In only its second year of existence, the Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) – sponsored by the Colorado Film Society, and co-founded by sisters and cinephiles Robin and Kathy Beeck – landed a Millennium Trust grant from The Community Foundation Serving Boulder County.
“It was 2006, and that grant to the Colorado Film Society was among a handful of our earliest grants,” remembers Kathy. “We were just a fledging program, then, and support from the Millennium Trust was crucial.
“In those first few lean years, we recognized that it would be important to have an office downtown…so some of the dollars went toward our rent, salaries and other overhead costs.
“Also critical, of course, is getting really good films. There are screening fees that have to be paid, so that filmmakers get paid, too.”
Today, BIFF attracts more than 25,000 film enthusiasts, media and industry each year, and has hosted and celebrated some of film’s most talented artists – from Shirley MacLaine at BIFF 2014, to Oscar-nominated actors Alec Baldwin, James Franco, Martin Sheen and Oliver Stone; as well as Emmy-nominated actress Blythe Danner, legendary comedian Chevy Chase, and many independent filmmakers, directors and writers.
“Every year, our four-day festival brings together films and filmmakers from around the world,” added Kathy. The next festival will happen March 5-8, 2015. “We’ve developed a reputation as an influential film event.”
Indeed, BIFF – named one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals” in the world by MovieMaker Magazine – is known to introduce new-but-unknown feature films, documentaries and shorts that have gone from early screenings here to box-office successes.
“In the beginning, especially, you have to be willing to introduce yourself to donors and sponsors,” Kathy said. “You have to have confidence in your idea, why it’s wonderful, and how it benefits our local communities and beyond.
“You have to hold fast to your vision. That’s what we did, and it worked for us.“
Currently, BIFF is run by six full- and part-time staff members, and the sisters are considering adding another position soon. “I’m so pleased that we went from an all-volunteer staff to a paid staff,” Kathy continued. “And we’re proud of our steady growth – from selling 5,000 tickets in our first year to about five times as many now.”
Kathy is also proud of BIFF’s nationally recognized Call2Action program that offers concrete ways for filmgoers to translate their work into action – and impact. “Call2Action is based on the idea that film has the power to change the world by evoking the stories of our time – the issues that affect all of us – and inspiring concrete action,” she explained. “We’ve even put together a toolkit that we share with other film festivals, free of charge, to help them tackle important challenges in our society through film, too.
“It’s amazing how far we’ve come, thanks to our early funders who trusted us – and who believed in our vision.”
The Millennium Trust was established in 1999, as a permanent fund of The Community Foundation Serving Boulder County to serve the needs of residents in perpetuity. It was created by donations from thousands of Boulder County residents giving their last hour of income for the year. People gave money to help meet the needs of the new millennium in the areas of the arts, environment, civic involvement, education, and/or health and human services. Donors to the fund are chosen at random to serve on the annual advisory committee and to select the year’s funding focus. This year, the Millennium Trust exceeded $1M granted.
