Meet the Voices of the Festival

Academy Award–Nominated Film Editor

Sandra Adair has collaborated with director Richard Linklater for more than three decades, editing 24 of his films — including Dazed and Confused, School of Rock, the Before trilogy, and Boyhood, which earned her an Oscar nomination and an ACE Eddie Award. She joins the festival for two sessions on the craft of editing.

Panels: An Editor's Workflow (Fri 3PM) · From Dailies to Finish (Sat 11AM)

Filmmaker, Producer & Actor · Sundance Institute Board of Trustees

Amy Redford is a director, producer, actor and podcaster, and the Co-Founder of RedSkye Stories. She is currently developing a series about the unhoused community in Salt Lake City, as well as a documentary on Spider Sabich, made in collaboration with his daughter.

Panel: Finding Your Voice (Fri 10AM)

Filmmaker & Screenwriter

Writer-director of seven features, Bujalski's work spans Funny Ha Ha (named one of the most influential films of the 2000s), Computer Chess, Results (MoMA permanent collection), and Support the Girls. He'll discuss adapting his film There There into an immersive installation.

Panel: "Cubing" a Cinematic Experience (Sat 12PM)

Founder & CEO, Ryzo Studios · 20 Years at Pixar

A writer, director, and Emmy-nominated producer, Erica Milsom directed Pixar's Loop and co-showran Inside Pixar. Her studio, Ryzo, builds films, games, and live experiences for kids. She brings UnTilted, a multi-part interactive experience, to the festival.

Panel: "UnTilted" — A Ryzo Studios Experience (Sat 1PM)

Filmmaker, Author & Festival Director

Co-founder of the Slamdance Film Festival and former director of AFI Fest, Jon Fitzgerald is the author of Filmmaking for Change and founder of Cause Pictures. He leads two sessions on purpose-driven, sustainable independent filmmaking.

Panels: Filmmaking for Change (Fri 2PM) · Alchemy in Venice (Sat 4PM)

Chief Programming Officer, SeriesFest

Claire Taylor-Smith is the programming lead for SeriesFest, curating all festival and year-round programming — including the Women Directing Mentorship with Shondaland and the Independent Pilot Competitions. A Colorado native and University of Northern Colorado theatre graduate, she previously produced theater and developed television with New York's Triptyk Studios.

Breaking the Format: Where Film Meets TV (Sat 5:30PM)

Principal, Prime Meridian Media · Colorado Film Historian

A second-generation Colorado filmmaker, David Emrich founded Postmodern Company and has edited an Academy Award–winning documentary and a Clio-winning commercial. He is the author of Hollywood, Colorado, a history of the state's silent-era film studios.

Presentation: Hollywood, Colorado (Fri 4PM)

Founder & Producer, Milkhaus

Cathy Trekloff was an Associate Producer on the Academy Award– and Emmy-winning short documentary Saving Face, and produced Artificial Gamer. Her current slate includes Dear Hector, Love Ivan and HOT! She anchors a candid roundtable on running a micro film company in Denver.

Panel: Running an Indie Film Company (Fri 11AM)

Colorado Film Commissioner

As Colorado's Film Commissioner. lauren leads the state's Office of Film, Television & Media with more than 15 years across production, festivals, and film policy. She helped bring major productions to the state as Deputy Film Commissioner, worked as a production executive at New York's Red Crown Productions, and led programming and professional-development initiatives at SeriesFest.

Panel: Colorado On screen (Fri 5PM)

Kevin Smith and Alaina Drechny discuss the history of the Denver Film Festival (one of the oldest film festivals in the country), the year-round community spotlight festivals it produces, and Colorado’s film community as a whole. They provide insight into the film festival landscape, exploring the difference between industry and regional film festivals.

CEO - Denver Film

Kevin Smith serves as the CEO of Denver Film, leading major cultural programs like the Denver Film Festival, Film on the Rocks, and the Sie FilmCenter that together engage over 200,000 attendees annually. Building on a background in film and television production and over a decade with the organization, he has driven significant growth in audiences, membership, and community impact since taking the helm in 2022.

Festival Producer - Denver Film

Alaina Drechny is the Producer at Denver Film, leading operations for flagship programs like the Denver Film Festival, Film on the Rocks, Women+Film, and CinemaQ. Holding a BFA in Film from CU Boulder, she built extensive post-production management experience at Dorsey Pictures across major networks including HGTV, Discovery, and Fox Nation before joining Denver Film in 2023.

Join the Community College of Aurora's Cinematic Arts Department for a celebration of our amazing student filmmakers! Experience a diverse showcase of original student films, then stay for a panel discussion featuring students and instructors who will share insights into the creative process and the opportunities available through CCA's Cinematic Arts program.

Student Films

“Six Nights” - Written and Directed by Robert Brogden

“Sean: The Ramblings of a Sculpture Artist” - Directed and Produced by Felicia Hettinga and Lauren Tolfa

“Stereo Psychosis” - Written and Directed by Matt Sandoval

“Fly Away with Me” - A film by Alexadra S. Faust

“Grocery Trip” - Created by Leon Hicks

Colorado's animation community has a story worth telling. Four Colorado-based animation professionals look back at the studios and productions that shaped the state's animation history, discuss where the industry stands today, and share their hopes for its future.