Local Lists: Matthew Campbell

Welcome to a special film festival edition of Local Lists!  This local list is from Denver Film Society programmer extraordinaire, Matthew Campbell, and focuses on the upcoming Starz Denver Film Festival.  Curious as to the top films/parties you should check-out?  Read on to find out what’s good at this year’s fest.

Name: Matthew Campbell

Occupation: Denver Film Society Programmer (the film kind, not code)

A little about yourself: Denver native, been living here sporadically the last few years while vagabonding on the film festival circuit (Sundance Film Festival, Palm Springs International Film Festival, Los Angeles International Film Festival).  Moved back to Denver full-time last March to work year round for the Denver Film Society.  Studied film studies and humanities at CU-Boulder.  And a grad-school drop-out for film theory at Concordia University in Montreal.

(Disclaimer, I really don’t have any “favorites” when it comes to film, it’s always changing, so these answers are the first things that comes to mind.)

Favorite movie character: Ben Gazzara as Cosmo Vittelli in The Killing of a Chinese Bookie

Favorite movie character you love to hate: Robert Mitchum as Harry Powell (The Preacher) in The Night of the Hunter

Favorite movie soundtrack: Donnie Darko

Favorite moment in cinema: Workers harvesting the fields during “magic hour” in Days of Heaven

Favorite Starz Denver Film Festival memory: Having an in-depth philosophical conversation about cinema through a translator with a Japanese guest in town with his film, Record Future, on the rooftop of the Late Night Lounge looking over the Denver skyline in 2011.

Not to miss movie at the 2013 Starz Denver Film Festival: Doomsdays – It’s the best American indie comedy I’ve seen all year.

Top 5 (or how many you want) movie recommendations for a festival newbie: Go Down Death, Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton, The Search for Emak Bakia, All Together Now, The Fifth Season, A Field in England, Borgman, and soooo many more…

Best non-movie event of this year’s festival: On Friday, November 15th, Reel Social Club is hosting a special screening of Doomsdays with a home invasion themed after-party just a few blocks away from the SIE FilmCenter at the Parkside Mansion.  It’s gonna be the bee’s knees.

If they have never attended before, why should someone attend the Starz Denver Film Festival: Movies!  We show so many films that you would never have another chance to see.  These are amazing films that usually don’t see the light of day because they are either not a super hero Hollywood tent pole, or don’t have the political pull to be an Oscar contender.  Being exposed to something you’ve never seen anything like on-screen is pretty fantastic.

Festival-going tips: Go to something you know nothing about, or may sound weird.  Just pick any day/time during the fest and there will be plenty of options for something new and exciting.

What are you looking forward to doing after the festival is over: Not working every day (which I have since July).

Any additional thoughts/plugs: Movies!