Boulder International Film Festival

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Boulder International Film Festival
Boulder International Film Festival logo.svg
Location Boulder, Colorado, United States
LanguageInternational
Website http://www.biff1.com

The Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) is held annually in March in Boulder, Colorado. BIFF features films by new and emerging filmmakers, as well as industry directors, writers, producers, and actors. There are 25,000 attendances annually.

Contents

History

The Colorado Film Society (CFS) was founded by filmmakers and sisters Kathy and Robin Beeck. The CFS became a 501C3 nonprofit organization in May of 2004. In 2005, the CFS launched the Boulder International Film Festival, implemented an educational outreach program, and partnered with many nonprofits. In the years since, with a team of 500 volunteers, the CFS initiated a Call2Action Program which has included 175 nonprofit organizations, a Senior Outreach Program, a Youth Program and Teen Short Film Competition, a Singer/Songwriter Showcase, an Adventure Pavilion, a film program at Longmont's Stewart Auditorium, and a popular CineCHEF event during the Festival.

2005

The festival's inaugural season showcased more than 50 films from around the world. Among the highlights were documentaries such as Seoul Train, Mardi Gras: Made in China and The Liberace of Baghdad, the regional premiere of Danny Boyle's Millions , an early short from Jason Reitman, and The Real Old Testament, from Curtis and Paul Hannum.

2006

Special guest artists during BIFF's coldest year to date included Maria Bello, Patrick Warburton, Eric Roberts and screenwriter Amy Fox. Director Andrew Quigley received a Special Jury Prize for his documentary Diameter of the Bomb.

2007

An eclectic mix of guests included filmmaking duo Michael and Mark Polish, screenwriter John August, the Denver Slam Poetry Team, and a contingent of air-guitar masters, the latter in conjunction with the documentary Air Guitar Nation .

2008

Among the high points of the 2008 BIFF were Helen Hunt's directorial debut, And Then She Found Me, Alex Gibney's Taxi to the Dark Side , which won the Oscar shortly thereafter; concertizing by local performers including Hazel Miller and Otis Taylor; an offsite showing of Eisenstein's classic Alexander Nevsky , accompanied by the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra playing the original score; and a sold-out closing night featuring the documentary Stranded: I've Come from a Plane That Crashed on the Mountains.

2009

Chevy Chase opened the 2009 Festival at the Boulder Theater. Chase received an Award of Excellence in Comedy which was followed by a film retrospective honoring his work. Chase additionally participated in a Q&A session hosted by BIFF executive producer Ron Bostwick.

"Not only has Mr. Chase graced so many classic comedic films and been a major influence to countless comedians, he has also been a tireless advocate for this country's environmental movement which Coloradans are so passionate about," said festival co-founder/director Kathy Beeck. "We are truly honored Chevy is able to join us for a lively start to the festival."

BIFF was voted one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals” MovieMaker Magazine. [1]

2010

Closing Night of BIFF 2010 was a tribute to Alec Baldwin, which included a film retrospective of his work followed by a question and answer session hosted by Bostwick.

Three weeks following BIFF, Baldwin co-hosted the 2010 Academy Awards ceremony with his It’s Complicated co-star Steve Martin. Baldwin stars with Tina Fey on NBC's 30 Rock , winner of the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series for the past three years. He has received three SAG Awards, two Golden Globes, the Television Critics Award, and two Emmies for Best Actor in a Comedy Series.

2011

Besides featuring visits by Oliver Stone and James Franco, BIFF 2011 was crammed with significant content. From the festive opening-night feature "Troubadors" through the vibrant madness of The Last Circus , an examination of the controversial legacy of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche in Crazy Wisdom, a look at film preservation in These Amazing Shadows, Bag It!, For Once in My Life, Armadillo, among others, BIFF truly covered the world. Most moving was a Freedom Riders post-screening conversation with Presidential Medal of Freedom Honoree Congressman John Lewis.

2012

William H. Macy and Martin Sheen were honored at the 2012 BIFF where both actors participated in a Q&A session.

Producer Anthony Bregman and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan were also honorary guests.

2013

Peter Fonda was BIFF's closing-night guest in 2013. BIFF's Singer/Songwriter Showcase really came into its own that year, and educational outreach programs such as the Youth Pavilion, CU @ BIFF (BIFF's college-level program in association with the University of Colorado), and expanded workshops and panels all attracted new crowds.

2014

Shirley MacLaine received the Career Achievement Award during her tribute at BIFF in 2014. For the first time, BIFF's fundraising FOOVIE (food and a movie) sold out and raised $15,000 for year-round BIFF programming. In addition, 2014 saw the release of an open-source Call 2 Action Toolkit that film festivals across the globe can use to easily adopt the festival's signature Call 2 Action program, joining the movement to harness the power of film for positive social change.

Nathanial Rateliff appeared at BIFF at the Boulder Theater after his film Austin to Boston.

2018

The four-day festival featured 72 films, 14 sold-out programs including a sold-out opening night screening of BORG VS. MCENROE and a sold-out Denver vs. Boulder CineCHEF, along with a variety of unique offerings including a special screening of Humor Me with Oscar-nominated actor Elliott Gould, an Augmented Reality film program, a Virtual Reality Pavilion, and a Singer/Songwriter Showcase.

Josh Walker, Rodes Rollins and Dallas Thornton performed at the 2018 BIFF Singer-Songwriter Showcase in Boulder Colorado. [2]

2019

BIFF 2019 was Feb 28-March 3. The four-day festival featured 24,200 attendances, 55 films and three celebrity red carpet events which included legendary musician David Crosby, Golden Globe-nominated actor/director Emilio Estevez, and Grammy-Award winning singer/songwriter Jakob Dylan. Independent filmmakers, award-winning films, celebrity guests and big audiences continue to establish BIFF as one of the premier international film festivals.

2020

88 films from 24 countries (with 62% made by or about women), a new Adventure Film Pavilion, an XR Experience, and delicious food at the always fun CineCHEF foodie competition. International Women’s Day fell on festival weekend, Sunday, March 8th. There were over 20,000 attendances for BIFF 2020.

Robbie Robertson was in-person on Opening Night for a Q&A after the film Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band; Academy Award-nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg made a special appearance on the red carpet with a Q&A after the screening of the film Resistance; and award-winning director Jeff Orlowski was in the house on Closing Night to talk about the critically acclaimed film The Social Dilemma. Also, notable author of "Wild" Cheryl Strayed will make an appearance at the new Adventure Film Pavilion. Plus, BIFF is lucky to welcome two Disney Animation executives at the XR Experience.

The COVID pandemic closed down the country shortly after the 2020 Festival. Because of this, BIFF started a Drive–In Theater at the Boulder Airport to help unite the community in a difficult time. The Drive In featured local musicians to give them an opportunity to perform in front of a live audience. BIFF offered free car passes for low-income families and collaborated with the City of Boulder on their free city volunteer drive-in screening. There were 16 sold-out screenings reaching approximately 4500 people.

2021

BIFF moved the festival from March to June for one year due to the Covid pandemic. Rainy weather didn’t dampen the spirits of the film enthusiasts and filmmakers who attended the 17th annual Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF), June 24-27. The four-day Festival was held at the beautiful Chautauqua Auditorium and other venues around Boulder. It featured 40 films from 10 countries, including an Outdoor Cinema, delicious food at the popular CineCHEF event, plus the inaugural BIFF at Home Virtual Cinema.

Many events sold-out including the first in-person screening of Summer of Sou directed by Ahmir ‘Questlove” Thompson, the Closing Night Film Mission: Joy – Finding Happiness in Troubled Times directed by Louie Psihoyos, and Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain directed by Morgan Neville, who received the Career Achievement Award in Documentary Filmmaking at the screening.

2022

The Boulder International Film Festival 2022 was March 3-6 and featured 18,000 attendances, 55 films, 40 filmmakers and subjects, a sold-out CineCHEF event, a free Singer/Songwriter Showcase, the BIFF at Home! virtual film program, and celebrity appearances by Oscar-nominated actor Javier Bardem and the return of Alec Baldwin to BIFF.

2023

BIFF 2023 was March 2-5 and featured 67 films, 45 filmmakers, a CineCHEF event, a free Singer/Songwriter Showcase, a virtual cinema platform, the BIFF at Home! virtual program, a celebrity appearance by Oscar-winning actor F. Murray Abraham, and nearly 20,000 attendances.

2024

The 20th anniversary of BIFF was Feb 29-March 3, 2024 and featured nearly 25,000 attendances, 74 films from 25 countries, 50 attending filmmakers, record-breaking ticket sales, a sold-out CineCHEF event, a free singer/songwriter showcase, the BIFF Adventure Pavilion, the BIFF at Home! virtual program, and celebrity appearances by award-winning actors Tony Goldwyn and Laura Linney.

In honor of the festival’s 20th anniversary, BIFF provided free virtual films pre-BIFF and hosted a Free Community Day during the Festival on Saturday, March 2, at eTown Hall, with free in person screenings of five award-winning films from BIFF’s first 20 years.

Festival Winners

BIFF 2022

CategoryWinner
Outstanding Performer of the YearActor Javier Bardem
Best Feature FilmMediterraneo: The Law of the Sea
Best Feature DocumentaryBernstein’s Wall
Best Music DocumentaryStay Prayed Up
Best Adventure Feature FilmExposure
Best Adventure Short FilmLearning to Drown
Best Short FilmOn My Mind
Best Animated Short FilmYellowstone 88–Song of Fire
Best Documentary Short Film1-2-3 The Len Barry Story
BIFF Impact AwardRefuge
Peoples Choice Award - Short FilmBreaking Trail
Peoples Choice Award - Feature Length FilmThis is [Not] Who We Are
CinneChefLinda Hamsten Fox, The Bindery


BIFF 2021

CategoryWinner
Career Achievement Award in Documentary FilmmakingMorgan Neville
Best Short DocumentaryWelcome Strangers
Best Short FilmThe Present
ImpactUS Kids
Best Adventure FilmGodspeed, Los Polacos!
Best Music FilmSummer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Best DocumentaryTom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free
Best Feature FilmAsia
Peoples Choice Award - Short FilmThe Incredible Lamont
Peoples Choice Award - Feature Length FilmGodspeed, Los Polacos!
BIFF Service AwardJim Palmer


BIFF 2020

CategoryWinner
Best CinechefBecca Henry Executive Chef, ChoLon Modern Asian – Stapleton
Best Short DocumentaryLIV
Best Short FilmNefta Football Club
Best Animated Short FilmThe Bird and the Whale
Best Adventure Short8000+
Best Social Impact FilmThe Social Dilemma
Best DocumentaryI Am Not Alone
Best Feature FilmThe Personal History of David Copperfield
Peoples Choice Award - Short FilmLIV
Peoples Choice Award - Feature Length FilmI Am Not Alone
GRAND JURY PRIZE BEST SHORT FILM $3,000Nefta Football Club
GRAND JURY PRIZE FEATURE LENGTH FILM $10,000Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band


BIFF 2019

CategoryWinner
Best CinechefLinda Hampsten Fox from The Bindery
Best Cinechef CityDenver
Best Short DocumentaryLittle Fiel
Best Short FilmFauve
Best Animated Short FilmHybrids
Best Call2Action FilmThe Weight of Water
Best Music DocumentaryDavid Crosby: Remember My Name
Best DocumentaryBiggest Little Farm
Best Feature FilmStyx
Peoples Choice Award - Short FilmThe Encirclement
Peoples Choice Award - Feature Length FilmSkid Row Marathon
GRAND JURY PRIZE BEST SHORT FILM $3,000Little Fiel
GRAND JURY PRIZE FEATURE LENGTH FILM $10,000Biggest Little Farm


BIFF 2018

CategoryWinner
Best Cinechef24 Carrot Bistro
Best DocumentaryBecoming Who I Was
Best Feature FilmThe Insult
Best Animated Short FilmGarden Party
Best Call2Action FilmThe Devil We Know
Best Music Documentary40 Years in the Making: The Magic Music Movie
Best Live Action Short FilmThe Peculiar Abilities of Mr. Mahler
Peoples Choice Award - Short FilmWatu Wote (All of Us)
Peoples Choice Award - Feature Length FilmWon’t You Be My Neighbor?


BIFF 2017

CategoryWinner
Best Cinechef24 Carrot Bistro
Best New FilmmakerScore: A Film Music Documentary
Best Documentary Short FilmDoDo's Delight
Best Short FilmNocturne In Black
Best Call2Action FilmChasing Coral
Best Music DocumentaryRumble: The Indians Who Rocked The World
Best DocumentaryChasing Coral
Best Feature FilmGlory
Peoples Choice Award - Short FilmLa Femme et la TGV
Peoples Choice Award - Feature Length FilmChasing Coral


BIFF 2015

CategoryWinner
Career Achievement AwardAlan Arkin
Best CinechefBradford Heap, Chef, Salt the Bistro and Colterra
Best Documentary Short FilmOur Curse
Best Short FilmOrbit Ever After
Best Music DocumentaryAustin to Boston
Catalyst AwardRacing Extinction
Best DocumentaryCall Me Lucky
Best Feature FilmA Borrowed Identity
Best Animated FilmHome
Grand PrizeBeing Evel
Peoples Choice AwardLion


BIFF 2014

CategoryFilmDirector
People's Choice AwardKeep On Keepin' On (a work-in-progress)Alan Hicks
Best Feature FilmLe Week-EndRoger Michell
Best DocumentaryFinding Vivian MaierJohn Maloof and Charlie Siskel
Catalyst AwardAlive InsideMichael Rosato-Bennett
Best Short FilmSaturday GirlsEmilie Cherpitel
Special Jury Award for Documentary FilmMistaken for StrangersTom Berninger
Best Colorado FilmHigh and Hallowed: Everest 1963David Morton and Jake Norton
Best Call 2 Action FilmDocumentedJose Antonio Vargas
Best New FilmmakerKeep On Keepin' On (a work-in-progress)Alan Hicks
Best EditingNo No: A DockumentaryJeffrey Radice


BIFF 2013

CategoryFilmDirector
Best Short FilmAsadBrian Buckley
Best Documentary ShortOpen HeartKief Davidson
Best Call 2 Action FilmThe Last OceanPeter Young
Best DocumentaryLittle WorldMarcel Barrena
Best Feature FilmBlancanievesPablo Berger
Best Adventure FilmThe SummitNick Ryan
People's Choice AwardRising from the AshesTC Johnstone
Grand Prize Muscle Shoals Greg "Freddy" Camalier


BIFF 2012

CategoryFilmDirector(s)
Best Short FilmA Finger, Two Dots, Then MeDaniel Holechek, David M. Holechek
Best Documentary ShortIncident in New BaghdadJames Spione
Best Call 2 Action FilmHigh GroundMichael Brown
Best DocumentaryWild Horse, Wild RideAlex Dawson, Greg Gricus
Best Feature FilmMonsieur LazharPhillippe Faiardeau
Best Adventure FilmChasing IceJeff Orlowski
People's Choice AwardHigh GroundMichael Brown


BIFF 2011

CategoryFilmDirector
Best New FilmmakerTouchJen McGowan
Best Animated FilmThembi's DiaryJisoo Kim
Best Call 2 Action FilmFor Once in My LifeJim Bigham
Best Colorado FilmMotherChristophe Fauchere
Best Short FilmGlenn Owen DoddsFrazer Bailey
Best Short DocumentaryOne Thousand Pictures: RFK's Last JourneyJennifer Stoddart
Best Feature DocumentaryRegrettersMarcus Lindeen
Best Feature FilmMamas & PapasAlice Nellis
People's Choice AwardFreedom RidersStanley Nelson


BIFF 2010

CategoryFilmDirector(s)
Most Creative DocumentaryWaking Sleeping BeautyDon Hahn
Best Call 2 Action FilmDive!Jeremy Seifert
Best Colorado FilmDiplomacyJonathan Goldman
Best Adventure Film The Wildest Dream Anthony Geffen
Best Animated FilmSecret of KellsTomm Moore
Best Short FilmThe Morse CollectorsDavid Cooke
Best Short DocumentaryNo StringsDaniel Junge
Best Feature DocumentaryThe Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon PapersRick Goldsmith and Judy Ehrlich
Best Feature FilmI Am LoveLuca Guadagnimo
Grand PrizeAjamiScandar Copti and Yaron Shani

BIFF 2009

CategoryFilmDirector(s)
Best Student FilmIn the DarkAlex and Sarah Fazelli
Best New FilmmakerThe Prince of BroadwaySean Baker
Best Colorado FilmThey Killed Sister DorothyDaniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
Best Environmental FilmAmerican OutrageBeth and George Gage
Best Animated Film Sita Sings the Blues Nina Paley
Best Music DocumentaryThe Story of AnvilSacha Gervasi
Best Short FilmTagNatalya Uglitskikh
Best Short Documentary Smile Pinki Megan Mylan
Best Feature DocumentaryPirate for the SeaRon Colby and Patricia Van Ryker
Best Feature FilmNothing But the TruthRod Lurie
Best Dramatic ComedySunshine CleaningChristine Jeffs
Grand PrizeBurma VJ: Reporting From a Closed CountryAnders Ostergaard and Lise Lense-Miller

BIFF 2008

CategoryFilmDirector(s)
Best Student FilmThe Replacement ChildJustin Lerner
Most Inspirational Film The Singing Revolution Jim Tusty and Maureen Castle
Best Colorado FilmIron Ladies of LiberiaDaniel Junge and Siatta Scott Johnson
Best ComedyThe JobJonathan Browning
Best Animated FilmThe FogEmilio Ramos
Best Short FilmTanghi ArgentiniGuido Thys
Best Short DocumentaryIn Times of War: Ray ParkerMark and Christine Bonn
Best Feature DocumentaryWar DanceAndrea Nix and Sean Fine
Best Feature FilmCharlie BartlettJon Poll
Best Adventure Film3 Peaks 3 WeeksMichael Brown
Grand PrizeStrandedGonzalo Arijon

BIFF 2007

CategoryFilmDirector(s)
Best Student FilmLuckyAvie Luthra
Best New FilmmakerHamiltonMatthew Porterfield
Best Editing Drunk in Public David J. Sperling
Best Short FilmHigh MaintenancePhillip Van
Best Colorado FilmPurvis of OvertownDavid Raccuglia and Shaun Conrad
Best Animated FilmBadgeredSharon Coleman
Best Short DocumentaryTalk to MeMark Craig
Best DocumentaryAir Guitar NationAlexandra Lipsitz
Best Documentary (Honorable Mention)The Cats of MirikitaniLinda Hattendorf
Best Feature FilmJourney from the FallHam Tran
Grand PrizeIn the Shadow of the MoonDavid Sington

BIFF 2006

CategoryFilmDirector(s)(or Actor/Actress)
Best Student FilmThe SaviourPeter Templeman
Best New FilmmakerFrozen Food SectionAndrew Menan
Best Short FilmWest Bank StoryAri Sandel
Best Colorado FilmLight of the HimalayaMichael Brown
Best Animated FilmMagdaChel White
Best Short DocumentaryCarhenge: Genius or Junk?David Libran
Best DocumentaryBoys of BarakaHeidi Ewing and Rachel Grady
Best Adventure FilmRide across AmericaStephen Auerbach
Best Feature FilmC.R.A.Z.Y.Jean-Marc Vallee
Best ActressC.R.A.Z.Y.Danielle Proulx
Best ActorThe Civilization of Maxwell BrightPatrick Warburton
Special Jury AwardDiameter of the BombAndrew Quigley

BIFF 2005

CategoryFilmDirector(s)
Best Student FilmPee ShyDeb Hagen
Best Short FilmDown DogRichard Roll
Best Short Film (Honorable Mention)Gay by DawnJonathan London
Best Colorado FilmSubdivision, ColoradoNeil Widener
Best Animated FilmRoad Raged RodentPatrick Mallek
Best Short DocumentaryCaught in PaintRita Blitt
Best DocumentarySeoul TrainJim Butterworth and Aaron Lubarsky
Best Adventure FilmFarther than the Eye Can SeeMichael Brown
Best Feature FilmThe Real Old TestamentCurtis and Paul Hannum
Award of ExcellenceThe Liberace of BaghdadSean McAllister

References

  1. Wood M., Jennifer (July 31, 2009). "25 Coolest Film Festivals: 2009". Moviemaker.com. Archived from the original on September 14, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2012.
  2. "BIFF Singer-Songwriter Showcase". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2018-03-29.