Moviegoers and indie film critics wait outside the Boulder Theater at the opening night of the 2009 Boulder International Film Festival. (CU Independent file/Amanda Barrell)
Film buffs and celebrities come to town this week to view the 47 independent films on exhibition at the Boulder International Film Festival.
The diversity in the films attracts some students, like 19-year-old freshman economics major Roy Bands,
“I want to go to meet Alec Baldwin,” Bands said. “I’m also looking forward to ‘The Secret of Kells.’ It’s an animated film about Celtic mythology.”
Other students, like 18-year-old freshman English major Dan Order, said they will go to the festival simply to enjoy time with fellow filmgoers.
“I’m going to the film festival because I want to do something fun with my friends,” Order said.
Still, many students have not even heard of the film festival.
“I most likely won’t be going,” said Alexandra Morrison, a 20-year-old sophomore psychology major. “I don’t think it was broadcasted enough because I didn’t hear about it.”
The Boulder International Film Festival runs Thursday through Sunday. Forty-seven films made by 31 filmmakers from 18 different countries will be screened over these four days.
The opening day includes a Q&A session with actress Blythe Danner following the premier of New Film International’s “The Lightkeepers.”
On Saturday night, The Draft House will host a filmmaker party where attendees can meet and socialize with artists.
During the closing night awards Sunday, Alec Baldwin will be honored for his accomplishments as an actor.
Kathy Beeck, director and co-founder of the Boulder International Film Festival, said there were more than 14,000 people in attendance last year. This year she said the outcome may vary.
“It’s difficult to speculate how many people will turn out this year,” Beeck said.
Some days of the film festival will be more popular than others, especially with the presence of celebrities.
“The closing night is actually already sold out,” Beeck said. “It’s the event with the awards tribute.”
According to Beeck, all the films are worth seeing. They are all independent works of art that present cultural insights and creative ideas.
“There isn’t a common theme among the films,” Beeck said. “It’s more that they select films with impact; they are all films that drive emotion.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Jillian Fox at Jillian.t.fox@colorado.edu.
