FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Denver Film Media Contacts:
Ambriehl Turrentine: ambriehl@denverfilm.org
Marty Schechter: marty@schechterpr.com
DENVER – July 9, 2025 – Denver Film, in collaboration with History Colorado, today announced its lineup for Reel to Real, a returning four-week series that brings to life Colorado’s history, culture, and communities through film. All screenings will take place at the Sie FilmCenter, 2510 E. Colfax Ave. Tickets are $12 for Denver Film members/$15 non-member and are available at denverfilm.org.
The series kicks off Tuesday, Aug. 5 at 6:30 p.m. with a presentation of the charming 1994 sports comedy-drama A League of Their Own starring Geena Davis, Tom Hanks and Madonna. The film, set during World War II, follows two sisters who join the first female professional baseball league and struggle to help it succeed amid their own growing rivalry. The series continues through Tuesday, Aug. 26 with a presentation of the locally-produced film Summer of Violence. Set in 1993, the film chronicles violent crimes that jolted the metro Denver area in causing unrest and uncertainty. These tragic events are the setting for college grad Naomi’s tumultuous summer when she turns down law school to pursue poetry and rally around the community. In between, Reel To Real film presentations include The Changeling and Waiting for Guffman.
After each screening, History Colorado curators, and other experts will lead a discussion covering the film’s historical context, impact, and thematic connection to the state.
“We’re thrilled to team up with Denver Film once again for the third season of Reel to Real,” said Ani Steele, History Colorado’s public programs and events manager. “From films about haunted house horrors to a grounded look at Denver’s 1990s history, this program is sure to bring Colorado history to life through the films you know and love as well as hidden gems.”
“It’s been a thrill to put this series together again and see what unique angles we can take to explore Colorado’s connection to film without resorting to the obvious,” said Keith Garcia, Sie FilmCenter Artistic Director. “Seeing ourselves and our state in themes and stories that we identify with – and re-examining our role in real local stories interpreted by others – is part of the fun of filmgoing. This year’s slate of films is very exciting and paired with these great discussions, I think folks will see a whole new side to their favorite films.”
HISTORY COLORADO PRESENTS REEL TO REAL FILMS IN PROGRAM:
Directors: Penny Marshall
Tuesday, Aug. 5, 6:30 p.m.
Tom Hanks, Geena Davis and Madonna star in this major-league comedy from the team that brought you Big. Hanks stars as Jimmy Dugan, a washed-up ballplayer whose big-league days are over. Hired to coach in the All-American Girls Baseball League of 1943, while the male pros are at war, Dugan finds himself drawn back into the game by the heart and heroics of his all-girl team. Jon Lovitz adds a scene-stealing cameo as the sarcastic scout who recruits Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis), the baseball dolly with a Babe Ruth swing. Teammates Madonna, Lori Petty and Rosie O’Donnell round out the roster, taking the team to the World Series. Based on the true story of the pioneering women who blazed the trail, on the fields and off, for generations of athletes.
Includes a post-film discussion on the film’s themes with History Colorado’s Rachael Storm, Head of Curatorial Services & Curator of Business + Industry
Director: Peter Medak
Tuesday, Aug. 12, 6:30 p.m.
Experience the Severin Films restoration of the 1980 gem that made Martin Scorsese’s “11 Scariest Horror Movies of All Time” list. The Changeling represents a career peak for both star George C. Scott (Patton) and director Peter Medak (The Ruling Class). Oscar-winner Scott goes all out as John Russell, a classical music composer consumed by grief after his wife and daughter are killed in a shocking accident. When John moves to a secluded Victorian mansion, he finds himself haunted by a paranormal entity that unleashes an even more disturbing secret. Based on actual events, The Changeling is a winter-set haunting that influenced everything from The Ring to The Conjuring.
Includes a post-film discussion on the film’s themes with History Colorado’s Damion Pechota, National and State Register Historian
Director: Christopher Guest
Tuesday, Aug. 19, 6:30 p.m.
Almost no one’s ever heard of flamboyant, would-be Broadway director Corky St. Clair’s hometown of Blaine, Missouri. But Corky fully expects Blaine will be his ticket to Broadway when he writes, directs, choreographs and costumes a local show celebrating Blaine’s 150th anniversary in this hilarious comic spoof.
Includes a post-film discussion on the film’s themes with Rob Duray from the CO150 Film Festival, Kevin Smith, CEO of Denver Film, and Katie Roach, History Colorado’s America 250 – Colorado 150 Commission
Director: Nikki Micheaux
Tuesday, Aug. 26, 6:30 p.m.
Summer of Violence is a story about the power of art to heal, unite, and transcend even the most devastating of times. Set in the turbulent summer of 1993, Denver was rocked by a wave of violent crimes, forever remembered as the “Summer of Violence.” Naomi, a recent college graduate, defies her parents by turning down law school to follow her passion for poetry. But as the violence claims those she loves; she spirals into a battle for her own survival. Summer of Violence is a powerful story of resilience, loss, and the fight to find one’s voice amidst chaos, exploring intersection of personal ambition, family expectations, and the impact of violence on a community.
Includes a post-film discussion on the film’s themes with MiDian Holmes, Owner/ Founder of Urban Leadership Foundation of Colorado
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 160,000 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 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.
About History Colorado
History Colorado is a division of the Colorado Department of Higher Education and a 501(c)3 non-profit that has served more than 75,000 students and 500,000 people in Colorado each year. It is a 146-year-old institution that operates eleven museums and historic sites, a free public research center, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation which provides technical assistance, educational opportunities, and other access to archaeology and historic preservation, and the History Colorado State Historical Fund (SHF), which is one of the nation’s largest state funded preservation programs of its kind. More than 70% of SHF grants are allocated in rural areas of the state. Additionally, the offices of the State Archaeologist and the State Historic Preservation Officer are part of History Colorado.
History Colorado’s mission is to create a better future for Colorado by inspiring wonder in our past. We serve as the state’s memory, preserving and sharing the places, stories, and material culture of Colorado through educational programs, historic preservation grants, collecting, outreach to Colorado communities, the History Colorado Center and Stephen H. Hart Research Center in Denver, and 10 other museums and historic attractions statewide. History Colorado is one of only six Smithsonian Affiliates in Colorado.
Visit HistoryColorado.org, or call 303-HISTORY, for more information. #HistoryColorado
