BOULDER – In Boulder, Colorado, the secret to supporting an international film festival is community involvement. Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the city is not large – its population is around 100,000, according to the 2020 US Census. But sisters Robin and Kathy Beeck always thought it was an ideal setting for a film festival.
“[Robin] kept saying, ‘someone is going to start this at some point.’ But no one did, so we decided to step in,” Kathy Beeck said. Hyperallergic.
The sisters, who moved to Boulder in 1977, had already collaborated as filmmakers themselves and decided to found the Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) in 2004. The first year, around 5,000 people showed up . Today, the BIFF attracts approximately 20,000 attendees.
For its 2023 season, March 2-5, BIFF aired a total of 67 films, including 13 impressive films from Colorado filmmakers and four features from Sundance.
Even though BIFF finds itself among the film festival giants in the West – such as Sundance and Telluride – it is unique for its emphasis on nature and adventure films in its programming, bridging film and the Boulder community, which is known for its outdoor and fitness enthusiasts.
Nearly 300 people attended a screening of A river out of time (2022), a documentary about the current state of the Colorado River. The moderator posed a series of questions to the audience, first asking how many considered themselves ‘river runners’, that is, people dedicated to rafting and kayaking. About a third of the theater raised their hands. He then asked how many had been rafting in the Grand Canyon, and the number of hands doubled.
A river out of time was one of the highlights of BIFF’s “Adventure Film Pavilion”, which showcases short and feature-length adventure films, while hosting talks with various nature adventurers and talks with groups non-profit organization to mobilize local action related to environmental issues.
But to enjoy these movies, Beeck said, “you don’t have to be an adventurer. Everyone can appreciate a good story.
BIFF isn’t just focused on Colorado films, filmmakers, and producers — it’s supported by a team of local donors, staff, and volunteers.
Sarah Pritchard, who said she started volunteering to attend the shows for free, has now worked for the festival for three years. On this year’s program, she was looking forward to seeing The quiet girl (2022), which won the BIFF Best Short Film award and was nominated for an Oscar. But Pritchard says what she loves most about the event is the camaraderie between staff and volunteers.
Constance Holden and her husband have donated to BIFF every year since the festival began. “I’ve always been a movie buff,” Holden said. “I prefer movies that aren’t so ‘Hollywood-ish’: grittier.”
This year, Holden co-hosted the discussion after a screening of Jack has a plan (2022), a documentary about a terminally ill man preparing for a medically assisted death. Holden worked in end-of-life care before retiring and felt the film was particularly well suited to a Colorado audience.
“Medical assistance in dying is legal in Colorado, so a lot of people want to know more about it,” Holden said. “Things like a film festival keep you engaged.”
Allison Otto is one of the Colorado filmmakers featured on BIFF’s lineup this year. Otto, who grew up in Vail, made The collector thief (2022), an inventive documentary about Rita and Jerry Alter, the couple supposedly behind the 1980s theft of Willem de Kooning’s “Woman-Ocher” painting (1955).
Using Jerry Alter’s self-published short stories as source material, the film brings the couple’s potential crimes to life through scenes starring Glenn Howerton (Philadelphia is always sunny) and Sarah Minnich (You better call Saul).
Many screenings and events took place at the Boulder Theater, a 1936 Art Deco movie theater that has been designated a Colorado Historic Landmark, including a live taped interview with actor F. Murray Abraham in which he was featured with the BIFF’s Outstanding Performer of the Year Award.
The festival opened with Close family (2022), a documentary by Denny Tedesco that tells the story of the legendary session musicians who supported countless ’70s stars, including James Taylor, Carole King, Linda Ronstadt and Jackson Browne.
Other weekend highlights included Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis) (2022), a charming documentary about Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey “Po” Powell, the creative duo behind many of the most famous album covers of all time. The prize for best documentary went to It is not finished (2022), which delves into the legacy of baseball legend Yogi Berra; The lost king (2022), a new film by Sally Hawkins about the amateur historian who discovers the remains of Richard III, was named best feature.
The People’s Choice Award went to a story particularly close to home for the Boulder crowds: My sister Liv (2022), a film about a Boulder native who committed suicide while attending the University of Northern Colorado. The documentary focuses on the teenage mental health crisis and was screened at the festival with free entry for students aged 14-25. Prior to the screening, audience members received free materials on how to talk about suicide.
Beeck hopes the BIFF will attract more attendees each year, including community members who have never attended a film festival; Ultimately, she says, “it’s about coming together and building community.”
