Denver Film Festival announces 49th edition program

The 49th Denver Film Festival has announced its program for the upcoming edition, scheduled to run from October 22 to November 1, 2026. The festival will feature 129 films, including feature films, documentaries, and shorts, hosted across various venues such as the Sie FilmCenter, Ellie Caulkins Opera House, MCA Denver at the Holiday Theater, and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

Peter Farrelly’s ‘I Play Rocky’ will serve as the opening film, while James Gray’s ‘Paper Tiger’ will close the event. Other centerpiece selections include Danny Boyle’s ‘Ink’ and Tony Gilroy’s ‘Behemoth!’.

Several honorees were also named, including Carrie Coon for Excellence in Acting for ‘The Liberation’, John Cho with the Outlaw Award, and Liz Sargent as Breakthrough Director. Additional awards will be presented to Fred Hechinger (Rising Star), Benedetta Porcaroli (Maglione Italian Film Award), David Acord (Excellence in Sound Design), and Michael Gitlin, who will receive the Stan Brakhage Award alongside a special retrospective.