#DFF38 with Britta Erickson
Britta Erickson with former Rising Star award winner, Zoë Bell
Hey! For those of you just sobering up from Halloween weekend (you still have a smidge of glitter on your face by the way), the 38th Annual Denver Film Festival kicks off this Wednesday with the opening night screening of Charlie Kaufman’s much-anticipated film, Anomalisa. (Peep the newly released trailer here.)
In order to help guide you through your high-desert cinematic journey, Dear Denver will be providing pro tips and recommendations from some real-deal festival insiders over the next couple of weeks.
First up is Festival Director (and all around bad ass), Britta Erickson. Britta was kind enough to take a few moments from the impending festival tidal wave to talk about what’s new at this year’s fest, what NOT to miss, and where to bring that hott (fingers crossed) Tinder date #DFF38
How are you feeling right now? Rearin’ and ready to set this ship asail.
Give me five words that describe this year’s festival: Essential. Engaging. Entertaining. Edifying. Erotic (in 3D! nonetheless thanks to Gaspar Noé).
What’s new/different about this year’s fest? We are back at the beautiful Ellie Caulkins Opera House for our Red Carpet Presentations after a one-year hiatus. The new Barcalounger-type seats at the UA Denver Pavilions are super comfy, so much so that I worry we’ll have a few more folks to wake up at the end of screenings than in the past. And, we’ve added an Awards Brunch to end the festival, which is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time…it should be a grand celebration of the films and filmmakers and who doesn’t love brunch?
What are you MOST excited about this year? I’m most excited to be opening the festival with Anomalisa from the imagination of Charlie Kaufman. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about or talking about this film since I saw it in Telluride. It’s extraordinary…and essential, engaging, entertaining, edifying, and even features some puppet eroticism. Besides it getting our coveted Opening Night berth, it is the recipient of the Denver Film Festival’s Randi Lee Rare Pearl Award (joining the ranks of The Artist and Nebraska among other past recipients).
Top 5 (or how many you want) movie recommendations at this year’s fest: Besides Anomalisa…Carol, Coming Through the Rye, Stinking Heaven, Where To Invade Next, and Youth.
Best movie for a first Tinder date: The Reel Social Club screening of Creative Control…and then you can go to the Reel Social Club party at Galvanize afterward and dance the night away if things have gone well or ditch your date if you realize you should have swiped left.
Best film to watch with your Mom: Hmmm, a lot of good ones to take Mom to see, well, except Gaspar Noé’s Love.
Quirkiest doc in this year’s fest? Sam Klemke’s Time Machine
Anything else you want to plug/share? John Turturro who stars in Nanni Moretti’s Mia Madre will be joining us to receive the festival’s prestigious John Cassavetes Award and will participate in a one-on-one discussion that should be pretty damn cool.
What are you looking forward to doing after the festival is over: Hiding out some place quiet with a book and no phone.