ASPEN FILM ANNOUNCES LINE-UP FOR 31st ANNUAL ACADEMY SCREENINGS
December 6, 2023
ASPEN FILM ANNOUNCES LINE-UP FOR 31st ANNUAL ACADEMY SCREENINGS
Blitz Bazawule’s THE COLOR PURPLE Opens Festival with In-Person Q+A by Composer Kris Bowers and Choreographer Fatima Robinson,
Festival to Close with Cord Jefferson’s Highly Anticipated AMERICAN FICTION
ASPEN, Colo. (Nov. 30, 2023) – Aspen Film is excited to announce the program for its 31st Annual Academy Screenings, showing at the newly acquired Aspen Film Isis Theatre from Dec. 19-23, 2023. The 10-film showcase kicks off with the new and highly anticipated THE COLOR PURPLE, directed by Blitz Bazawule, followed by a special, in-person Q+A with award-winning composer Kris Bowers + award-winning choreographer Fatima Robinson on Opening Night. The festival will close with Cord Jefferson’s Highly Anticipated AMERICAN FICTION.
Aspen has long been a favorite winter destination for voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), and other various entertainment guilds such as DGA, PGA, SAG-AFTRA, WGA. From big-name features to fresh independent voices, Aspen Film’s 31st Edition Academy Screenings showcases high-profile, prominent end-of-year awards season contenders.
“This has been a stellar year for cinema, and Aspen Film has been fortunate to present so many world-class films,” says Aspen Film Executive + Artistic Director Susan Wrubel. “We have the privilege of sharing several of the most anticipated year-end films with our audiences, and once again, Academy Screenings is sure to please. To kick things off, we are delighted to host award-winning composer Kris Bowers and award-winning choreographer Fatima Robinson from THE COLOR PURPLE.”
31ST ASPEN FILM ACADEMY SCREENINGS OFFICIAL PROGRAM
THE COLOR PURPLE
Tue, DEC 19 | 7:00 PM | AF Isis Theatre
A story of love and resilience, THE COLOR PURPLE is a decades-spanning tale of one woman’s journey to independence. Celie faces many hardships in her life but ultimately finds extraordinary strength and hope in the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.
(US, 2023) 141 MIN
FOLLOWED BY Q+A WITH AWARD-WINNERS COMPOSER KRIS BOWERS AND CHOREOGRAPHER FATIMA ROBINSON
FESTIVAL | AWARDS 2023 Critics Choice Awards Celebration of Cinema and Television, Winner – Ensemble Award
DIRECTOR Blitz Bazawule
WRITTEN BY Marcus Gardley
WITH Halle Bailey, Jon Batiste, Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Louis Gossett Jr., Taraji P. Henson + H.E.R.
THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE
Wed, DEC 20 | 5:00 PM | AF Isis Theatre
An idealistic high school teacher who advocates for a student accused of stealing becomes embroiled in conflict when she becomes the target of theft herself.
(Germany, 2023) 98 MIN
OFFICIAL 2024 OSCAR® SUBMISSION, GERMANY – Best International Feature
FESTIVAL | AWARDS 2023 Berlin International Film Festival – Winner, C.I.C.A.E. Award; German Film Awards – Winner, Best Screenplay, Best Direction, Best Actress, Outstanding Feature Film; Toronto International Film Festival
DIRECTOR Ilker Çatak
WRITTEN BY Johannes Duncker, Ilker Çatak
WITH Leonie Benesch, Michael Klammer, Eva Löbau + Leonard Stettnisch
POOR THINGS
Wed, DEC 20 | 8:00 PM | AF Isis Theatre
Bella, a young woman brought back to life by a genius surgeon, sets out on an adventure across continents to explore an unknown world. Freed from the prejudices of her time and learning about equality and emancipation, Bella achieves amazing growth.
(Ireland, UK, US, 2023) 141 MIN
FESTIVAL | AWARDS 2023 Venice Film Festival – Winner, Best Film, UNIMED Award; Telluride Film Festival; New York Film Festival
DIRECTOR Yorgos Lanthimos
WRITTEN BY Tony McNamara, Alasdair Gray
WITH Christopher Abbott, Jerrod Carmichael, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Mark Ruffalo, Emma Stone, Hanna Schygulla, + Ramy Youssef
SEVEN BLESSINGS
Thur, DEC 21 | 5:00 PM | AF Isis Theatre
Marie reunites with her relatives for her wedding, forcing them to confront the past while wrecking the present in a tragic family comedy about fury, forgiveness, and food.
(Israel, 2023) 108 MIN
OFFICIAL 2024 OSCAR® SUBMISSION, ISRAEL – Best International Feature
FESTIVAL | AWARDS 2023 Ophir Awards, Winner – Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress
DIRECTOR Ayelet Menahemi
WRITTEN BY Eleanor Sela + Reymonde Amsellem
WITH Reymonde Amsallem, Rivka Bahar, Tikva Dayan, Eran Mor + Eleanor Sela
COMMUNITY PARTNER JCC of Aspen
THE IRON CLAW
Thur, DEC 21 | 8:00 PM | AF Isis Theatre
The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s.
(UK/US, 2023) 130 MIN
DIRECTOR Sean Durkin
WRITTEN BY Sean Durkin
WITH Harris Dickinson, Zac Efron, Lily James, Holt McCallany, Maura Tierney + Jeremy Allen White
THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Fri, DEC 22 | 5:00 PM | AF Isis Theatre
The commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp.
(US, UK, Poland 2023) 105 MIN
OFFICIAL 2024 OSCAR® SUBMISSION, UNITED KINGDOM – Best International Feature
FESTIVAL | AWARDS 2023 Cannes Film Festival, Winner – Grand Prize; Telluride Film Festival; Toronto International Film Festival; New York Film Festival; Montclair Film Festival, Winner – Breakthrough Performer
DIRECTOR Jonathan Glazer
WRITTEN BY Martin Amis, Jonathan Glazer
WITH Christian Friedel, Sandra Hüller + Freya Kreutzkam
COMMUNITY PARTNER Aspen Jewish Congregation
ALL OF US STRANGERS
Fri, DEC 22 | 8:00 PM | AF Isis Theatre
A screenwriter drawn back to his childhood home enters into a fledgling relationship with a mysterious neighbor as he then discovers his parents appear to be living just as they were on the day they died, 30 years before.
(UK, 2023) 105 MIN
FESTIVAL | AWARDS 2023 Telluride Film Festival; New York Film Festival; Montclair Film Festival, Winner – Special Jury Prize; British Independent Film Awards – Winner, Best Editing, Best Cinematography
DIRECTOR Andrew Haigh
WRITTEN BY Andrew Haigh
WITH Jamie Bell, Claire Foy, Carter John Grout, Paul Mescal, Andrew Scott + Ami Tredrea
COMMUNITY PARTNER AspenOUT
ROBOT DREAMS
Sat, DEC 23 | 2:00 PM | AF Isis Theatre
In bustling 80s New York, Dog decides to build himself a robot companion to help cope with the loneliness. After an enjoyable day at the beach, disaster strikes, forcing Dog and Robot to separate. Will they ever meet again?
(Spain, France 2023) 102 MIN
FESTIVAL | AWARDS 2023 Cannes Film Festival; Montclair Film Festival; Annecy International Animated Film Festival – Winner, Best Film; Toronto International Film Festival; Animation is Film – Winner, Feature Film
DIRECTOR Pablo Berger
WRITTEN BY Pablo Berger
WITH Ivan Labanda + José Garcia Tos
PERFECT DAYS
Sat, DEC 23 | 5:00 PM | AF Isis Theatre
Hirayama is content with his life as a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. Outside of his structured routine, he cherishes music on cassette tapes, books, and taking photos of trees. Through unexpected encounters, he reflects on finding beauty in the world.
(Japan, Germany 2023) 123 MIN
OFFICIAL 2024 OSCAR® SUBMISSION, JAPAN – Best International Feature
FESTIVAL | AWARDS 2023 Cannes Film Festival, Winner – Best Actor; Telluride Film Festival; Toronto International Film Festival; New York Film Festival; Montclair Film Festival
DIRECTOR Wim Wenders
WRITTEN BY Wim Wenders + Takuma Takasaki
WITH Yumi Asô, Tokio Emoto + Kôji Yakusho,
COMMUNITY PARTNER Matsuhisa
AMERICAN FICTION
Sat, DEC 23 | 8:00 PM | AF Isis Theatre
A novelist who is fed up with the establishment profiting from ‘Black’ entertainment uses a pen name to write a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.
(US, 2023) 117 MIN
FESTIVAL | AWARDS 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, Winner – People’s Choice Award; Denver Film Festival, Winner – Excellence in Acting Award; Critics Choice Awards – Winner, Visionary Award
DIRECTOR Cord Jefferson
WRITTEN BY Cord Jefferson
WITH John Ales, Adam Brody, Sterling K. Brown, Keith David, Tracee Ellis-Ross, Issa Rae, Leslie Uggams, Jeffrey Wright + Skyler Wright
COMMUNITY PARTNER AspenWords
SCREENING VENUE
ASPEN FILM ISIS THEATRE
406 East Hopkins Avenue, Aspen
TICKETS
Festival Pass can be purchased here for $225
https://aspenfilm.org/festival/2023-academy-screenings/
Member tickets go on sale Dec. 5. General admission tickets go on sale Dec. 8.
ADMISSION – OPENING NIGHT
$30 General Admission
$25 Aspen Film Members
ADMISSION – ALL OTHER SHOWTIMES
$25 General Admission
$20 Aspen Film Members
Tickets can be purchased online at aspenfilm.org or starting Dec 11th, in person at the Aspen Film Office (110 E Hallam St; Suite 103, Aspen). Voting members of AMPAS, BAFTA, DGA, PGA, SAG-AFTRA, WGA, and other applicable entertainment guilds receive a complimentary Industry Pass to Academy Screenings that must be reserved in advance. To obtain an Industry Pass, please contact Aspen Film directly by email (info@aspenfilm.org) or by phone (970.925.6882) by Dec. 16th.
SPONSORS
The 31st Annual Academy Screenings is made possible by the generous support of Aspen Daily News, Alpine Bank, Aspen Public Radio, AspenOUT, Aspen Thrift Shop, City of Aspen Arts Grant Program, Colorado Creative Industries, Colorado Office of Film Television + Media, Les Dames d’Aspen, Rotary Club of Aspen, W Hotel, Aspen.
ABOUT ASPEN FILM:
Established in 1979, Aspen Film is one of Colorado’s most active film arts organizations, presenting dynamic programs and featured guest artists throughout the year. Internationally recognized, Aspen Film organizes a major film event in every season, along with an extensive education program: Aspen Filmfest (fall), Academy Screenings (December 19-23, 2023), Aspen Shortsfest (April 1-7, 2024), Summer of Cinema, and FilmEducates. With a mission to enlighten, enrich, educate, and entertain through film, Aspen Film stimulates thought, encourages dialogue, and broadens our understanding of our world and selves through the diverse spectrum of ideas presented by filmmakers worldwide. Aspen Shortsfest was voted one of the ‘Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World in 2022’ by Moviemaker Magazine. To learn more, visit aspenfilm.org.
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PRESS CONTACT:
Lea Tucker
303.641.4370
lea@lucyleatucker.net