Denver Film Rocks Out in August (in More Ways Than One)

"You can't rule the school unless you're doing the most," says Keith Garcia, artistic director at the Sie FilmCenter. He's one of the top creatives at cinema-supporting nonprofit Denver Film, which has been working overtime to make its summer season one of the best times of the year to catch films and unique experiences, rivaling its Denver Film Festival in November.

"This summer, we really went all in on the collaborations — Museum of Nature & Science, Performing Arts Complex, History Colorado, MCA Denver at the Holiday Theater and beyond," says Garcia. "We've centered the programs we've done for years and found all the spaces in between to fill with as much film fun as was legal."

The month of August is particularly packed, with Denver's only LGBTQ+ film festival, CinemaQ, as well as some of Hollywood's best Colorado films along with animation greats, sci-fi spectacles and wild fun from across the border with Mexico's Santo vs. Dr. Death and Intrépidos Punks. Here's the lineup:
Sci-Fi Series: Sunshine
Wednesday, August 7, 6:30 p.m.
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Sci-Fi Series is a Denver Film summertime tradition only rivaled by Film on the Rocks and Summer Scream for overall awesome-ness. Every year, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science's Ka Chun Yu and other experts highlight the intriguing science behind the biggest and boldest science fiction spectacles — but also some of its most thoughtful, under-seen and overlooked gems. This year's final entry, Sunshine, is a perfect example. Each night includes a conversation about the film's real-life science with experts in related fields, which have ranged from astronomy to ornithology. Tickets are $15 at denverfilm.org.
CinemaQ
Thursday, August 8, through Sunday, August 11
Sie FilmCenter, 2510 East Colfax Avenue
"I'm so proud of our baby," Garcia says happily of CinemaQ, Denver's only LGBTQ+ film festival, which is celebrating its Sweet Sixteenth this year.

"Every year is a stellar celebration of the best in queer cinema, and this year's cache is really, really great," he continues. The opening night's mushroom trip/time travel/Freaky Friday-mashup My Old Ass is highly anticipated, as are two music-icon docs —Teaches of Peaches and S/He Is Still Her/e (on Genesis P-Orridge) — along with typically strong shorts programs and a queer suspense section that includes HAZE and Carnage for Christmas.

This year's lineup also marks the debut of a new partnership with Black Pride Colorado that aims "to amplify the voices and stories of Black queer people everywhere," Garcia says. "The films under that banner, Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story, and I'm Your Venus, are truly extraordinary documentaries, and I can't wait to see how this partnership grows over the next sixteen years!" Tickets are available at denverfilm.org.
Reel to Real
Tuesdays: August 13, 20 and 27, 6:30 p.m.
Sie FilmCenter, 2510 East Colfax Avenue
Reel to Real is Denver Film's month-long series with History Colorado that uses film to animate Colorado's history, culture and communities. Back for its second year, the series is offering a well-curated and diverse lineup of films, with screenings of The Prestige, The Farewell, Blackkklansman and The Shining. The presentations are followed by a discussion with curators and other experts delving into their historical context, impact and thematic connection to the Centennial State. Tickets are $12 at denverfilm.org.

Cine en la Colina — Santo Vs. Dr. Death
Thursday, August 15, 7 p.m.
Levitt Pavilion, 1380 West Florida Avenue
A brand-new series for the film nonprofit, Cine en la Colina "engages our new partnership with Levitt Pavilion to screen films at that beautiful outdoor venue, presented by Biennial of the Americas — and make a whole night of it," Garcia explains. "We had a great screening of Coco earlier this summer, and we're going out with a bang screening Santo Vs. Dr. Death, where the famed luchador takes on a crime syndicate."

Also known as Santo Contra el Doctor Muerte, it's one of over fifty films starring the silver-masked wrestling/film/pop-culture legend Santo — often credited with kicking off the professional wrestling craze in Mexico. The film is presented for free, with food available on-site and music by Denver indie-rock band Yugs. Tickets are free with RSVP at venuepilot.co.
Film on the Rocks — Mad Max: Fury Road
Monday, August 19, 7 p.m.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
If you've gotten this far into the list (or this summer) and you haven't been to Film on the Rocks yet, well — you have to go. The series has become an institution over its 25 years, delivering ample "summer movie glow" in that most awesome of outdoor theaters. This year's season ends on Monday, August 19, with perhaps the best blockbuster of the past decade, Mad Max: Fury Road. FOTR is also known for opening with sharp local music, and this night is no exception: The show opens with a set from the winner of Colorado Native's Sundown Throwdown, Radio Fluke. Tickets are $23 to $50 at axs.com.

Sunset Cinema
Tuesday, August 20, 6:30
Sculpture Park, Denver Performing Arts Complex
Sunset Cinema is the nonprofit's original in-town outdoor screening series, held on Tuesdays throughout the summer at the Denver Theatre District's Sculpture Park. The partnership with Denver Arts & Venues groups the film selections around the celebration of a particular genre, director, art form or theme. Local partners add to the experience with performances, costume contests, games, photo environments, craft cocktails and more. This year's theme is animation, and the season will finish up with The Fantastic Mr. Fox on August 20. Free with Eventbrite registration here.
Summer Scream
Thursday, August 22, 6 to 11 p.m.
Lakeside Amusement Park
Another long-running favorite, Summer Scream sees the film organization take over Lakeside Amusement Park for an all-inclusive night of rides, drinks and, in recent years, increasingly elaborate themes courtesy of experience-crafters Andrew Novick and Christopher Getzan. Things are "going to be so very this year with the theme of Winona Ryder," says Garcia, adding a layer of "fun and frivolity" to the usual scampering around the park amid other festivities. "Before we get to the event, though," he adds, "we're screening some of her best performances back at the Sie in our 'Winona Forever' series, including Reality Bites, Bram Stoker's Dracula and, of course, Heathers." Tickets are $75 at denverfilm.org.
Scream Screen
Saturday, August 24, 7 p.m.
Sie FilmCenter, 2510 East Colfax Avenue
The other big "scream" in August is the newest installment of this long-running horror series, which has steadily returned to pre-pandemic frequency, delighting terror fans every month at the Sie with obscure genre gems. In August, series creator Theresa Mercado brings a typically excellent selection, the recently rediscovered Mexican punxploitation classic Intrépidos Punks from 1987. There will be pre-film music by local band the Nervous, as well as an after-party at fellow fright-fan outpost the Crypt, with all-vinyl punk, thrash and hardcore from DJs @howweird and @flankspeed. Tickets are $14 at denverfilm.org.