By John Wenzel, The Denver Post Oct 2, 2020
There are still some big details to announce — such as the red carpet premieres and opening and closing night events — but Denver Film Festival today revealed its full, virtual lineup of films for the 43rd installment, running Oct. 22-Nov. 8.
The films, which will be streamed via nonprofit producer Denver Film’s Virtual Cinema platform, include the festival’s usual mix of features, shorts, student films, music videos and episodic content.
But, unlike any other year in Denver Film Fest memory, there will be no in-person screenings of regular festival titles. That has presented headaches for programmers who are trying to secure titles that some film studios will only allow to be shown in-person.
When the red carpet and opening/closing night festivities are finally announced, we may yet see some Red Rocks drive-in screenings take their place, given the groundwork Denver Film has laid with its sold-out, socially distanced drive-in screenings as part of a retooled Film on the Rocks program this summer.
Along with the virtual lineup, DFF43 on Thursday also announced all feature juried competition films, including the Krzysztof Kieślowski Award for Best Feature Film, and Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary.
“The DFF43 program befits the complexities and opportunities presented to us in 2020 — a balance of thought-provoking, issue-driven films addressing our challenging times, along with inspirational, charming, and life-affirming fare,” said Denver Film Festival artistic director Matthew Campbell in a press statement. “Though we might not be able to convene in person this year, we hope these films connect Colorado cinema lovers in a way we’ve never before achieved.”
The virtual lineup will be viewable via denverfilm.org, or by downloading the Denver Film app for Roku TV or Apple TV.
The films in competition for big awards are listed below, while the full lineup and tickets are available at denverfilm.org. Individual tickets go on sale to Denver Film members Oct. 3 and to the general public Oct. 5, while four- and 10-pack ticket packages are on sale now.
Krzysztof Kieślowski Award for Best Feature Film
“Apples” Greece/Poland/Slovenia / Director: Christos Nikou
“Atlantis” Ukraine / Director: Valentyn Vasyanovych
“Nadia, Butterfly” Canada / Director: Pascal Plante
“Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time” Hungary / Director: Lili Horvát
“This is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection” Lesotho/South Africa/Italy / Director: Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese
“Undine” Germany/France / Director: Christian Petzold
Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary
“76 Days” USA/China / Director: Weixi Chen, Hao Wu
“Acasa, My Home” Romania/Germany / Director: Radu Ciorniciuc
“MLK/FBI” USA / Director: Sam Pollard
“The Reason I Jump” UK/USA / Director: Jerry Rothwell
“Some Kind of Heaven” USA / Director: Lance Oppenheim
“Songs of Repression” Denmark / Director: Marianne Hougen-Moraga, Estephan Wagner
American Independent Award
“The Atlantic City Story” USA / Director: Henry Butash
“Farewell Amor” USA / Director: Ekwa Msangi
“Freeland” USA / Director: Kate McLean, Mario Furloni
“Funny Face” USA / Director: Tim Sutton
“Materna” USA / Director: David Gutnik
“Shiva Baby” USA / Director: Emma Seligman Check out the 2020 Denver Film Fest’s full virtual lineup here.
