BOULDER, Colo. - nvtip -- The 16th Annual Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) is pleased to announce the release of its full program, which will take place Thursday, March 5^th – Sunday, March 8^th in beautiful downtown Boulder. BIFF attendees will have plenty to choose from, including 88 films from 24 countries (with 62% made BY or ABOUT women), a new Adventure Film Pavilion, an exciting XR Experience, and delicious food at the always fun and lively CineCHEF foodie competition. International Women's Day falls on festival weekend, Sunday, March 8^th.

This year, BIFF features the following celebrity appearances: music legend Robbie Robertson will be in-person on Opening Night for a Q & A after the film Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band; Academy Award-nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg will make a special appearance on the red carpet with a Q&A after the screening of the film Resistance; and award-winning director Jeff Orlowski will be in the house on Closing Night to talk about the critically acclaimed film The Social Dilemma. Also, notable author of "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail," Cheryl Strayed will make an appearance at the new Adventure Film Pavilion. Plus, BIFF is thrilled to welcome two Disney Animation executives at the XR Experience.

BIFF First Night
The Festival kicks off on Thursday, March 5th with films and parties. BIFF's Singer-songwriter showcase starts at 6:00 pm at the Filmmaker Lounge @ The Post (free), the BIFF XR Pavilion kicks off its opening at Galvanize with a party from 5:30 – 8:00 pm (free), and our foodie party, CineCHEF moves to Thursday night this year at Rembrandt Yard (see more info below). Two award-winning films screen at the First United Methodist Church on Friday, including Gay Chorus Deep South, with a special performance by the 120-member Resonance Women's Chorus of Boulder.

Opening Night Red Carpet Gala moves to Friday!
After films all day on Friday, March 6th, BIFF celebrates Friday night with an Opening Red Carpet Gala at the Hotel Boulderado and Rembrandt Yard. Both parties will feature delicious food from Pasta Jay's and the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, including wines from BIFF's official winery, Francis Ford Coppola, and local craft beers from Upslope Brewing Company. BIFF's traditional costumed characters and live music will lead both sets of gala attendees and revelers to the Boulder Theater for the festive red carpet special appearance of music icon Robbie Robertson, followed by the Boulder premiere screening of Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band.

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Executive produced by Martin Scorsese, Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band is a confessional, cautionary, and occasionally humorous tale of Robertson's young life and the creation of one of the most enduring groups in the history of popular music, The Band. The film is a moving story of Robertson's journey, overcoming adversity and finding camaraderie alongside the four other men who would become his brothers in music. The film screens after the opening night parties at the Boulder Theater at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $95, and are now only available with festival pass at biff1.com.

After the screening of the film, there will be an in-person Q&A with Robbie Robertson, conducted by Ron Bostwick from 105.5 The Colorado Sound. The festivities continue at 10:00 pm at the BIFF Filmmaker Lounge at The Post Brewing Co. for an afterparty featuring local music artist Wendy Woo.

Red Carpet Special Appearance - Jesse Eisenberg, Saturday, March 7, 7:00 pm, Boulder Theater
Academy Award-nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg will make a special appearance on the red carpet for the Colorado premiere of the film Resistance on Saturday, March 7^th at the Boulder Theater. Eisenberg stars in this compelling drama based on the true story of Marcel Marceau and a group of unsung heroes who put themselves in harm's way to rise above hatred and oppression during World War II. After the screening, Mr. Eisenberg will participate in a Q&A with Ron Bostwick. Tickets are $35 at biff1.com.

Closing Night Film - Sunday, March 8, Doors Open: 6:30 pm, Film: 7:30 pm, Boulder Theater
The Festival weekend concludes with a screening of the Colorado premiere of the stunning new film The Social Dilemma and in-person appearances from award-winning director and Boulder's own Jeff Orlowski and producer Larissa Rhodes. The Social Dilemma deftly tackles concepts like technology addiction, social engineering, and surveillance capitalism. The film features remarkable interviews with high-profile tech whistleblowers, including Tristan Harris of the Center for Humane Technology; the co-inventor of the Facebook "Like" button, Justin Rosenstein; and Tim Kendall, former president of Pinterest and former director of monetization at Facebook. Tickets are $35 at biff1.com.

Before the film, enjoy live local music by Half Pint & the Growlers,  and the "Best of the Fest" awards ceremony where we'll present the handcrafted Vielehr award sculptures to the winning filmmakers.

"Best of the Fest" GRAND JURY PRIZES include:
·       $10,000: Best Feature-Length Film
·       $3,000: Best Short Film
·       Special thanks for the above generous gift from Patti Bruck and Bill Spencer, made possible through the William H. Donner Foundation

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·       Best Adventure Film Prize - NOLS Expedition valued at $3,000.

NEW THIS YEAR - PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

THE BIFF ADVENTURE FILM PAVILION (AFP) @ eTOWN HALL!
Join us to celebrate the most exciting new adventure films of the year, on Saturday, March 7^th, and Sunday, March 8^th. The AFP will also feature an Adventure Lounge open to everyone, with sponsor booths, great happy hour specials and tastings, and a 'Bloody Mary Gear Drop' (bring your old gear for donation to the Women's Wilderness Institute and get a free Bloody Mary on Sunday morning!) Cheryl Strayed is the featured speaker and will participate in a Q&A conducted by Timmy O'Neill on Sunday, March 8th, International Women's Day.  Strayed is the acclaimed author of the book "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail" and was the Associate Producer of the film Wild starring Academy Award Winning actress Reese Witherspoon.  For more information, go to biff1.com/adventurefilmpavilion.

THE BIFF XR EXPERIENCE
Returning to BIFF, the BIFF XR Experience celebrates the melding of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality into Mixed Reality, or XR. The XR pavilion will include curated VR films from around the world, an opening kick-off party, industry meet-ups, interactive workshops, and our very own Boulder XR Science Fair.

The VR line-up includes Cycles, and Myth: A Frozen Tale, the first VR films from Disney Animation. Special guests include Jeff Gipson (Director, and CU grad) and Jose Luis Gomez Dias (Lead Software Engineer, VR/AR, Disney Animation). Together they will discuss the making of these first Disney VR films. For more information, go to biff1.com/xr.

ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS:
CineCHEF 2019 - "Battle of the Sexes: Men vs. Women"
Thursday, March 5, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm, Rembrandt Yard
CineCHEF is a BIFF signature event that challenges nationally-recognized chefs on the Front Range to create film-inspired dishes based on a movie theme. Four MEN and four WOMEN chefs will face off to create film-inspired dishes for a fun and friendly competition. May the best chef…and gender…win!

New this year is an exclusive CineCHEF "Amuse Bouche Champagne Preview" ticket for those who want the ultimate foodie experience. The "Amuse Bouche" ticket allows attendees to enter 30 minutes early (at 5:00 pm) and includes a welcome glass of Coppola sparkling wine, plus a special gift. This VIP ticket provides the opportunity to taste all of the scrumptious chef delights before anyone else. Purchase Amuse Bouche and General Admission tickets HERE.

FULL FESTIVAL PROGRAM:
The full festival program is available online, and all festival tickets and passes will be on sale Friday, February 14, at www.biff1.com.

About the Boulder International Film Festival
The Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) brings films and filmmakers from around the world to Boulder, Colorado, for a four-day celebration of the art of cinema. BIFF attracts more than 25,000 film enthusiasts, media, and industry members annually and takes place from March 5 - March 8, 2020. For tickets, a full sponsor list and more information, go to biff1.com.