Wild & Scenic Film Festival Lodging Host FAQ
The Wild & Scenic Film Festival relies on the generosity and warmth of the Nevada City and Grass Valley communities to be a successful fundraiser for SYRCL’s year-round conservation work. Our lodging hosts play a crucial role in ensuring that our special guests and filmmakers have comfortable and welcoming stays during the festival. Every year, we house upwards of 100 out-of-town filmmakers, jurors, and other special guests, which simply wouldn’t be possible without the generosity and hospitality of this community.
The 23rd Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival runs from February 13-17, 2025. If you think you are interested in hosting and would like to learn more, please read through the following Frequently Asked Questions. If interested in becoming a host, please fill out the form via this link. If anything remains unclear, please email our Festival Coordinator, Darlene Weiss, with any additional questions. Thank you for your interest in this special volunteer opportunity!
Lodging Host FAQ
Q: Will I be expected to provide entertainment, meals, and/or rides for my guest?
A: You are not expected to provide meals, rides, or entertain your guests during their stay. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and all you need to be a host is to provide a guest room, cottage, or other appropriately private space for Wild & Scenic filmmakers during the festival. Do keep in mind that everyone will prefer varying levels of interaction with their lodging host and during their stay will likely spend most of their time at the festival, where food will be available at the Filmmaker Lounge throughout the weekend. We do our best to match guests without vehicles to lodging households within walking distance of downtown Nevada City to prevent the need to solicit rides.
Q: What perks do I receive for hosting a filmmaker or special guest?
A: You will receive information regarding perks once we have placed all of our filmmakers in late January to early February. Perks range from single session virtual tickets to in-person ticket multipacks, depending on the number of guests we place in your accommodations. In addition to festival comps, we hope you will have a wonderful experience visiting with remarkable filmmakers and activists from all over the world. Each year we receive overwhelmingly positive feedback from filmmakers about the homestay program and how much it enriched the experience for them. Lifelong friendships have begun in host homes during the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, and who knows who you might meet!
Q: I live over 20 minutes outside of Nevada City and Grass Valley, can I still apply to host?
A: We would prefer to keep filmmakers and guests closer to the action, but we are open to considering all lodging host applications as we do occasionally get requests from filmmakers to be placed somewhere quieter and more private. Please feel free to complete a survey while keeping in mind that distance from town may be a deciding factor in placing someone in your home.
Q: When do we find out who is staying with us?
A: We will create initial matches and send introductions via email by late January/early February. This email will include the name of your guest, their contact information, and their affiliation with the festival. We ask our guests to reach out to their lodging hosts first, but please do not hesitate to contact your guest(s) directly. We will keep lodging hosts informed about any updates or changes; while we try to avoid complications or moving guests around once they have been placed, unexpected cancellations and substitutions may occur right up until the festival begins. We thank you in advance for your patience and flexibility!
Q: If I complete the survey, does that guarantee that I will have a guest placed in my home?
A: We are so appreciative of each housing offering we receive but are not able to guarantee that each one will result in a placement. If we are not able to place someone in your home, we will do our best to let you know at our earliest opportunity and if you would like to be involved with the festival in another capacity, we are always looking for more amazing volunteers – follow this link for more information.
Q: How are guests matched with hosts?
A: Matching guests with hosts is a hands-on process; there is no algorithm for it! Completing the Lodging Host Information Survey is step one so we can get a sense of the type of accommodation you have available. We ask that prospective hosts complete the survey no later than Friday, December 1. Similarly, guests are given a survey regarding their needs and preferences. With this information, we try to match the right offering with the right need, so it is important to be as specific as possible when completing the survey!
