Last year felt like a loss to Jake Abell.

To be certain, the fact that the 2009 Ouray School graduate was able to collaborate with co-founders Terry Kiser and Jared LaCroix to press on with the inaugural Ouray International Film Festival in the midst of a pandemic constituted a victory of sorts. But the reality of being limited to sharing it virtually — only a small group of sponsors and filmmakers attended in person — was deflating.

This year? The ability to host indoor film screenings at the...