The End of Summer 🌇

On today’s agenda:

• 🥂 The Boulder County Film Commission co-hosts a filmmakers happy hour at the Dairy

• 🧟 Sunset Cinema closes its season with Shaun of the Dead and a live effects artist

• 📝 Drop-in office hours with Boulder Film Commissioner

• 💻 A free DaVinci Resolve masterclass on Magic Mask, Voice Isolation, and Speed Warp

• 🎟️ Six Mountain West festival deadlines, several landing this week

We’re only a few weeks out from the first edition of The Local Lens, and we have our first filmmaker.

Adventure and sports documentarian Ryan Van Duzer is joining us to screen one of his short films and talk through how he makes them. Van Duzer has built a career out of the kind of work our region does best, telling stories from the saddle, the trail, and the road, and he has done it from right here in Boulder. Getting him in the room for our opening night is exactly the tone we wanted to set: local filmmakers, real conversation, no gatekeeping.

There is still room on the program. The theme for the first showcase is “New Beginnings.” If you have a short you want to put in front of the Boulder creative community, submit it here for consideration.

And now, time for this week’s programming 📺

🗓️ When: Tuesday, Aug 18 · 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

The Boulder County Film Commission is co-hosting a casual networking happy hour alongside local filmmaker Rob Shearer of Lion Knight Films at the Dairy Arts Center this Tuesday, August 18. It will be an opportunity to connect with other members of the Boulder film community and get a sense of what the independent scene is building here this year.

The mixer features a cash bar in the lobby and leads directly into the 6:30 PM screening of the 1956 classic epic Around the World in 80 Days, as part of the “Classics with Jeffrey Kash” series.

(Note: If you plan on staying for the film, be sure to grab your tickets in advance!)

📍Location: Dairy Arts Center

🗓️ When: Tuesday, August 18 · Doors 6:00 PM, Pre-Show 6:30 PM, Film 7:30 PM

Denver’s Sunset Cinema series closes this Tuesday, August 18, with Edgar Wright’s beloved zombie comedy, Shaun of the Dead.

The evening kicks off with a special pre-show appearance by special effects artist Kevon Ward, whose work has been featured on Syfy’s Face Off. Admission is completely free, though organizers request an RSVP. Seating is limited and strictly first-come, first-served, so bring a chair or blanket and get there early if you want a prime spot.

Released in 2004, the film runs 99 minutes and remains one of the defining horror-comedies of the century. It perfectly blends zombie tropes with romantic comedy, serving as an early showcase for the hyper-precise visual style Edgar Wright would carry into Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and Baby Driver.

Food will be available from a stellar lineup of local vendors, including Ninja Ramen Mobile, El Cubanaso, Fry It Riot, HipPOPs, and Olive & Finch.

📍 Where: Sculpture Park, Denver Performing Arts Complex

🎟️ Tickets: Free to attend, but RSVP via Eventbrite here.

🗓️ When: Wednesday, August 19 · 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

For anyone who loves outdoor cinematography and adventure storytelling, the Dairy Arts Center is hosting Freehub PRESENTS for a one-night-only showcase of world-class mountain bike filmmaking.

Rather than a standard repertory screening, this touring program curates a collection of unreleased short films, cutting-edge action sequences, and character-driven documentaries from both veteran and emerging directors. It is a fantastic gathering point for the local outdoor community, athletes, and filmmakers to celebrate the intersection of high-end camera work and mountain culture.

📍 Where: Dairy Arts Center, Grace Gamm Theatre

Get more info about the event and tickets here.

🗓️ When: Thursday, August 20 · Doors 6:00 PM

Denver Film’s annual Summer Scream returns for its 14th year, and it is still the only private cultural event that takes over the historic Lakeside Amusement Park for an entire night. Denver Film produces every detail of it, and the pitch is simple: open bars, unlimited rides, and surprises around every corner until the lights go out.

The scale is what makes it work. There are more than 13 open bars scattered throughout the park, every ride running until 11:00 PM, DJs, sponsor activations, and immersive experiences tucked into corners you would not think to look. Denver Film is also asking guests to come dressed as their favorite movie characters, which turns the whole thing into a costume party under the neon.

Underneath the party, this is Denver Film’s biggest fundraiser of the year. The 2025 edition raised over $150,000, and every dollar goes back into the year-round screenings, festivals, and programming that keep Denver’s film community running. It is open to everyone but built specifically for film lovers, which is a rare combination for an event this size.

A few practical notes before you go: General admission is $75, with no member discount, and prices go up at the gate. The discounted 4-packs have already sold out. Tickets are available only through Denver Film, so avoid any third-party seller listing them. This is a 21+ event and valid ID is required at the door.

📍 Where: Lakeside Amusement Park (Denver)

Get more info about the event and tickets here.

🗓️ When: Thursday, Aug 20 · 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Boulder County Film Commission is hosting office hours with the Film Commissioner, Bruce Borowsky.

If you are a local director, writer, or crew member trying to navigate the Boulder film scene, this is a fantastic resource. It is a casual drop-in session where you can ask hyper-specific questions about location permitting, figure out how to get listed in the local creative directory, or just get advice on getting your next project off the ground. Bruce is a veteran filmmaker himself, so it is a perfect chance to talk shop and get some practical, grounded support.

SPECIAL NOTE FOR FILM COMMISSION MEMBERS: If you’re a Film Commission member, you can also drop in early, beginning at 9 AM.

📍Location: Boulder Chamber

🗓️ When: Thursday, Aug 20 · 6:30 PM (Doors) / 7:00 PM (Screenings)

Denver’s longest-running independent film showcase returns to The Bug Theatre this Thursday for its monthly edition.

Curated and hosted entirely by volunteers from the local film community, EFP has spent more than two decades building one of the most consistent monthly showcases on the Front Range—and is where a real portion of Colorado’s working filmmakers first screened in front of an audience.

Expect a curated mix of narrative, doc, animation, and experimental shorts from regional filmmakers. What truly sets the EFP apart is its live post-screening talkbacks: each filmmaker takes the stage for a moderated Q&A where the audience provides immediate, constructive feedback. It is an essential mixer for directors, actors, and crew looking to network and find their next collaborators.

Your $5 entry fee gets you a free beer courtesy of Ratio Beerworks.

📍 Where: The Bug Theatre (Denver)

Learn more about EFP here.

🗓️ When: Friday, August 21 · 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

If you spend any time in post-production, Denver Community Media is hosting an incredibly useful, free hands-on workshop this Friday covering DaVinci Resolve’s newest AI tools.

Led by Javon Manning, a creative producer at Rocky Mountain Public Media, this class walks through three of Resolve’s most powerful features in a practical, project-based format: Magic Mask, Voice Isolation, and Speed Warp. The session will cover how to isolate subjects without traditional rotoscoping, strip out background noise to save unusable audio, and generate genuinely smooth slow motion.

Just as importantly, Javon will cover the limits of these tools, common failure points, and when a manual editing approach still wins. This is a must-attend for local editors, videographers, and content creators looking to cut hours out of their workflow. (Note: This class focuses specifically on the features available in DaVinci Resolve Studio, not the free version.)

If you can’t make it in person, you can also join virtually using the livestream here.

📍 Where: Denver Community Media

Get more info about the event and tickets here.

Here’s the standing lineup for the week of Aug 17-24:

Mon, Aug 17

• High School Musical | Monday Nights at the Movies at Little Man Ice Cream (Littleton) · 6:30 PM · free, indoors (rain or shine), family-friendly

• The Goonies | Monday Night Movies at Edgewater Public Market · 8:00 PM to 10:30 PM · free, soft seating only (no lawn chairs), market food and drink only

Tue, Aug 18

• Shaun of the Dead | Sunset Cinema at Sculpture Park, DPAC · doors 6:00 PM, pre-show 6:30 PM, film 7:30 PM · free (RSVP). The pre-show is special effects master Kevon Ward from SyFy’s Face Off — a fitting pairing for a zombie comedy. Food trucks include HipPOPs, Fry It Riot, Ninja Ramen Mobile, and El Cubanaso.

Thu, Aug 20

• Super Mario Galaxy | Movies at McGregor at McGregor Square (LoDo) · 6:30 PM · free, 66-foot LED screen, lawn or plaza seating, closed captioning included. Final night of the series.

• Pitch Perfect | Avanti Movie Nights at Avanti Food & Beverage (LoHi) · free, rooftop, themed drinks and costume contests, weather dependent

Fri, Aug 21

• The Sandlot | Emagine Parker Summer Kids Series · 10:00 AM · family matinee, worth the drive south for the nostalgia

• The Greatest Showman | Historic Elitch Theatre Family Film Series (4600 W 37th Pl) · 7:00 PM · free, with themed pre-show activities and concessions at Denver’s oldest cultural venue

• The Little Bear Movie + Mamma Mia! | Flick Fridays at Little Man Ice Cream “The Can” (LoHi) · 8:15 PM and 9:30 PM · free popcorn, double feature

• Surprise queer cult classic | Champagne Tiger Backyard Movie Night · arrive by sundown · free, no reservations. In partnership with Rainbow Cult, with live commentary and trivia. Third Friday monthly.

Sat, Aug 22

• How to Train Your Dragon (Live Action) | Backcountry Outdoor Movie Series at Backcountry Base Camp (Littleton) · gates 8:00 PM, film at sunset · $30 per vehicle, 33-foot screen, benefits conservation. A Nature Night Out bundle adds a live animal presentation beforehand.

Mon, Aug 24

• Jumanji | Monday Nights at the Movies at Little Man Ice Cream (Littleton) · 6:30 PM · free, indoors

• The Birdcage | Monday Night Movies at Edgewater Public Market · 8:00 PM to 10:30 PM · free, soft seating only (no lawn chairs), market food and drink only

A sneak peek at what’s on the calendar this week...

🌎 Around the World in 80 Days | Tue, Aug 18 · 6:30 PM · Dairy Arts Center (Boulder)

Curator Jeffrey Kash returns with the 1956 adaptation of Jules Verne's novel, in which a Victorian Englishman wagers that steamships and railways can carry him around the globe in eighty days. Nominated for eight Oscars and winner of five including Best Picture, it stars David Niven, Cantinflas, and Finlay Currie. Kash's pre-talks are the real draw here, filling in the production history and the world events swirling around the shoot.

🚵 Best Day Ever | Tue, Aug 18 · 6:30 PM · Telluride Conference Center (Mountain Village)

The Telluride Adaptive Sports Program is hosting a free community screening of Best Day Ever, the Audience Choice Award winner at the 2026 Mountainfilm Festival. Directed by Telluride local Ben Knight, the documentary follows a community coming together in Vermont to build the world's first fully adaptive mountain bike trail network. It is a fantastic, uplifting celebration of accessibility, innovation, and outdoor culture. Admission is completely free!

📰 Ask E. Jean | Wed, Aug 19 – Sun, Aug 23 · Boedecker Theater

A documentary portrait of E. Jean Carroll, tracing her path from Miss Cheerleader USA to trailblazing journalist, author, and advice columnist. Carroll broke ground as the first woman to edit at Esquire, Playboy, and Outside, helping reshape women’s roles in American media along the way. Screens all five days at rotating times.

🔎 Unidentified | Wed, Aug 19 – Sun, Aug 23 · Boedecker Theater

The week’s narrative feature. After the body of a teenage girl is found in the desert and no one comes to claim her, Noelle Al Saffan, a newly divorced true crime obsessive still grieving a child of her own, becomes consumed by the case. A tense study of grief refracted through someone else’s tragedy. Five-day run.

🎙️ Movie Night with Adam, Rory, and Ben | Wed, Aug 19 · 7:30 PM · The Bug Theatre (Denver)

Comedians Adam Cayton-Holland, Rory Scovel, and Ben Roy bring a movie to the Bug for one reason: to talk over it from start to finish. What movie? That's the joke, and they won't tell you. Cayton-Holland and Roy are two-thirds of The Grawlix, the Denver trio behind TruTV's Those Who Can't, and Scovel has two Netflix specials plus a run on Apple TV+'s Physical. Between them, the live commentary is reliably better than whatever is on screen. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door if any are left, and the Bug says they go fast.

🩸 Friday Night Weird: Leviticus | Fri, Aug 21 · 8:30 PM · Boedecker Theater

Friday Night Weird goes queer horror this week with Adrian Chiarella’s Australian feature, in which two teenage boys must outrun a violent entity that takes the shape of the person they desire most, meaning each other. A sharp, brutal premise executed in a lean 88 minutes.

🏈 Double Feature: The Room & Big Shark | Fri, Aug 21 · 7:00 PM & 9:30 PM · The Bug Theatre (Denver)

The Bug is bringing back the ultimate cult classic double feature. Catch Tommy Wiseau's legendary disasterpiece The Room at 7:00 PM, followed immediately by his newest cinematic fever dream, Big Shark, at 9:30 PM. Bring your spoons and experience the absolute chaos with a sold-out crowd of fellow cinephiles!

For a list of all screenings this week, check out our calendar.

If you are a local creator getting ready to submit your latest project, this is a massive week for deadlines across the Mountain West.

• Ouray International Film Festival: The Early Bird Deadline hits on Monday, August 17. Submissions will continue through multiple later tiers, with a final deadline in March 2027.

• Pueblo Film Fest: Submissions also close their current tier on August 17, followed by a “Last Call” on October 1. They are specifically looking for narrative, documentary, animation, and experimental work exploring identity, resilience, and survival.

• Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF): The cheapest early-tier window for their April 2027 edition closes next Friday, August 21. Current fees are $55 for features, $50 for shorts, and $45 for student films. (Later deadlines are October 2, November 6, and December 11.)

• Colorado Hills Film Festival: The next regular deadline lands on August 24.

• Durango Independent Film Festival: The next regular deadline is September 1 for their March 2027 run.

School’s back in session this week! 🦬 Welcome all new and returning students!

What are you looking forward to this semester? Which was the most memorable film you saw this summer?

Let us know below!

If you have any events coming up that you’d like us to know about, please fill out this form!

Event Submission Form

May your hours always be golden and your cinema always be peak ⛰️

Until next week,
Clayton & Aaryaman 🍿

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