Women’s film screenings bring fundraising shorts to Trinidad Friday

The Stock House in downtown Trinidad will host two Rocky Mountain Women’s Film screenings Friday, giving Las Animas County residents a local chance to see narrative and documentary shorts made by women filmmakers while helping raise money for Mt. Carmel Wellness and Community Center.

The evening is built for an easy stop downtown. One program begins at 3 p.m. and the second starts at 7 p.m., with each screening expected to run about 70 to 80 minutes. Rocky Mountain Women’s Film says the two programs are different, with no repeats between them, and tickets are listed at $15 per program or $25 for both. The setup leaves time between shows for dinner, a quick shop, or a drink at The Stock House, turning the event into a full downtown outing rather than a single-screen movie night.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit Mt. Carmel Wellness and Community Center, a Trinidad-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides wellness programming and event space for the community. Mt. Carmel’s mission centers on health and well-being in southern Colorado, and the organization has already seen the film series translate into direct support. A previous Rocky Mountain Women’s Film debut in Trinidad raised more than $4,000 for Mt. Carmel’s mission, underscoring how the screenings can double as both cultural programming and local fundraising.

The Trinidad stop also carries added weight because Rocky Mountain Women’s Film has been at this for decades. The organization says it was founded in 1987 and is the longest-running women’s film festival in North America, with year-round programming that has reached Colorado audiences for more than 30 years. The Trinidad partnership with Phil Long Dealerships extends that work into Las Animas County, bringing a broader arts network into a setting that still keeps the benefit close to home.

For Trinidad, the draw is immediate and practical: a night of short films, a chance to support Mt. Carmel, and a reason to keep downtown active on Friday. In a county where residents often have to travel for specialty programming, the screenings put that opportunity at The Stock House instead.