There are many features that make film festivals special events for attendees, but one that keeps me returning every year is the opportunity to catch films on the big screen you might not be able to any other time. And providing that very experience to audiences is one of the top priorities of the 2023 Women+Film Festival.
“So many films, including a lot of independent films, just don’t have the same budgets as major studio projects. So, we’re excited to bring smaller films to local audiences so they can be seen,” said Ambriehl Turrentine, Denver Film programming manager. “This year we’re looking to connect with viewers who may not be as familiar with the film world and work we do at Denver Film.”
This year’s festival runs from April 13 through April 16 at the Sie FilmCenter, 2510 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver. The festival will screen 11 full-length movies, as well as short films, and Denver Film ensured that special events aimed at drawing in more of a crowd are included as part of the lineup.
One of the most exciting events is a marketplace, which will be held from noon to 5 p.m. on April 15 in the Sie lobby. According to provided information, shoppers will be able to peruse “gifts, artwork, crafts and novelties from local, woman-owned businesses.” There will also be live question and answer sessions with filmmakers following showings of “The Disappearance of Shere Hite” on April 15 at and “Girl Talk” on April 16.
“We’ll also have a discussion after ‘Plan C’ on Friday, which will feature the director and representatives from Planned Parenthood,” Turrentine said. “We always look for was to tap into the local film community, and this film is a great opportunity to do so.”
As far as films to get excited about, there’s also festival opener “Judy Blume Forever,” which will be shown before its streaming debut. With a film version of Blume’s immortal, “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” coming later in the month, this is a great opportunity to learn more about the wonderful author.
No matter what audiences see, Turrentine hopes people come away with something new to explore.
“I don’t want people to be intimidated by any of the films or the festival. At the end of the day, it’s another form of entertainment,” she said. “They provide the chance to connect — with a story, someone in the audience or a filmmaker.”
Full festival details and tickets can be found at www.denverfilm.org.
Take a trip to world of the beyond with Paranormal Cirque
Most of us probably have a pretty good idea of what a circus performance will look like. That’s not how Cirque Italia does things, and “Paranormal Cirque,” its latest production, proves that and then some. Described in provided information as an “innovative horror story” for a mature audience, the show aims to take audiences on a thrilling and sexy ride that combines theatre, circus and cabaret.
The show will be staged under a big top tent at the Denver Premium Outlets parking lot, 13801 Grant St. in Thornton, from April 20 through April 23. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. Sunday.
All the information and tickets van be found at http://www.paranormalcirque.com/tickets.
Samantha Bee, Your Favorite Woman, comes to Denver
Canada’s Samantha Bee is, quiet simply, one of the funniest people on the planet. It’s a total bummer her talk show, “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee,” was cancelled last year, as the world could really use her whip-smart take on the day’s events right now.
Fortunately, Bee is doing a national tour and she’ll be bringing “Your Favorite Woman” to the Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place in Denver at 7 p.m. April 15. I’m not even a little doubtful that it will be one of the year’s funniest and most thought-provoking evenings, so secure tickets by visiting https://www.ticketmaster.com.
Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Dawes at the Ogden Theatre
There’s not a lot of folk rock bands making the rounds on the music scene anymore, which is too bad. The genre was at its peak at the same time some of the century’s best music was being written. Thankfully, there are still a few laborers working in the field of this particular genre, and one of the best is Dawes. The Los Angeles based group not only excel in the kind of music pioneered by The Byrds and CSNY, but over their career they’ve added alt-rock elements, which keeps the sound from growing stale. Last year’s “Misadventures of a Doomscroller,” is their most experimental and far-ranging release to date.
Dawes will be performing at The Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver, at 8 p.m. April 19. I saw them perform at the Arvada Center last summer and can personally attest to the quality of live performance attendees are in for. Get tickets at https://www.ticketmaster.com.
Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.
