Festival highlights include a Pedro Pascal-narrated opener, a family paleontology adventure, and a feature-length meditation on consciousness.
BOULDER, CO, UNITED STATES, March 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Dome Fest West 2026 is proud to spotlight seven exceptional featured films representing the pinnacle of fulldome storytelling. Under the festival’s 2026 theme New Dimensions, these selections demonstrate the artistic and technical power of the dome format, from a Pedro Pascal narrated cosmic odyssey on Opening Night to a 48 minute feature exploring human consciousness.
The 5th Annual festival takes place April 23 to 26, 2026, at Fiske Planetarium in Boulder, Colorado, home to an 8K SSIA SkySkan projection system presenting every film at the highest level of fulldome exhibition currently available.
“These seven films represent everything Dome Fest West stands for,” said Ryan Moore, Executive Director of Dome Fest West. “From Pedro Pascal narrating an Opening Night cosmic journey to a 48 minute meditation on consciousness, the range in this lineup is extraordinary.”
Encounters in the Milky Way
Director Carter Emmart
Runtime 24 minutes
Narrated by Pedro Pascal
A sweeping journey through the cosmic encounters that shaped our solar system, featuring Webb Space Telescope imagery and NASA level visualizations. Opening Night blends science and spectacle in equal measure.
Screening Thursday, April 23, 8:00 PM
Edge of the Sky
Directors Pavel Karas and Tomas Tichy
Runtime 33 minutes
Produced by Brno Observatory and Planetarium
Shot in real gliders over Patagonia and the Tatra Mountains, this 360 degree adventure follows a pilot, an astronomer, and a young girl to the edge of the stratosphere.
Screening Thursday, April 23, 8:00 PM
Voyage of the Stars
Runtime 32 minutes
Produced by Ivan Maucuit
A visually rich guided tour of the night sky that balances educational depth with visual wonder. A cornerstone of the Saturday family block.
Screening Saturday, April 25, 9:00 AM
Dinosaurs Under the Northern Lights
Director Tsuguyasu Uchiyama
Runtime 35 minutes
Set in the Arctic Cretaceous, a Nanuqsaurus and Alaskacephale form an unlikely bond beneath the aurora borealis. A family favorite blending paleontology and spectacle.
Screening Saturday, April 25, 11:00 AM
H2O The Cosmic States of Water
Director Stephane Bertrand
Runtime 29 minutes
Tracing water’s journey from stellar nurseries to Earth’s oceans, this visually inventive film connects cosmic origins to life itself.
Screening Saturday, April 25, 2:00 PM
Qualia
Director Laura Inserra
Runtime 48 minutes
A feature length exploration of perception and consciousness where sound becomes space. The festival’s longest immersive feature and a bold artistic statement.
Screening Sunday, April 26, 9:00 AM
Unseen Earth
Director Ondrej Kamensky
Runtime 28 minutes
An environmental documentary revealing Earth’s hidden wonders through satellite and infrared perspectives impossible to see with the naked eye.
Screening Sunday, April 26, 11:30 AM
A Festival for Creators and Venue Leaders
These seven films anchor a program of 38 selections across nine thematic blocks, one of the most ambitious lineups in the festival’s five year history.
Dome Fest West serves two intertwined communities, international creators pushing fulldome cinema into new territory and the venue operators and programmers who bring this content to audiences at planetariums and dome theaters worldwide.
Under the theme New Dimensions, the festival reflects a broader shift toward spatial cinema, storytelling that surrounds the audience rather than sits in front of them. At the same time, Dome Fest West honors the planetarium industry that has championed immersive media for generations.
“There is no better environment in the country to see this content than Fiske Planetarium right now,” said Moore. “The 8K SSIA SkySkan system delivers a level of clarity and immersion audiences are not used to, and for venue programmers evaluating films for their own theaters, that matters enormously.”
For dome venue professionals, the festival is where next year’s programming decisions are made. In one weekend, attendees can evaluate 38 films in a state of the art 8K environment while engaging directly with filmmakers during post screening Q and A sessions.
An Exclusive Saturday Night Laser Experience
Saturday evening, April 25 features a one of a kind laser showcase alongside the film block, blending globally acclaimed productions with original programming from local laser talent.
“Saturday night is going to be genuinely special,” Moore said. “It is the kind of programming that reminds you why you fell in love with planetariums in the first place, and it is only happening at Dome Fest West.”
All Access Passes and individual block tickets are available now at domefestwest.com.
Ryan Moore
Dome Fest West
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