The eleventh annual ACT Human Rights Film Festival is April 9-12, 2026, right here in Fort Collins. Every year ACT brings the best and most recent human rights documentary films to our community. Filmmakers from all over come to Fort Collins to talk about their films and important human rights issues, and local nonprofit organizations join in the conversation to help you get involved.
If you’ve never been, here’s a handy guide to this fabulous local festival.
What’s a film festival?
Colorado is home to dynamic film festivals throughout the state, including the newly arriving Sundance Film Festival. Whether you’re familiar with Sundance or new to the film fest world, ACT welcomes you!
A film festival presents a curated selection of new movies to audiences. Typically, movies shown in film festivals are not yet available outside festival screenings. Aside from the movies themselves, film festivals also offer opportunities to meet filmmakers and film participants, enjoy parties and receptions, and more!
What can I expect at ACT?
ACT festivalgoers can expect:
- The year’s best human rights films
- Engaging conversations with visiting filmmakers and film participants
- Fun parties with great food and drink, including Odell Brewing’s special ACT Screening Session Ale, available only at ACT!
- Space to connect with film lovers and experts in our own community
- Opportunities to engage with and learn from local nonprofits
Both festival venues are ADA accessible. Please see https://act2026.eventive.org/FAQ for details on accessible parking and closed captioning devices.
Where does ACT happen, and where should I stay if I’m attending the festival?
ACT has two distinct festival venues. ACT’s opening night film and reception on Thursday, April 9 takes place on Colorado State University’s campus at the Behavioral Sciences Building (410 W Pitkin St), Room 131. Most ACT events from Friday, April 10 through Sunday, April 12 take place at The Lyric (1209 N College Ave), Fort Collins’s independent movie theater and community event space. Please see ACT’s full schedule to verify individual event locations, and see ACT’s FAQ webpage for parking information.
The best place to stay if you’re attending the festival is the Armstrong Hotel in downtown Fort Collins (259 S College Ave) because that’s where the visiting filmmakers are staying, too! The Armstrong Hotel is about one mile from the Behavioral Sciences Building and just over one mile from The Lyric, ACT’s two festival venues.
How do I get tickets or passes, and what’s the difference?
ACT tickets and passes can be purchased online at https://act2026.eventive.org or in person at ACT’s festival box office starting on opening night.
Tickets give you access to individual film screenings and events, whereas passes give you access to the entire festival from start to finish! Discounted festival passes are available for CSU students, faculty, and staff. See https://act2026.eventive.org/passes/buy for discount details.
What’s the schedule of events?
ACT’s opening night on Thursday, April 9 starts at 5:30 p.m. with a reception at the Behavioral Sciences Building (410 W Pitkin St), Room 131, followed by a 6:30 p.m. screening of the documentary Comparsa. In Comparsa, two sisters confront corruption and reclaim public space for women and girls in Guatemala through a community “comparsa”—an exuberant street performance featuring towering puppets, fire-breathing stilt walkers, and thundering drums. The film offers a stirring portrait of sisterhood, peacebuilding, and the transformational power of art. After the screening, the Co-directors of Comparsa, Vickie Curtis and Doug Anderson, as well as a film participant, will be present for a Q&A with the audience. A ticket to Comparsa includes light hors d’oeuvres and a chance to mingle with filmmakers and other festivalgoers.
Film screenings and events continue at ACT from Friday, April 10 to Sunday, April 12.
The festival concludes with a screening of the documentary American Pachuco: The Legend of Luiz Valdez on Sunday, April 12 at 5:30 p.m. at The Lyric (1209 N College Ave), followed by a dessert reception to close out the festival. American Pachuco chronicles the life of Luis Valdez, who emerged from America’s farm workers camps to change American culture with revolutionary art like the first Chicano play on Broadway, Zoot Suit, and the breakout blockbuster La Bamba. The Director of American Pachuco, David Alvarado, will appear for a virtual Q&A before the dessert reception!
Please see https://act2026.eventive.org/schedule for the full schedule.
For answers to additional questions, please see https://act2026.eventive.org/FAQ or contact ACT directly at info@actfilmfest.org. See you at ACT!
