Dr. Alvy Ray Smith holding his Lifetime Achievement Award at the DiME. [Photo by Leah Mayotte] By Kristen DalyBIFF DigiComm Commando The DiMe has started out with a groundbreaking line up of new media pioneers. Dr. Alvy Ray Smith, two-time Academy Award Winner and co-founder of Pixar received the first lifetime achievement award. As he […]
PREVIEW: "Township to the Stage"
Trevor Noah, the subject of David Paul Meyer’s “Township to the Stage.” By Brad WeismannBIFF DigiComm Director Township to the StageFriday, Feb. 17, 9:45 p.m.First United Methodist Church It will be my privilege to get up and introduce this film in a few hours. The phrases “South Africa” and “comedy” don’t really seem to go […]
LAST NIGHT: Happy crowd, happier honorees
(From left) Producer and BIFF honoree Anthony Bregman, screenwriter Meg Kasdan and writer/director Lawrence Kasdan in front of the Boulder Theater on Opening Night of BFF 2012. [Photo by Randy Malone] By Beth Kovacs, BCM BIFF News and Brad Weismann, BIFFDigiComm Director The weather was cool but the jazz was hot as the Boulder InternationalFilm […]
CALL2ACTION: "Granito" 10 Activism Ideas
By Andy McLellanIn 1964, General Efraín Ríos Montt became the dictatorial leader of Guatemala. For the next 20 years, the indigenous Mayan population of the most populated country in Central America was subjected to an extended and brutal military campaign, secretly waged with the support of the United States government. Death tolls are estimated to […]
PREVIEW: "Love Free or Die"
Love Free or Die: How the Bishop of New Hampshire is Saving the WorldFriday, Feb. 17, 2:45 p.m.First United Methodist Church After this film ends, please join us and the director, Macky Alston, and Alicia Lewis of Out Boulder for a very special Call 2 Action talkback session in the Tent! Here’s a wonderful preliminary […]
PREVIEW: "Monsieur Lazhar"
By Donna Crain BIFF Workshops and Panels Coordinator and DigiComm Commando Monsieur Lazhar Friday, Feb. 17, 2:45 p.m. Boulder Theater Someone asked me what film I would recommend seeing at BIFF this year and I immediately thought of the Academy Award-nominated “Monsieur Lazhar,” which I had the opportunity to screen a few weeks ago. It’s […]
BEST BETS: Friday
“Give Up Tomorrow” Here are your best bets for Friday, Feb. 17 at BIFF 2012! 1. “Give Up Tomorrow”Friday, Feb. 17, 5 p.m.First United Methodist Church This film won the Audience and Best New Director Awards at the Tribeca Film Festival! This film is co-presented by Amnesty International. Its Director, Michael Collins, and its producer, […]
PREVIEW: "Bitter Seeds"
By Kristen Daly BIFF DigiComm Commando Bitter SeedsFriday, Feb. 17, 12:30 p.m.Boulder Theater Micha X. Peled’s documentary Bitter Seeds explores the answer to a shocking question: Why have 250,000 farmers committed suicide in India in the last 16 years? To answer this question, Peled connects with a young, aspiring journalist, Manjusha Amberwar, from the farming […]
BEHIND THE SCENES: Curtains at the Church
Story and Photos by Donna CrainWorkshops and Panels Coordinator and DigiComm Commando (Editor’s note: Until now, this amazing story has not been told. Thanks so much, Donna, for documenting it and sharing it with us!) It was at once exciting and harrowing — the perfect give-and-take of comedy and tension. There was a mishap when […]
PREVIEW: "Nicky’s Family"
Nicky’s Family Sunday, Feb. 19, 10 a.m. Boulder High School Auditorium (Editor’s note: Here’sa lovely guest piece on the engrossing documentary “Nicky’s Family,” penned byKathryn Bernheimer. Kathryn isdirector of Menorah: Arts, Culture and Education at the Boulder Jewish Community Center, as well as the JCC Program Director. From 1980-1996, Kathryn was the film criticand features […]
PREVIEW: "Granito: How to Nail a Dictator"
By Kristen Daly BIFF DigiComm Commando Granito: How to Nail A Dictator Friday, Feb. 17, 10 a.m. Boulder Theater Granito plays a bit like a procedural in, as their slogan says, how to nail a dictator. The movie starts with present-day Pamela Yates combing through film footage from her 25-year-old documentary When the Mountains Tremble, […]
FUN: A guide to BIFF parties and local happy hours
Sometimes we say that the film festival is just an excuse to throw some parties. OK, all the time. We always say that. So, if that is what you are about (and our parties are a key reason we were voted one of the 25 coolest film festivals in the world by MovieMaker Magazine), here […]
PREVIEW: "No Room for Rock Stars" late-night Saturday
No Room for Rock StarsSaturday, Feb. 18, 10 p.m.Boulder Theater This is a great film, but we had to put it on late as it’s not family-friendly, safe-for-work, homogenized, or pasteurized. If you have ever stood in a 200-degree parking lot watching your favorite band — or went on tour and broke up, and no […]
PREVIEW: "Donor Unknown"
Donor UnknownSaturday, Feb. 18, 7:15 p.m.Boulder High School Auditorium Not to be indelicate, but you really need to keep a handle on where your sperm winds up. That’s NOT the thrust of “Donor Unknown,” the feature documentary that follows the search of several half-siblings (including Fletcher from Boulder) for their sprem-donor father. In fact, this […]
Merch madness at BIFF 2012!
Cool. Classy. Comfortable. Who wants their BIFFwear for 2012? The emphasis this year is on the classy — check out these delicately shaded T-shirts! We are glad to present the work of Anvil Knitwear yet again, happy to get our logos on their fine, quality product. Aaaannd — we have ballcaps, with and without those […]
Volunteers to the rescue!
Attention BIFF volunteers! Here’s a last-minute shout-out — we would love to have some help on a few selected shifts (see below). This is your chance to dash in and save the day, just like John Wayne and the cavalry in a John Ford movie! Earn vouchers for tickets! Receive a nifty BIFF 2012 T-shirt […]
The evidence mounts: Monsanto and "Bitter Seeds"
Bitter SeedsFriday, 12:30 p.m.Boulder Theater BIFF in the news: once again, as with “Pink Ribbons, Inc.” and “The Island President,” yet another topic that has been covered in a BIFF 2012 film has hit the front pages. Check out these HuffPo links regarding Monsanto — in one case, the biotech giant has been found guilty […]
Mark your kids PRESENT for FREE FILMS at BIFF 2012!
Are your middle- and high-schoolers planning to spend thePresidents’ Day weekend hanging around the house, complaining that there’snothing to do? Well, send them down to us – we have FREE films and eventsSaturday and Sunday for students ages 13 to 18! Educational outreach is a big part of our master plan hereat BIFF. We believe […]
PREVIEW: "Wild Horse, Wild Ride"
By Kristen DalyBIFF Digital Communications Wild Horse, Wild Ride — TWO SHOWS! Saturday, Feb. 18, 2:30 p.m.Boulder High School Auditorium Sunday, Feb. 19, 5:15 p.m.Boulder High School Auditorium (Editor’s note: Not only do we have this preview write-up to share with you, but we are proud to share to following mini-documentary, made expressly for BIFF […]
BIFF NEWS FLASH: Legend PAM GRIER to attend "Jackie Brown" screening Saturday at IFS!
We are so happy to announce that acting legend PAM GRIER will be attending the Boulder International Film Festival this year, courtesy of the fine folks at the International Film Series! This special event is FREE FOR ALL CU STUDENTS! This pioneering performer, sometimes referred to as American film’s first female action hero, starred in […]
Oscar fever? Quench your thirst at BIFF
Mohamed Fellag in the title role of Philippe Falardeau’s Oscar-nominated “Monsieur Lazhar,” part of BIFF 2012. A tribute to the good taste of our BIFF programmers is the fact that so many of our past selections have wound up as Oscar nominees. This year is no different, and you can see no less than FIVE […]
Who is ‘The Island President’ and why is he in trouble?
Mohamed Nasheed — “The Island President.” There has never yet been a year where the subjects of films in the Boulder International Film Festival popped up in the news so frequently and so vividly. The latest example of this is the controversy surrounding the recently deposed president of the Republic of Maldives. This nation, spread […]
PREVIEW: BIFF Opening Night features “Big Chill”’s Kasdan
The Boulder International Film Festival’s Opening Night RedCarpet Gala is rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the most prestigious filmevents in the region’s calendar. This year is no different, as we are proud topresent, live and in person, two of the most legendary American cinema talentsof our time. Four-time Oscar nominee LAWRENCE KASDAN helped […]
The BIFF Saga: Year Four (Feb. 14 – 17, 2008)
Who dat? Festival director Robin Beeck at BIFF 2008. [Photo by Randy Malone] Year Four comes back to us in bits and pieces. There was no overriding event or personality that year. Instead, BIFF 2008 was like a firework exploding in the night – a thousand flashes of color that lit up the landscape. Here […]
DiMe Time: What this year holds at the Digital Media Symposium
Two-time Oscar nominee Don Hahn, producer of “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King,” being interviewed after DiMe 2011. Don is back for his third year, and will be our moderator for DiMe 2012. [Photo by Randy Malone] By Kristen Daly BIFF DigitalCommunications Team [Editor’s note: A lot of the joy of being part […]
Don’t forget! "Racing Dreams" Saturday at Old Town Cinema in Louisville!
Here’s another fun BIFF preview event! Check out “Racing Dreams” at the Old Town Cinema in Louisville Saturday! This award-winning documentary (Jury Prize, Best Documentary, Tribeca Film Festival) will be presented on Saturday, Feb. 4 at the Louisville Center for the Arts at 801 Grant St., in the beautiful period auditorium next to Memory Square. […]
See Sheen & Son’s latest — "The Way"
Synergy. In another amazing example of different organizations working together, BIFF is happy to announce that the Boedecker Theater at the Dairy Center for the Arts, 2950 Walnut St. in Boulder, is showing the latest directorial effort of Emilio Estevez, “The Way.” This film stars the director and his father, the latter of whom you […]
LAST CALL for BIFF 2012 volunteers! Plus, do’s and dont’s
We are still looking for volunteers! Our annual Volunteer Orientations will take place this evening (Wednesday, Feb. 1) from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to noon in the cozy confines of the Hotel Boulderado at 2115 13th St. in downtown Boulder. We welcome both first-time and returning BIFFsters. Please […]
Anger over women’s health scandal: BIFF and "Pink Ribbons, Inc."
ARE YOU INCENSED over the decision announced Tuesday by the organization Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, the group that co-opted and capitalized the iconic “pink ribbon” to support awareness and preventative treatment for breast cancer, to halt its funding of those efforts by Planned Parenthood? Here’s a link to the story — many […]
The whole shebang — here is your Offiicial BIFF 2012 starting gun!
We honor Martin Sheen live in person on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 18 at the Boulder Theater. The 8th Annual Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF), voted “one of the coolest film festivals in the world” by MovieMaker magazine, is already making headlines with a star-studded lineup of celebrity guests and today is rolling out its captivating […]
Almost there! And so it begins
Our wonderful Workshops and Panels Coordinator Donna Crain grabbed these images at our Program Release Party on Thursday. It’s the annual event at which members, sponsors and community representatives are given an exclusive sneak peek at our program for the year. This year, the event was staged in a unique and beautiful venue — that […]
SNEAK PREVIEW: Luc Besson’s "The Lady" coming to BIFF 2012!
Here’s a little tidbit for you, BIFF fans — the Boulder International Film Festival is proud to announce that it will host the Colorado premiere of Luc Besson’s new feature film, “The Lady”! This biopic of Burmese political leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi stars Michelle Yeoh (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”) […]
The BIFF Saga: Year Three (Feb. 15-18, 2007)
Robin Beeck hanging out with the Polish brothers at BIFF 2007. [Photo by Randy Malone] Our outer-space(y) subjects set the tone for Year Three — it was crazy. There were slam poets, air guitar masters, would-be astronauts, and more! We also enjoyed a visit from Boulder-born screenwriter John August (“Go,” “Big Fish,” “Charlie and the […]
The BIFF Saga: Year Two (Feb. 16-19, 2006)
Actress and BIFF 2006 attendee Maria Bello, who received the Colorado Film Society Award for Excellence in Acting. [Photo by Randy Malone] It was COLD. Colder than a [insert your favorite metaphor here]. BIFF Year Two was marked by a record-breaking cold snap (minus-14, anyone?) that posed some logistical challenges, but didn’t stop the attendees […]
Special Guest announcement: animator Bill Plympton!
The Boulder International Film Festival is pleased to announce its first featured film and special guests for 2012! The film is the documentary “Adventures in Plymptoons!,” and we will welcome its director, Alexia Anastasio, and its subject – one of America’s greatest living animators, Bill Plympton. Bill Plympton’s instantly recognizable style, absurd wit and storytelling […]
Our first Sponsor Spotlight video is here!
BIFF Sponsor Spotlight Interview with Sacha Millstone 2nd cut from Indie Media: The New Journalism on Vimeo. The Boulder International Film Festival is proud to present the first in its new series of Sponsor Spotlight videos this year! This tool helps us to underline the efforts and interests of many of our long-time sponsors, giving […]
The BIFF Saga: Year One (Feb. 17-20, 2005)
Curtis Hannum as God in his and Paul Hannum’s “The Real Old Testament,” winner of BIFF’s first Best Feature Film award. UPDATE: Jan. 10 — Got a nice note, posted at bottom, from Richard Roll, who directed BIFF’s 2005 Best Short Film winner, “Down Dog.” We’re happy to post it here! down dog from rich […]
Five million minutes to BIFF 2012!
Get ready. We are dreaming and scheming, planning, chatting . . . dealing with logistics, statistics, plans, scans, and Dans. BIFF 2012 is on its way!
Ave et vale: ’til BIFF 2012!
Welcome to Boulder: These guys drummed merrily next to our Call 2 Action tent all day Saturday. We kind of liked it! Plus, they set out a lot of instruments for kids to play on as well. Well, I think we’ve gathered all the data we can for this year. Thanks to all our field […]
Animation Station at BIFF 2011: We get results!
Check this out, peeps — the Animation Station workshop held at BIFF 2011 wasn’t just a theoretical exercise. The participants made something concrete and watchable — check out the results here! (Thanks to Workshops and Panels Coordinator Kathy De Bay for the photo and the footage!)
BIFF Photo Gallery Eight — Bonnie Chaim
James Franco talks to Festival Director Kathy Beeck on arrival. Long-time BIFF attendee Bonnie Chaim was there for most of the weekend with her camera as well — in addition to providing us with the best shots of Oliver Stone in action, she produced a nice spread of exposures. Here are some! Thanks, Bonnie! Franco […]
BIFF Photo Galley Seven — Randy Malone
Aron Ralston (left), whose experience was adapted into the Oscar-nominated “127 Hours,” gives the Vanguard Award to honoree James Franco, who plays him in the film. Randy Malone has been BIFF’s go-to guy for complete photographic coverage of the festival since its very beginnings. Here’s a look at just some of the magnificent images he […]
Stone speaks: the BIFF interview
By Brad Weismann Social Media Director Boulder International Film Festival Photos by Bonnie Chaim “I’m too young for this,” quipped Oliver Stone as he accepted the Master of Cinema Award from the Boulder International Film Festival on Sunday night, Feb. 20 – Closing Night at the Festival. The big-framed, genial filmmaker joined the throngs at […]
Best BIFF video ever!
All right now, check THIS out — our field reporter Kim Haney is a videographer and editor par excellence. In just one minute and 52 seconds, she captures the essence of the Boulder International Film Festival, 2011. Nice job!
BIFF Photo Gallery Six — Jen McGowan
Jen McGowan poses with Pearl Street Mall regular Bruiser, the World’s Biggest Dog (we think Bob Aiken is around there somewhere.) Director Jen McGowan, who visited the Boulder International Film Festival and took home the award for Best New Filmmaker for her short narrative, “Touch,” was kind enough to share her photos from the weekend […]
BIFF Exclusive: Post-Awards Interview with Oliver Stone
Oliver Stone on the red carpet at the Boulder International Film Festival, where he received the Master of Cinema award, on Sunday Feb. 20, 2011. [Photo by Katelyn Hauge-Aldridge] By Kaity Hauge-Aldridge Boulder International Film Festival Field Reporter After the commotion of the Closing Night ceremony at the Boulder International Film Festival on Sunday night, […]
BIFF Photo Gallery Five — Workshops and Panels
Here are a selection of photos of our 2011 workshops and panels! These were taken by our new Workshops & Panels Coordinator, Kathy De Bay. She did a great job, by the way — these were the most extensive and best-attended in BIFF history! FIRST THREE PHOTOS: From the “Make Your Own Short Film” workshop, […]
BIFF Photos, Gallery Three — Sunday
All the photos in this gallery were taken by Katelyn Hauge-Aldridge: U.S. Representative John Lewis (left) speaks with BIFF’s Ron Bostwick on Sunday afternoon at the Boulder Theater, in conjunction with a screening of Stanley Nelson’s “Freedom Riders,” which took the first-ever BIFF People’s Choice Award. Director Jim Bigham accepts the award from the Boulder […]
2011 BOULDER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL — AWARDS
Director Jim Bigham accepts the award from the Boulder International Film Festival for Best Call 2 Action Film on Sunday night in the Boulder Theater. [Photo by Katelyn Hauge-Aldridge] These awards were presented by festival directors Kathy and Robin Beeck on Sunday, February 20, 2011 in the Boulder Theater. Vanguard Award winner (presented Saturday) – […]
History in person: John Lewis and “Freedom Riders”
U.S. Representative John Lewis (left) speaks with BIFF’s Ron Bostwick on Sunday afternoon at the Boulder Theater, in conjunction with a screening of Stanley Nelson’s “Freedom Riders,” which took the first-ever BIFF People’s Choice Award. [Photo by Katelyn Hauge-Aldridge] One of the highlights of BIFF 2011 was “Freedom Riders,” the feature documentary about the battle […]
From the field: BIFF talks to the filmmakers
Katelyn Hauge-Aldridge talked to many folks yesterday at BIFF — here are just a few of her interviews! Tomas Sem Lokke-Sorensen [Photo by Katelyn Hauge-Aldridge] At the VIP dinner at Ted’s Montana Grill on Saturday, we caught up with Norwegian filmmaker Tomas Sem Lokke-Sorensen. The Boulder International Film festival is one of Lokke-Sorensen’s many stops […]
BIFF reporters, Gallery Two — Katelyn Hauge-Aldridge
James Franco flashes a smile on the way into the Boulder Theater for his tribute Saturday night. Here are some more wonderful shots of BIFF in progress, taken Saturday in and around or venues, these taken by the promising young talent Katelyn Hague-Aldridge. At the BIFF Filmmakers Panel (left to right) Directors Vadim Jendreyko (“The […]
BIFF field reporters on the job! Gallery One — Zak Wood
James Franco gestures during his interview with BIFF’s Ron Bostwick Saturday night at the Boulder Theater. Wow! For the first time ever, our own Boulder International Film Festival field reporters took to the field and captured a vast array of images and information. This will give you a strong and true sense of what the […]
BIFF Friday photo gallery
Hey! How’s it going? Here are a few shots from yesterday, taken by the world’s worst photographer, Brad Weismann. (He’s doing his best, folks . . .) Panelists discuss the future of the entertainment industry at the Digital Media Symposium on Friday. A large crowd enjoyed the Digital Media Symposium at the St. Julien Hotel […]
Spotlight on: “Punching the Clown”
Henry Phillips stands, and strums, at the center of “Punching the Clown.” So this comedian has a girlfriend. She’s beautiful, she’s funny, she’s smart, she has a great job. She’s a wonderful cook, she makes love like nobody’s business. One morning she wakes up, and finds the comedian packing his suitcase. He throws his keys […]
Spotlight on: “These Amazing Shadows”
Tim Roth joins several other film luminaries in praising the work of the National Film Registry in “These Amazing Shadows.” 85 percent of all movies from the silent era are lost forever. Half of all sound films made before 1950 have vanished. The most amazing thing about the films we treasure so much are that […]
BIFF presents the People’s Choice Award
For the first time, this year the Boulder International Film Festival has instituted the People’s Choice Award. This gives you the chance to vote in your favorite film of the Festival for one of our exclusive Vielehr statuettes! Here’s how it works: you will be given a slip of paper marked with the name of […]
New to BIFF – Anvil Knitwear presents Shirt Scan!
Shirts that have something to say. Really. The Boulder International Film Festival is proud to partner with Anvil Knitwear, the official T-shirt sponsor of the festival, to create an entirely new intersection of style, technology and information. They call it a dynamic content delivery system! We call it coolness itself. Here’s how it works: BIFF […]
Film festival 101: a guide to BIFF and Boulder
OK, you’ve got your tickets ordered. Your tux is pressed. You’re ready to be amazed. You’re going to all four days of the Boulder International Film Festival. You’re going to see everyone and do everything. Without the aid of illegal drugs. How? Here is our grab bag of tips, tricks and references for first-timers, culled […]
A note of thanks from our BIFF volunteers!
Dear Friends, Thank you so much for your support of the Boulder International Film Festival. Without your help, these amazing films that help educate, integrate and inspire our local community would not be seen. The festival is this weekend, February 17 – 20 – what does your film “dance card” look like?One of BIFF’s most […]