![[gpt-4o]: Denver Film Festival 49 logo, pink circle with navy text](https://www.denverfilm.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/DFF49-AnniversaryLogo-FullColor.png)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DFF49 Media Relations Team
Marty Schechter: marty@denverfilm.org
Jon Ewing: jon@denverfilm.org
Shea Martin: shea@denverfilm.org
JOHN LEGUIZAMO TO RECEIVE JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD PRIOR TO DENVER FILM FESTIVAL SCREENING OF CHRISTOPHER NOLAN’S THE ODYSSEY;
INDYA MOORE TO BE HONORED WITH THE CINEMAQ LABAHN IKON FILM AWARD; AND
D’ARCY CARDEN WILL RECEIVE THE WOMEN+FILM BARBARA BRIDGES INSPIRATION AWARD
Denver Film announces additional in-person honorees, jurors, screenings and Creative Conversations for 49th Annual Film Festival
DENVER – Denver Film announced today an expanded list of special guests, award recipients, screenings and special events for this year’s Denver Film Festival, as well as naming the Festival’s jury members for the four in-competition categories. The Denver Film Festival runs Oct. 22 – Nov. 1, 2026, at venues across the Denver area. The complete schedule of films, screening times and locations, as well as ticketing information and access to special presentations and unique Festival events is available via the DFF49 website.
Additional honorees to be recognized at the 49th Denver Film Festival include actors John Leguizamo, Indya Moore and D’Arcy Carden.
Leguizamo will appear in-person on Friday, Oct. 30 to receive Denver Film Festival’s prestigious John Cassavetes Award presented by Next50. Established in 1989 in collaboration with Cassavetes’ widow, Gena Rowlands, the award is presented to an American director, actor, or film artist who has made a significant contribution to independent filmmaking and whose work reflects the independent spirit of the late John Cassavetes. The first award was presented in 1989 by Seymour Cassel to first-time director Steven Soderbergh for Sex, Lies, and Videotape. Prior Cassavetes Award recipients include: Lucy Liu (2025), Patricia Clarkson (2024), Jason Reitman (2018) and John Turturro (2015).
Leguizamo will accept the award and participate in a conversation prior to the newly added screening of The Odyssey, writer-director Christopher Nolan’s record-shattering, mythic action epic based on Homer’s foundational saga, starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, king of Ithaca, Anne Hathaway as his queen and wife, Penelope, and Tom Holland as their son, Telemachus. Leguizamo is earning some of the strongest critical acclaim of his career for his transformative, heartbreaking portrayal of Eumaeus, Odysseus’s loyal servant and friend.
Actress, model, writer and producer Indya Moore will receive the CinemaQ LaBahn Ikon Film Award at the Denver Art Museum on Sunday Oct. 25. Best known for her role as Angel in FX’s Pose, in 2025, she was nominated for the Gotham Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance for her role in Jim Jarmusch’s Golden Lion-winning Father Mother Sister Brother. Named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in the World and to Forbes 30 Under 30, she was the first trans person to appear on the cover of the U.S. edition of ELLE and has since covered Vogue Italia, Vogue India, Vogue España, and Vogue Portugal. She will participate in a moderated conversation with Holly Harmon, interpretive specialist for the Denver Art Museum’s DIVA exhibit.
Actress and producer D’Arcy Carden will receive the Women+Film Barbara Bridges Inspiration Award at the Festival’s Nov. 1 Awards Brunch. Carden is best known for portraying Janet in the NBC sitcom, The Good Place, for which she earned a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, and Greta Gill in the Prime series, A League of Their Own.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome three extraordinary artists whose talent, creativity and impact extend far beyond the screen,” said Denver Film Festival Artistic Director Matthew Campbell. “John Leguizamo has built a remarkable career defined by fearless performances, incredible range and the independent spirit that makes him such a deserving recipient of our Cassavetes Award. Indya Moore is a groundbreaking artist and powerful voice for representation and inclusion, while D’Arcy Carden brings an exceptional combination of comedic brilliance, versatility and heart to everything she does. Each has made a unique and lasting mark on the entertainment industry, and we’re thrilled to celebrate their achievements and give Denver audiences the opportunity to connect with these inspiring artists during this year’s Festival.”
Creative Conversations
In addition to the expanded list of guests and films, the Festival program will include six Creative Conversations delivering intimate discussions with filmmakers and industry experts covering a range of timely and provocative topics. All Creative Conversations will be held in the lower level of The Tattered Cover (2526 E. Colfax Ave.) and include:
Screenwriting with Peter Gamble – Oct. 23, 11:30 a.m.
Come hear from the scribe of the Festival’s Opening Night presentation, I Play Rocky, as he details the ins and outs of Hollywood screenwriting. Peter Gamble works across genres, got his start ghostwriting for the Oscar-nominated House of Sand and Fog and is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
When the Buses Arrived – Oct. 27, 11 a.m.
When buses carrying Venezuelan migrants began arriving in Denver, the city faced an urgent question: How do we welcome people in crisis? Join the filmmakers behind the Festival’s Colorado Spotlight documentary, Good Help, along with a select group of community voices, for a conversation about what happened next, from the official response to the informal networks of women who stepped in to help. The conversation will explore how documentary art can bear witness, preserve complex stories, and invite public reflection. The panel will also discuss what lessons were learned and where Denver goes from here as a community.
Host: Al Jackson
Panelists:
Andrea Ryall, Founder of Hope Has No Borders
Karen Orona, Communications Manager at the Colorado Immigrants’ Rights Coalition
Jon Ewing, Press Secretary, Denver Mayor’s Office
Rebekah Henderson & Lilah Park, Filmmakers
Muddy Waters – Navigating the Colorado River’s Uncertain Future – Oct. 27, 1 p.m.
A panel moderated by Tahlia Bear, Senior Indigenous Peoples Engagement Manager for Western Resources Advocates, and featuring:
Mara Gasbarro Tasker, director of the Festival’s Colorado Spotlight documentary, The River
Lorelei Cloud, film participant and water activist
Jim Lochhead, former CEO of Denver Water
Perry Cabot, CSU Extension professor and water expert
The Evolving Television Landscape, presented by SeriesFest – Oct. 29, 12:30 p.m.
The television landscape is changing, creating new challenges and opportunities for writers, producers, and creators looking to bring their stories to the screen. In this conversation, industry leaders share how they’re navigating today’s evolving marketplace, from developing and pitching projects to getting shows greenlit and finding the right path to audiences. A panel moderated by Denver Post journalist John Wenzel, hear firsthand success stories and insights from:
Teri Weinberg, President of Yellow Brick Road
Alex Maggioni, Head of Television at LAIKA Live Action
Elsie Choi, Founder and Executive Producer of Hours and Seasons
Costume Design with Mona May – Oct. 30, 11 a.m.
Mona May has more than 100 film and TV credits, but it was Clueless that made her costume design part of the conversation. Her looks didn’t just dress the characters; they helped tell the story, and they’ve influenced designers ever since. Join May as she looks back on her storied career.
Casting Director Karlee Fomalont – Oct. 30, 1 p.m.
The old Hollywood adage, “90% of directing is casting,” is illuminated by Casting Director Karlee Fomalont. A member of the Casting Society of America and an Artios Award winner, Karlee’s credits include A Complete Unknown, The Post, Private Life, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, The Get Down, NCIS: New York and The Hunting Party.
DFF49 Jury for In-Competition Films
Featuring films from across the world, this year’s selection of in-competition films will be screened and judged by a panel of industry professionals and entertainment industry media. DFF49 juried awards and jurors include:
Krzysztof Kieslowski Award for Best Feature Film
David Canfield, The Hollywood Reporter
Destiny Jackson, Deadline
Rochelle Rose, National Director of Performers Program, SAG-AFTRA Foundation
Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary
Justine Suzanne Jones, Producer
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire
Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair
True Grit Award
Ethan Alter, Gold Derby
Karlee Fomalont, Casting Director
Danielle Rose Russell, Actress
Shorts Competitions
The shorts lineup includes a wide range of offerings from across the globe. The shorts jury will screen and award the Grand Jury Prize for Best Short, the Marilyn Marsh Saint-Veltri Award for Best Student Animation Short and the True Grit Award for Best Colorado-produced short.
Kate Chamuris, Producer
Mona May, Costume Designer
Darwin Shaw, Producer
The Press Accreditation application process for the 49TH Denver Film Festival (DFF49) is open through Friday, Oct. 16 at 11:59 p.m. The application to be considered for Accreditation can be found on the DFF49 website or by clicking here.
DFF49 Sponsors
Marquee Sponsors
William LaBahn; Epicurean; Next50; Amazon; AOR; Halcyon; Sheila K. O’Brien; Crusonia Wealth Advisors; Dormer Harpring, LLC; Anna and John Sie Foundation; Betsy Mordecai Heyman and Gareth Heyman; Julie Mordecai; Mercedes-Benz of Denver; HW Home
Cameo Sponsors
Liberty Global; Visit Denver; BOK Financial; Denver Screen Print & Embroidery; milkhaus; Minuteman Press; Mary Watson; GHP Investment Advisors; Katie Reilly and Shane Harvey
Film Sponsors
Ireland Stapleton; Meow Wolf; Suzanne Siteman; Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP; Consulate General of Canada in Denver; Gloria Campbell & John Verwys; Sue Capitelli
Media
CBS Colorado; Axios; City Cast Denver; Colorado Public Radio; Denverse; Metromode; Rocky Mountain Public Media
Additional Thanks To
Alliance Française de Denver; AVFX; Best Day Brewing; Butler Rents; Colorado Party Rentals; Eldorado Natural Spring Water; Jay’s Valet; MiHi Entertainment; Ratio Beerworks; Red Rocks Spirits; Roche Bobois; Biennial of the Americas; Colorado Dragon Boat; Colorado Environmental Film Festival; Colorado Film & Video Association; Dairy Block; Denver Community Media; Denver Museum of Nature & Science; Ellie Caulkins Opera House at Denver Performing Arts Complex; Eventive; Gary Community Ventures; Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival; MCA Denver at the Holiday Theater; SAG-AFTRA; Sexy Pizza; Taloma Partners; Tattered Cover Book Store; University of Denver
Proudly Funded By
Colorado Office of Film and Television; Bonfils Stanton Foundation; Denver Arts & Venues; SCFD (Scientific and Cultural Facilities District)
About Denver Film
Denver Film has been transforming and entertaining the Colorado community through the power of diverse voices in film since 1978. Operating as the region’s only membership-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit film institution, Denver Film has grown into a signature cultural organization in the West, screening international and independent movies found nowhere else in the region.
Serving more than 100,000 patrons annually through 600-plus screenings that include year-round programming at Denver Film’s flagship home the Sie (pronounced SEE) FilmCenter, the annual Denver Film Festival celebration, the iconic Film on the Rocks program at Red Rocks Amphitheater, and Spotlight Festivals including CinemaQ, Women+Film, and the Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival. Spotlights highlight underrepresented communities and foster inclusivity. Denver Film works to build resilience across all of its programming and events by amplifying diverse voices, promoting equity, and fostering community connections.
For more information or to explore the full suite of Denver Film programming, events, and ticketing visit: denverfilm.org.
# # #