The Rocky Mountains of Denver were privileged to have one of the nations top ten film festivals take place at the Denver International Film Festival this past week. Opening up with Universals anticipated RAY staring Jamie Foxx as the magnetic soul blues man Ray Charles; the Festival presented a dynamic Opening Night Gala. The downtown Buelle Theater filled to capacity, Director and co-writer Taylor Hackford, producers Stuart Benjamin, Karen and Howard Baldwin, cast members Jamie Foxx, Regina King and Kerry Washington were on hand to make the evening shine.

The Denver International Film Festival was held form October 14th to the 24th in Denver, Colorado. Ron Henderson, Artistic Director and Co-founder of the Denver International Film Festival, DIFF, welcomed the guest along with Board President Christy Sebastian. Denver has come a long way with a continual growing Festival and the development of the Denver Film Society. Year round programming at the Starz Cinema Center and progressive vision has assisted this Festival to become a solid respective cinematic festival. The community of Denver has been a supportive source to making DIFF a star in the US Film Festival circuit.

The creative eclectic programming and a special focus on German Cinema this year, has Denver with many of Hollywood elite on hand during the eleven-day Festival. Besides the star studded Opening Night, Tributes and Retrospective were presented to Kevin Bacon as a Centerpiece presentation and to Morgan Freeman on Closing Night and highlighting the Festival. Other guest to add glitz to Denver were Peter Rigler, with his new film KING OF THE CORNER, Bill Pullman, screening RICK, Bob Rafelson, Margarete von Trotta, Jerzy Stuhr and Ken Jacobs to name a few.

Executive Director Scott Rowitz, Ron Henderson and Director of Programming Brit Whithey are instrumental with the development of new fresh programs for the Festival. Juryied Awards added this year are the Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentry presented by Al Maysles. Maysles a long time documentarian and his brother are known for close to five decades of documentry films. GIVE ME SHELTER the Rolling Stones documentary brought their name to the masses in the 70's as they captured the live performance of Rock and Rolls most electrifying bands of out times. Other awards are the Emerging Filmmaker Award to be presented to a first or second time director without US distribution.

Some of the films screened at the 27th Festival this year are: WOODSMAN, by Nicole Kassell, IMAGINARY HEROS, by Dan Harris, OVERNIGHT, by Mark Smith and Tony Montana, DEAR FRANKIE, by Shona Auerbach, P.S., by Dylan Kidd, SIDEWAYS, Alexander Payne, PRIMER, by Shane Carruth, TARNATION, by Jonathan Caouette, LES CHORISTES, by Christophe Barratier, UNKOWN SOLIDER, by Ferenc Toth, KING OF THE CORNER, by Peter Riegert, WMD: WEAPONS OF MASS DECEPTION, Danny Schechter, WILDERNESS SURVIAL FOR GIRLS, Eli Despres & Kim Roberts, ROBBING PETER, Mario de la Vega, TOMORROWS WEATHER, Jerzy Stuhr, MONSTER ROAD, by Brett Ingram, NATHAIE, by Anne Fontaine, WORDS, by Gregg Brown, TOUCH OF GREATNESS, by \Leslie Sullivan, HEAD ON, by Faith Akin, HAIR HIGH, by Bill Plympton, BEING JULIA, Istvan Szabo, EULOGY, by Michael Clancy, DONAU DUNA DNAJ DUNAV DUNAREA, by Gordon Rebic, DAVID HOCKNEY THE COLORS OF MUSIC, by Maryte Kavaliauskas, CSA: THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, by Kevin Willmott, SONNY BOY, by Soleil Moon Frye, ICHABOD, by Rick Ramage, KONTROLL, by Nimrod Antal, BROOKLYN BOUND, by Rich Devancy, ROSENSTRASSE, by Margarethe von Trotta MIRCLE OF BERN by Sonke Wortmann, MONUMENTAL: DAVID BROWER'S FIGHT FOR AMERICA , by Kelly Duane, and Fox Searchlights KINSEY, by Bill Condon to name a few. Many of these titles were US and or North American Premiers or top award winners from other top festivals.

Keiko Beatie