As those in the political arena quickly figure out, it never hurts to have a flair for the dramatic – and the smarts to use it well.
Just look at how Federico Peña got everyone’s attention when the Mizel Center for Arts and Culture asked him to present its first Cultural Achievement Award – a modern rendition of an ancient Jewish spice box – to former City Council member Susan Barnes-Gelt on opening night of the 10th anniversary Denver Jewish Film Festival.
An awkward silence fell over the crowd of 300 when the former Denver mayor’s notes fell to the floor. The happy buzz resumed quickly, though, once Peña, who had also been secretary of Energy and secretary of Transportation under President Clinton, broke into a grin and confided he was merely following public-speaking advice Barnes-Gelt had shared with him years ago: “Throw (the notes) away and just be yourself!”
Barnes-Gelt has been a fixture on the city’s political scene since her days as a student activist and historic preservationist. She was an aide to Peña during his administration and served eight years on the Denver City Council. In 1993, Clinton appointed her to the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities. Her term ended in 2000 and she is now an op-ed columnist for The Denver Post.
In accepting the award, Barnes-Gelt said the opening film, “Isn’t This a Time!,” in which Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie and Peter, Paul and Mary pay tribute to folk music promoter Harold Leventhal, was a reminder of the power that music can have to embolden people to oppose political repression.
Even though the festival, presented by Mellon Financial, has been around for a decade, this was the first time that an opening gala was held. It proved to be a successful move, raising $17,000 for the theater, art, music, literary and educational programs that the Mizel Center offers throughout the year for children and adults. That, noted festival organizers, is $10,000 more than the entire festival generated in 2005.
In addition to the award presentation and film, the gala included cocktails and a buffet supper. Jeffrey Weiss headed the festival committee, working with Sharon Haber, Paula Herzmark, Betsy Heyman and Robyn Loup to put together a run of dramas, comedies and documentaries that Steve Wilson, the center’s executive artistic director, described as a “stunning diversity” of modern Jewish film. The festival concludes Thursday at the JCC’s Shwayder Theatre, 350 S. Dahlia St.
Opening night guests included Doug Seserman, who heads Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado; David Holst, chairman of Mellon West; Elaine Mariner, executive director of Colorado Council on the Arts; Gil August, executive director of the JCC; former Denver School Board President Elaine Gantz Berman; and Tina Poe Obermeier, interim director of the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs.
Others enjoying a night at the movies: Cherie Kirschbaum, president of City Projects real estate development; pollster Floyd Ciruli; artist Ellen Beller; Jewish Community Center board members Gary Yourtz, Sarah Goldblatt and Howard Greinetz with their spouses, Terri Yourtz, Neil Goldblatt and Hyla Greinetz; author Judie Schwartz; and Allied Jewish Federation staffer Alby Segall.
Society editor Joanne Davidson can be reached at 303-809-1314 or jmdpost@aol.com.
