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Boulder International Film Festival announces 20th anniversary lineup

BIFF’s lineup this year includes 50 attending filmmakers, four world premieres, five U.S. premieres, and 18 films made by Colorado filmmakers
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20240212-biff-crowd-outside-of-boulder-theater-boulder-international-film-festival
A crowd waits outside the Boulder Theatre during the Boulder International Film Festival Photo courtesy of Boulder International Film Festival

NEWS RELEASE
BOULDER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
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Today the Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) announces the full film program and schedule for the February 29 to March 3 festival in downtown Boulder, Colorado, including 74 films from 25 countries, two special community events, and the return of many festival favorites. 

BIFF’s lineup this year includes 50 attending filmmakers, four world premieres, five U.S. premieres, and 18 films made by Colorado filmmakers. The full program is here. Select films in the 2024 BIFF program will be available to watch on the “BIFF at Home!” virtual platform from March 4 to 17.

This year’s ticketed programs, in chronological order, include:

CineCHEF returns on Thursday, February 29, with a friendly competition between eight Colorado chefs who will create dishes inspired by their favorite classic films. CineCHEF includes live music, drinks, and dessert. A line-up of participating chefs and additional details are at biff1.com/cinechef.

Opening Night Red Carpet Gala and Film — Opening night is Friday, March 1, and begins with two parties, one at the Hotel Boulderado and another at Rembrandt Yard, both from 5 to 7 p.m. and featuring live music, food, and drinks. At 7 p.m. The 5280 Brass Band will lead attendees “second line” style from the parties to the Boulder Theater for the 7:30 p.m. screening of Ezra, directed by Tony Goldwyn and starring Robert De Niro, Bobby Cannavale, and Rose Bryne, about a father’s love and the cross-country odyssey he and his son undertake. Tickets for opening night are $95 per person and available at biff1.com/opening-night.

Live Podcast with Scott Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter — For the third year, The Hollywood Reporter’s awards columnist Scott Feinberg will record a special live episode of his popular Awards Chatter podcast. The recording will take place on Saturday, March 2, at 5:30 p.m. and feature an hour-long career-retrospective interview with a Hollywood A-lister; this year’s celebrity guest will be announced soon in a separate release and at biff1.com.

Wildcat Screening and Award Presentation with Laura Linney — Wildcat, directed by Ethan Hawke and starring Maya Hawke and Laura Linney, will be featured on Saturday, March 2, at 7:30 p.m at the Boulder Theater. After the screening, Laura Linney will be presented with the Boulder International Film Festival’s Vanguard Award. Tickets are $35 and on sale here. 

Closing Night and Awards Ceremony — Closing night at BIFF takes place on Sunday, March 3, with a screening of The Cowboy and the Queen, a feature-length documentary about an innovative horse trainer’s extraordinary friendship with Queen Elizabeth II. The film’s subject, Monty Roberts, and director, Andrea Nivens, will be in attendance and participate in a Q&A after the screening. Tickets to closing night are $28 and are available here. 

In honor of the festival’s 20th anniversary, and as a thank you to the community, BIFF will host a Free Community Day on Saturday, March 2, at eTown Hall, with free screenings of five favorite films from BIFF’s first 20 years. More information here. BIFF will also pass out free birthday cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes on the Pearl Street Mall on Saturday, March 2.

Other highlights of BIFF’s 20th anniversary include:

  • The Adventure Film Pavilion, featuring the world’s greatest new adventure films, with shorts, features, and discussions with adventure filmmakers and world-class adventurers, including a film featuring acclaimed rock climber Alex Honnold
  • The BIFF Singer/Songwriter Showcase, free live music performances by Boulder musicians at the Velvet Elk Lounge on Thursday, February 29, and Saturday, March 2
  • The Colorado premiere of Porcelain War, directed by Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev and produced by award-winning Colorado filmmakers Paula DuPré Pesmen and Olivia Ahnemann. Porcelain War won the 2024 U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at Sundance and follows the lives of artists in Ukraine.
  • The Colorado premiere of One Life, starring Anthony Hopkins. One Life tells the incredible, emotional true story of Nicholas “Nicky” Winton, who, in a race against time, convinces the British Committee for Refugees to rescue hundreds of predominantly Jewish children before Nazi occupation closes the borders.
  • The Colorado Premiere of Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net, from award-winning filmmaker Dawn Porter, about the highs and lows of one of the world’s most famous live shows. With unprecedented access, this film charts how a small team of world-class artists, athletes, and crew face loss and uncertainty as they attempt to bring the spectacular “O” show back to life after Covid.
  • The BIFF Teen Short Film Competition, for filmmakers between the ages of 12 and 19, plus free film screenings and a workshop for youth

A limited number of BIFF festival passes and ticket packs are available, and tickets to individual screenings are on sale today. Passes and tickets may be purchased at biff1.com.

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