Learn more about all of our film sections at the Denver Film Festival below.

Gala Presentations

Hold onto your seats, you can’t miss these screenings! Here, you’ll find our Opening Night, Closing Night, and Centerpiece Presentations, and award honoree screenings, featuring festival honorees and guests.

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Special Presentations

A selection of the buzziest titles, festival favorites and award contenders of the year! These popular titles only play once.

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In Competition

Films at the Denver Film Festival represent the pinnacle of global storytelling, featuring standout entries vying for prestigious awards, including the Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary, the American Independent Award, and the Krzysztof Kieślowski Award for Best Narrative Feature. These selections showcase innovative voices and exceptional craft, competing for top recognition from our juries and audiences.

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Spotlight Narrative

At the heart of the Denver Film Festival is our Spotlight Narrative section, showcasing every narrative film in the program, regardless of genre. This section is your go-to for discovering a diverse lineup of new and buzzworthy films from acclaimed directors and rising stars alike, offering a platform for storytelling that captivates and inspires.

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Spotlight Documentary

The destination for non-fiction lovers, capturing real-life stories that challenge, inspire, and are thought-provoking. This section features a diverse range of powerful documentaries from renowned filmmakers and fresh voices, offering an in-depth look at compelling subjects and perspectives from around the world

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Colorado Spotlight

Highlighting the best of our local filmmaking talent, featuring narrative, documentary, and short films that showcase the creativity and diverse stories emerging from Colorado. This section celebrates the unique voices and perspectives of Colorado-based filmmakers, offering a platform for homegrown talent to shine on the festival stage.

Click to see Colorado Spotlight films.

Late Night Showcase

After dark, the Denver Film Festival gets wild, weird, and wonderfully experimental. Featuring bold, genre-heavy films that push boundaries, this after-dark section is for thrill-seekers and night owls craving something daringly different. From horror and sci-fi to surreal and avant-garde, these late-night screenings are designed to surprise, shock, and entertain.

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Retrospective

A curated selection of iconic films that have shaped the landscape of cinema. This section pays tribute to legendary filmmakers, timeless classics, and influential works that continue to inspire. Whether revisiting a masterpiece or discovering it for the first time, these films provide a cinematic journey through the rich history of film.

Click to see Retrospective films.