A NEW PEAK IN LOCAL CINEMA
Ogden’s brand-new Mountain Film Festival shines a light on local adventure and art
View from North Fork Park, Eden, Oct. 3, 2026. Deann Armes
The Trails Foundation of Northern Utah brings filmmaking and nature together in Ogden. The first Ogden Mountain Film Festival will be held in the Peery’s Egyptian Theater on Nov. 5 from 7-9 p.m.
The film festival aims to feature a variety of short films showing off the outdoors, recreation and landscapes that Ogden has to offer.
Screenshots from some of the accepted films in the debut Ogden Mountain Film Festival: “Northern Utah Trailfest,” “Trail Grazers, Adapt(ive),” “Alpenbock, Artisan:Handcrafted,” and “TARA.” | Courtesy of Trails Foundation of Northern Utah
Aric Manning, the Executive Director of the Trails Foundation of Northern Utah, said that conversations for doing a film festival first started around a decade ago, but the festival itself has been in the works for the past three years.
Manning is a longtime Ogden resident and has been hiking on the trails in Ogden for over 25 years. Manning became the director of the Trails Foundation seven years ago.
“Ogden is known for arts and recreation. Those are the two big pieces for what we are known for…we thought we’d combine the two and bring some art to the outdoors world,” Manning said.
The film festival is open for both aspiring filmmakers and seasoned filmmakers to submit their work. Manning said even though everyone has a camera these days, whether it be a GoPro or a cell phone camera, footage often sits on a computer and is never shown off. He hopes that this gives filmmakers the opportunity to showcase footage captured around Ogden.
Manning hopes audience members can feel inspired to spend more time outside and enjoy nature. The film festival allows audience members to see what Ogden has to offer during every season of the year in case they haven’t experienced it for themselves. On the other hand, it gives filmmakers the chance to show off talent and express themselves.
“I love the outdoor community and the Ogden community is a great example of that,” Manning said.
The evening of the film festival will also include an awards ceremony including a “Best in Festival” and other awards that will be given out based on category submission.
With this being the first Ogden Mountain Film Festival, Manning hopes that the festival can continue to grow and be an event filmmakers and residents can look forward to every year.
The Northern Utah Trail Foundation started in 1995 under the name Weber Pathways, but rebranded to their current title in 2020. The organization preserves and protects the trails and outdoors Ogden has to offer.
Tickets are also available for $20 or $15 if you are a member of the Northern Trail organization. All proceeds for the festival will go back into helping preserve Ogden’s trails. More information about tickets or short film submissions can be found at www.tfnu.org.