Denver Film Festival Announces Additional Programming Selections
The Denver Film Society’s Denver Film Festival released a second wave of programming for their upcoming 39th annual film festival. With an impressive and diverse slate, who could blame them for wanting to release the news earlier than usual? Reading through their announcement of programming made me very excited.
A few movies I caught at Telluride Film Festival are screening during next month’s event including the rapturous “La La Land” (as their opening night movie), the inspirational crowd-pleasing “The Eagle Huntress,” the fascinating documentary “California Typewriter,” and kooky German film “Toni Erdmann.”
Below are my following Top Five most anticipated programming selections from this announcement.
- DO NOT RESIST
Do Not Resist
A timely topic of racial profiling and police hostility is examined in director Craig Atkinson’s latest. The synopsis: “Visually arresting and creatively told, this acclaimed documentary examines the War on Terror’s effect on our police forces. Taking you from the protests in Ferguson to a ride along with a SWAT team, it offers an inside look at what’s being done in our name on the homeland-security front.”
- LOST IN PARIS
Lost in Paris
A sleeper in Telluride sneaks up on audiences with its delightful demeanor and will be the recipient of the Rare Pearl Award. “Replete with the intricately choreographed slapstick that has come to define the work of Belgian couple Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon, Lost in Paris is a wondrously fun and frantic comedy about two peculiar people finding love while lost in the City of Lights.” With a lot of the programming invoking a serious tone, it is refreshing a lovely movie has the potential to thrive.
- THE CINEMA TRAVELLERS
The Cinema Travellers
Beloved at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, “this tender, unflinching documentary takes you through dusty towns in India with the crews of touring cinemas, who jury-rig 35mm projectors while enticing locals into their tents with calls of “movies to touch your soul.” Their passion persists despite dwindling audiences, as technology keeps most at home watching newer movies on TV.” This should be on every cinephiles must see list during the festival.
- JACKIE
Jackie
The exquisite trailer dropped earlier this week and who wouldn’t want to see Pablo Larraín’s stunning looking drama immediately. “Jackie” is a “searing and intimate portrait of one of the most important and tragic moments in American history—as seen through the eyes of iconic First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy (Natalie Portman)—is already garnering buzz as an Oscar contender. Acclaimed Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín directs.”
- THE RED TURTLE
The Red Turtle
The latest from Studio Ghibli didn’t make its Colorado premiere in Telluride, but Denver! What’s it about besides a Turtle that is red? Well…it is described as a “magical and multilayered fable, a castaway is determined to escape a deserted tropical island—only to have his attempts barred by a red tortoise. Animator Michaël Dudok de Wit’s dialogue-free debut feature recounts the milestones in the life of a human being.”
