Party time, BIFF style

Denver chanteuse Lannie Garrett entertains the crowd at the Opening Night festivities of BIFF 2010.

Movies? What movies?

Some people just come for our parties. And why not? Part of our ultra-cool reputation rests on the strength of the zany shindigs we’ve thrown over the years. Our friends, partners, sponsors, hosts, filmmakers, and fans get together and have fun in any number of remarkable ways (and nobody’s even wound up in jail yet, knock wood).

Here’s a handy guide to all our social events this year. Four days, eight parties. Not too shabby, eh? Of course, films are shown at some of them. And we want you to pay attention to THEM. This is a film festival, after all. Right?

1. Opening Night Red Carpet Gala

When: Thursday, Feb. 17, 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Where: Boulder Theater, 2032 14^th St.

Cost: $45 (FREE for passholders)

Music, 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Film at 8 p.m.

Come walk the red carpet and help kick off this year’s festival while you take a trip back to the ’70s with our Opening Night Film, the music documentary “Troubadours.” Here's a writeup on that film, along with the trailer, from the Wall Street Journal --

Enjoy delicious appetizers from Jax Fish House, Centro Latin Kitchen & Refreshment Palace, Happy, Zolo Southwestern Grill and The West End Tavern, courtesy of Big Red F Restaurant Group, one of our hottest new sponsors. The evening also features wine by Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Seth Ellis Chocolatier returns to tantalize your taste buds with a variety of mouthwatering chocolates. And Boulder’s award-winning a cappella group Cool Shooz will keep you entertained. Glam it up! Black tie optional.

2. Digital Media Symposium reception

When: 5 to 6 p.m. (panels begin at 1 p.m.)

Where: St. Julien Hotel & Spa, 900 Walnut St.

Cost: $50 in advance/$65 door/$40 in advance/$65 for students gets into both DiMe panels and the reception as well!

Panelists, guests and BIFF staff will mingle and network in the wake of this exciting event. There will be hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar and live digital music from Colin Bricker.

3. Public Filmmaker Party

When: 7 to 9 p.m.

Where: Lazy Dog Lounge, 1346 Pearl St.

Cost: $18 in advance/$20 door (FREE for passholders)

Rub egos with filmmakers and film lovers alike, and meet the provocative artists behind the films. Enjoy the Lazy Dog’s tasty appetizers and perfectly balanced, hand-crafted beers, along with memorable and unique wines from Francis Ford Coppola Winery.

"Old School": OK, you may not end up streaking with Will Farrell.

4. AND 6. Keen Footwear Happy Hours

When: Friday, Feb. 18 and Saturday, Feb. 19, 4 to 6 p.m.

Where: Lazy Dog Lounge, 1346 Pearl St.

Cost: FREE drinks and appetizers with your BIFF ticket stub or pass.

Keen Footwear wants to buy you a drink! Come check out their latest styles in active footwear. Enjoy a pint, some Francis Ford Coppola wines and delicious appetizers from the Lazy Dog Lounge.

5. VIP Filmmaker Reception

When: Saturday, Feb. 19, 4 to 6 p.m.

Where: Ted’s Montana Grill, 1701 Pearl St.

PASSHOLDERS ONLY

Lights, camera, action! Ted’s Montana Grill is ready to make its debut appearance at BIFF. Fresh, hand-prepared appetizers and delicious beverages, including wines from the Francis Ford Coppola Winery, will be served. At Ted’s, authentic is something you’ll experience, but it’s also something you’ll taste. Bring your pass and stop by early as space is limited.

Griffith's "Intolerance": we tend to Babylon.

7. Later with Luna Bar and Lunafest/Celebrate Women in Film

When: 7 to 9 p.m.

Where: Ten20 Spa, 2005 Pearl St.

Cost: Free with BIFF ticket stub or Pass

Meet BIFF and LUNA FEST filmmakers Jisoo Kim (“Thembi’s Diary”) and Jen McGowen (“Touch”). Enjoy wine and desserts, plus free polish changes and brow waxing (on a first-come, first-served basis).

8. Closing Night with Oliver Stone/Tribute and Awards Ceremony

When: Sunday, Feb. 20, 7 to 10:30 p.m.

Where: Boulder Theater, 2032 14^th St.

Cost: $60 (FREE for passholders)

The evening begins with a reception featuring great music by roots rock trio Something Underground, tasty appetizers from Whole Foods Market, desserts by The Cheesecake Factory, tea by Bhakti Chai, French press coffee from OZO and specially priced wines from Francis Ford Coppola Winery.

At 8:30 p.m., the Best of the Fest will be honored with their Vielehr sculptures at the BIFF Awards Ceremony. Immediately afterward, BIFF will be honored to present Oliver Stone with our “Master of Cinema” award for his decades-long achievements in writing, directing and producing.

The tribute will include a special film retrospective of Stone’s powerful and thought-provoking work followed by a presentation of the award, an interview by BIFF Executive Producer of Special Events, Ron Bostwick, and an audience Q&A session.

And remember: the ONLY WAY to get in to each and every one of these functions, except the DiMe reception, is to purchase a BIFF VIP pass (only $345; available at the Boulder Theater box office or on line at http://www.biff1.com/). Or grab a tray and make like a waiter.

"Animal House": we may all end up on double secret probation.

Call 2 Action: What is it?

Boulder, Colorado has a reputation. Actually, several. Its beauty is world-renowned. Its populace is exceptionally educated. The dedication of those in the area to the outdoors – adventure, fitness, and year-round sports activities – is noted.

And, true, we are a little granola-y. That People’s-Republic-of-Boulder hippie-era devotion to social consciousness and action has, thankfully, not waned among our citizens. You can find people pursuing all kinds of causes in Boulder – from improving childhood literacy in our community to acting to eliminate injustices in the United States, and even bundling supplies and raising funds to send to the needy worldwide.

Maybe that’s why we at the Boulder International Film Festival came up with Call 2 Action. You see, we believe that film has the unique and creative ability to educate, integrate and involve the entire community to teach us about our world. Visiting filmmakers at BIFF discuss not only the art of filmmaking, but also the often explosive social and international issues their films present, and offer audiences a way to be entertained, to learn and to be inspired into action.

The topic: Tibet. The film: "When the Dragon Swallowed the Sun," Thursday, 2/17 at 4 p.m. at the FUMC. (Photo by Robert Muratore)

However, what we DON’T want is to show you a film, hit you up for a donation on your way out, and have you forget about the issue by the time you’ve gotten home. Call 2 Action is a program that offers concrete ways for filmgoers to translate the energy and passion that film evokes into action. A film is a springboard, a departure point that unleashes a torrent of thought, dialogue and energy – all of which can be purposed toward healing the world, one person and act at a time.

The topic: Overpopulation. The film: "Mother," Friday, 2/18 at 10 a.m. in the Boulder Theater.

This year, 11 films have been selected as part of the Call 2 Action program. After each and every Call 2 Action film, we will provide the opportunity for discussion, interaction, ways to find out how you can help. Entities associated with the causes championed in these films will be on hand in our brand-new venue – The Tent (yes, a big tent) erected at 14^th and Pearl Streets, conveniently close to all our screening venues. We are very excited about this expanded opportunity to help people connect and make a difference!

The topic: Pollution. The film: "Waste Land," Friday, 2/18 at 2:30 p.m. in the Boulder Theater.

You can find out more information about our Call 2 Action films on our Web site, at http://www.biff1.com/call-to-action.html. Plus, we’ll be discussing these movies in future blog posts.

Our thanks to Philanthropiece, The Twisted Foundation, Mothers Acting Up and Sandy Younghans for spearheading this initiative, and never doubting the power of film to change people’s lives.

The topic: Civil rights. The film: "Freedom Riders," Sunday, 2/20 at 2:30 p.m. in the Boulder Theater.

BIFF schedule released -- 54 films slated for 7th annual festival

"For Once in My Life" is a featured documentary at BIFF 2011.

The 7th 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 action-packed program. The Festival takes place in scenic Boulder, Colo., Feb. 17-20, 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. 17 at 6:30 p.m. with an Opening Night Red Carpet Gala and screening of “Troubadours,” directed by Morgan Neville and straight to BIFF from its world premiere at Sundance. Using rare, never-before-seen archival footage of legendary performances, Troubadours tells the story of The Troubadour Club in Los Angeles, which launched the performing careers of some of the best singer-songwriters of their generation, including Carole King and James Taylor. Neville will be in attendance for a question and answer session after the screening.

James Taylor and Carole King are just two of the many singer/songwriters whose stories are told in BIFF's Opening Night film, "Troubadors."

 The Opening Night Red-Carpet Gala will kick off with Colorado-based a cappella rock and roll group Cool Shooz, as well as appetizers prepared by Big Red F Restaurant Group, luxury chocolates from Seth Ellis Chocolatier and specially priced wines by Francis Ford Coppola Winery.

 “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 Boulder community and attract film enthusiasts from across the country.”

BIFF will also feature “A Conversation with James Franco” on Saturday, Feb. 19, at 7:30pm and a Closing Night Awards Ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m., including a tribute to Oliver Stone, Oscar-winning producer, director and screenwriter. The event will also include appetizers from Whole Foods Markets, delicious desserts from the Cheesecake Factory, tea from Bhakti Chai, French-press coffee from OZO and wines from Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Cool Shooz will provide the musical entertainment for the evening.

Kristin Scott-Thomas is featured in "Sarah's Key" at BIFF on Saturday, Feb. 19.

Film highlights from the festival include:

“Freedom Riders”

With special guest Congressman John Lewis and introduced by Senator Mark Udall and Congressman Jared Polis, this film is part of BIFF’s Call 2 Action, a program that offers concrete ways for filmgoers to translate the energy and passion that film evokes into action. The Freedom Riders endured maniacal racism, beatings, firebombs and mob violence. They managed to bring the President and the entire American public face to face with the stark, irredeemable ugliness of institutional racism in America. As an original Freedom Rider, Lewis endured mobs, beatings and arrests as he traveled on bus rides across the Deep South to fight Jim Crow laws and end segregated interstate bus travel. View Trailer

 “Mother: Caring Our Way Out of the Population Dilemma”

World premiere from Colorado filmmaker Christophe Fauchere. “Mother” breaks a 40-year taboo by bringing to light an issue that lurks silently as the root cause of our planet’s largest environmental, humanitarian and social crises—population growth. View Trailer

“An African Election”

Direct to BIFF from its North American premiere at Sundance. Director Jarreth Merz returns to Ghana, the country of his childhood, and finds himself in the middle of a highly-spirited presidential campaign between Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party and Professor John Atta Mills from the National Democratic Congress. While the NPP hopes to retain its power and continue the economic growth it began, the NDC desperately needs to win. Merz will be in attendance. View Trailer

“For Once in My Life”

Winner at seven major film festivals. Mixing wildly infectious enthusiasm with a driving backbeat, this astonishing film will grab you by the heart. The 28-person band and chorus, the Spirit of Goodwill, just plain rocks, and the fact of their individual disabilities fades away quickly behind the band's extraordinary humor, tenacity and pure, raw talent. View Trailer

"Pigeon: Impossible" is one of the many films featured in our THREE short-film programs this year.

 Other BIFF films not to be missed:

·         ·     “Nostalgia for the Light,” from Chilean filmmaker Patricio Guzmán. Chile’s Atacama Desert is the driest place on earth. For astronomers, it’s the perfect place to build large telescopes. For archaeologists, it’s the perfect place to peer into our past because the dryness prevents rotting and mummifies human bodies intact. View Trailer

·         ·     “Bag It!,” Call 2 Action film from Colorado filmmaker Suzan Beraza. On Earth, 500 billion plastic bags a year are overflowing landfills, clogging rivers and creating vast wastelands of trash. Find out what you can do about it. Right now. View Trailer

·         ·     “The Edge,” Russia’s nominee for the 2011 Academy Awards. Krai is not your normal filmic image of a 1940's Stalinist labor camp; it's a ramshackle logging town on the Trans-Siberian Railway inhabited by bawdy Russian and German prisoners of both sexes whose passions include home-brewed booze and steam locomotive racing.

·         ·     “Sarah’s Key,” a special presentation by the Weinstein Company. Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a 10-year old girl, is taken with her parents by the French police as they go door-to-door arresting Jewish families in the middle of the night. Desperate to protect her younger brother, Sarah locks him in a bedroom cupboard and promises to come back for him as soon as they are released. Sixty seven years later: Sarah’s story intertwines with that of an American journalist investigating the roundup. View Trailer

All festival tickets will go on sale today at www.biff1.com, or by calling the Boulder Theater at 303-786-7030. Individual film tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors 65 and older. All-access festival VIP passes can be purchased for $345.

Sponsors of this year’s Festival include: KBCO, Linhart PR, Comcast, St Julien Hotel and Spa, Daily Camera, Hotel Boulderado, People Productions, Flowcreative, Backpacker magazine, Big Red F Restaurant Group, Flatirons Subaru, Ted’s Montana Grill, Keen Footwear, Anvil Organics, Christie Digital, Whole Foods, First Western Trust Bank, Boedecker Theater, Coupe Studios, Bhakti Chai, Great Western Trust Bank, LUNAFEST, Lazy Dog Lounge, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, The Millstone Evans Group, 5280 Magazine, Boulder Magazine, RealD, Downtown Boulder, Inc.

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.

Sponsor (and Partner) Love

Let's face it. We couldn't do it alone.

Just as you need your big bag of hot buttered popcorn, drink and box of Jujubes in order to enjoy your favorite film, so we need the help of nearly countless folks to make our big, exciting festival happen every year.

As much as inspiration, hard work and the help of thousands of volunteers have shaped the Boulder International Film Festival, we would be in quite a state indeed if not for our sponsors and partners.

Look around -- almost all of the artistic and cultural festivals in America are supported by the kindness and capital of sponsors and partners. Non-profit organizations must rely on the wisdom of businesses which realize how important these events are for the feeding of the mental, emotional and spiritual needs of the community.

Time and time again, our sponsors and partners have come through for us. Besides financial contributions, they give us resources, time, effort, equipment, goodwill, networking and publicity. They pitch in and help out. They engage; they sit in the theater with us -- and help us pick up the empty popcorn boxes afterward. In a very real sense, they are our friends.

That's why we're proud to let you know who are and how much they care. You'll find a new sidebar here on our blog, listing them alphabetically and providing links to their websites. We encourage you to patronize them -- or at least give them a high-five if you run across them on the street. We can't thank them enough!

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!

We have some delicious links . . .

No, sorry, not like those.

No, that's not quite it either . . .

THERE we go. That's what we're talking about!

For some time, the Boulder International Film Festival has shared elements of what we call our Film Lovers' Tool Box -- links to websites we find particularly helpful to the filmgoer, whether he or she is a novice or top-notch expert.

The world of cinema is vast, and there is more content out there about it than you could possibly click through. We've tried to find and post an essential list of links that will give BIFFsters information about the regional, national and international film scenes, including reviews, history, showtimes, resources and more. You will find them to the right of our fresh posts. Enjoy!

And, as always, we can't do it without you. Please post comments with your own suggestions for valuable links we can add to our blog. Look for more linklists as the days progress -- including links to our sponsors and partners, and links to our filmmakers and films. Thank you!