Denver film fest makes big gains
More sold-out screenings, younger crowds in 40th year
The Denver Film Festival has plenty to celebrate at the close of its 40th annual event, boasting a 20 percent increase in ticket sales over last year.
The Nov. 1-12 festival grossed about $401,000 in total sales, compared with $302,263 in 2016, according to preliminary numbers from the Denver Film Society, which programs and produces the festival.
“Certainly some of that was the added events and additional screenings at the Ellie Caulkins (Opera House) and UA Pavilions,” said festival director Britta Erickson. “But there were even sold-out screenings on weekdays. On Monday afternoon last week, the parking garage at the Sie FilmCenter (the film society’s home base) was completely full.”
Erickson attributed the increase to expanded anniversary programming at the festival, which welcomed celebrities such as Kyra Sedgwick, Aaron Sorkin and Bill Pullman, as well as the “halo effect” of last year’s festival.
The 39th Denver Film Festival opened with the musical hit “La La Land.” Star Emma Stone and director Damien Chazelle — both of whom would go on to win Oscars for the film — were in attendance on the red carpet at the Ellie, and the positive association with the festival probably helped increase awareness with
younger audiences, Erickson said.
“What we saw was that people would just purchase blindly our six-pack and 15-pack tickets before we even announced the schedule this year,” she said. “Those sales were up considerably, so I think some of the people who we were hoping would discover us have finally discovered us.”
The presale numbers for ticket packages and passes, including red carpet screenings, reached $80,885 this year, compared with $67,765 in 2016, according to the Film Society.
Offering free virtual reality programming at the “festival Annex” of the McNichols Building in Civic Center park, as well as timely, buzzed-about and female-forward titles such as “Lady Bird,” “I, Tonya” and “Molly’s Game,” also put the event front-and-center for many would-be attendees, Erickson said.
“Free VR and the Lounges at the Annex attracted 3,284 people,” Erickson said, noting that number did not include attendees for paid events such as panels, the opening night party or the awards brunch. “We love our loyal members — some of whom I can pick out by name at screenings — but the audiences looked a little bit less gray everywhere.”
As Denver Film Society executive director Andrew Rodgers said before the closing-night screening of “I, Tonya” on Nov. 11, socially conscious education and community outreach have become central concerns for the Film Society in recent months, alongside their regular screenings and programming.
“The first film of the festival to sell out was ‘Human Flow,’ “Rodgers said from the Ellie stage, referring to Chinese artist Ai Weiwei’s documentary on refugees.
Sheer capacity mattered, too. Given the population boom in Denver in recent years, festival planners tried to offer newcomers more opportunities than ever to engage with their content.
“By adding a sixth UA Denver Pavilions screen to our mix this year, we were able to gain 35 more screening slots and 2,450 seats across the festival,” Erickson said.
Festival jurors and attendees also voted on the following awards: True Grit Award: “Liyana” Krzysztof Kieślowski Award for Best Narrative Feature: “The Happiness of the World” Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary Feature: “Alphago”
American Independent Award: “Thirst Street”
SHORT FILM AWARDS
Liberty Global Domestic Student Filmmaker Award: “While I Was Gone” Liberty Global International Student Filmmaker Award: “Animal” Best Animated Short: “Manivald” Best Documentary Short: “Fish Story”
PRO JECT NEXT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AWARDS
Best High School Short Subject Film: “Jerry Simpson”
High School Short Subject Viewer’s Choice Award: “Dear People” Rare Pearl Award: “Lady Bird”
Reel Social Club Indie Voice Award: “Thoroughbreds”
John Cassavetes Award: Kyra Sedgwick
Career Achievement Award: Aaron Sorkin
Stan Brakhage Vision Award: Robert Beavers
International Career Tribute Award: Jan Kidawa-Błoński
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS
Narrative Feature: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” Documentary Features: (tie) “Hondros” and “Liyana” Short Subject Film: “The Suitcase” Music Video: “Polo & Pan,” Coeur Croisé