Ladies and gentlemen, clear your calendars. One of the year’s best local festivals is upon us Feb. 13 – 16. Seize these four days. The Boulder International Film Festival brings together a fine slate of films and a slew of eclectic events, all highly accessible to everyone from big-time movie makers to occasional movie watchers.
This year’s festival celebrates a decade of evolution. Highlights include six Oscar-nominated movies, curious short films you hear about but rarely get to see, obscure films with low commercial potential but high artistic appeal, and up-close access to movie artists of every stripe. All told, BIFF presents an extraordinary entertainment opportunity.
The annual festival is a Boulder-centric happening in the best ways possible: technology-enabled, community-centered, green and embracing all ages.
“The most important factor in our tremendous growth has been the Boulder community,” explains Kevin Smith, BIFF’s executive producer. “People here have embraced the festival, in essence, as a very good idea.”
That idea blooms on screen after a tremendous amount of preparation. We thought it fitting to provide some perspective:
2000 films screened and scrutinized by BIFF’s all-volunteer Selection Committee
50+ films made the cut and will be featured
6 are Oscar nominated
The bulk of the festival’s production credits go to 450 local volunteers in every capacity, from stage management to venue administration, sound systems and publicity (BIFF’s volunteer list is a bold-face who’s who of talented Boulderites)
BIFF is one of the 25 “coolest film festivals” says MovieMaker Magazine
20,000 people will partake in BIFF over President’s Day weekend this year, including film enthusiasts, media and industry types
40+ corporate sponsors make BIFF possible
1906 was the year the festival’s main venue, The Boulder Theater, was first opened. This venerable downtown icon will feature some 17 BIFF features, shorts, and closing celebration.
Call2Action A one-and-only BIFF program that pairs movies of importance with tangible actions –transforming that feeling of overwhelm that comes with a movie on, say, Uganda or Uranium, into five straightforward and powerful actions that can make a real difference.
1 big opening night, with 2 parties in 2 venues (Hotel Boulderado and Rembrandt Yard Event Center & Gallery), followed by the film Fading Gigolo screened at the Boulder Theater. The film is by John Turturro and features Turturro, Woody Allen, and Sharon Stone, Sofia Vergara, Liev Schreiber, and Vanessa Paradis. Get tickets here.
Boulder International Film Festival is our Featured Friend for February. Next up: Youth film buffs take center stage.
