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By Keith Garcia, Denver Westword

Surrounding states may be more popular places to film movies, but Colorado has one of the biggest growing film scenes around. Not only do we have the chance to watch great films every day, but there are dozens of festivals in the Denver area and around the state dedicated to film every year — so many that our annual Best of Denver Readers’ Pollalways includes a Best Film Festival category. These festivals cater to every whim and give film fans a wonderful way to connect with the world cinematically — while still staying in the dark. Here, in alphabetical order, are the ten best film festivals in Colorado in 2016.

Aspen Shortsfest
April 5-10, 2016
Though Aspen Film also puts on an impressive feature film fest in September, the organization displays an uncanny ability to sort through hundreds of short films, those delectable tiny bites of cinema, and curate a program that is both entertaining and influential. In the past two years, five of the festival’s Best Short winners have gone on to be nominated for Academy Awards. The 25th-anniversary season of the festival hits the idyllic mountain resort town this April, with complete program details leaking in March at aspenfilm.org.

FULL LIST