BIFF REPORT: That's a Wrap!

Festival founders Robin (l) and Kathy Beeck aplaud the crowd on Closing Night. [Photo by/courtesy Peter Wayne Photography]

We were going to rewrite the obligatory end-of-festival press release -- but it's so well-written and concise, we're just going to run it! What follows is a succinct summary of the high points of this year's festival. We hope you enjoyed it! In fact, we would love your input, positive or negative, so that we can fix what could work better and keep up our winning ways. Find it on our home page at www.biff1.com!

From Feb. 14-17, Boulder, Colo., was abuzz with film enthusiasts and filmmakers for the ninth annual Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF), which attracted 21,249 people—a 10 percent increase in attendance over last year. The four-day festival featured 47 films and a variety of special events, including an intimate conversation with Peter Fonda, filmmaker panels, parties and the fourth annual Digital Media Symposium that focused on the future of the art and business of digital entertainment. Award-winning films, celebrity guests and increased attendance continue to establish BIFF as one of the premier international film festivals—a major attraction that will continue to engage the community and fuel the local economy in 2014 as the festival celebrates its 10^th year anniversary.

Eleven events sold out during the 2013 festival, including the Opening Night Red Carpet Gala and screening of “Muscle Shoals,” directed by Boulder-based Greg “Freddy” Camalier, as well as Saturday night’s screening of “On the Road.” Other sold out programs included “Lore,” “The Summit,” “The Painting,” “Beware of Mr. Baker,” “My Father and the Man in Black” and the first and second showings of shorts programs one and two. 

"The 2013 Festival was a huge success with another record-setting audience turn out,” said Robin Beeck, BIFF’s executive director. “The combination of filmmakers from around the world, film lovers, sponsors and volunteers made the festival so successful, and we are happy to have brought an excellent slate of films to Boulder for attendees to enjoy.”

Festival Highlights:

·         BIFF’s sold out Opening Night Red Carpet Gala included TWO great parties—at the Boulderado and Rembrandt Yard—with food, drinks and local actors dressed as movie character legends such as Dorothy, the Lion and the Tin Man from “Wizard of Oz,” Willy Wonka, Charlie Chaplin, Jessica Rabbit, and more to entertain. Partygoers then paraded to the Boulder Theater for a screening of “Muscle Shoals,” a film about a quiet town in Alabama where legendary musicians came together to make music that would last for a lifetime. Following the screening, director Greg “Freddy” Camalier was joined by several members of his production team for an audience Q-and-A moderated by Ron Bostwick, BIFF’s executive producer of special events.

·         Audience members filled the Boulder Theater Sunday, Feb. 17, for BIFF’s “An Evening with Peter Fonda.” The evening featured a presentation of the Pinnacle Award to Fonda, followed by a film retrospective of the legendary two-time Oscar-nominated actor’s work, and an entertaining Q-and-A with Fonda, Bostwick and members of the audience.  Fonda delighted the audience with stories about his wealth of film experiences.

Beep! Beep! Filmmaker Liaison Coordinator Lisa Bell gets the celebrities where they need to be. [Photo by/courtesy Randy Malone/www.photomalone.com]

·         BIFF created two new pavilions just for students. CU@BIFF was held all day Saturday at Shine Restaurant where CU students enjoyed a full day of films, alumni panels and discussions. The BIFF Youth Pavilion was held Friday-Sunday at the Boulder Library for students age 10-18 with free films, workshops and panels.   

·         Unique to BIFF and popular with Boulder’s activist community, the Call 2 Action program included nine powerful films throughout the weekend that inspired film goers to participate in conversations prompted by film topics, translating the energy and passion that film evokes into action. The films were paired with local “partners” who gave filmgoers 5 Actions they can take to make a difference. These actions are listed on the BIFF web site at www.biff1.com/community/call-2-action-new/.   

·         The fourth annual Digital Media Symposium (DiMe) showcased local and national leaders of the new media community with keynote presentations by Microsoft software architect, designer and futurist Blaise Agüera y Arcas, and documentary film director and photographer Louis Psihoyos of the Academy Award-winning film “The Cove.”

Annually, BIFF honors top filmmakers featured in the Festival with a variety of awards. The 2013 Boulder International Film Festival award winners include:

·         Grand Prize: “Muscle Shoals,” Greg “Freddy” Camalier

·         People’s Choice Award: “Rising from the Ashes,” TC Johnstone

·         Best Adventure Film: “The Summit,” Nick Ryan

·         Best Feature Film: “Biancanieves,” Pablo Berger

·         Best Documentary: “Little World,” Marcel Barrena

·         Best Call 2 Action Film: “The Last Ocean,” Peter Young

·         Best Documentary Short: “Open Heart,” Kief Davidson

·         Best Short Film: “Asad,” Brian Buckley

About BIFF

The Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) is presented by the Colorado Film Society, a nonprofit organization founded by local filmmakers Kathy and Robin Beeck. The Beeck sisters created the festival in 2004 and have since hosted over 250 filmmakers from around the world. Celebrating the art and spirit of cinema, BIFF features entertaining and inspiring films, filmmaker panels, workshops, parties and red-carpet galas. The festival also features DiMe, an innovative Digital Media Symposium that stimulates and inspires the creative media landscape in Colorado through a panel of local and national leaders in animation, HD filmmaking, media convergence, game development, music and business. More information can be found at www.biff1.com.