The renowned international film festival will take place in downtown Columbia this weekend from Thursday to Sunday
Columbia’s annual True/False Film Fest will run from Thursday, Feb. 27, to Sunday, March 1. The international documentary festival has been a staple of the city’s cultural scene since 2004.
The festival will showcase 36 feature films and a selection of short films as well as community events such as March March and a handful of food and music-themed events.
True/False passes start at $70, however some options have sold out. Individual tickets for screenings are priced at $17 and can be acquired online, at the Ragtag Cinema box office or directly at the venues. For sold-out screenings, attendees may still be admitted via a numbered queue system.
The “Show Me” True/False screening has a reduced ticket prices of $6 for Saturday’s showing. For this year’s screening, the organizers have chosen the Kenyan documentary “How to Build a Library,” which follows a pair of women attempting to reckon with their nation’s past through the reclamation of a cultural institution.
According to Emily Edwards, Marketing & Communications Director for Ragtag Film Society, this is both an opportunity to give back to the community and an invitation for those who have never attended the festival. She said the film’s themes are extremely relevant for a city like Columbia.
“I know personally that our library is the cornerstone of our community for many reasons,” Edwards said. “I think the greater Boone County and Columbia community can really respond to the importance of having that as a community cornerstone.”
Other traditions of the True/False Film Fest include the True Vision Award, which celebrates a director’s advancement in the nonfiction filmmaking world. Director Hu Sanshou is this year’s recipient and will be presented the award before his film’s Saturday screening. Sanshou’s films, “Resurrection” and “Mountain Village,” will be screened throughout the weekend; times and days for these films are on the True/False website.
Since 2007, True/False has been hosting the True Life Fund. Its mission is to serve as a tangible way to thank the films’ participants for their time in sharing their story, according to Edwards. This year, the donations will support the educational and athletic careers of the participants in Canadian director Ryan Sidhoo’s “The Track.”
Set in post-war Bosnia, “The Track,” follows three young athletes and their coach over multiple years as they train on a bullet-riddled luge track in Sarajevo. Faced with a lack of support and funding, the team members fight to overcome all obstacles as they try and qualify for the Winter Olympics. “The Track” debuts at True/False on Thursday, Feb. 27.
“I’m just happy for them,” Sidhoo said. “It’s such a rare fund, and such a rare honor, because people sometimes forget that the ‘characters’ on-screen are humans, and they do have needs and goals. The fact that this is going to help them is just fantastic.”
Sidhoo stated that most people overlook the history of Bosnia, so being the subjects of a documentary made by a Canadian director premiering at an international festival is “surreal” for these young men.
“They just can’t believe it,” Sidhoo said. “You couldn’t find three more deserving kids, who are incredibly thankful.”
During the 2025 True/False Film Fest, Ninth Street will be closed from Elm to Locust Street. Additionally, all of Ninth Street will be closed during “March March,” starting on Friday at 5 p.m.
On Saturday at 10 p.m., “Gimme Truth!” will be hosted by comedian Brian Babylon at The Blue Note. In what True/False calls, “America’s most beloved (and only) documentary game show,” local filmmakers attempt to fool a panel of judges with their entirely true — or entirely false — two-minute documentaries.
The Ragtag Film Society estimated last year’s attendance to be roughly 28,000 people — in combined attendance of all screenings and events. They’re aiming for a similar turnout this year.
Edited by Eric Hughes and Chase Pray | ehughes@themaneater.com and cpray@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Natalie Kientzy | nkientzy@themaneater.com
Edited by Emily Skidmore | eskidmore@themaneater.com