manager of community conservation. "It's a fun tradition that helps us gather and connect with people who have a deep appreciation for fishing and want to be a part of the community working to protect and restore our local fish habitats."

Ocanas says the film festival is curated and produced by the IF4 team. There are eleven films being shown during the festival in Hamilton plus one of BWPs own short films on the recent restoration of the Bitterroot River.

The 150-acre restoration project was completed at Tolan Creek in 2025 and was designed to improve fish habitat and water storage in the Bitterroot watershed. Ocanas says the restored wetland habitat slows the movement of water so more can be absorbed into the ground for an extended time.

"Now, more cold, clean water will come from this headwaters habitat," Ocanas said. "The project was made possible by partnering with the Bitterroot National Forest and Two Wolf Foundation, a veterans' service organization, so it's a super-rich story about community conservation that we're proud to be a part of."

Other films being shown include:

"Against the Current": Fred Campbell brings his mother to a remote northern salmon river for one final journey, reflecting on resilience, aging and the enduring migration of Atlantic salmon.

"Dhala What You Must": Simon Kay journeys into Tanzania’s remote wilds in pursuit of Africa’s most coveted freshwater predator, the tigerfish.

"Generations": Captain Ben Whalley confronts the uncertain future of striped bass through the eyes of his daughter, weaving conservation, family and livelihood into a call for action.

"Price of Admission": Three friends travel deep into Patagonia in pursuit of massive brown trout, discovering the effort required to chase the fish of a lifetime.

Ocanas says they put a lot of effort into hosting this fun event for “our fish-loving community!”

All ticket and raffle sales support their conservation work, including habitat restoration and the annual Bitterroot River Clean Up. Tickets can be purchased at bitterrootwater.org/fishweek