The 2024 Denver Film Festival has finalized its list of award honorees who will be in attendance from November 1 through 10, with everyone from “Dìdi” star Joan Chen to “The Piano Lesson” director Malcolm Washington to “Saturday Night” stars Gabriel LaBelle and Cory Michael Smith joining the already announced lineup that includes honorees like “Nickel Boys” filmmaker RaMell Ross, “Lilly” star Patricia Clarkson, and “The Fire Inside” lead Ryan Destiny.
Going in schedule order, the first among the new honorees, accepting the Excellence in Writing Award after the Denver Film Festival screening of their August Wilson adaptation “The Piano Lesson” on November 1 are Washington and co-writer Virgil Williams. While the latter will be there in person, the director will appear virtually.
Next is Oscar winner Andrew Wyatt, best known for his work on the films “A Star Is Born” and “Barbie,” who will be in town to accept the Excellence in Songwriting & Composing Award following the November 7 screening of Gia Coppola’s “The Last Showgirl,” which he scored and co-wrote a new Miley Cyrus song for.
That same night, LaBelle and Smith will be present to receive the 5280 Award alongside “Saturday Night” writer/director Jason Reitman, his co-writer Gil Kenan, and the film’s cinematographer Eric Steelberg. All five will also participate in a post-screening Q&A following the awards presentation.
Finally, Chen, who has also played significant roles in projects like “Twin Peaks” and “Lust, Caution,” will receive the Denver Film Festival’s Career Achievement Award following the screening of her latest film, “Dìdi,” on November 10.
Denver Film has expanded its list of in-person guests and screenings at the festival. In addition to “Hard Truths” star Marianne Jean-Baptiste accepting the Excellence in Acting Award, the British actress will participate in a live taping of Vanity Fair’s “Little Gold Men” podcast, hosted by Richard Lawson and Rebecca Ford, following the November 9 screening of her new acclaimed film with Mike Leigh.
Director George Nolfi (“The Banker”) will also attend the festival in person to present his latest film, “Elevation,” from Vertical Entertainment. This post-apocalyptic thriller starring Anthony Mackie was primarily shot in Boulder and Golden, CO. Nolfi will also participate in a Q&A after the November 4 screening.
“We’re excited to expand upon our already robust lineup of in-person guests and screenings with the addition of many more of the film industry’s top talents attending this year’s Festival,” said Denver Film Festival artistic director Matthew Campbell via statement.
“The awards and conversations with the people behind the work provides our audiences with that unique opportunity to interact and experience the diversity of work and talents representing all aspects of the filmmaking industry. It’s that connection between the talent, both on screen and behind the camera, and their audiences that has always defined and made Denver Film Festival so special.”
To find the complete schedule of films, screening times and locations, as well as tickets to individual screenings, special presentations, red carpets, and events, go to the Denver Film Festival website.
