FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Kathy Beeck
Director, Boulder International Film Festival
(303) 449-2289
Kathy@biff1.com
Kelly Williams
Linhart Public Relations
(303) 951-2577
kwilliams@linhartpr.com
Eighth Annual Boulder International Film Festival Attracts Largest Audience to
Date with More Than 19,000 Attendees
Festival featured special events with William H. Macy and Martin Sheen, 12 sold out films and the
third annual Digital Media Symposium
BOULDER, Colo. (April 4, 2012) – From Feb. 16-19, Boulder, Colo., was swarmed by film enthusiasts and
filmmakers for the eighth annual Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF). The four-day festival featured 50
films and a variety of special events, including intimate conversations with William H. Macy and Martin Sheen,
the third annual Digital Media Symposium, which focused on the future of the art and business of digital
entertainment, filmmaker panels and parties. BIFF saw a 21 percent increase from last year’s ticket sales, with a
total audience of 19,514 people, a 10 percent increase from 2011. Award-winning films, celebrity guests and
increased attendance continue to establish BIFF as one of the premier international film festivals.
Twelve events sold out during this year’s festival, including the opening night screening of “Darling
Companion,” and closing night awards ceremony and screening of “Chasing Ice.” Other sold out programs
included; “Jeff, Who Lives at Home,” A Conversation with William H. Macy, shorts program one and two,
“High Ground,” “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen,” “The Lady,” “Surviving Progress,” “Lucky,” and “Kumare.”
“The 2012 Festival was a huge success with a record setting audience turn out,” said Robin Beeck, BIFF’s
executive director. “The unique combination of celebrities, accomplished filmmakers, cinema lovers, sponsors
and volunteers made the festival so successful, and we are happy to have brought a highly compelling slate of
films to Boulder for attendees to enjoy.”
Festival Highlights Included:

Audience members packed the Boulder Theater Friday, Feb. 17, for BIFF’s sold out “A Conversation
with William H Macy.” The evening featured a film retrospective of Macy’s work, and an entertaining
question and answer session with Macy and Ron Bostwick, BIFFs executive producer of special events,
and members of the audience. Macy delighted the audience by singing and playing the ukulele to round
out the evening.

BIFF’s Opening Night Red Carpet Gala featured a screening of “Darling Companion,” starring
Diane Keaton as a woman who seemingly loves her dog more than her husband, played by Kevin Kline.
Following the screening, acclaimed producer Anthony Bregman was presented with the BIFF Award of
Excellence in Producing by legendary director, Lawrence Kasdan. The two men were joined by cowriter, Meg Kasdan, for an audience question and answer moderated by Bostwick
-more-
Eighth Annual BIFF Announces Record Number of Attendees / Pg. 2

The first ever BIFF After Dark party was held Saturday evening, Feb. 18, at Oddfellows Hall.
Filmmakers mingled with festival passholders and enjoyed food, drink, animated shorts, and a
spectacular light show. Actress Pamela Grier, best known for her role as Foxy Brown, attended the party
as well.

Expanded for 2012, the Call 2 Action Tent, invited guests to participate in conversations prompted by
film topics, translating the energy and passion that film evokes into action. One particularly compelling
discussion featured director Michael Brown and several veterans featured in the film High Ground,
which was premiered at the festival. As a direct result, a proposal providing three months of free access
to Boulder’s recreation facilities to returning veterans is now before the Boulder City Council.

The third annual Digital Media Symposium (DiMe) showcased local and national leaders of the new
media community and included a discussion on the early days of Pixar by founder and two time
Academy Award winner, Alvy Ray Smith.
Annually, BIFF honors top filmmakers featured in the Festival with a variety of awards. The 2012 Boulder
International Film Festival award winners include:
 People’s Choice Award: “High Ground,” Michael Brown
 Best Adventure Film: “Chasing Ice,” Jeff Orlowski
 Best Feature Film: “Monsieur Lazhar,” Phillippe Faiardeau
 Best Documentary: “Wild Horse, Wild Ride,” Alex Dawson and Greg Gricus
 Best Call 2 Action Film: “High Ground,” Michael Brown
 Best Documentary Short: “Incident in New Baghdad,” James Spione
 Best Short Film: “A Finger, Two Dots, Then Me”
About BIFF
BIFF is presented by the Colorado Film Society, a nonprofit organization founded by local filmmakers Kathy
and Robin Beeck. BIFF is dedicated to providing the large, urban, film-hip audiences of the Boulder/Denver
metro area with an early look at the best new films in international cinema, along with conversations with
directors, producers and actors, world-class food, parties, and an opportunity to rub elbows with filmmakers in a
winter wonderland. BIFF has hosted more than 200 filmmakers from around the world since the Boulder-based
Beeck sisters lead the inaugural event in 2005. Visit www.biff1.com for more information
Sponsors of this year’s Festival include: KBCO, Linhart PR, St Julien Hotel and Spa, Daily Camera, Hotel
Boulderado, People Productions, Flowcreative, Backpacker magazine, Big Red F Restaurant Group, Flatirons
Subaru, RealD 3D, The Millstone Evans Group, 5280 Magazine, The WW Reynolds Companies, Francis Ford
Coppola Winery, Lazy Dog Lounge, Egg Strategy, Whole Foods, First Western Trust Bank, Bhakti Chai,
Boulder Magazine, Western Disposal, Todd Reed, iSupportU, Alpine Audio Visual, Downtown Boulder, Inc.,
Colorado Office of Film, Television & Media, Outdoor Cinema Network, KUNC, and Multimedia Audio
Visual.
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