While the streets of Greeley were as barren as a ghost town during the 2020 pandemic shutdown, residents should be prepared for the return of outlaws and gunslingers as the 2021 Go West Film Festival rides back into town beginning Monday, Nov. 8.

"We were very cognoscente of this hiatus in our festival so we were glad to have some special guests join us this year," David Caldwell, co-president of the festival said. "

From contemporary to classics, the festival features a variety of movies for all ages of western film fans.  And the best part is that all of the events are free to the public.

"I am struck by how our festival presents the harsh realities of the west in both a historical and contemporary context," Caldwell explained. "The old west was really a rough place. The weather was bad, conditions were harsh and there was a lot of lawlessness on the frontier. So, when Horace Greeley said 'go west young man,' and Nathan Meeker came out here in 1869, it was not a piece of cake."

The festival's lineup of movies reflect these harsh realities of life in the west through various issues such as ranchers losing their herds to disease or the hazardous crossing of the frontier by a group of women in the 1860s.

"But at the same time, despite all this harshness and these really arduous conditions of the west and how hard life was on the frontier, our film festival reflects the west as a healing place," Caldwell said.

As in past years, audience members can stay after each screening to participate in conversations with special guests.

"I think that is one of the things that draws people and makes the festival stand out," Caldwell said. "We linger and talk about the movie afterward."

This year, special guests Temple Grandin, Rodney Sauer and Cody Kuehl will be in attendance.

People attending the 2021 Go West Film Festival should be aware of the event's COVID-19 safety protocols. (Photo courtesy Go West Film Festival)

Grandin, a professor of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University, will speak with attendees at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Kress Cinema and Lounge when the festival screens her biographical film, "Temple Grandin." Grandin is an author of numerous books on animal behavior and is an advocate for autism awareness.

Sauer, founder of the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra and leading expert on musical repertoire of silent films, will be speaking with festival attendees at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Kress. Sauer will also be providing live music during the screening of the 1920 silent film "Daughter of Dawn."

"We think this event will spark an interest," Caldwell said. "This is an unusual silent film as it has an all Native American cast and made in Oklahoma in 1920."

Program cover and poster creator, Cody Kuehl, will be showcasing some of his work as well as signing festival posters featuring his painting "Bugle Boy," at 6:30 p.m. at the Kress. Posters are $50 each and the proceeds will go to benefit future festival events.

"Cody has a particular vision of the west that he is very articulate about and makes his work stand out," Caldwell commented.

The festival kicks off at noon Monday, Nov. 8 at the Farr Regional Library, 1939 61st Ave. in Greeley with a screening of the 1963 movie, "Hud."

The festival moves to the Kress Cinema and Lounge at 6:30 p.m. Monday for a showing of the movie "Temple Grandin," along with a guest appearance from Grandin herself.

Grandin, a professor of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University, will speak with attendees at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Kress Cinema and Lounge. (Greeley Tribune file photo)

Tuesday's events include the movie "Westward the Women" at noon at the Farr Regional Library and culminates with a showing of the 1920 silent film, "The Daughter of Dawn," at 6:30 p.m. at the Kress Cinema and sponsored by the Greeley Stampede.

Celebrate the middle of the week with the western "El Norte" at noon at the Farr Regional Library and the documentary, "Becoming Bulletproof" at 6:30 p.m. at the Kress Cinema and Lounge.

Thursday kicks off with a noon screening of "Cowboys and Indians, the J.J. Harper Story," at the Kress Cinema and Lounge and "Country Mustard" at 7 p.m. at the Lindou Auditorium, Michener Library at the University of Northern Colorado, 1400 22nd St.

On Friday, the festival is scheduled to show the 2017 movie, "Woman Walks Ahead" at noon at the Farr Regional Library and John Wayne's final movie performance in "The Shootist" at 6:30 p.m. at the Ed Beaty Hall Theater at Aims Community College, 5401 W. 20th St. in Greeley.

The festival wraps up on Saturday with a full day of screenings beginning at noon with the PG-13 "Shanghi Noon" at the Kress Cinema and moving over to Zoe's Cafe and Events Center, 715 10th St., at 6:30 p.m. for the Shorts Showcase.

"This is our third shorts showcase. We had a number of submissions and we selected a program of nine short films to screen," Caldwell said. "We will give a Best of Fest award and the audience will have a chance to vote on an Audience Favorite award."

As with many events, organizers of the festival had to determine the best way to proceed with the event while keeping attendees and volunteers safe from COVID-19.

The festival has implemented a COVID-19 policy that will ask attendees to present proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 48-hours of the event they will be attending. Masks will also be required for anyone attending the festival.

"Because our venues are rather small, we don't have the opportunity to socially distance," Caldwell said. "We will have masks on hand for folks who forget one. Unless they are eating or drinking, we will be asking people to wear a mask."

For more information on the Go West Film Festival, go to www.gowestfilmfest.org.