Thoughtful reviews, the Boulder film scene

Join the discussion on

Do The Right Thing

Spike Lee's complex, intricate look at race relations in Bed-Stuy NY. —Marty Mapes (review...)

" You know I can’t stand seeing him play with a gun”
“But the boy’s gotta learn some time… "
— Nancy Gates & Sterling Hayden, Suddenly

MRQE Top Critic

Sponsored links

Denver, CO —-- The 30th Starz Denver Film Festival (SDFF 30) presented by Sprint and produced by the Denver Film Society, kicks off the 11-day 30th anniversary celebration of showcasing the best in international film and filmmaking on November 8, 2007. This year”s festival features over 175 films including 16 premieres (6 world premieres, 7 North American Premieres, and 3 U.S. premieres).

Films from 36 countries will be represented this year: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA and Vietnam.

The 2007 festival will host hundreds of actors, directors, writers, producers and industry professionals from around the world who will be on hand to discuss their craft at screenings, panels and special events. All regular festival screenings will take place at the Starz FilmCenter at the Tiovli on the Auraria Campus. All Red Carpet events including Opening Night (11/8), Saturday-at-the-Movies (11/10), Big Night (11/10) and Closing Night (11/17) will take place at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Other screenings are scheduled at the King Center on the Auraria Campus and the Ricketson Theatre at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

“”On the evening of November 8, when the curtain rises on Tamara Jenkins’” The Savages, the Starz Denver Film Festival will begin its next decade of bringing world-class cinema to Rocky Mountain audiences,”” said festival artistic director Ron Henderson. “”Our 30th year sparkles with cinematic treasures we invite you to immerse yourself in this once-a-year, 11-day movie marathon, meet our guest film artists, discover other cultures and explore new worlds. Come celebrate.””

“As a company that now not only distributes films on our channels and over the internet, but also produces theatrical films through our sister company Overture Films, Starz is proud to sponsor this world class festival right in our own backyard,” said Starz CEO and Chairman Robert B. Clasen. “We are particularly happy that the Festival has decided to “go green” and find ways to reduce the impact the event has on the environment. For 30 years, Ron Henderson and his staff have worked tirelessly to make this festival a premiere cultural event for Denver and the surrounding area. We are delighted once again to support that effort.”“

“”Sprint is proud to be a part of the Starz Denver Film Festival”s 30th anniversary and to be supporting the Denver arts community,”” said Stephen Hatfield, Area Marketing Manager for Sprint. “”This year”s festival presents a diverse line-up of international films providing a wide array of creative talents from directors to cast.”“

The theme of this year”s festival is the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the event. For thirty years, the Denver Film Society has brought international film and film artists to Denver making the festival the cultural event of the season. The diverse array of films in this year”s line-up including features, documentaries and animated films, will please all levels of movielovers from film novices to film buffs.

WHAT”S NEW THIS YEAR

THE GREEN INITIATIVE The festival”s Green Initiative allows the DFS to inspire its audience to adopt eco-friendly lifestyle practices.

The initiative consists of a combination of efforts aimed at significantly reducing the carbon footprint of the 11-day event. With the financial support of Starz, the festival”s premier sponsor, and money raised from festival patron donations, SDFF will purchase MyClimate™™ and Conservation International carbon offsets through Sustainable Travel International (sustainabletravel.com) in an effort to offset the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the environment as a result of the festival. Carbon offsets make it possible for individuals and businesses to neutralize the greenhouse gas emissions they are responsible for, from activities such as transportation, by contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gases in another place.

Other aspects of the Green Initiative include: recycling at official festival lounges and at the Starz FilmCenter on behalf of festival partner Alpine Waste and Recycling; a partnership with local non-profit organization BaggyShirts (baggy-shirts.com) to sell re-usable, recycled multi-purpose bags as official festival merchandise; 100% organic cotton commemorative t-shirts for sale online at denverfilm.org/shop and at merchandise booths throughout the festival; a film guide recycling and exchange program to offer festival patrons the opportunity to reduce waste by sharing their guides before disposing of them; 100% recyclable and compostable Eco-Products to be used at the festival”s official lounges.

NEW USER-FRIENDLY FESTIVAL WEB SITE The festival”s new web site (denverfilm.org) is not only user friendly but interactive and able to answer virtually any question about this year”s 30th anniversary celebration of the Starz Denver Film Festival. The detailed schedule of films makes it easy to learn about the movies and the filmmakers.

Film enthusiasts can learn about the wide array of films in this year”s festival line-up as well as plan their own, personalized experience in the My Festival portion of the purchasing process. Want to share your festival itinerary with your friends and family? The new web site makes it quick and easy to email your festival plans to the people you most want to share the experience with.

ONLINE TICKETING No more waiting in line at the box office —-- anyone can buy tickets in the comfort of their own home with the new online ticketing portion of the festival”s website (denverfilm.org).

TAKE 30: THE FIRST THREE DECADES OF THE DENVER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL The Denver Film Society (DFS) and the Starz Denver Film Festival celebrate 30 years of film festival excellence with the newly published commemorative book Take 30: The First Three Decades of the Denver International Film Festival. This 192-page coffee-table sized book is available for purchase on the festival”s website (denverfilm.org/shop) or in-person at official festival merchandise stands. Hard cover and soft cover copies of the book cost $39.95 and $24.95 respectively.

Take 30 features hundreds of captivating black-and-white photographs by Denver photographer Larry Laszlo, the festival”s official photographer since the first year. Narrative text by festival co-founder Ron Henderson and award-winning author and 30-year festival veteran Joey Porcelli, as well as memories and recollections by festival staff, volunteers, board members and guest filmmakers, accompany the photographs. Denver artist Judy Anderson designed the book.

Take 30 was unveiled on November 1, in conjunction with the opening of an exhibition of Laszlo”s photos, at Gallery 30, located in the Starz FilmCenter at the Tivoli (900 Auraria Parkway). The photo exhibit, presented by Wheeler Trigg Kennedy, LLP and sponsored by Mike”s Camera and RedShift Framing, will be open to the general public throughout the festival (November 8-18).

PODCASTING The 30th Starz Denver Film Festival, in partnership with Burst Marketing —-- Podcast Publishing, introduces a brand new screen for enjoying the festival —-- Your iPod! Festival attendees and movielovers alike will be able to get free audio and video podcasts that provide sneak previews of this year’s Festival, interviews with filmmakers, panel discussions and some yet-to-be announced surprises —-- all hosted by noted film critic Robert Denerstein (DenersteinUnleashed.com and former film critic for the Rocky Mountain News). Listeners don”t need an iPod to enjoy the podcasts which can also be downloaded directly to your computer or laptop or even delivered through email. Anyone can subscribe to the podcasts for free through iTunes or email at denverfilmpodcasts.com. All SDFF 30 podcasts are presented by the Colorado Tourism Office (colorado.com).

WHAT”S NOT NEW? Free parking! Parking is free (with validation) for all screenings held at the Starz Film Center in the Tivoli surface parking lot. Go to the Starz FilmCenter box office or Concierge desk to obtain validation before or after you come for a screening.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?30th STARZ DENVER FILM FESTIVAL LINE-UP SDFF 30 is proud to announce the following highlights:

Opening Night Film THE SAVAGES —-- sponsored by Sprint Thursday, November 8, 7:30pm at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House

THE SAVAGES stars two of the most nuanced and talented actors working today —-- the luminous Laura Linney and Oscar-winning Philip Seymour Hoffman and is the latest film from director Tamara Jenkins, best known for her indie-hit THE SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS. THE SAVAGES is a brilliantly comic —-- and melancholy —-- look at the fate of two grown siblings who are forced to re-examine their lives when they have to team up to care for their aging father. Linney and Hoffman are perfectly matched in both their hard-edged comic talents and their ability to turn on a dime and reveal the tremendous pathos at the hearts of their characters’” lives.

The Opening Night After Party at the Donald R. Seawell Ballroom, presented by Sprint and Stella Artois, will follow the screening.

Saturday-at-the-Movies SNEAK-PREVIEW OF MR. MAGORIUM”S WONDER EMPORIUM AND RECORD-BREAKING TOY DRIVE —-- Sponsored by Kroenke Sports Enterprises Saturday, November 10, 2pm at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House Press is welcome to attend the red carpet festivities, but NO PRESS will be admitted to the screening.

This year”s Saturday-at-the-Movies will feature a special screening of MR. MAGORIUM”S WONDER EMPORIUM and the culmination of a week-long effort to break the Guinness World Record®® for Largest Toy Drive. Children and their adults are invited to attend this afternoon of family fun Hollywood style. Anyone can be a celebrity for the day as they walk the red carpet, participate in a Toy Drive, have their pictures taken and be the first to see this fantastical family film.

Family-friendly fun will include “”make your own kaleidoscopes”” courtesy of The Children”s Museum, jump along with professional jump-roping troupes Boulder Skip-It and Jumping Eagles, see the 3-D Monarca characters created by Melaoarts and mingle with local athletes including representatives of the Colorado Mammoth and the Denver Nuggets, courtesy of Kroenke Sports.

Moviegoers who donate one new toy at the Starz FilmCenter or The Children”s Museum from November 6-9 or at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House on November 10 will receive two (2) free tickets to the you-see-it-first screening. Without a donation, ticket prices are $5.

MR. MAGORIUM”S WONDER EMPORIUM is the story of Molly Mahoney (Natalie Portman), the awkward and insecure manager of Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, the strangest, most fantastic, most wonderful toy store in the world. But when Mr. Magorium (Dustin Hoffman), the 243 year-old eccentric store owner bequeaths the store to her, everything inside of the magic toy store comes to life, including the store itself! The magical Emporium only asks one thing of its customers —-- You must believe it to see it!

Big Night Film JUNO —-- Sponsored by Starz Saturday, November 10, 8:30pm at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House Director Jason Reitman will be in attendance to introduce his award-winning film.

This year”s Big Night will feature JUNO, a new comedy from director Jason Reitman and recent winner of the 2007 Rome Film Festival”s Best Film Award. Starring Ellen Page, Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman, JUNO crackles with whip-smart dialogue and intensely clever monologue.

Big Night will begin with the annual fundraising Gala Dinner hosted by Starz. Red carpet arrivals featuring a special “”team”” of guests will precede the premiere and a Dessert Reception, presented by Starz and Lionsgate, will take place at the Ellie following the screening.

JUNO tells the story of 16-year old Juno (Ellen Page) pregnant by her clueless best friend Paulie. Opting, after a discouraging visit to a bleak family planning clinic, to take the pregnancy to term and give her baby up for adoption, she begins to acquaint herself with the chosen couple - only to watch her well-meant plans go sharply awry.

Closing Night Film AUGUST RUSH —-- Sponsored by OppenheimerFunds Saturday, November 17, 7:30pm at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House A very special guest will be in attendance to walk the Red Carpet prior to the screening!

This year”s Closing Night will feature the star-studded film AUGUST RUSH, starring Keri Russell, Freddie Highmore, Terrence Howard, Robin Williams, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. This new drama from director Kirsten Sheridan tells the story of an orphaned musical prodigy who uses his newfound talent as a clue to finding his birth parents.

Presentation of the three SDFF juried awards (Krzysztof Kieslowski Award for Best Feature Film, Emerging Filmmaker Award, and the Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary) will take place prior to the screening of AUGUST RUSH.

Following the film, The Last Reel After Party, presented by Frontier Airlines and AOR, at the EXDO Event Center will close out the 11-day cinematic celebration and the 30th anniversary of the Starz Denver Film Festival.

AWARDS SDFF 30 is pleased to present the following distinguished awards this year:

Mayor”s Career Achievement Award: Norman Jewison Norman Jewison, the prolific, award-winning Canadian director, will receive the 2007 Mayor”s Career Achievement Award at the 30th Starz Denver Film Festival. On November 9, Jewison will be presented with the festival”s prestigious award by Mayor John W. Hickenlooper following a special 40th anniversary screening of Jewison”s IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT at the Ricketson Theatre at 7:30pm. Following the award presentation, Jewison will be interviewed from the stage by Variety film critic Joe Leydon. The winner of the 1968 Oscar for Best Picture, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT stars Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger in what is widely recognized as one of the greatest films of the last 40 years. This groundbreaking work, dealing with race relations in America”s Deep South, also won four other Oscars.

Stan Brakhage Vision Award Sponsored by Mike”s Camera This esteemed award recognizes the achievement of a film industry professional who embodies the creative and artistic essence that made Brakhage known. Phil Solomon, one of the greatest experimental filmmakers of his generation, is the recipient of the 2007 Stan Brakhage Vision Award. The award will be presented to Solomon on Sunday, November 11 at 7:30pm at the Starz FilmCenter, following a special presentation of a series of short films directed by the filmmaker. “”An Evening with Phil Solomon”” will also include a Q&A session with the director and the audience.

Emerging Filmmaker Award Sponsored by Fox 31 News The Emerging Filmmaker Award is presented to a first or second-time director without U.S. distribution. The 2007 recipient of this award will be an emerging filmmaker/film that best displays technical proficiency, originality, artistic excellence and visual awareness while maintaining a consistent directorial vision. The recipient of this award will also receive a $2,500 cash prize from the Denver Film Society.

Finalists for the 2007 Emerging Filmmaker Award are: AMERICAN FORK, FROWNLAND, LOREN CASS, THE MEMORY THIEF and OWL AND THE SPARROW.

AMERICAN FORK, a quirky comedy from first-time director Chris Bowman and sharing a producer with indie-hit NAPOLEAN DYNAMITE, expresses a genuine sympathy for the “”Everyloser”“. Set in a drab Utah town, Bowman sends flickers of light into the grey and insecure world of protagonist Tracy Orbison (played affectingly by the film’s screenwriter, Hubbel Palmer), a would-be poet who seeks solace from his dead-end existence as an obese grocery-store clerk in pepperoni pizza binges and daydreams of fame.

A fiercely uncompromising exemplar of nails-on-a-chalkboard realism, FROWNLAND centers on Keith Sontag, a self-described “”troll from under the bridge”” who leads a torturous existence hocking coupon books door-to-door in New York’s outer suburbs. Simultaneously absorbing and alienating, FROWNLAND has already garnered a special jury award from this year’s SxSW Film Festival and a nod from Filmmaker, which named director Ronald Bronstein among its “”25 New Faces of Independent Film.”“

In 1997, as racial conflict was tearing his hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida, in half, then-adolescent Chris Fuller decided to write a script —-- an unorthodox coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of the unrest. LOREN CASS is the result of this screenplay and Fuller”s directorial debut, shot on location in St. Petersburg”s cemeteries, on its city buses and amid its landmarks. To further authenticate the setting in all its ugliness, Fuller casts two full-contact fighting champions to appear in the fight scenes and throw real blows. Loren Cass marks the now-25-year-old Fuller”s directorial debut.

For a troubled young man, the lines between past and present, history and memory, empathy and identity, self and other become blurred in THE MEMORY THIEF, playwright Gil Kofman”s memorable feature filmmaking debut. The film tells the story of Lukas —-- an aimless young tollbooth worker haunted by his past. Through a chance encounter with an elderly Jewish man —-- who catches him idly reading Mein Kampf on the job —-- Lukas”s life takes a sudden, unexpected turn. On an impulse, he talks his way into a stint as an archiver of the oral histories of Holocaust survivors and eventually embarking on a quest to make himself over in the image of a survivor.

OWL AND THE SPARROW, from first-time feature filmmaker Stephane Gauger, is an enthralling tale of the search for connection amid the frenzy of the modern-day metropolis of Saigon, where a hectic pace daily pushes eight million inhabitants to keep up. Saigon itself serves as a vital character as native son Gauger uses handheld cameras to shoot his script guerrilla-style in 30 locations citywide over the course of 15 days, capturing the quirks and quick rhythms of his birthplace.

Jurors for the 2007 Emerging Filmmaker Award are: David Garber (Founder - Lantern Lane Entertainment), Julian Rubinstein (author) and Petra Wright (actress).

The Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary Film The Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary Film is presented annually by Albert Maysles to a feature-length, nonfiction film without U.S. distribution. The recipient of the 2007 Maysles Brothers Award will represent the truth and purity of documentary filmmaking as established by the Maysles Brothers. The recipient of this award will also receive a $2,500 cash prize from the Denver Film Society.

Finalists for the 2007 Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary Film are: KNEE DEEP, LYNCH, MILK IN THE LAND: BALLAD OF AN AMERICAN DRINK, MISS UNIVERSE 1929, MYSTIC BALL and SOLDIERS OF CONSCIENCE.

Part Coen Brother, part Errol Morris - with a dash of Sam Shepard thrown in for good measure - Michael Chandler offers a darkly ironic glimpse into a swiftly vanishing way of life with his moving documentary KNEE DEEP. Chandler unfolds the saga of Josh Osborne, who, on a beautiful summer day in his 22nd year, finds himself aiming a rifle at his mother.

An intimate portrait of celebrated American director David Lynch, LYCNH examines the creative instincts that led to such film classics as ERASERHEAD, THE ELEPHANT MAN, BLUE VELVET and MULLHOLLAND DRIVE. Crafted from more than two years” worth of footage shot both in its subject’s own home and on the set of the 2006 film INLAND EMPIRE, Lynch immerses viewers in the fascinating world where this often controversial, always fiercely original artist lives and works.

A fascinating and entertaining documentary about the interependence between food and culture, MILK IN THE LAND: BALLAD OF AN AMERICAN DRINK at once provides a quirky alternative history of America”s most emblematic beverage and paints a truly disturbing picture of industrialization. Directors Monteith McCollum and Ariana Gerstein consider the modern day dairy business from the perspective of farmers, activists, ethicists and historians who detail its evolution into a mass industry.

MISS UNIVERSE 1929 tells the startling journey of the beautiful Lisl Goldarbeiter from her hometown of Vienna to Galveston, Texas, in 1929, when the Jewish girl was crowned Miss Universe by unanimous decision (she remains the only Austrian ever to win the pageant). Sticking with the formula he used to such convincing effect in EL PERRO NEGRO, award-winning documentary filmmaker Pééter Forgáács again crafts found materials into a highly personal biographical account that sheds light on the historical events surrounding it.

Some twenty years in the making, MYSTIC BALL is a testament to the passion and perserverance of Canadian director Greg Hamilton - not only as a filmmaker but as a champion, in every sense of the word, of chinlone, the national sport of Myanmar. As its leading foreign expert and player, Hamilton does a thorough and visually stunning job of introducing Western audiences to this under-recognized, unique and mesmerizing centuries-old game.

SOLDIERS OF CONSCIENCE is a frankly emotional and thought-provoking journey into the lives of combat veterans as they reflect upon their wartime experiences —-- broaching a subject that’s generally taboo within military circles —-- to reveal their gravest concerns about killing and about the moral grounds on which it’s justified.

Jurors for the 2007 Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary Film are: Brian Brooks (Managing Editor - IndieWire), AJ Schnack (filmmaker and past Maysles Brothers Award recipient) and David Wilson (filmmaker and Co-Founder T/F Film Festival).

Krzysztof Kieslowski Award for Best Feature Film The Krzysztof Kieslowski Award for Best Feature Film, established in 1997, is presented to a feature-length film that reflects the artistic sensibilities of the Polish director. This distinguished award was established under the auspices of the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland and in collaboration with the widow of the late director.

Finalists for the 2007 Krzysztof Kieslowski Award for Best Feature Film presented by Screen International are: CONTINENTAL: A FILM WITHOUT GUNS, THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY, I SERVED THE KING OF ENGLAND, THE LAST MISTRESS, MY BROTHER IS AN ONLY CHILD and PERSEPOLIS.

The episodic dominoes CONTINENTAL: A FILM WITHOUT GUNS lines up are set in motion when an unnamed man awakens to find himself alone on a bus parked at the edge of a forest. As startling as its title, Canadian filmmaker Stééphane LaFleur’s remarkable dark comedy considers human vulnerability and the fragility of the links we forge between us from a fresh - if not downright skewed - new angle.

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY, from director Julian Schnabel (winner of the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival), tells the story of French fashion magazine editor Jean-Cominique Bauby who, in the prime of his life, suffered a stroke that left him totally paralyzed —-- but with his creative spirit intact. Bauby (as played by Mathieu Amalric) tells his story like no other, in the most painstaking, heartrending and inspiring way imaginable —-- with his left eyelid.

Adapted from Bohumil Hrabal’s picaresque novel by director Jiríí Menzel (CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS), I SERVED THE KING OF ENGLAND is a tragicomic slice of Czech grotesque that captures the rise and fall of a social climber who finds himself on the losing side of World War II.

Loosely based on the scandalous 19th-century novel by Jules-Améédéée Barbey d’Aurevilly, THE LAST MISTRESS (from director Catherine Breillat) finds recovering libertine Ryno de Marigny in a quandary as he tries, on the eve of his marriage into the French nobility, to resist the ploys of his wildly passionate ex-lover.

Co-scripted by director Daniele Luchetti and Best of Youth authors Sandro Petraglia and Stefano Rulli, MY BROTHER IS AN ONLY CHILD —-- a smash in its native Italy —-- views sibling rivalry through the lens of political conflict.

PERSEPOLIS, adapted from Marjane Satrapi”s graphic novel, operates on multiple levels: as a disarmingly funny coming-of-age tale, an exposéé of Iranian society under totalitarian rule and an example of animation”s power to expand our notions of storytelling.

Screen International”s Mike Goodridge will chair the jury for the 2007 Krzysztof Kieslowski Award for Best Feature Film. Other jurors are: David Ansen (veteran film critic and senior editor at Newsweek) and David D”Arcy (veteran film critic and journalist).

Starz People”s Choice Award Moviegoers vote for their favorite film in the following categories: Narrative Feature-length Fiction, Documentary, and Short-subject. The Starz People”s Choice was presented in 2006 to LIVES OF OTHERS (narrative feature), TRIALS OF DARRYL HUNT (documentary) and A PAINFUL GLIMPSE INTO MY WRITING PROCESS (IN LESS THAN 60 SECONDS) and BIG GIRL (tied for short film). This year”s winner of the People”s Choice Award for Short Film will also receive a $1000 cash prize.

Sprint Favorite Short Film New this year, the short film/filmmaker that receives the most votes in the Starz People”s Choice balloting will be named the Sprint Favorite Short Film and will be awarded a $2500 cash prize.

TRIBUTES

Stephen Goldblatt —-- American Cinematographer Born in South Africa and raised in the United Kingdom, Stephen Goldblatt”s unconventional career path has taken him from news photographer and photo editor to documentary filmmaker to Oscar-nominated cinematographer. SDFF 30 will screen two of the films in his extensive repertoire: CLOSER and ANGELS IN AMERICA.

CLOSER (2004) is a one of many films that represent the artistic collaboration between Stephen Goldblatt and director Mike Nichols. This adaptation of the popular stage play of the same name is a articulate character study of the interrelationships between two couples (played by Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Jude Law and Natalie Portman). Much of the success of the film depends on Goldblatt”s confident rendering of the darkly glossy atmosphere in contemporary London”s streets and rooms.

ANGELS IN AMERICA (2003) is an adaptation of one of the most important plays of the 20th century. Also a result of the collaboration between Goldblatt and Nichols, ANGELS IN AMERICA, originally presented as a made-for-television mini-series, is a milestone in cinematic storytelling that demands to be seen on the big screen. With a star-studded cast including Meryl Streep, Al Pacino and Emma Thompson, ANGELS IN AMERICA captures the New York City of the 1980s with remarkable accuracy while presenting staggeringly beautiful dream sequences.

Steven Bach - Producer/Studio Executive/Best-Selling Author/Teacher Bach began his career as a Broadway producer before moving on to the world of film and becoming a studio executive. After Bach”s greenlighting of the legendarily overbudget film, HEAVEN”S GATE in 1980, he left the world of filmmaking and began his career as a best-selling author writing about the world of film he knows so well. Among his collection of published works is Final Cut: Dreams and Disasters in the Making of Heaven”s Gate, which has been ranked as one of the finest inside accounts of Hollywood filmmaking.

“”An Evening with Steven Bach”” will take place on November 9 at 7:15pm, during which Mr. Bach will present THE PARALLAX VIEW. Bach will also be in attendance at a screening of THE SCARLETT EMPRESS on November 10 at 12:30pm. Both films are rare 35mm archival prints.

THE PARALLAX VIEW, released by Paramount Pictures in 1974, while Bach was studio head, is a political thriller starring Warren Beatty as a shaggy, somewhat careless newspaper reporter who is finally beginning to realize that the assassination of a senator he witnessed during a campaign rally three years earlier was no fluke perpetrated by a lone madman. Belatedly launching an investigation, he stumbles onto a vast conspiracy - with even vaster consequences.

THE SCARLET EMPRESS is one of many films that represent the legendary collaboration between German actress Marlene Dietrich and director Josef von Sternberg. Marlene Dietrich stars as Catherine II before she became the legendary Catherine the Great. The film recounts the story of Catherine and her engineering of a coup d”etat and her eventual transformation into Catherine the Great.

IN MEMORIUM SDFF 30 pays homage to legendary filmmakers and their contributions to the world of film:

Michelangelo Antonioni The ways in which director Michelangelo Antonioni subverted cinematic convention and revolutionized the art of filmmaking are legion and legendary. More concerned with making forays into existential philosophy and aesthetic theory than with advancing storylines, Antonioni ensured that, through his distinctive lens, background would show itself as foreground, camera angle would operate at the level of plot twist and color would function as character in its own right. SDFF is proud to present Antonioni”s international sensation BLOWUP. Released in 1966, BLOWUP is a provocative time capsule set against the backdrop of Swinging London with the plot focusing on a disillusioned fashion photographer who inadvertently captures a murder on camera. More than 40 years since its release, BLOWUP remains a startlingly fresh and essential filmgoing experience. BLOWUP will be presented on Sunday, November 18 at 6:30pm at the Starz FilmCenter.

Ingmar Bergman Ingmar Bergman, who died earlier this year, was indisputably among the greatest directors of the 20th century. SDFF 30 is proud to present a special screening of Bergman”s 1975 adaptation of the eponymous 1791 opera, THE MAGIC FLUTE on Sunday, November 18 at 12:45pm at the Starz FilmCenter. THE MAGIC FLUTE tells the wondrous tale of noble Tamino, who sets out to rescue a princess in peril. Bergman employs Scandinavia”s greatest singers, dazzling sets, and enough technical innovation to underscore the genius of composer and auteur alike.

Láászlóó Kováács Selecting one film to commemorate the passing of acclaimed cinematographer Láászlóó Kováács from the 70-plus titles to his credit might seem like an impossible task, but the KING OF MARVIN GARDENS has proven to be an ideal choice. Though a landmark of 1970s American Cinema, THE KING OF MARVIN GARDENS is rarely seen by mainstream audiences. SDFF 30 will present this remarkable drama, which features performances by such Hollywood legends as Jack Nicholson, Bruce Dern and Ellen Burstyn, to Denver audiences on Saturday, November 10 at 2:30pm at the Starz FilmCenter. The film”s director, Bob Rafelson, will introduce the film and a 5-minute video salute from some of Láászlóó Kováács distinguished Hollywood colleagues will precede the rare screening.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS SDFF 30 is proud to present the following special presentations and screenings:

MYSTERY SCREENING The 30th Starz Denver Film Festival presents a mystery screening to remember on November 13 at 7:30pm at Denver”s Esquire Theatre. This surprise screening will keep you on the edge of your seat with anticipation and excitement before, during and after the lights go down in the theatre. SDFF 30 will delight audiences with the latest film from one of Hollywood”s most celebrated directorial duos. This thrill ride of a film will not only surprise audiences, but engage them in 122 minutes of excitement.

TRUE HEART SUSIE ““Do men look for the true heart in women? Or are most of them caught by the net of paint, powder and suggestive clothes?”” TRUE HEART SUSIE poses the questions, and its director —-- Hollywood pioneer and master of melodrama, D.W. Griffith —-- answers them with extraordinary emotional insight. The great Lilian Gish stars as the girl who knows no bounds. TRUE HEART SUSIE is the only silent film in this year”s line-up and will include a special live piano accompaniment by Hank Troy, silent film accompaniment pianist for 35 years. TRUE HEART SUSIE will be presented on Sunday, November 11 at 12:15pm at the Starz FilmCenter.

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY Winner of the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival, Julian Schnabel”s astonishing narrative is by turns dreamlike, brave and breathtaking. Schnabel tells the story of French fashion magazine editor Jean-Cominique Bauby who, in the prime of his life, suffered a stroke that left him totally paralyzed —-- but with his creative spirit intact. Bauby (as played by Mathieu Amalric) tells his story like no other, in the most painstaking, heartrending and inspiring way imaginable —-- with his left eyelid. THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY will be presented on Saturday, November 14 at 4pm at the King Center.

LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA Based on Gabriel Garcia Máárquez”s beloved novel and adapted by Oscar-winning screenwriter Ronald Harwood, LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA is arguably one of the most daring, magical and masterful romantic sagas ever to unfold. Harwood and his dream team of filmmakers, including director Mike Newell, have brought this classic, in all its complexity and lush beauty, to the big screen. LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA will be presented on Wednesday, November 14 at 7pm at the Ricketson Theatre and at 10pm at the Starz FilmCenter.

PERSEPOLIS Celebrated comic book artist Marjane Satrapi reworks her acclaimed graphic autobiographies for the screen with breathtaking results. A prizewinner at this year”s Cannes Film Festival, PERSEPOLIS operates on multiple levels: as a disarmingly funny coming-of-age tale, an exposéé of Iranian society under totalitarian rule and an example of animation”s power to expand our notions of storytelling. PERSEPOLIS will be presented at the King Center on Saturday November 17 at 1pm.

4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS Set against the background of Communism”s imminent fall, this hard-hitting drama (and winner of Palme d”Or at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival) quotes the shattering price a young woman must pay when she tries to procure an illegal abortion in small-town Romania. Written and directed by Cristian Mungiu, 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS is also Romania”s submission to the 2008 Oscars for Best Foreign Film. 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS will be presented on Saturday, November 17 (9pm) and Sunday, November 18 (5:30pm) at the Starz Film Center.

PREMIERES SDFF 30 is proud to present the following premieres:

WORLD PREMIERES: AUTISM: ANOTHER WAY OF COMMUNICATING DEEP SEA BLUES MR. MAGORIUM”S WONDER EMPORIUM OUTSIDERS OF NEW ORLEANS TEVYE KARL ROVE, I LOVE YOU

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERES CLINT EASTWOOD: A LIFE ON FILM DOLLS EXTRAS MARCELA ME, THE OTHER THE RED ELVIS BEING MICHAEL MADSEN

U.S. PREMIERES AUSTRIAN AVANT-GARDE ONE NIGHT IN THE CITY THE WHEELHOUSE

PANEL DISCUSSIONS

Women + Film: Commanding Voices, Strong Leaders Join filmmakers Nicole Boxer, Daniel Junge and Marlo Poras along with political activist Doris “”Granny D”” Haddock on Sunday, November 11 at 2pm at the Starz Film Center as they explore complex political, social and cultural issues surrounding the topic of female leaders around the world. Three festival films about women egaged in the electoral process will provide the framework for what promises to be a lively and informative discussion of women”s leadership in the United States and around the world. Included in the discussion are the following films:

Mary Lambert”s documentary 14 WOMEN takes you inside the halls of power, inviting you to keep pace with our female senators in the prime of their jam-packed lives.

Directed by Siatta Scott Johnson and Daniel Junge, IRON LADIES OF LIBERIA captures democracy in action while following Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first female president of Liberia, and her largely female cabinet over the course of their turbulent first year in office.

Pitting integrity against incumbency and firm belief against soft money, director Marlo Poras’” RUN GRANNY RUN tells the story of Doris “”Granny D”” Haddock, the nation”s oldest political newcomer. At the age of 90, Haddock walked from coast-to-coast to publicize campaign finance reform. Four years later, at the age of 94, Haddock made a grassroots bid for the New Hampshire senator seat becoming a truly memorable heroine.

One-on-One with David Ansen In keeping with the spirit of SDFF 30 and the celebration of the festival”s 30th anniversary, veteran Newsweek film critic David Ansen sits down for a chat with Robert Denerstein, who retired as film critic for the Rocky Mountain News last May after a 30 year career. Among the questions to be discussed: How have festivals changed —-- and how have they in turn changed the industry and expectations of moviegoers? Ansen and Denerstein will boldly attempt not only to assay the current state of the cinema but also to speculate about what the future holds. Ample time will also be left for audience participation. This special discussion will take place on Thursday, November 15 at 7pm at the Starz FilmCenter

Crossing the Blogosphere Join panel of bloggers Matt Dentler (Indie Wire), James Israel (Jump Cuts), Karina Longworth (Spout.com), Mark Rabinowitz (The Rabbi Report) and AJ Schnack (All these wonderful things) as they address the question of whether or not blogs should be regarded in the same way as the articles and columns published by the traditional media. Given the enormity of the number of movie blogs alone, navigating the so-called “”blogosphere”” can be a baffling chore, and one that our panel of bloggers is not afraid to tackle. This innovative panel discussion will take place on Friday, November 16 at 7pm at the Starz Film Center.

Casting the American Scene: Diversity in the Entertainment Industry Today Screen Actors Guild and SAGIndie present INVISIBLE WOMEN, a provocative short documentary featuring Susan Sarandon and Christine Lahti, which highlights the issue of ageism faced by women in the entertainment industry today. An enlightened discussion on diversity in filmmaking will follow the screening. Panelists include: Susan Davis (30-year show business veteran/author) and Gregg Vigil (founder of musical theater troupe P.H.A.M.A.L.y). Panel to take place on Saturday, November 17 at 3pm at the Starz Film Center.

Bringing the War Home Against the backdrop of three festival documentaries —-- SOLDIERS OF CONSCIENCE, TAXI TO THE DARKSIDE and OPERATION FILMMAKER —-- longtime film critic Bob Denerstein hosts a hot-button panel discussion about the Iraq war as caught on film. Our panel members, consisting of the four directors involved with these films, will describe the risks they endured as they sought to uncover a semblance of truth under fire —-- as well as the deeply personal rewards they”ve reaped in capturing on film the horror of battle. This emotionally driven panel will take place on Tuesday, November 13 at 7pm at the Starz Film Center.

WORKSHOPS

Trendy Screenwriting: Effective Stylistic Techniques for Crafty Screenwriting This special 30th anniversary screenwriting workshop will furnish its students with a better understanding of the subtle tricks that screenwriters can should use to best express their ideas, convey images, locations and characters concisely, and craft unforgettable experiences for their readers. This one-day workshop with filmmaker and SDFF veteran participant, Alexandre O. Phillipe is open to all levels of screenwriters and will be held at the Starz FilmCenter on Sunday, November 18 from 10am-4pm.

Animation Station: The Green Version Budding animators are invited to show up with a creative spirit and ideas for protecting the environment. Using drawings and cut-out animation, participants will create a story about keeping our planet green. Each animator will also receive an invitation to a private screening of the finished works and a voucher for one film at the Starz FilmCenter. The schedule for the workshops, all taking place at the Tivoli Student Union on the Auraria Campus, is as follows:

Saturday, November 10 9am-1pm: Ages 6-11 1pm-4pm: Ages 12-18 Sunday, November 11 1pm-4pm: Adults

# # #

For a complete SDFF 30 schedule and a listing of Denver retail stores and restaurants where printed program schedules are available, visit denverfilm.org.

Tickets can be purchased online at denverfilm.org or in person at the Starz FilmCenter box office.

SDFF30 DETAILS All regular screenings will take place at the Denver Film Society’s permanent home, the Starz FilmCenter at the Tivoli on the Auraria Campus. Opening Night, Big Night and Closing Night events will take place at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, located in the Denver Performing Arts Complex.

For more information about the Starz Denver Film Society and the 30th SDFF, visit denverfilm.org.

TRAVEL “”GREEN”” TO SDFF30 The Starz FilmCenter is RTD-accessible. Bus routes 2, 12 and 15 all stop at the Tivoli; Light Rail lines C and E make nearby stops at Union Station, Pepsi Center/Six Flags Elitch Gardens, Invesco Field and Auraria West Campus, while lines D, F and H stop at Colfax at Auraria. Light Rail to the Ellie Caulkins Opera House: take the D, F or H lines and exit at the Convention Center/Performing Arts station. Patrons boarding the existing C line or the new E line should transfer to the D, F, or H lines at the I-25 & Broadway station. Upon exiting the train, walk to 14th Street and continue northwest toward Curtis Street to the Denver Performing Arts Center.

The Denver Film Society is a membership-based nonprofit cultural institution dedicated to cultivating community and transforming lives through film. Founded in 1978, the Denver Film Society produces film events throughout the year, including the award-winning Starz Denver Film Festival. The Denver Film Society’s home theatre and cinematic education center, the Starz FilmCenter, presents film programs daily and is Denver’s first and only year-round cinematheque, operated in partnership with the University of Colorado at Denver’s College of Arts & Media, and with support from Starz Entertainment and the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). Denver Film Society members support one-of-a-kind programs reaching more that 200,000 film lovers and film lovers-in-training each year.

SDFF 30 Premier Sponsor: Starz Entertainment, LLC, is a premium movie service provider operating in the United States. It offers 16 movie channels including the flagship Starz®® and Encore®® brands with approximately 16.1 million and 28.4 million subscribers respectively. Starz Entertainment airs more than 1,000 movies per month across its pay TV channels and offers advanced services including Starz HD, Starz On Demand and Vongo®®. Starz Entertainment (starz.com) is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation that is attributed to Liberty Capital Group.

SDFF 30 Presenting Sponsor: Sprint offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless networks serving 54 million customers at the end of the second quarter 2007; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit sprint.com.

Starz returns as the Premier Sponsor of the 30th Starz Denver Film Festival with Sprint as the Presenting Sponsor. Associate Sponsors include: AOR, Anna and John J. Sie Foundation, Barbara Bridges/Wildblue Entertainment, CEAVCO Audio Visual, Frontier Airlines, Larimer Square and OppenheimerFunds. Media Sponsors include: 5280 Magazine, Burst Marketing —-- Podcast Publishing, Crosspoint, The Denver Post, FOX 31 News, Incite, Martini on the Rockies and Milkhaus. The Festival”s Government/Foundation Partners include: City and County of Denver —-- Division of Theatres & Arenas, Colorado Council on the Arts, Colorado Film Commission, Consulate General of Canada in Denver, Los Angeles Film and TV Office —-- French Embassy, National Endowment for the Arts, Quéébec Government Office in LA and Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD).

Supporting Sponsors include: Bellco Credit Union, Bombay Sapphire, Courtyard by Marriott, Cîîroc Vodka, DHL, EXDO EVENT CENTER, Lionsgate, Lufthansa, Mike”s Camera, Mike Shaw Saab, Moëët Hennessey, POP/Luminate, Residence Inn by Marriott Denver City Center, Stella Artois, Sterling Vineyards, Three Tomatoes Catering, Tiffany & Co. and Wheeler Trigg Kennedy, LLP. Patron Sponsors include: Amusemints, BNY Mellon Wealth Management, Butler Rents, Chubb, CU-Denver Live, Grand Lodge, Holland & Hart, Hotel Monaco, Kentwood City Properties, Kodak, Komorebi, Kroenke Sports, Landmark Theatres, Photo:Laszlo/CoMedia, Meadowlark Bar, OfficeScapes, The Oxford Hotel, PayReel, Red Lion Hotel, RedShift Framing and Van Gilder.