The Stellis Trio performed at the California Capital International Documentary Film Festival on March 7, adding a musical touch to the event’s opening night. Photo by Rick Sloan

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - The California Capital International Documentary Film Festival, put on by the Rancho Cordova Film Office, wrapped up its third successful year this past weekend, showcasing powerful and inspiring films from around the world.

Held from March 7 to March 9, the festival featured 42 exceptional documentaries from 12 countries, including the United States and Canada. As the region’s only documentary film festival, it has continued to grow in both scale and impact.

“It’s important to give documentaries a voice,” said Charles Lago from the Rancho Cordova Film Office. “Documentaries deal with important issues and I believed it was important to have one in the Sacramento area. Each year, we receive more and more submissions.”

The festival’s lineup included a mix of short films (under 45 minutes) and long-form documentaries (55 minutes or more), covering a wide range of subjects. These films offered audiences an opportunity to experience global stories told through compelling visual narratives.

The event kicked off with an opening reception at Rancho Cordova City Hall on March 7, where 100 attendees gathered to view the festival’s opening film, “Food for Thought.” This documentary, produced by the Rancho Cordova Film Office, explored the inner workings of the Rancho Cordova Food Locker, an organization focused on tackling food insecurity in the local community.

Father and son are featured in the documentary “Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s,” which explores the journey that families face while confronting the challenges of Alzheimer’s. Photo by Rick Sloan

On March 9, the festival showcased “Symphony Serenade,” a documentary about the Rancho Cordova Symphony d’Oro, which was also produced by the Rancho Cordova Film Office. The film highlighted the origin and growth of the symphony as well as their contributions to the community.

Films were shown at three venues in Rancho Cordova: two at City Hall, 2729 Prospect Park Drive, and one at the Rancho Cordova Youth Center,10455 Investment Circle.

This year also marked the introduction of a virtual component, allowing film lovers to watch the festival’s films from the comfort of their homes. For just $30, virtual passholders can access as many films as they like from March 7 through March 31. The All-Access Pass, which includes unlimited in-person screenings, the virtual pass and exclusive festival merchandise, also offers a full festival experience for those attending both in-person and virtually.

With 1,800 people attending in person throughout the weekend, the event proved to be a great success, according to the Rancho Cordova Film Office.

City officials and representatives from the Rancho Cordova Film Office attended the California Capital International Documentary Film Festival. Photo by Rick Sloan

As of press time, the winners of the festival have not yet been selected. The awards will be given in three categories: Best of Festival, Best Foreign Language Film and Best Short Film. The judging process is still underway and the winners will be announced in the upcoming week.

Submissions for next year’s festival will be accepted through FilmFreeway, with local filmmakers encouraged to reach out directly for more information.

For more details about the festival, visit calcapdocfest.org.