“Wow, they really fixed this place up. When I was here ten years ago, it looked like the roof was collapsing. It was completely run down.” Said my Fiance as our SUV crept up the hill on Sheriden street in Ely. I looked out at the red and white sign. The warm lights of the theater contrasted with the chilly weather outside.
I was quiet for some time, then an idea popped into my head. “I think this would make a great idea for a zine.”
This photo was taken of The Historic State Theater in Ely, MN.
Ely’s Film Festival
The Ely Film Festival is a recent tradition at a historic theater. The festival takes place over three days in the town of Ely, Minnesota. I have vague memories of tagging along with my dad as he brokered real estate deals in Northern Minnesota. We visited a lot of small towns, with Ely being one of them.
Attending the Ely Film Festival was a great way to re-experience this little town. The film fest takes place in mid-March with 2025 being their third year. Ely’s Historic State Theater is the center of the festival, but not the sole participant. Restaurants, Wildlife centers, and other community staples actively contributed to the three day film festival. After attending, it’s apparent that Ely’s Film Festival isn’t only a celebration of film, but also of the town of Ely.
Attention Documentary Lovers
The Ely Film Festival had films of all genres, but the ones that stood out were the documentaries. Any fans of nature documentaries would have left the film fest satisfied. They stood out as the rising stars in the festival. There were also other genres of documentaries filling out the film blocks, like one that covered the restoration of an old carousel, and a mockumentary about Frolf.
This photo shows movie posters of only a few of the many films at the Ely Film festival
Celebrities and Beloved Actors
There were many familiar faces that graced the screen of the Ely Film Festival. Perhaps the best known ones worked on a film called ‘Boundary Waters’ which was one of the bigger features in the festival. There were also some well known Twin Cities Filmmakers participating in the festival. The selection of films included names big and small in the film blocks to make sure there was something for everyone.
Making a Zine Inspired by the Film Festival
During my visit, I felt inspired to make an Ely Film Festival Zine. Along with being the host of this great film fest, Ely is also notable as the entrance to the Boundary Waters as well as being near Superior National Forest. There’s a lot of uniqueness to the town, and this inspired me to incorporate it into the zine. I collected brochures from these places during my visit as well as a copy of the Ely Echo (their local newspaper).
A zine is a short book or pamphlet that is self published and distributed. I decided to make mine out of collage, appropriating the materials from the film festival and Ely. It was a fun exercise to incorporate so many different elements together into one sequential art piece.
The ‘Ely Film Festival Zine’ in all it’s glory
Ely Film Festival
Location:
238 E. Sheridan Street,
Ely, Minnesota 55731
Admission: $7 to $90+
Parking: Street Parking
Time:
3 Days in Mid-March
March 11-16th 2026
Official Website:
Ely Film Festival
Ely’s Historic State Theater
Ely State Theater, 238, East Sheridan Street, Ely, Saint Louis County, Minnesota, 55731