Brian Malone, brother of Broadway star Beth Malone, has produced ‘Reengineering Sam,’ a documentary about paralyzed race-car driver Sam Schmidt.

The 39^th Denver International Film Festival opens tonight with a red-carpet screening of the most anticipated film of the year – and one with a significant Colorado connection. La La Land is a sweet song-and-dance romance set in contemporary Los Angeles starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. And it is choreographed by Summit High School grad (and four-time Emmy Award nominee) Mandy Moore. It will be screened at 8 p.m. tonight (Nov. 2) at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. (And look for our exclusive interview later today on the DCPA NewsCenter).

But there are plenty of additional local films generating significant buzz at this year’s fest. Andrew Novick, the cereal-infused brains behind the city’s hipster Denver County Fair, will present what he calls a 10-minute introduction to his forthcoming full-length documentary JonBenét’s Tricycle. It has music by Adam Stone of Buntport Theater and Screwtooth Productions.

And while Broadway star Beth Malone has been getting plenty of attention of late for her Tony Award-nominated performance in Fun Home The Musical, her brother, Brian Malone, takes the spotlight at this year’s Film Festival with Reenginnering Sam, an uplifting documentary about how an Indy-car racer moved on after a crash left him a quadriplegic. The Malones are graduates of Douglas County High School.

Local actor Bob Buckley is featured in A Song for the Living, about a young train engineer whose world is upended when his mother suddenly takes her own life. It was shot in and around Central City.  

One panel conversation of note is titled State of the State: Overview. Jane Fonda and Robert Redford were just here filming Our Souls at Night. Before that, Quentin Tarantino shot The Hateful Eight near Telluride. Moderator Robert Denerstein will examine the state of cinema in Colorado at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 9, at the McNichols Building in Civic Center Park.  

Here is a complete list of homegrown feature-length films, shorts and music videos being featured at the Denver International Film Festival, which runs running through Nov. 13 at the Sie FilmCenter and UA Pavilions cineplex:

FEATURE-LENGTH FILMS

Actor Martinez
Directed by Nathan Silver and Mike Ott
75 minutes
True story: regular Denver International Film Festival guests Nathan Silver and Mike Ott met volunteer Arthur Martinez two years ago in the Filmmaker Lounge. Over drinks, they decided to make a film together. The result is this startling, genre-bending investigation into the creative process and the motives behind it.
Saturday, Nov. 5, 6:45 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Sunday, Nov. 6, 9:30 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Friday, Nov. 11, 2 p.m. Sie FilmCenter

Growing Up Coy
Directed by Eric Juhola
82 minutes
Meet the Mathises, a Colorado family whose 4-year-old child self-identifies as a girl. When Coy is forced to use the boys’ bathroom at school, they’re spurred to take legal action. This documentary follows their struggle all the way to the Supreme Court.
Friday, Nov. 11, 1:15 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Saturday, Nov. 12, 1:45 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Sunday, Nov. 13, 2 p.m. Sie FilmCenter

Reenginnering Sam
Directed by Brian Malone
82 minutes
Sam Schmidt always wanted to go bigger and faster. His love of Indy car racing left him a quadriplegic, but he never pumped the brakes on his passion for life—and now he’s intent on gaining mobility through technology in this uplifting documentary produced by longtime festival guest Daniel Junge
Saturday, Nov. 5, 1:45 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Sunday, Nov. 6, 11 a.m. Sie FilmCenter

A Song for the Living

Directed by Colin Floom and Greg Nemer
Brandon is a young train engineer whose world is upended when his mother suddenly takes her own life. At the funeral home, he meets Fiona, a beautiful and mysterious mortician who takes a strong interest in him. Soon they discover they share a passion for music. And when Fiona serenades him with an ancient folk song, their lives become entwined for eternity. This tragic tale of heartbreak, deception and betrayal was shot in and around picturesque Central City with an ensemble cast including Nicole Elizabeth Olson, Grayson Low, Kate Linder and Bob Buckley.
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 8:45 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Thursday, Nov. 10 4:15 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Friday, Nov. 11, 1:30 p.m. Sie FilmCenter

MUSIC VIDEOS

Elephant Revival – Petals
Directed by Laura Goldhamer, Michelle Chistiance and Tim Douglas
3 minutes
Animator and local musician Laura Goldhamer returns with her patented whimsical style to feature one of Colorado’s top bands.
Playing as part of Music Video Mixtape
Saturday, Nov. 5, 9:30 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Thursday, Nov. 10 6:30 p.m. Sie FilmCenter

Scatter Gather – What More?
Directed by Zachary Antonio
4 minutes
Some head-spinning animation with mouth lasers.
Playing as part of Music Video Mixtape
Saturday, Nov. 5, 9:30 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Thursday, Nov. 10 6:30 p.m. Sie FilmCenter

Valley Maker – Oh Lightning
Directed by Joseph Kolean
3 minutes
Joseph Kolean presents a visual nature poem.
Playing as part of Music Video Mixtape
Saturday, Nov. 5, 9:30 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Thursday, Nov. 10 6:30 p.m. Sie FilmCenter

SHORT FILMS

Acoustic Ninja
Directed by Robert Bevis
8 minutes
Trace Bundy, known to his fans as the Acoustic Ninja, has never been interested in the fame and glamour offered by the mainstream music industry. Yet the self-represented Louisville, Colorado, resident has managed to acquire international acclaim and tour frequently.
Playing as part of First Look 2: Highs and Lows
Saturday, Nov. 5, 5 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Sunday, Nov. 6, 1:30 p.m. Sie FilmCenter

Denizen – “Devan”
Directed by Rob Shearer
2 minutes
D. Michael Kingsford (also known as Devan) is Denver’s own resident street poet. Armed with only a typewriter and an English degree, Devan writes poems on the 16th Street Mall in front of Tattered Cover Bookstore.
Playing as part of California Typewriter
Thursday, Nov. 3, 4:30 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Friday, Nov. 4, 3:45 p.m. UA Pavilions
Monday, Nov. 7, 6:15 p.m. UA Pavilions 

Dog Power
Directed by Kale Casey
34 minutes
Dog Power gives you an introduction to the world’s fastest sprint sled dogs, their human teammates and the incredible variety of sports man’s best friends are involved in.
Playing as part of Colorado Short Documentary
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 9 p.m. UA Pavilions
Sunday, Nov. 13, 4:45 p.m. UA Pavilions

Go to the Denver International Film Center home page

Edges
Directed by Katie Stjernholm
9 minutes
At the ripe age of 90, Yvonne has yet to retire from her ice-skating career. Arguably the world’s oldest ice skater, she is still at the rink five days a week.
Playing as part of Colorado Short Documentary
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 9 p.m. UA Pavilions
Sunday, Nov. 13, 4:45 p.m. UA Pavilions

Enlightened
Directed by Noah Kloor
7 minutes
An old man is given the gift of ultimate knowledge—but has no way to communicate it.
Playing as part of Colorado Short Narrative
Sunday, Nov. 6, 11 a.m. UA Pavilions
Tuesday, Nov. 8, 6:45 p.m., UA Pavilions

Feral
Directed by David Liban
18 minutes
A boy named Sonny and a woman named Emma struggle separately to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. Emma suggests they travel together to seek out someone who may be able to help them.
Playing as part of Colorado Short Narrative
Sunday, Nov. 6, 11 a.m. UA Pavilions
Tuesday, Nov. 8, 6:45 p.m., UA Pavilions

Happy F-ing Valentine’s Day
Directed by Jeremy Dehn
14 minutes
Everyone’s least favorite holiday provides the backdrop for this comedy short, which asks the question: How can an attempt to do something so good turn out so f-ing wrong?
Playing as part of Colorado Short Narrative
Sunday, Nov. 6, 11 a.m. UA Pavilions
Tuesday, Nov. 8, 6:45 p.m., UA Pavilions

Instructions
Directed by Joseph Kolean
6 minutes
Host Zachny Filltoms-Onalo shows you how to set up a turntable.
Playing as part of Off the Rails
Thursday, Nov. 3, 4:15 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Saturday, Nov. 5, 7:15 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Sunday, Nov. 6, 4:15 p.m. Sie FilmCenter

JonBenét’s Tricycle

Directed by Andrew Novick
10 minutes
A man who collects almost everything decides what to do with one of his eeriest acquisitions.
Playing as part of Ovarian Psycos
Thursday, Nov. 10, 9:15 p.m. UA Pavilions
Friday, Nov. 11, 8:45 p.m. UA Pavilions

The Journey is the Destination
Directed by Olivia Friedman
4 minutes
Artist and elementary-school teacher Barth Quenzer weighs the values of imagination and storytelling by looking backward at the creative process.
Playing as part of The Red Turtle
Saturday, Nov. 5, 11:30 a.m. Sie FilmCenter

Kickass Katie Lee
Directed by Beth Gage, George Gage
10 minutes
Meet Katie Lee, the 96-year-old activist who opposed the Glen Canyon Dam and has forever been its immutable warrior and outspoken foe, in this uplifting short.
Playing as part of Colorado Short Documentary
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 9 p.m. UA Pavilions
Sunday, Nov. 13, 4:45 p.m. UA Pavilions

Less Than Angels
Directed by Adam Loehr
27 minutes
Less Than Angels takes a look at the life of former Denver Film Festival portraitist Thomas Haller Buchanan, exploring the dichotomy between the realities of work as a commissioned artist and his dreams of renown as a fine artist.
Playing as part of Colorado Short Documentary
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 9 p.m. UA Pavilions
Sunday, Nov. 13, 4:45 p.m. UA Pavilions

Lingo
Directed by Chase Bortz
11 minutes
In 1960, two friends stumble into a diner full of code talkers. Can they figure out how to speak the language?
Playing as part of Colorado Short Narrative
Sunday, Nov. 6, 11 a.m. UA Pavilions
Tuesday, Nov. 8, 6:45 p.m., UA Pavilions

Nova Initia
Directed by Scott Thompson
6 minutes
A story about hope and new beginnings.
Playing as part of First Look 1: Who Are You?
Friday, Nov. 4, 3:45 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Saturday, Nov. 5, 11:45 a.m. Sie FilmCenter

On the Tracks
Directed by Erik Sween
14 minutes
Thousands of people demonstrated against nuclear weapons at Colorado’s Rocky Flats in 1978. Hundreds were arrested during the eight-month-long occupation by Truth Force, with the likes of Allen Ginsberg blocking trains full of radioactive material — and Joe Daniel was there to photograph it all.
Playing as part of Colorado Short Documentary
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 9 p.m. UA Pavilions
Sunday, Nov. 13, 4:45 p.m. UA Pavilions

Phobia
Directed by Chris Barron
3 minutes
Sometimes you have a reason to be afraid.
Playing as part of A Song for the Living
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 8:45 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Thursday, Nov. 10 4:15 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Friday, Nov. 11, 1:30 p.m. Sie FilmCenter

The Places We’ve Been Have Become All But Ghosts
Directed by Caleb Andrew Ward
8 minutes
Two lovers eat, drink, get high and try to find out if there’s anything left between them by searching in the places between words.
Playing as part of Colorado Short Narrative
Sunday, Nov. 6, 11 a.m. UA Pavilions
Tuesday, Nov. 8, 6:45 p.m., UA Pavilions

Rations
Directed by Alexander Rhodes-Wilmere
8 minutes
During a devastating drought, two sisters struggle to support their ailing mother after their monthly water deliveries are unexpectedly delayed.
Playing as part of Colorado Short Narrative
Sunday, Nov. 6, 11 a.m. UA Pavilions
Tuesday, Nov. 8, 6:45 p.m., UA Pavilions

Rat Nest
Directed by Kelly Spencer
10 minutes
After leaving her lonely childhood behind, Charlie moves into her own apartment with her pet rat and stumbles upon a cast of quirky characters who become the unlikely members of her own rat’s nest.
Playing as part of Colorado Short Narrative
Sunday, Nov. 6, 11 a.m. UA Pavilions
Tuesday, Nov. 8, 6:45 p.m., UA Pavilions

Riot
Directed by Nathan Silver
4 minutes
Nine-year-old Nathan attempts to direct a movie based on the Los Angeles riots. But the actors aren’t cooperating.
Playing as part of Actor Martinez
Saturday, Nov. 5, 6:45 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Sunday, Nov. 6, 9:30 p.m. Sie FilmCenter
Friday, Nov. 11, 2 p.m. Sie FilmCenter

Terrene
Directed by Bryce Thomas-Hoogland
13 minutes
An astronaut who crash-lands on a planet far from home looks back at her life on earth with her husband.
Playing as part of Colorado Short Narrative
Sunday, Nov. 6, 11 a.m. UA Pavilions
Tuesday, Nov. 8, 6:45 p.m., UA Pavilions

Wander
Directed by AJ Koch
6 minutes
A woman living in a fantasy world must decide whether to give up her dreams forever or risk death in the winner of this year’s 48-Hour Film Project.

Check out our Colorado theatre coverage on the DCPA NewsCenter