FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Denver Film Media Contacts:
Ambriehl Turrentine: ambriehl@denverfilm.org
Marty Schechter: marty@schechterpr.com
DENVER – March 10, 2025 – Denver Film announced today that award-winning actress, writer and first-time director Julia Stiles will receive the 2025 Women+Film Barbara Bridges Inspiration Award from Denver Film, Friday, May 30 at Denver Botanic Gardens. Stiles, the SAG, Emmy and Golden Globe nominee, will be in person to accept the award followed by the Denver premiere screening of her directorial debut film Wish You Were Here, Phiphen Pictures’ adaptation of Renee Carlino’s best-selling book.
The event will feature an awards lunch and A Conversation with Julia Stiles at the UMB Bank Amphitheater beginning at noon (doors at 11:30 a.m.), followed by the film screening at the Sturm Family Auditorium in the Freyer-Newman Center at 1:30 p.m.
Photo Credit: Jason Crowley
Called “one of the most fearless and talented actresses in Hollywood” by the Los Angeles Times, Stiles continues to exhibit a rare sophistication in the characters she portrays. Best known for her roles in 10 Things I Hate About You and Save the Last Dance, Stiles’ decades-spanning career features unforgettable characters in films such as Mona Lisa Smile (2003), The Omen (2006), Silver Linings Playbook (2012) and Hustlers (2019). She became known to audiences worldwide with her portrayal of Nicky Parsons in the Bourne franchise (2002–2016). Outside of film, Stiles was recently seen leading the SKY drama series “Riviera” and she previously starred as Lumen Pierce on the fifth season of Dexter (2010), earning nominations for the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress for her performance.
Tickets for the awards luncheon and premiere screening go on-sale March 10 at 10 a.m. at DenverFilm.org. Individual tickets are $200 for Denver Film Premiere Circle Supporters; $250 for Denver Film members/$275 non-members. Luncheon-only tickets are also available at $225 for Denver Film members and $250 for non-members. Table and sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting amy@denverfilm.org.
Tickets for the awards luncheon and screening of Wish You Were Here, do not include access to other Women+Film program screenings at the Sie FilmCenter. The full Women+Film Festival program will be announced and individual tickets will go on sale April 29, at 10 a.m. at DenverFilm.org.
“After two decades of portraying some of our favorite characters on the big screen, we’re excited to bring the inspirational Julia Stiles to Denver to honor her body of work and commemorate her directorial debut,” said Denver Film Development Director Amy Weiner Weiss. “Women+Film celebrates women both in front of and behind the camera, and we’re thrilled to connect our local community to some of the biggest and best talents in the industry at the luncheon, which benefits and supports our Women+Film program. Julia is incredibly deserving of the prestigious Barbara Bridges Inspiration Award and emblematic of our commitment to honoring women in cinema.”
Stiles is the fifth recipient of the Women+Film Barbara Bridges Inspiration Award. Past winners include Denver’s own Academy Award-winning filmmaker Donna Dewey, producer Abigail Disney, actress, singer, dancer and EGOT winner Rita Moreno, director Gabriela Cowperthwaite, and most recently, Emmy Award-winning television, film, and theater actress and singer Hannah Waddingham.
About Denver Film
Denver Film has been transforming and entertaining the Colorado community through the power of diverse voices in film since 1978. Operating as the region’s only membership-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit film institution, Denver Film has grown into a signature cultural organization in the West, screening international and independent movies found nowhere else in the region.
Serving more than 100,000 patrons annually through 600-plus screenings that include year-round programming at Denver Film’s flagship home the Sie (pronounced SEE) FilmCenter, the annual Denver Film Festival celebration, the iconic Film on the Rocks program at Red Rocks Amphitheater, and Spotlight Festivals including CinemaQ, Women+Film, and the Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival. Spotlights highlight underrepresented communities and foster inclusivity. Denver Film works to build resilience across all of its programming and events by amplifying diverse voices, promoting equity, and fostering community connections.
For more information or to explore the full suite of Denver Film programming, events, and ticketing visit: denverfilm.org.
Presented annually by Denver Film, the Women+Film Festival, showcases films by and about women along with special events, receptions, and in-person guests, as well as an awards luncheon associated with the spotlight festival.
Sponsors of the 2025 Women+Film Awards Luncheon include:
– BOK Financial
– Ireland Stapleton
– Taloma Partners
– Butler Rents
– Denver Botanic Gardens
– Newberry Brothers
– Pearl Street Marketing
– Serendipity Catering
– Axios
– CBS Colorado
– 5280 Magazine
– Bonfils Stanton Foundation
– SCFD (Scientific & Cultural Facilities District)
