The Ojai Documentary Film Festival, first exclusively announced by IndieWire, is the brainchild of a collaborative effort between Hotel El Roblar owners Eric Goode and Jeremy McBride—both accomplished filmmakers known for projects like “Tiger King,” “Chimp Crazy,” and HBO's “Monsters of God”—and David Berger, who recently revitalized the Ojai Playhouse, turning it into a notable destination for awards season screenings. This new annual event is dedicated solely to documentary filmmaking, embracing its myriad forms from vérité to experimental, featuring both contemporary releases and influential historical works.
The vision behind the festival is to create a unique, immersive experience for audiences. Eric Goode shared in a statement, “The best documentaries introduce you to a world you didn’t know existed, and usually the truth turns out to be stranger than anything you could make up.” He emphasized the desire to connect filmmakers with their audiences, a sentiment echoed by David Berger, who noted, “That collective experience is why we brought this theater back, and when Eric and Jeremy came to us with this festival idea, it felt like exactly what the Playhouse was built for.” Jeremy McBride added that the aim is to present the year's best documentary work “in a thoughtful, experiential way,” extending the cinematic experience beyond the screen with integrated food, drink, and live music offerings, linking the Hotel El Roblar and the Playhouse.
The five-day festival boasts an impressive and diverse lineup. Highlights include Alex Gibney’s “Musk,” Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin’s “Everest: The Other Side,” and Nathan Fielder & Lance Oppenheim’s “You Can See Everything.” Other notable screenings feature “Once Upon a Time in Harlem” by William Greaves & David Greaves, Quinn Whitney Wilson & Viridiana Liberman’s “Jean-Michel Basquiat,” and John Wilson’s “The History of Concrete.” The program also includes award-winners like “Nuisance Bear,” a Sundance Grand Jury Prize recipient, with its filmmakers Jack Weisman and Gaby Osio Vanden in attendance.
Beyond new works, the festival will present special revival screenings. Audiences can look forward to Lauren Greenfield’s “The Queen of Versailles,” followed by a book signing; Joan Churchill’s “Punishment Park”; and “Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell,” introduced by director Matt Wolf. Wolf remarked that Arthur Russell's disregard for genre rules embodies the festival's spirit, making Ojai an ideal place to share his story.
In addition to film screenings, the Ojai Documentary Film Festival will host engaging conversations exploring the current landscape of documentary filmmaking. Panels include “See You in Court: Documentaries Under Fire,” moderated by Netflix's Head of U.S. Litigation, Wade Gentz, with legal experts discussing defamation and fair use. Another session, “The New Financial Playbook,” moderated by Kim Masters, will feature Ted Hope discussing the financing, production, and sales of independent documentaries today.
A strong educational component is also central to the festival's mission, inviting high school students from across the Ojai Valley to attend screenings and talks. This initiative aims to provide students with firsthand exposure to documentary filmmaking and direct interaction with industry professionals. Veteran documentary producer Emily Osborne and filmmaker Keith Ochwat are also key collaborators in bringing this ambitious festival to life. The full schedule and ticket information are available on the Ojai Documentary Film Festival's official website.