DENVER, Colo., March 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Embracing its mission to have diverse audiences discover film through creative, thought-provoking experiences, the Denver Film Society will host the Women+Film Festival at the Sie FilmCenter April 9-14. Now in its 9th year, the Festival will celebrate the year’s best women-centric documentaries, narratives and short films—both by and about women.
Of the top 100 grossing films of 2018 women made up 4% of the Directors, 15% of the Writers, 18% of the Executive Producers and 3% of the Cinematographers, according to the Center for the Study of Women in television and film.
“With the growing focus on the underrepresentation of women in the film industry, especially women with diverse backgrounds, the Festival is an important platform to shine the light on women working behind the scenes to create change,” says Founder Barbara Bridges.
In addition to the 15+ films that will debut at the Sie FilmCenter, the festival will host several special events for attendees, including a conversation with Gretchen Carlson, filmmaker, journalist, author and former Miss America who will be interviewed by the Women’s Foundation of Colorado President, Lauren Y. Casteel on April 11—presented by SeriesFest in partnership with the Women’s Foundation of Colorado. Her documentary “Breaking the Silence” followed untold stories of sexual harassment and abuse across the county.
On Friday, April 12th the Women+Film Awards Brunch will host documentary filmmaker, philanthropist and activist Abigail Disney, grandniece of Walt Disney, who will be recognized for her work behind the scenes and as an active supporter of peacebuilding. Disney is an Emmy-winning director and producer along with being CEO and president of Fork Films, where she espouses her passion for advancing women’s roles in the industry. In 2009, Abigail founded Peace is Loud, a nonprofit that inspires action through media and live events that spotlight women leaders on the frontline of peacebuilding worldwide.
To learn more about the festival, view a full listing of scheduled events and to purchase tickets HERE. Tickets can also be purchased directly at the Sie FilmCenter.
Women+Film Festival Film Line Up
- Always in Season
- Naila and the Uprising
- Working Woman
- Ophelia
- Knock Down the House
- The Woman Who Loves Giraffes
- One Child Nation
- What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael
- To the Stars
- Wild Rose
- Ask for Jane
- Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin
- Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable
- Breaking the Silence
- Olympia
- Shorts Program
About Women + Film Festival
Stemming from the vision of Barbara Bridges, a Film Society donor and supporter, the Women+Film Festival began as a once-monthly program and today has grown to an annual six-day festival now in its’ 9th year. The festival welcomes more than 2,000 community members, film-lovers, directors and creative thinkers.
The Women + Film Festival is brought to you by partnerships with: Barbara Bridges, The Women’s Foundation of Colorado, SeriesFest, Eldorado Water, Three Tomatoes Catering, The Goods, Helliemae’s, Pearl Street Marketing, Women’s Forum of Colorado, Denver Urban Spectrum, SAG-AFTRA, The Bull 106.7, Gomez Howard Group, From The Hip Photo.
About Denver Film Society
Since 1978, the Denver Film Society (DFS) has worked to promote film as both an art form and a civic forum. As the only nonprofit theater in Colorado, they’re dedicated to engaging both members and the general public in a lifelong relationship with film. The Denver Film Society, a 501(c)(3) cultural arts organization, operates the Sie FilmCenter, the organization’s year-round cinematic home, presents the annual award-winning Denver Film Festival in November and a series of Niche mini-festivals throughout the year. In addition, the Denver Film Society produces the popular summer movies series, Film on the Rocks at Red Rocks Amphitheater.
About Gretchen Carlson
In Gretchen Carlson’s “Breaking the Silence”, Carlson travels the country uncovering untold stories of sexual harassment and abuse of diverse women, from an exclusive look into the alleged abuse at fast-food giant McDonald’s to the work environment of a county fire department. Along the way, Carlson peels back the layers of her own story, reliving the emotional days following her lawsuit against Roger Ailes, CEO and Chairman of Fox News, and the toll it took on those closest to her, including her family. Carlson was named to Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World.” Following the screening, Gretchen Carlson will sit down for a one-on-one conversation with Lauren Y. Casteel, President & CEO of The Women's Foundation of Colorado, a unique community foundation focused on the advancement of women and their families.