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 Festival kicked off its eighth year on Friday night. Once again, at thehistoric Boulder Theater, Bouldercelebrated its love for independent film.

Hot Club of Pearl Street entertains the crowd. [Photo by Peter Wayne]

The night started out with the musical stylings of the Hot Club ofBoulder jazz ensemble. The Big Red F Restaurant Group offered an array oftantalizing treats from local establishments as Jax Fish House and Zolo Grill,accompanied by wine from the Francis Ford Coppola Winery.

BIFF staffers line up for a bow. [Photo by Peter Wayne]

Soon the crowd was ready for the first film of the festival, “Darling Companion.” BIFF was honoredby the attendance of the film’s director, Lawrence Kasdan, and its producer,Anthony Bregman. Mr. Kasdan is known as the writer of “The Empire Strikes Back,”“The Return of the Jedi” and “Raidersof the Lost Ark” and as writer and director of the classics “Body Heat”and “The Big Chill.” Mr.Bregman is best known for producing such innovative films as “The Ice Storm,” “Thumbsucker,”“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”and “Synecdoche, New York.”

[Photo by Peter Wayne]

Mr. Bregman accepted the BIFF Award for Excellence inProducing, and he, Kasdan and Meg Kasdan, writer of “Darling Companion,” satdown with BIFF Special Event Producer and Host Ron Bostwick for a chat and a Q& A with the audience.

BIFF's Ron Bostwick, Bregman, and the Kasdans. [Photo by Randy Malone]

“When you make a movie, you have 100 people saying ‘No’before you even begin,” said Kasdan in tribute to Bregman. “But an independentproducer doesn’t care about those no’s.”

Bregman said of the audience, “You got all the jokes, youunderstood where the story was going – if we could just package you and put youin every theater in America. . . “

Bregman descried his approach to producing as “director-driven”and lauded Kasdan as his moviemaking hero since Bregman was in junior highschool. Bregman described the creation of “Darling Companion” as a labor oflove for both him and Kasdan; the performers in the film, who included DianeKeaton, Kevin Kline, Dianne Wiest, Richard Jenkins and Sam Shepard, worked forbelow their usual rates and everyone got used to shooting three to four pages aday, as opposed to a customary two.

As to the mechanics of financing an independent project, Bregmantalked bout the delicate negotiating need to bring financing and talent together.“The money wants to know what the package is, and vice versa,” he stated.

[Photo by Randy Malone]

Lawrence Kasdan described his big break, the opportunity tocomplete the script for “The Empire Strikes Back,” as follows: “George Lucassat down with me and said, ‘You know . . . .Darth Vader is Luke’s father.’ AndI said, ‘No shit!!?’ I’m in!” He went on to talk about his many projects,circling back to describe his inspiration for his career as his viewing of “Lawrenceof Arabia” when he was 13.

Bregman countered with his story of inspiration – the lastscene of “Raiders,” when the box containing the Ark was hidden away in a vast government warehousefull of similar containers.

“I realized that each of those boxes was a story, and thatthere were thousands and thousands of stories to be told – and I just had tohelp tell them.”

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, Marty Syjuco, are here with us and will talkback with moderator Shaun McGrath in the Tent after the show!



Here's the program description: "This courageous film tells the story of ablatantly unjust conviction of a 19-yearoldboy for a double homicide he didn'tcommit. The case brought in the internationalthe international human rightscommunity, which launched a grass-rootscampaign to abolish the death penalty inthe Philippines. This film looks intimatelyat the case of Paco Larrañaga, a studentaccused of murder on the provincial islandof Cebu. In personal danger through muchof the filming, the filmmakers expose aKafkaesque world populated by crookedpublic officials, cops on the take andfrenzied tabloid sensationalism. It's alsoan intimate drama focused on the nearmythicstruggle of two angry motherswho have dedicated more than a decadeto executing or saving one young man."

2. Digital Media Symposium
Friday, Feb. 17, 1 to 6 p.m.
St. Julien Hotel, 900 Walnut
dimeboulder.com

Colorado’s Third Annual Digital Media Symposium is the premier showcase of innovators and technology in Colorado’s digital entertainment industry and features national and local visionaries, both creative and technical. The DiMe is a great place to learn and forge new relationships with your peers, brands, executives, developers, content providers and technologists.

Dr. Alvy Ray Smith, 2-time Academy Award Winner and co-founder of Pixar, will deliver this year's DiMe Keynote speech. Also, Disney’s Don Hahn, Academy Award-nominated Producer of such digitally-animated films as ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘The Lion King’ and ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas,' will moderate and weave together experts in both singular presentations and panel discussions.

Throughout the afternoon, hear from and speak with industry thought-leaders in

• Film/Video
• Sports
• Music
• Marketing
• Transmedia Storytelling
• Gaming
• User-Generated Entertainment

Reception with live music, hors d’oevres and cash bar to follow.

3. SURPRISE! At the Filmmaker Lounge tonight from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., HOLDEN YOUNG will be playing!

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 to shape theconsciousness of a generation of filmmakers.

For starters, as a screenwriter,he completed the script of “The Empire Strikes Back,” then went on to write“Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Return of the Jedi.” He created some of theiconic films of the period as writer and director – “Body Heat,” “The BigChill,” “Silverado” and “The Accidental Tourist.”

On Opening Night, Thursday, Feb. 16, he brings us his latesteffort – the comedy “Darling Companion,” starring Kevin Kline, Diane Keaton,Richard Jenkins and Dianne Wiest.

Along with him will be one of the film’sproducers, the innovative and visionary Anthony Bregman, who will be given ourAward for Excellence in Producing that night.

Bregman has produced a string of groundbreaking originalfilms – Ang Lee’s “The Ice Storm,” Mike Mills’s “Thumbsucker,” and TamaraJenkins’s “The Savages,” to name a few. In particular, he has workedextensively with screenwriter Charlie Kaufman – “Human Nature,” “EternalSunshine of the Spotless Mind,” and “Synedoche, New York.”

After “Darling Companion” and the presentation of the award,these industry figures will sit down and chat with our Special Event Producer& Host Ron Bostwick – and that’s only the centerpiece of the evening! Itall begins when the doors of the Boulder Theater open at 6 p.m. (5:45 p.m. forVIP passholders). Our Opening Night Reception includes appetizers presented bythe Big Red F Restaurant Group, Chocolates by Seth Ellis Chocolatier, anddrinks including specially priced wines by the Francis Ford Coppola Winery.

Partygoerswill be serenaded by the Hot Club of Pearl Street, a swinging jazz triocomprised of guitarist Jeremy Ciampa, Greg Corcione on drums, and keyboardistRyan Tipton. Better still, they will be joined by chanteuse MargueriteJuenemann, co-founder of Rare Silk and jazz vocalist extraordinaire.

This event is FREE for all BIFF VIP passholders! Tickets areavailable right here. Put on your glad rags and come on down – we’ll be waitingfor you!

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.

“Racing Dreams” was a big hit at BIFF 2010. This year, its director Marshall Curry has a feature documentary in contention for Best Documentary at the Oscars – “If a Tree Falls . . . A Story of the Earth Liberation Front.” CURRY WILL INTRODUCE THE FILM VIA VIDEO! Oh, the magic of technology. DON’T MISS THIS EXCITING FILM! Doors open at 6 p.m. for food and drink – film starts at 7 p.m. We will be there, too, to talk, and answer questions, about BIFF 2012.

This is our last big party before we put on BIFF 2012 – we love hooking up with our faithful fans in East County. Come on down and let’s have fun! And did we say you can win tickets to BIFF's Closing Night film, award ceremony and party? We didn't? WELL YOU CAN! For tickets and information, please go to http://www.oldtowncinema.org/. SEE YOU THERE!

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 and thought-provoking program. The Festival takes place in scenic Boulder, Colo., Feb. 16-19, and will bring films, filmmakers and international fans together for a four-day celebration of the fine art of filmmaking.

The Festival kicks off Thursday, Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. with an Opening Night Red Carpet Gala and screening of "Darling Companion," courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics, directed by Lawrence Kasdan. "Darling Companion" tells the story of the bond between a woman and her dog, who she loves more than her husband. Kasdan and producer Anthony Bregman will be in attendance for a Q&A session after the screening.

Kevin Kline and Daine Keaton star in Lawrence Kasdan's new feature comedy, "Darling Companion," which opens the festival on Thursday, Feb. 16.

“BIFF continues to grow and prove itself as a respected, must-attend film festival with celebrities, screenings, and special events,” said Kathy Beeck, director of BIFF. “We’re confident that this year’s program offers some of the best films the industry has to offer and that the selection will resonate well with our community and attract film enthusiasts from across the country.”

Sit in on "A Conversation with William H. Macy" on Friday night, Feb. 17.

BIFF will also feature “A Conversation with William H. Macy” on Friday, Feb. 17, at 7:15 p.m. and the Closing Night Film and Awards Ceremony featuring the Colorado premiere of the acclaimed new film "Chasing Ice" on Sunday, Feb. 19. Special guest Martin Sheen, critically acclaimed actor, will be honored with the “Master of Cinema Award” on the afternoon of Saturday, February 18.

Film highlights from the festival include:

“Chasing Ice”

Produced in Boulder by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Jerry Aronson and Oscar-winningproducer Paula DuPré Pesmen, this breathtakingly beautiful film follows famed National Geographic photographer James Balog as he deploys revolutionary time-lapse cameras throughout the Arctic to capture a multi-year record of the world's changing glaciers.

Here's a wonderful short video from the American Geophysical Union about Balog's efforts that underlines the need to take in the information he has gathered visually -- meaning that "Chasing Ice" should be an enormous treat!



“5 Broken Cameras”
Soldiers fire into his video cameras and explode them with grenades, but it doesn’t stop Emad Burnat from documenting the courageous and chilling story of the Palestinian village of Bil’in—which famously chose nonviolent resistance against an often-brutal Israeli oppression.



“Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”
From Lasse Hallström, the director of "Chocolat" and the Simon Beaufoy, Oscar-winning screenwriter of "Slumdog Millionaire," comes this inspirational comedy of a visionary sheik with a big dream—to bring salmon fishing to the desert. Starring Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt and Kristin Scott Thomas.



The four-day festival is sponsored at the platinum level by 97.3 KBCO and Linhart PR. All-access VIP passes can be purchased for $345. All tickets for BIFF films go on sale Jan. 30, and can be purchased at www.biff1.com, or by calling (303) 786-7030. For more information, please visit www.biff1.com.

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, held on Saturday morning, Feb. 19, in the Mighty Fudge Studios at 1017 Pearl St. Boulder Digital Arts personnel were there to lead the session.

NEXT TWO PHOTOS: Six directors joined us for the the seventh annual Filmmakers Panel at the Boulder Public Library on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 19.

NEXT THREE PHOTOS: The "Animation Station" workshop, presented free and exclusively to students age 13 to 18, took place Sunday morning at the Might Fudge Studios. An animated short for YouTube created by this class should be posted soon . . . we will put it up here as well!

Oscar co-host, Best Actor nominee James Franco comes to BIFF!

James is on the right. Say, was that a Best Actor nomination or a Beast Actor nomination? Bear with us.

The 7^th Annual Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) is drumming up excitement with today’s announcement that Golden Globe-winning actor James Franco will make a special appearance in the festival’s Saturday night line-up for “A Conversation with James Franco.”

One week before he co-hosts the Academy Awards with actress Anne Hathaway and vies for his own Best Actor Oscar win for his portrayal of Aron Ralston in “127 Hours,” Franco will attend a screening of his short film "The Clerk’s Tale" and receive BIFF’s Vanguard Award on Saturday evening, Feb. 19, at the Boulder Theater.

“We are delighted that James Franco is bringing his film to our festival this year,” said Kathy Beeck, BIFF co-founder and director. “James is a man of many talents, and we’re very excited to speak with him about his work and his future endeavors in the film industry.”

Franco has written and directed a number of notable films. His most recent, “The Clerk’s Tale,” premiered at Cannes in May, and will be screened during the evening’s event. The program will also include a retrospective of Franco’s work, an interview with BIFF Executive Producer of Special Events Ron Bostwick and an audience question and answer session.

Franco’s performance in the TNT biopic “James Dean” earned him career-making reviews, as well as a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture made for Television and nominations for an Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Award. His performance in “Milk” earned an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor and he was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role in the comedy “Pineapple Express.” He is known for his starring role as Harry Osbourne in the “Spider-Man” trilogy and also recently starred in “Eat, Pray, Love” and “Date Night.”

Oscar-winning producer, director and screenwriter Oliver Stone is also scheduled to make an appearance on the closing night of the festival, Feb. 20, when he will be honored with a Master of Cinema Award.

The four-day festival, sponsored at the platinum level by 97.3 KBCO and Comcast Spotlight, will feature “A Conversation with James Franco” on Saturday, Feb. 19, 7:30 p.m. at the Boulder Theater, at 2032 14th St. Tickets for the event are $30 and are on sale now at www.biff1.com. Proceeds benefit the non-profit, year-round activities of the Colorado Film Society/BIFF.

All-access VIP passes can be purchased for $345. All tickets for BIFF films go on sale Jan. 28, and can be purchased at www.biff1.com, or by calling (303) 786-7070. For more information, please visit www.biff1.com.

The hills are alive . . . with the sounds of BIFF!

OK, not a BIFF act per se -- a still from "Air Guitar Nation," one of our favorite BIFF films ever!

The Boulder International Film Festival is not only a window onto world cinema – it’s one of the 25 coolest film festivals in the world, according to MovieMaker Magazine. One of the reasons is our hot calendar of events that surround the festival.

An integral part of that is the lineup of top-notch entertainment we present in conjunction with the festival. We are proud to announce our musical guests for BIFF 2011. They will enliven and enrich our experience (and kick butt to boot!).

On Opening Night, Thursday, Feb. 17, at the Boulder Theater, we welcome Cool Shooz, Colorado’s own six-piece award-winning “sole-ful” a cappella group brings precision harmonies and great showmanship to our festival-launching festivities.

The DiMe Symposium on Friday, Feb. 18, includes a reception after the panel discussions that make up its heart. There to provide ambient backup for the schmoozing will be Colin Bricker of Notably Fine Audio, master of shaping and editing live digital beats on his laptop computer, Bricker layers dense and intricate backdrops of sonic wallpaper.

Closing Night’s big bash at the Boulder Theater on Sunday, Feb. 20 sports the incredible sounds of Something Underground, a power trio that specializes in rich vocals, visual antics, and rock-solid, good old rock ‘n’ roll!

A spectrum of great music to augment a great festival is imminent. Bring your dancing shoes!

DiMe time – tickets on sale now!

Boulder, Colorado is on the cutting edge of the digital revolution. This fact, and the staggering implications for innovation and economic growth in the region it implies, has somehow gone overlooked by press and public alike.

Until now.

Colorado’s second annual Digital Media Symposium (DiMe), a collaboration among Colorado’s Creative Industries Division -- the Office of Film, Television and Media, the Boulder Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Boulder International Film Festival, has released its slate of nationally renowned panelists, and tickets are now on sale for the event, which takes place on Friday, Feb. 18, at http://www.dimeboulder.com/.

Says Kathy Beeck, Director of the Boulder International Film Festival, “The DiMe is a value-added for BIFF because of its connection to films and entertainment. And Boulder recently ranked number three in the nation in a survey for concentration of high-tech employment, with 22 percent of all jobs in Boulder in the tech sector. Coupled with this city’s love of entertainment, it’s a perfect fit.”

Here's a nice look at last year's DiMe from Indie Media: The New Journalism via Vimeo --

DiMe - Digital Media Convergence Symposium - Fast Video from Indie Media: The New Journalism on Vimeo.

The DiMe is Colorado’s premiere entertainment-based digital media meet-up – brainstorming, speculating and networking on a grand scale. Some of the biggest players and most ardent visionaries in the world of digital media will gather for the event. Industries represented include film, gaming, advertising and online entertainment, not to mention the tech gurus whose efforts make all the above happen today.

“The DiMe is a fantastic showcase of Colorado’s Creative Industries in the digital media arena. Colorado has unbelievable talent and opportunities in film, television, game design, and digital media,” said Marcia Morgan with the Colorado Creative Industries Office. “The DiMe will be the connecting point of the year for digital media professionals as well as anyone interested in learning more from industry visionaries about the future of 3D and digital distribution, especially as it relates to Colorado.”

This year, two dynamic panels will cover topics of moment – “Digital Distribution and Monetization,” and “The Future of 3D.” They will take place from 1 to 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18 in the confines of the beautiful St. Julien Hotel in the heart of downtown Boulder, at 900 Walnut St. Tickets are now available online at http://biff1.com/biff_tickets.html.

Here are your panelists!

Digital Distribution and Monetization

Your moderator is David Slayden, the Executive Director of Boulder Digital Works, “a project-based and accredited learning initiative focused on developing today and tomorrow’s digital leaders and entrepreneurs” based at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Participants:

Shira Lazar: Disrupt/Group -- web personality, tech expert and webisode producer of “The Partners Project”, L.A.

Ann Van Ordsel: President, The 1st Movement -- Denver-based national digital strategy ad agency

Peter Roberts: Vice President of Digital Development, Starz!Digital -- Colorado

Andrew Steele: Chief Creative Officer, Funny or Die – Emmy-winning writer for television, cable and the web, partnering with Will Ferrell, L.A.

“The Future of 3D”

Your moderator is Don Hahn, award-winning producer and director of animated and documentary films, most notably for Disney. He is the driving force behind Stone Circle Pictures, and has written several critically acclaimed books on the animation process as well.

Participants:

Joshua Greer: Co-founder and COO of RealD – Award-winning and globally utilized 3D technology company, Boulder

Kurt Hall: CEO of National Cinemedia – leading provider of cinema advertising/interaction, and alternative in-theater events, Denver

Mark Lyons: President, Idol Minds – top 3D game-design firm, Louisville

DiMe begins at 1 p.m., followed by a cash bar reception with complimentary hors d’oeuvres at 6 p.m. For more information about DiMe, please visit www.dimeboulder.com . Special thanks to our Premier Sponsor of the DiMe, RealD, the global leader in theatrical stereoscopic technology. Thanks to our other sponsors as well, including Mighty Fudge Studios, 1st Movement, Colorado Creative Industries, the Boulder Convention & Visitors Bureau and Comcast.

Advance tickets for this event are $50 each; $40 for students. As tickets are extremely limited, and go up to $65 on the day of the event, you should get on this opportunity now! Tickets are now available online at http://biff1.com/biff_tickets.html. If you want to see the future, come with us.

Rock out with BIFF in Louisville on Jan. 30!

For the first time ever, the Boulder International Film Festival is expanding its reach! Come join us for a very special preview event in nearby Louisville on Sunday, Jan. 30.

That night, Louisville welcomes BIFF 2011 with a special screening of last year's hit documentary feature, "Rock Prophecies." It's the story of Robert M. Knight, one of the first to photograph Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, and the last to capture the image of Stevie Ray Vaughan. His 40-year career spanned the central decades and resulted in nearly a quarter-million images. His lively and engaging life and groundbreaking career fill the film to overflowing with energy and wit!

The event will be held at Waterloo, 809 S. Main St. in Louisville, at 7:30 p.m. Kathy Beeck, co-director of BIFF, will be on hand to present the film and a sneak peak of this year's festival picks. Festivities include food and drink specials starting at 5:30 p.m. and drawings to win free tickets to 2011 BIFF, as well as original prints of legendary bands taken by Boulder Theater photographer Lisa Siciliano ( who will lead a Q&A after the film). Presented by Old Town Cinema in association with Arts Hub, all proceeds go to The Art Underground supporting visual and performing arts in Louisville. Tickets are $7 at the door. For more information and to reserve tickets email oldtowncinema@gmail.com.

Seating is limited, so reserve your tickets now! It's all about the FUN!

Don Hahn's back on the DiMe!

Hey, BIFFsters! Yesterday, everyone got all hot and bothered about the news that Oliver Stone is coming to visit the Boulder International Film Festival this year. But let's not forget, one of our very special friends is returning as well. DON HAHN (pictured above), award-winning producer of Disney classics such as "Beauty and the Beast" and director of the marvelous behind-the-scenes documentary "Waking Sleeping Beauty":


will be back as a panelist at the second annual Digital Media Symposium, presented by the Governor's Office of Film Television & Media, The Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau, and BIFF.

What is DiMe, anyway? It's a convergence that emphasizes creativity and new media, featuring a slate of visionary leaders in the film, media and gaming industries who will discuss the potential for collaboration as well as the evolution and applications of new technology, and how to engage in this profitable arena.

This year, the Symposium takes place once again in the confines of the beautiful St. Julien Hotel, located conveniently close to all BIFF 2011 sites. The Symposium occurs on Friday, February 18 from 1 to 6:30 p.m., with a special film presentation to follow. A reception following the panel brings the players together for
lively discussion and interaction – trading ideas, business cards and building community.

Tickets for DiMe 2011 go on sale on Jan. 19 at the Boulder Theater box office! Stay tuned for more DiMe, and more BIFF, info as the day progress . . .

BIFF opening night images

The Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) opened with a great start on Thursday nighat the Boulder Theater. Boulder Community Media (BCM) covered the event that featured the movie "Lightkeepers" directed by Dan Adams and produced by Straw Weisman. Blythe Danner, one of the actors in the movie, was on hand to watch the screening. Click on the photo to see more images from opening night. (BCM Photo: Jenna Jordan)