Dome Fest West 2025 concluded with a vibrant celebration of immersive storytelling, bringing together creators, technologists, and industry professionals from across the globe. Held from May 1-4, 2025, at the Fiske Planetarium in Boulder, Colorado, this year’s festival showcased a diverse array of fulldome films and interactive experiences, cementing its reputation as a premier event in the immersive cinema industry. With 183 attendees, 154 paid tickets sold, and participation from 67 unique organizations, Dome Fest West 2025 continued to thrive as a hub for innovation and creative exchange.

Celebrating Excellence: Award Winners of Dome Fest West 2025
The highlight of the festival was the announcement of this year’s award winners, recognizing outstanding achievements in fulldome storytelling across a range of categories:

• Sphere of Light: God, Science, and Our Search for Meaning
• Best Artistic Feature Film: LIMBOPHOBIA
• Best Artistic Short Film: Eternal Habitat
• Best Musical Feature Film: Everest: Opera in the Planetarium
• Best Musical Short Film: Samósura
• Best Educational Film: Our Colorful World
• Best Science Film: Dark Biosphere: Betting on a Living Universe
• Best Environmental Film: Close Encounters
• Best Children's Film: The Stellars: Mission Green
• Best Narrative Film: What Lies Beyond the Woods
• Juror's Choice Award: Secrets From a Forest
• Innovation Icon: STRATUM
• Best Interactive Experience: Cosmic Carousel
• Best Live Experience: The Ark 2.22.22
• Audience Choice Award: Tie between Temporal and Starry Animals

These winning works demonstrated the incredible range and potential of fulldome storytelling, from artistic masterpieces and musical experiences to educational films and interactive adventures. Each of these projects captivated audiences and showcased the unique capabilities of immersive media.

A Festival of Learning, Networking, and Engagement
Dome Fest West 2025 offered far more than just screenings. With 73 speakers leading 48 sessions across five tracks, the festival provided invaluable insights into the latest trends, technologies, and creative techniques shaping the immersive cinema industry. Attendees engaged in 138+ Q&A interactions, explored 76 community topics, and connected through nine dedicated meet-ups. This year’s event also achieved significant reach for our 18 sponsors, generating 81,526 total sponsor impressions.

A Growing Community with a Diverse Ecosystem
Reflecting the growing diversity of the fulldome ecosystem, Dome Fest West 2025 welcomed professionals from various backgrounds, including 35.36% fulldome filmmakers and content creators and 20.80% planetarium professionals and dome operators. This blend of creative and technical expertise enriched the festival’s discussions, collaborations, and innovations.

As Dome Fest West looks ahead to 2026, the festival continues to drive the evolution of immersive storytelling, fostering a vibrant, global community of creators and enthusiasts. For a complete look at this year’s program, including all films and experiences that were showcased, see the full lineup here.