Colorado Environmental Film Festival

08/18/2026

Our Founder's, Shawna Crocker and Dave Steinke, have been around for every CEFF since 2005 and have helped screen over 1,000 films.

People ask them at every festival about their favorite CEFF films. Here are two films that stand out in their minds:

🎬 Green: A touching story about a female orangutan named Green, who is all alone in a world that doesn’t belong to her.

🎬 Earth Doctor In this eight-minute movie we premiered in 2019, this short youth film was made by Maui, Hawaii middle school students. The plot sees Earth visiting a doctor to diagnose her unusual symptoms. Earth is then sent to a therapist to get to the “root of the problem.”

Links to each film are in our bio!

Multi award winning. Set in Indonesia. Meet Green, an orangutan and...

08/13/2026

Happy ! 🐺

Wolves play a vital role in keeping ecosystems healthy, yet they remain one of the world's most misunderstood animals. This powerful short film from Brian Kaufman offers a moving reminder of the importance of protecting wolves and the wild places they call home.

Take a few minutes to watch this film to celebrate these remarkable animals:

The fragile ecosystem of Isle Royale National Park is dominated by the predator / prey relationship between wolves and moose. But on the biggest island in the biggest lake on Earth, things have unraveled. With wolves dwindling and moose booming, the National Park Service must decide how to manage th...

08/12/2026

As students and teachers head back to the classroom, International Youth Day is a reminder that every young person deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and reach their full potential.

Each year, CEFF 4 Classrooms inspires curiosity and a love of learning for more than 1,500 students, helping spark lifelong discovery through engaging, educational experiences.

Registration information for the upcoming school year will be available in September. In the meantime, learn more about CEFF 4 Classrooms here: https://ceff.net/ceff-for-classrooms/

08/10/2026

Happy ! 🦁

Celebrate these incredible animals by watching Lions of the Skeleton Coast from PBS Nature. This episode follows three orphaned desert lion cubs as they defy the odds to survive along Namibia's rugged Skeleton Coast in a remarkable story of resilience, adaptation, and conservation. It's an unforgettable reminder of why protecting wildlife matters.

Watch here:

Follow three orphaned desert lion cubs as they navigate the brutal Skeleton Coast of Namibia.

08/07/2026

Come join us next Friday at The Table Public House in Denver at 6 p.m. for a screening of Guardians of Yellowstone!

This film features a dedicated team of biologists who have spent 35 years quietly shaping one of the most enduring and impactful wildlife research programs in America. Viewers get deep into the wild heart of Yellowstone National Park to reveal the hidden lives of cougars—stealthy apex predators whose presence is vital to the health and balance of the ecosystem.

08/04/2026

August is National Water Quality Month! 💧

Healthy waterways are essential for thriving wildlife, vibrant communities, and the ecosystems we all depend on. At CEFF, we believe that environmental education is key to protecting our precious water resources. Our films inspire curiosity and encourage stewardship toward a future where things like clean water are valued and protected.

This month, take a moment to learn about the importance of water conservation and the small actions we can all take to make a difference:

National Water Quality Month encourages businesses, organizations, and everyday people to learn more about their local water quality and protect it.

07/28/2026

Today, on World Nature Conservation Day, we celebrate the power of people, stories, and communities working to protect the places we all call home.

And at CEFF, our mission is to amplify films that inspire connection, spark conversation, and encourage action on the environmental challenges and solutions shaping our world. Every film has the potential to help audiences see our planet through a new lens and remind us that meaningful change often begins with a story.

We're looking for documentaries, shorts, and student film submissions that explore environmental issues, climate, conservation, wildlife, or the human connection to nature!

Early bird pricing for entry ends this Friday! Submit your film and be part of the conversation today! https://ceff.net/submit/

07/15/2026

♻ This month is Plastic Free July! This is a global movement that uses the month to spotlight the growing plastic pollution crisis and call for a pivot in our human history—one that ends our current unsustainable era of single-use disposables and moves instead toward new systems that are healthier for both people and planet.

Individual actions matter. Whether you swap single-use plastics for reusables or participate in a litter cleanup, your actions make an impact!

One way to take immediate action is by signing a petition to urge Colorado lawmakers to pass a statewide Skip the Stuff law and help Colorado cut unnecessary waste: https://tinyurl.com/k2wuca72

07/09/2026

Join us at tomorrow at The Table Public House in Denver on Friday 7/10 at 6 p.m. for a free showing of Fracking the System, an inspiring film about the resistance to and regulation of the oil and gas industry. Centered around climate justice activism in Colorado and the nefarious tactics of the oil and gas industry to undermine democracy, this investigative documentary exposes how these issues are exacerbated by things like environmental racism and racketeering.

Hope to see you at the screening!

06/22/2026

Do you love film, community, and environmental action?

Then sign up to volunteer with CEFF! We’re seeking passionate, dependable, and collaborative people to support this year’s festival, with a special need for film judges to help review submissions from filmmakers around the world.

Whether you’re interested in judging films, joining our planning team, or helping us in other ways, you can be part of an inspiring, mission-driven community event!

Learn more and join our volunteer team today: https://ceff.net/volunteer/