Saturday. The grand Denver Derby Party is calling it quits, having fulfilled its mission of raising $5 million for the Sean Ranch Lough Foundation. That nonprofit was founded in 2001 in honor of 29-year-old Lough, who died after a mountain biking accident. Twenty-five years later, organizers say, it’s become the largest Derby party west of Kentucky, selling 90,000 tickets and raising the full endowment for the foundation’s scholarship fund.

The final event is, of course, going large: 17,000 square feet of open-air space at McGregor Square, the Kentucky Derby itself on a 66-by-20-foot LED stadium screen, live entertainment and DJs, a fashion contest, and “unlimited” food and drinks with your ticket purchase. All-inclusive tickets are $150 each, with VIP options already sold out. It runs 1-6 p.m. at 1901 Wazee St. in Denver. Find out more about the 21-and-up event at .

Cinco de Mayo 2026

Saturday-Sunday. Denver’s delicious Cinco de Mayo celebration returns Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3, with a impressive menu, given that its host, Civic Center park, is partially shuttered for construction. That hasn’t stopped the nonprofit NEWSED from bringing back chihuahua races, taco-eating contests, a lowrider car show, three stages of live music and dance performances, and dozens of food, drink and retail vendors.

Don’t miss the 11 a.m.-noon parade on Saturday, which leaves the staging area (three blocks west of the City & County Building) and continues through downtown before arriving at Civic Center. Admission is free and all-ages, with items available for purchase. The festival runs 10 a.m.-8 p.m. both days at 101 14th Ave. in Denver. Visit for more details.

SeriesFest Season 12

Wednesday-May 10. Denver’s SeriesFest, which brings global talent to the city for the “Sundance of television” (their words, but also accurate), is celebrating its 12th year with another round of world premieres, pilot competitions, workshops and panels, screenings, awards and a gala. Like a film festival, it’s part industry, part come-as-you-are and all focused on discovery.

This year’s opening-night (May 8) includes advance screenings of the next season of Peacock’s “Ponies” and the Netflix version of “Lord of the Flies,” among others. The event kicks off on  Wednesday, May 6, and continues through Monday, May 10. Most events take place at Denver Film’s Sie FilmCenter, 2510 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver. Tickets range in price per event, with screenings about $19 each. Visit for more details.

Denver Fashion Week’s spring fling

Friday-May 9. It’s time to line up those outfits for Denver Fashion Week, which returns for its spring showing Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 9. The packed schedule features eight runway shows with workshops, auditions, “new concepts, returning favorites, and inclusive experiences that spotlight both rising designers and established talent,” organizers said. “This season introduces the Outerwear & Athleisure Fashion Show, marks the return of the Swimsuit & Resort Wear Show, and continues the inspiring Adaptive Fashion Show, showcasing fashion innovation for individuals of all abilities.”

The spring events — more will take place later in the year — are at the Furniture Row Showroom, 5445 Bannock St. in Denver. Tickets start at $50 per show, with VIP front and second row runway seats available. Visit for the full schedule.

But there are plenty of other film festivals in Colorado, from Oscar-bait showcases and mini-fests to touring, niche and genre-specific events that appeal to outdoor enthusiasts, the LGBTQ community, and horror fans — sometimes all at once.

So if you can only see one Colorado film festival this year, what should it be?

Here are some ideas, with a focus on independent features and documentaries. Most events have opening- or closing-night parties, filmmaker panels, VIP passes and other programming, although not all have schedules, tickets on sale or firm dates yet.

Durango Independent Film Festival

March 4-8: There’s still time to check out this 21st annual event along the Animas River in southwest Colorado, which runs through Sunday, March 8, with screenings that span adventure, music, animation, nature, comedy, shorts, documentaries, Indigenous cinema, narrative features and kid-friendly titles. More details at .

No Man’s Land Film Festival

March 7 in Denver: Expect roughly 25 titles at this 11th annual event that “un-defines” feminine by exploring and creating dialogue around the brilliance and influence of women filmmakers, particularly in the outdoors- and adventure-film categories. “From intimate portraits of resilience to explorations of identity, climate, and adventure — these films showcase the bold creativity of women, genderqueer, and Indigenous storytellers,” organizers wrote. Also expect several U.S. and world premieres.

Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival

March 20-22 in Denver: The namesake of this Denver Film-produced event gathers colorful boats at Sloans Lake each year for races and partying. This festival offshoot is another wildly entertaining chance to introduce audiences to the diverse, underappreciated world of Asian and Asian American films. The Dragon Boat Race returns Aug. 29-30, but you can start building your schedule for the March film fest now..

Aspen Shortsfest

April 7-11 in Aspen and Carbondale: Think of this competitive, Oscar-qualifying gathering as a Telluride or Sundance just for shorts, where featured and award-winning titles annually get nominated for (and often win) the biggest awards in the industry. This year, the Oscars recognized a pair of 2025 Shortsfest titles (“Jane Austen’s Period Drama” and “Retirement Plan”) as nominees for Best Live Action Short and Best Animated Short (respectively), and you can bet the 2027 Oscars will feature a few from this year’s 35th annual event in Aspen and Carbondale.

Boulder International Film Festival

April 9-12: Founded in 2004 by sisters Kathy and Robin Beeck, this four-day event has been the city’s marquee film festival. But it’s already making room for Sundance, having pushed back this year’s 22nd anniversary event from its usual February/March dates to early April, in anticipation of Sundance’s January 2027 debut. Sundance does not, however, have the CineChef food program (this year celebrating Badass Women Chefs), established Colorado youth screenings and competitions, or tens of thousands of already-loyal, annual Front Range ticket-buyers. Details, tickets and schedule are available at .

ACT Human Rights Film Festival

April 9-12 in Fort Collins: This 11th annual, globally minded festival held at Colorado State University investigates the highs and lows of human dignity, violence and progress in a tightly curated set of always-relevant titles. What to make of the alarming global conflicts now proliferating? The ethics of citizenship? The crackdown of governments on their own people? They’ve got ideas. The schedule should post in the next week or two at .

Castle Rock Film Festival

April 9-12: Joining an already-crowded weekend for film festivals is the fourth annual Castle Rock Film Festival, a nonprofit event that benefits the Castle Rock Artist Alliance (CRAA), specifically its Veterans and First Responders Art Therapy program. Awards, student competitions, and more are in store. Check soon for the schedule.

Grand Mesa Short Film Festival

April 10-11 in Cedaredge: Most film events have their own shorts program, but there are precious few in Colorado that focus only on shorts (see Aspen Shortsfest, above). Now in its fifth year, the Grand Mesa Short Film Festival includes documentary, animation, drama, comedy, and action/adventure stories, along with a kid-appropriate matinee and a spotlight on young filmmakers.

Denver Silent Film Festival

April 10-12: It’s really saying something that this Denver event brings silent films to life in the most visceral, magnetic way, with rare and restored movies that predate the era of talking actors and in-film soundtracks. It’s your only chance to see these in Colorado on the big screen, with live music to boot, and it all takes place at the Sie FilmCenter. How much easier could it be?

5Point Film Flagship Festival

April 21-26 in Carbondale: Not long after Shortsfest is the 19th annual 5Point Film Festival in Carbondale, the flagship of a state-touring event that focuses on “humility, purposes, balance, commitment, respect” and other big-picture ideals while presenting screenings that tackle outdoor adventure and conservation. Sounds very Colorado, no?

Women+Film Festival

April 24-26 in Denver: This small but important festival complements fall’s Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival with more than a dozen features, shorts and documentaries “celebrating female filmmakers behind the camera and stories of women on the screen,” as producer Denver Film said online.

SeriesFest

May 6-10 in Denver: Technically a TV and streaming festival, SeriesFest has grown over its 12 years into one of the most important showcases of non-film and episodic work — much of it ending up on networks and major streaming services just a few weeks or months later. Amid the glitz and industry confabs are fun panels and parties (see the annual Red Rocks concert) that keep it top-of-mind for regular audiences, from true-crime and documentary fans to traditional sitcoms, animated series, pilots and social media experiments.

Telluride Mountainfilm

CinemaQ

May 29-31 in Denver: Denver’s only LGBTQ film festival takes place at the Sie FilmCenter with screenings, panels, discussions and events that highlight “queer voices, vision & visibility with the year’s best films,” according to producer Denver Film. The three-day event’s schedule and tickets will be online April 27.

Ouray International Film Festival

June 18-21: Shorts and features are on tap for this festival not far from Telluride, which caters to filmmakers and audiences with an unpretentious slate of adrenaline-pumping titles. It’s got awards and quasi-celebrity guests, but the real attraction is the mountain scenery and the vibe of progressive, open-minded creativity.

Telluride Film Festival

Aug. 29-Sept. 1: This fest is unapologetically elite and exclusive as it annually debuts up to 30 prestige films and other titles, all surrounded by the world’s biggest directors, stars and critics. It’s not industry; it’s influence and buzz-making and a celebration of movie geekery. And it’s highly unlikely to be affected by Sundance’s Boulder debut, given its wealthy, self-contained audience and setting.

Telluride Horror Show

Oct. 16-18: High and low art are artificial distinctions at this genre celebration, which defines itself not by Telluride’s ski-resort setting but by its passionate fans and expert curation of new and classic horror titles. The 17th iteration this year will include destination-worthy parties and gatherings, along with “an exciting mix of horror, suspense, thriller, dark fantasy & sci-fi and dark comedy in Telluride’s unique theaters, with most of the films having one of their first U.S. showings,” according to its website. Check back this fall for the lineup and tickets.

Aspen Filmfest

September: Marking 47 years, Aspen Film’s feature-length event (they also host Shortsfest) retains its modest footprint from last year, hewing close to the Aspen Isis Theatre. Dates (usually in mid-to-late September) and a schedule have not yet been finalized.

Winter Park Film Festival

Sept. 10-13: If you don’t think of Winter Park as synonymous with film, you’re not alone. But the competitive event in Grand County draws diverse filmmakers, families and film buffs with screenings and special events, including titles that highlight young people, disabled people, action-adventure seekers, and students.

Breck Film Festival

Sept. 17-20 in Breckenridge. With more than 100 films on tap annually, Breck Film Festival has already set its dates for 2026, and there’s sure to be more local and national filmmakers in attendance — 2025’s event included the Colorado-set film “Rebuilding,” starring Josh O’Connor (which was actually shot in Colorado).

Crested Butte Film Festival

Late September: This 16-year-old festival has a surprisingly robust schedule, presenting around 80 films spread across five days that allow attendees and filmmakers to stretch out in every way. Passes and a schedule are not yet available, but check in the fall for more.

Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival

Oct. 16-18 in Colorado Springs: The 39th festival returns to Colorado College in Colorado Springs with an international celebration of women filmmakers. This year, the event will have in-person screenings at Colorado College followed by a virtual encore. The full schedule will be available later this year at .

Denver Film Festival

Oct. 22-Nov. 1: The biggest film festival in Colorado may not hold that title much longer, given Sundance’s looming arrival, but it will be fascinating to see how this jam-packed, affordable, multi-venue event plays with Sundance in both programming and audiences. Expect the typically impressive schedule of screenings, parties, panels, themed packages and awards to again be spread across the Sie FilmCenter, Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver Botanic Gardens, MCA at the Holiday Theater and other locales.

Go West Film Festival

Nov. 9-14 in Greeley: Not many film events rustle up Western themes these days, even in Colorado, but Go West honors that tradition with titles that confront what it means to live in the West — the good, the bad and the unexpected. “We ride the range of cinema history, from the early years to feature films and documentaries about the modern West,” organizers wrote online. Giddy up!

Ridgway Independent Film Festival

Nov. 13-15: The otherworldly San Juan Mountains play host to this event, which is marking its 12th year of showcasing indie films and filmmakers. Programs often feature fun options such as skygazing trips (it’s really, really dark there at night), an art show and lots of in-person meet-ups alongside the many screenings. Several events are free, too.

Vail Film Festival

Dec. 3-6: This late-season, competitive event is still taking submissions on its website, so a public lineup hasn’t even begun to take shape. But producers already revealed they’ll include a dedicated French Showcase this year, as part of their partnership with the ÉCU-Paris Film Festival (The European Independent Film Festival).

Saturday. Denver’s globally-known TV and streaming festival, SeriesFest, is bringing back its “Fashion in Focus” program with costume designer Molly Rogers, along with a fashion show featuring dozens of iconic looks, historic costumes, and more than 40 models. Emmy-winner Rogers, who’s known for “Ugly Betty,” HBO’s “Sex and the City” and “And Just Like That …” as well as “The Devil Wears Prada” movies, will receive the Excellence in Costume Design Award from SeriesFest alongside the runway show.

With tickets starting at $125, it’s not cheap. But even the starting tier includes the conversation with Molly, plus a cocktail party and full fashion show. It takes place 4-7 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, at The Cable Center at the University of Denver, 2000 Buchtel Blvd. in Denver. Visit for more details. — John Wenzel

Denver Restaurant Week

Friday-March 15. Why go to just one restaurant when you can visit a bunch throughout Denver Restaurant Week? The 22nd annual event, organized by Visit Denver, begins Friday, March 6, and lasts through dinner service on Sunday, March 15.

The participating restaurants — and there are many — offer multi-course meals ranging from $25 to $55. Some menus have several options; others are more tailored but still unique. The promotion’s search tool, , is user-friendly and should make it easy to find somewhere special for a night out. (Last month, we made some recommendations, too.) — Miguel Otárola

Demetri Martin at the Paramount

Sunday. The deceptively low-key humor of Demetri Martin was once labeled nerdy or alternative, given his smart one-liners, on-stage drawings and overall subtly. But over the years, the writer-actor-standup has proven himself a versatile headliner and savvy addition to any festival, as critics (including myself) have realized what a narrow lane they formerly put him in.

Martin headlines the Paramount Theatre (1621 Glenarm Place in Denver) at 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, as part of his Quick Draw Tour. Tickets are $52.80-$66.70 via . — John Wenzel

A little bit o’ green

Saturday-Sunday. It’s not too early to dive into the cultural roots of St. Patrick’s Day, which returns on Tuesday, March 17. The Denver Brass is presenting its Celtic Mania program on Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8, at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts, featuring a trio of shows (two on Saturday) full of “thunderous brass, blazing bagpipes, and electrifying dance,” The Denver Brass wrote. The show features Celtic Colorado Pipes & Drums, Rocky Mountain Highland Dancers, and Celtic Steps Irish Dance School. Tickets: $5-$54; free for children under 12.

Also worthy: Lakewood’s Blarney on the Belmar, a free, family-friendly festival on Saturday, March 7, that includes “world-class Irish music, traditional dancing, the Lucky Clover Market, and the finest food and drink Belmar has to offer,” according to organizers. The fourth annual event takes place 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at  439 S. Upham St. in Lakewood (at Alameda Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard). Visit for more. — John Wenzel 

Sloan comes to the film office with strong credentials as the state prepares for the arrival of Sundance Film Festival in Boulder in January 2027. She most recently worked at Denver-based SeriesFest, which often calls itself the Sundance of television and attracts major streamers, networks and stars to the city each year.

She acted as director of artist development there for six years, following a four-year stint as deputy film commissioner, from 2012-2016, for the aforementioned office of , and worked as a producer in the film industry.

“This is a pivotal moment for Colorado’s film, television and media industry, made possible by the hard work of industry professionals and economic development leaders across the state,” Sloan said in a statement provided to The Denver Post, having beaten out more than 120 other candidates, the state said. ““We have an incredible opportunity to build lasting infrastructure, expand opportunity for creators and crews, and strengthen Colorado’s position as a premier destination for storytelling.”

Sloan will report to Colorado Creative Industries, a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, directed by Josh Blanchard. The film office operates on legislatively-approved money to support local film production and provide tax rebates to draw productions to the state, despite Colorado being dwarfed in budget by neighboring states such as New Mexico and Utah. Colorado Creative Industries funds local projects, promotes nonprofit arts projects, and manages state art districts, among other responsibilities.

Sloan’s industry experience is crucial to her position, said Randi Kleiner, co-founder and CEO of SeriesFest.

“She’s absolutely a visionary and very, very effective,” Kleiner said. “Pairing her industry knowledge with her passion and effectiveness, I think she’s going to turn to really big ideas and real results.”

“She’s an extremely connected, personable, wonderful person,” Zuckerman told The Denver Post. “Working with her, it didn’t take her long to realize what was needed for the office. She’s diligent and extremely hard-working.”

Some members of OEDIT last fall praised Zuckerman’s work and wondered why the state gave no further explanation of his firing beyond “unsatisfactory behavior.” Zuckerman declined to comment on the matter.. Eve Lieberman, executive director of OEDIT, has also declined to comment on Zuckerman’s firing.

Zuckerman was praised for building up the state’s film office, garnering legislative approval for millions of dollars in filming and film-festival credits and incentives, and attracting movies such as Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight” to Colorado. He was also credited for securing the Sundance Film Festival, which will move to Boulder in 2027 after 44 years in Park City, Utah, the state where it was founded.

This story was updated to clarify that the film office and Colorado Creative Industries both fall under the OEDIT umbrella.

Monday. At least 10 Asian-owned food businesses will pop up on Monday, April 28 in the parking lot at Adobo, a Filipino/Latin restaurant at 3109 Federal St. in Denver. The event, Friends on Federal, will feature food for sale from Panda Bao, Rocky Mountain Momo, Pho King Rapidos, Die Die Must Try, Kids Table and more. It runs from 5 to 9 p.m.

“For AANHPI businesses, a lot of these ingredients are tied to our roots, sourced from the places our stories began. Now more than ever is the time to show up for our local businesses that keep this city interesting,” organizers said.

The event is part of the third annual Mile High Asian Food Week, which runs Sunday, April 27 to May 3; during the week, “foodies can eat their way through various cuisines” from 80 AANHPI-owned vendors and receive special discounts, secret menu items, specialty menus, and more, according to a statement. Get more information at . — Jonathan Shikes

SeriesFest: Season 11

Tuesday-May 4. Denver’s continually-renewed SeriesFest returns for its 11th outing from Tuesday, April 29-May 4, with dozens of public screenings for new and returning TV series, from streaming favorites at big networks, and new, independent pilots up for sale. Like a feature-film festival, it includes panels, awards, podcast tapings and special events.

You’ll likely recognize some of the names attending: Emmy-winning comic and former CNN host W. Kamau Bell, brand-name talk show pioneer Maury Povich, Stephen Moyer (“Sexy Beast”), Rhea Seehorn (“Better Call Saul”), Lisa Ann Walter (“Abbot Elementary”) and various industry leaders. Events take place at Asterisk Denver, the Sie FilmCenter and — in the case of Tuesday night’s comedy concert from Amy Schumer — Red Rocks Amphitheatre (starting at $74 via ).

Visit for a festival badge ($139-$1,000) or to buy passes for individual screenings (starting at $15) and special events. — John Wenzel

Día del Niño 2025

Sunday. The global Día del Niño (Children’s Day) celebration returns this weekend with free, all-ages activities for families. That includes Denver Art Museum’s 23rd annual event, featuring free admission, live music and dance, and bilingual artmaking activities across the Golden Triangle area’s larger cultural institutions. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday, April 27, at 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway.

Sunday also finds Denver Museum of Nature & Science holding a major Día del Niño event, sponsored by the Mexican Cultural Center, with live music and dance, science demos and free museum admission. See more participating libraries, museums, music events and kid-friendly programming at or . — John Wenzel

Time travel

Friday-Sunday. One part performance, one part history museum, Inheritance Kitchen is “an immersive, multi-sensory experience that invites you to step inside a magical house tucked away in Denver’s historic Five Points neighborhood – a place where memories live in the walls and stories are waiting to be uncovered.” The experience has been running for a few weeks at 1905 Lawrence St. in Sakura Square, and this weekend is its finale.

“As you move through the space, you’ll encounter three families — Japanese, Latine/Chicano, and Black — each living in different decades of the house’s history,” organizers explain. “You’ll witness their experiences of social injustice, grief, and loss, while also finding the beauty of connection, resilience, and love shared through food. … You’ll engage your senses, explore moments of childlike wonder, and reflect on the ways we carry—and pass down—our histories.”

There are two showings on Friday, April 25, four on Saturday, April 26, and three on Sunday, April 27. Tickets are $45. Get more information at . — Jonathan Shikes

The Tuesday, April 29, stand-up show will herald the April 29-May 4 SeriesFest, which is held at Denver’s Sie FilmCenter and offers public screenings of new shows. It also welcomes TV industry professionals who are there for previews, promotions, panels, parties, and behind-the-scenes deals.

Schumer, who has played dozens of Denver shows over the years and recorded 2017’s “The Leather Special” at Bellco Theatre, becomes the 11th SeriesFest headliner at Red Rocks. Previous names include Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill, Chelsea Handler and Lake Street Dive.

Festival badges, which include the Schumer show, are available at now. Schumer-only tickets will go on pre-sale starting at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6 via . The general on-sale begins at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 7. Industry passes to SeriesFest are $250, with panels and other events open to the public, and full-fest passes for screenings at the Sie FilmCenter are $75.

Prices for the Schumer-only tickets were not immediately available.

The festival is often referred to as “the Sundance of TV,” given its independent, forward-looking approach and ever-increasing prominence in the streaming world.

Schumer is currently promoting her new comedy, “Kinda Pregnant,” which co-stars Will Forte and Jillian Bell; it premieres on Thursday (Feb. 6) on Netflix.

“Amy is an innovator and her range of talent is exemplified by her award-winning experience as a film and television series writer, director, producer and star,” Randi Kleiner, SeriesFest CEO and co-founder, said in a statement.

” ‘Is anyone actually coming?’ ” the festival co-creator recalled wondering as she unlocked the doors at the theater on East Colfax Avenue. “I was anxious.”

Not only did people show up that first year, they’ve also continued to blow past her expectations. Now in its 10th year, the nonprofit SeriesFest draws more than 12,000 attendees annually and commands a $2.7 million budget. Kleiner expects attendance to grow by another 2,000 this year, based on current ticket sales for the public event.

SeriesFest, co-created by Kleiner and Kaily Smith, returns for Season 10 May 1-5, with dozens of screenings, panels, awards and even a “Cowboy Carter”-themed Beyoncé (formerly at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, but moved due to weather concerns) on May 5, featuring Grammy-winning Young Guru (Jay-Z’s tour DJ). Past SeriesFest events there have featured performances from Stevie Wonder, Lady Antebellum (now Lady A), Chelsea Handler, En Vogue and Common at Red Rocks.

This year’s anniversary event takes place mostly at the Sie, with another high-profile slate of guests and programming, including its first-ever gala and honors for actor Minnie Driver, SAG-AFTRA, Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland company, and a celebration of 20 years of “Grey’s Anatomy” (with cast members James Pickens Jr., Kevin McKidd, Caterina Scorsone and Kim Raver).

The fundraising soirée bolsters SeriesFest’s reputation as a reliable, innovative spot to gather in an industry beset by head-snapping change. As prestige TV continues to move almost entirely to streaming, and the industry grapples with the staggering effects of the pandemic, last year’s Hollywood strikes and artificial intelligence, SeriesFest continues to look smart by marching boldly into a complicated, uncertain future.

“Certainly since the strikes last year, and with the IATSE (film-crew union) strikes looming on the horizon, there’s been a slightly pervasive sense of doom and gloom in my industry,” said British-Nigerian actor , who returns this year for a live table read of “Grave Affairs” and as a juror in the Drama category of the Independent Pilot Competition. He’s lately been seen in the last three seasons of NBC’s “La Brea,” and is a past award winner at both SeriesFest and the Denver Film Festival.

“I for one don’t subscribe to that doom and gloom,” he said. “We always need stories in a communal setting, but we also love to dig into stories at home and on TV, so this offers different ways of seeing those stories. I’m in awe of the drive and creativity to get these things made against all odds. It makes me optimistic that these people can find audiences.”

Streaming networks and production companies have snapped up independent pilots that premiered at SeriesFest, including “Cooper’s Bar” (AMC+); “Everyone Is Doing Great” (Apple TV+); “Dreaming Whilst Black” (BBC and Showtime); and “Generation Por Qué” (acquired as a short on Max). Creator Emil Pinnock, for example, also signed a blind-script deal with Blumhouse Television and has been tapped to pen an untitled Daymond John project (he’s one of the sharks on “Shark Tank”), Kleiner said.

That’s the result of hard work and a commitment to support new and diverse voices, SeriesFest veterans say. Even with the annual celebs and major title launches — the Paramount+ hit “Yellowstone,” starring Kevin Costner, officially premiered at a SeriesFest screening at Red Rocks Amphitheatre — SeriesFest is a nonprofit that supports young and upcoming women, BIPOC and other directors with mentorships and education.

Kleiner praised the Shondaland production company for taking on SeriesFest luminaries such as Tamika Miller. She won SeriesFest’s highly competitive Women Directing Mentorship with Shondaland and went on to direct three episodes of the acclaimed “Station 19.”

Alysia Reiner is a SeriesFest veteran who’s returning this year for “The Methods of Multi-Hyphenates” panel, along with actors Christy Carlson Romano (“Kim Possible”) and Michelle Hurd (“Star Trek: Picard”). For other veterans of the industry, the festival is essential for reaching new creatives and executives, given that it draws from a fast-growing, global pool of talent flowing from India, China, South Korea, Mexico and other U.S.-crossover markets, she said.

“You have a spectacular mix of people in front of and behind the camera,” said Reiner, who has appeared in seminal prestige-TV shows and streaming hits such as “Orange Is the New Black,” “Better Things,” and the Disney+ series “Ms. Marvel.” Her instantly recognizable face joins Jane Seymour (“Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”); Mark Duplass (“The Morning Show”); Jocko Sims (“New Amsterdam”); Patrick Macmanus (“Dr. Death”) and many more.

“The truth is, our industry has contracted a little bit post-COVID and post-strike,” Reiner said. “Less is being made on that big-budget level … we’re in a real reshuffle of streamers and networks. So it’s deeply empowering when artists are reminded by SeriesFest that they don’t have to wait to create. They can make their own content. … It wasn’t like that when I was a baby artist.”

Plenty of film festivals now offer TV sidebars, Kleiner said, but SeriesFest was one of the first and only to focus exclusively on television. She’s seen the lines between TV, film and various digital media get thinner in the last decade. But her event isn’t just “the Sundance of TV,” as SeriesFest boosters have called it over the years, but an industry leader whose example is increasingly followed (including at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, and Sundance Film Fest in Park City, Utah).

And yet SeriesFest remains one of the only places to see new TV pilots — network or independently produced — and mingle with industry types ranging from actors to soundtrack supervisors, costumers and directors, said Britta Erickson, a SeriesFest board member and film producer who formerly directed the Denver Film Festival.

“I’m proud of the fact that it came to Denver,” she said, noting that the co-founders shopped around before deciding on the Mile High City. “It was something that was missing in this market, and it felt like the right place, since we’ve been called . Now there’s this TV development pipeline that never existed and it’s launching careers and exposing new talent. The ecosystem really does start here.”

“Many networks have moved away from the traditional pilot season, so this is an incredible platform to discover new talent,” Kleiner said. “We’re showing 45 independently produced pilots, and with an audience in attendance, you can really do that litmus test right away.”

Kleiner said charitable giving is down, presenting a challenge for the festival’s continued growth, since it makes up a good portion of the budget. Resources are constantly being divided between fast-growing concerns, such as emerging crossover TV markets in Asia and Spain, prestigious competitions, and live events. But the emphasis remains on new and untested talent that proves itself worthy of national-level attention.

“We’re a small staff of six full-timers, though it grows to many more during the festival, so any programs we do always have an underlying thought to diversity, participation and social initiatives,” she said. “Most executives in industry leadership are white men, and that’s just the way it’s been. SeriesFest can’t change that, but we can show people some other ways of doing things, because we’re not just a festival. We’re a year-round arts organization now.”

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Oh, yeah, and there’d be some killer guests who’d make certain the gathering had the feel of the place to be.

Nine years in, SeriesFest continues to make good on that vision of an episodic storytelling festival that is generative, illuminating and, at times, a little mind-blowing. (The 2019 Innovation Talk with Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries and Netflix’s Ted Sarandos remains a high point.)

SeriesFest Season 9 launches Friday at the Sie FilmCenter and concludes May 10 with comedian and television doyen Chelsea Handler headlining her first-ever Red Rocks show. Joel McHale will be onstage, too, for his Fox series “Animal Control.”

“The quality of television has just exploded in the past year, and it����ap so amazing and unique to watch this incredible content in a state-of-the-art theater with an audience,” Kleiner wrote in an email. “And then you get to hear from the talent who create and star in these series. You get a behind-the-scenes look at how and why shows get made, fun facts, get to know your favorite creators and stars, as well as meet the next generation of creators.”

Because it attracts industry out-of-towners, it can feel a little daunting for the layperson. Just consider yourself a fly on the wall or a lucky eavesdropper. (That the Writers Guild of America membership went on strike earlier this week makes this an interesting, if anxious, time.) And once you sit in one of the Sie FilmCenter’s movie theaters for a competition screening and watch a handful of indie pilots, you may be hooked.

Here are five promising entry points that give you a tiny taste of the festival’s many delights. For the full schedule of panels, screenings, pitch-a-thons and more, go to seriesfest.com.

Be a participant-observer

Podcasts have made inroads into the episodic storytelling landscape, so of course they have a presence at SeriesFest. Attend the panel “Turning Podcasts into Television’s Next Big Hit with Orbit Media” (Tuesday, May 9, 4 p.m. Sie FilmCenter). Or watch one being made when actor Paul Giamatti and philosopher Stephen Asma record an episode of “Paul Giamatti’s Chinwag with Stephen Asma,” a show that boldly goes … well, all over the place.  Seriously, this week’s episode features William Shatner talking about taking mushrooms in Amsterdam and more. Saturday, May 6, 6:30 p.m., Sie FilmCenter.

Celebrate some visionaries

SeriesFest will be honoring World of Wonder producers Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” “Party Monster” and “RuPaul’s Drag Race”), along with WOW exec Tom Campbell with its Impact in TV Award. And what better way to throw a celebratory party than to also share the world premiere of the newest season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars”? Screening on Monday, May 8, 3:30 p.m. Sie FilmCenter.

Go global

SeriesFest continues to expand its international reach, screening impressive series and flying in their creators and talent. This year, there are 55 new series screening in the international competition blocks.

“It����ap exciting to bring such huge international hits to the U.S. to give audiences a taste of something they wouldn’t otherwise be able to see,” said director of programming Claire Taylor. One screening during what promises to be a powerful afternoon event, the Canadian series “Bones of Crows” tells a multi-generational saga tracking the reverberations in an indigenous family whose children were sent to residential schools. In attendance: “Alaska Daily” standout Grace Dove, Carla Rae of “Rutherford Falls”, series producers and writer-director Marie Clements. Saturday, May 6, 12:45 p.m., Sie FilmCenter.

Be there at the start of something special

SeriesFest is always fostering new industry partnerships that nurture fresh voices. In partnership with Janelle Monáe’s Wondaland Pictures, the festival’s Storytellers Initiative will host a live reading of the winner of the SeriesFest����ap Storytellers Script Writing Competition: “Soul City,” written by Lori Webster Fore and directed by Denzel Whitaker. Taylor says Wondaland’s mandate was “to find stories that are ‘radical and rebellious’ and ‘spark joy.’” Monday, May 8, 8 p.m., Sie FilmCenter.

Sneak into the C-Suite

The festival’s Innovation Talks provide a chance to understand the wild ride that television and streaming have been taking viewers on and meet those making but also surfing the dramatic waves of the industry. Global Liberty’s Mike Fries’s sit-downs with a top executive always strike an insider, peer-to-peer note. This year’s conversation partner: TelevisaUnivision’s CEO Wade Davis. Monday, May 8, 6 p.m., Sie FilmCenter.

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But when the peripatetic Handler brings her Little Big Bitch tour to Red Rocks on May 10 for the SeriesFest Night of Comedy closer, it’ll be the first time she will play — let alone visit — the iconic amphitheater.

“I have a lot of people coming to that show, a lot of family coming. My sister, she’s bringing a bunch of her sorority sisters. A lot of friends from L.A. are coming out,” Handler said during a recent phone conversation.

But it won’t be a first for SeriesFest. Set to mark its ninth season, the unique Denver-based gathering celebrating episodic storytelling began its annual Red Rocks event in 2015. That year — with the help of Denver Film’s then-Film on the Rocks impresario, Britta Erickson —  SeriesFest hosted an opening night gathering that featured a screening followed by a performance with John Legend.

The successful screening-plus-headliner ritual has continued with the “Amber Ruffin Show” and its titular host; “Yellowstone” (before it was a thing) with actors Wes Bentley and Gil Birmingham on hand; and Stevie Wonder-ful.

“I’ll never forget having legend Stevie Wonder perform with a surprise appearance by Usher in 2019,” recalled SeriesFest co-founder (with Kaily Smith) Randi Kleiner via email. “That was an epic show!”

In addition to Handler, this year’s closing night is set to feature a screening of the Fox comedy “Animal Control,” with star Joel McHale as well as visits by comedians Jay Pharoah and Adam Ray.

Just because Handler’s appearance isn’t SeriesFest’s first rodeo doesn’t mean the night won’t be special. “Handler was our first pick,” Kleiner stated. “SeriesFest, being female-founded, I knew I wanted to bring a female headliner, and Chelsea is just a tremendous artist on so many levels: she’s authentic, pushes boundaries, and is just (expletive) hilarious. She also takes pride in uplifting emerging talent, which is at the core of our mission.”

The Post spoke with the Grammy nominee and (expletive) hilarious Handler about touring, the writer Judy Blume and workouts, among other topics. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Q:  Three of your favorite things are weed, skiing and reading. Colorado has an abundance of the first two, and we’re a pretty smart state, so the reading thing’s covered. Have you spent real time here? It seems like your kind of state.

A: It����ap one of my positive states, that����ap for sure. You guys led the way with legalization of cannabis. That was a very seminal moment in the history of our country. I’ve skied there plenty. I’ve done Denver Comedy Works when I was coming up. I’ve done the Paramount Theatre, tons of places.

Q: You’ve written six best-selling books and you’re a stand-up ace. How do you navigate those voices, those rhythms. Are they different?

A: I think that they bleed into each other. I get a lot of my material from writing my books, and I get a lot of material for my books from doing my stand-up. It����ap a very reciprocal pathway. And my style of writing is very much the way that I talk. I go off on tangents. I tell a personal story, but within that story, there are, like, five other stories. And they all come back to me being a (expletive) moron.

Q: How do you balance your personal vulnerability and revelations with your political or societal observations?

A: Well, I have pretty strong opinions and I also feel like it����ap important to be promoting nondiscriminatory behavior and acceptance. This is the world we’re living in. Gay people aren’t going away. Trans people aren’t going anywhere. Black people and immigrants are also not going anywhere. I just always feel like it����ap a responsibility that comes with being a very front-facing public figure to make sure that you are discussing these things. And humor is probably the best way. A lot of people don’t want to think about heavier stuff, and that����ap why they come to see your shows — to forget about it all. So, if you can put a little message in there without being heavy-handed, then everybody leaves with a little bit more.

Q: So, there was “Evolution,” “Revolution,” and now there’s …

A: … “Devolution” — that����ap what the next should be. But the name of the tour doesn’t always end up being the name of the special. In my case, it����ap never been.

Q: So Little Big Bitch or LBB; where did that come from?

A: Little Big Bitch has a lot of stories from when I was a little girl and how outrageous I was. I was just like this when I was 3. I spoke like this. I had a mouth on me. My dad didn’t know what to do with me, so he made me read major authors. When I was 7 and 8 years old, I read “Anna Karenina” and “Moby Dick” and Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy. What his intention was definitely backfired because I was able to really dish it up to both of my parents by the age of 5. And they didn’t really have many arguments to come back at me with.

Q: Your book “Are You There, Vodka? It����ap Me, Chelsea” plays brilliantly off the title of the Judy Blume classic. Did that book have meaning for you?

A: Oh, yeah, I grew up with Judy Blume. All of it. I mean, that����ap how I learned about my period in the woods with my best friend Jodi Safirstein. We were reading that book together. We were like, “Oh, my God, did you get your period?” So yeah, “Are You There, God? It����ap me, Margaret,” of course! She and Beverly Cleary were the books that I read when I wanted to have a good time. And then when I didn’t, there were the books my father gave me.

Q: What else will you touch on during the Red Rocks show?

A: I definitely sprinkled in some funny dog stories because I never forget that. There’s some good family stuff. And then there are some near misses I had with some real seminal figures in society, in celebrity culture. So, I discuss those in a very humorous way. People like Andrew Cuomo, Bill Cosby, Woody Allen. I’ve had personal experiences with all of those people, so I kind of dish it out on that front and just talk about how my dead mother must be watching over me from heaven, because I’ve really gotten myself out of a lot of sticky situations.

Q: Speaking of your mother (who died in 2006), do you do anything special for Mother’s Day?

A: Not on Mother’s Day specifically, no. I would say in general, my mother being gone, my relationship with her has probably strengthened even more than when she was alive. Every morning when I meditate, I think of my mother. She’s a daily presence. It����ap not really like a Mother’s Day type of thing, as my sister would say. She thinks that my mom spends all of her time in heaven with me.  I tell my sister that����ap because I’m where the action is. Obviously, my mom’s not going to be spending my time with my sister in New Jersey. Her life is much more boring.

Q: Once you’re on tour, what does a day look like for you?

A: I get up. I work out. I meditate. And I usually spend the day reading or watching (expletive) TV unless it����ap a great city that I want to get out and about in. But again, I’ve been to a lot of these cities so many times, and many times you’re just flying right in and flying right out.

Q:  What are you reading right now?

A: I just finished a book called “Hello, Beautiful” (by Ann Napolitano). I’m reading “Kiss My Jagged Face,” by Isabetta Andolini. And I’m reading “Cuba: An American History,” by Ada Ferrer; that����ap very good. Apparently, I have a lot of gaps in my knowledge.

Q: Says the woman who thought the moon and the sun were the same thing.

A: Exactly. Exhibit A.

Q: What do you discover about Americans when you’re on tour? Do have a tour perspective?

A: First of all, it����ap important to remember that you’re bringing people together in a fun environment. And it����ap important to remind people about togetherness, to remind people about humanity. To share laughter with a stranger who’s sitting next to you is kind of an unsung thing. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had the giggles with someone that I didn’t know. And the connection that you feel. I take that part very seriously.

So, when I’m traveling throughout the country and going to these cities and meeting people or going out and about, I think the biggest reminder is that we’re all here together. So I just try to practice that and extol that wherever I go so that people feel seen. I think the most damaging thing you can do to a person’s personality is to not see them.

Q:  How have you kept your career not just sustainable but engaged?

A:  It����ap second nature to me to constantly be evolving and bettering myself. It����ap not put-on or strategic. Of course, there are ups and downs, but I understand that things aren’t permanent. Even the highs are never permanent, just like the lows are not permanent. And it����ap valuable to get to understand that and be fine with whatever storm is coming your way and to not lose your marbles.

Q:  In your taped special “Revolution,” you do a riff on lying to get out of school. You do the whole bit on your back, balanced on a stool. You look so relaxed it����ap easy to forget how hard that had to have been.  So, how did you get such good abs, lady?

A: Weightlifting. Weightlifting is the key to everything. Over 40, you have to lift heavy, heavy weights. And then you get smaller and smaller and smaller. (That) and I’m a strong little bitch.

IF YOU GO

“SeriesFest.” Pilots, podcasts. panels, May 5-10, at Sie FilmCenter, 2510 Colfax Ave. Plus, closing night����ap A Night of Comedy with headliner Chelsea Handler at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. For tickets and passes, visit seriesfest.com.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, In The Know, to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox.

It was 2006, and Ruffin was a member of the Second City team sent from Chicago to take in and then take on Denver in a sketch-comedy production at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Although the troupe visited some iconic spots for “How I Lost My Denverginity” — such as the Buckhorn Exchange, the Molly Brown House, the U.S. Mint — Red Rocks was not one of them. A fact to which one might respond, with a nod to Ruffin’s idiosyncratically goofy bit from her time as a writer and performer on “Late Night with Seth Meyers, “Amber says what!?”

Come May 8, Ruffin will remedy that oversight when she precedes the band Lake Street Dive at Red Rocks for SeriesFest Season 8’s centerpiece offering. “That’s why I said, ‘yes’ to this, because I lived there for a year, and I never got to go to Red Rocks,” Ruffin says.

Before the band takes the stage for its annual episodic storytelling, the impossibly witty, equally nerdy Ruffin will screen her favorite episode from “The Amber Ruffin Show,” now in its second season of streaming on Peacock.

Don’t call it a hiatus

In 2020 and 2021, SeriesFest took place virtually. Given that its content is all about watching from wherever, whenever, one might think little was lost shifting from in-person to virtual. “We were able to grow our audience internationally in a very significant way,” says Clair Taylor, SeriesFest director of programming of the COVID-nudged move. “We also saw some incredible pieces from all over the world — Australia, England, Spain.”

Yes, the virtual event had pluses, but little could be further from the pleasures of the SeriesFest����ap experience.

Season 5 in 2019 was indeed binge-worthy. Only instead of hunkering down in a living room, viewers spent hours at the Sie FilmCenter, listening to panelists and show runners, and watching pilots — loads of them, domestic and international — vie in the Independent Pilot Competition to become the next big conversation around the proverbial watercooler.

When SeriesFest last held its signature Red Rocks Centerpiece, a trailer for Season Three of “Stranger Things” kicked things off on the venue’s massive screen. Then, Stevie Wonder took the stage in a long-overdue Red Rocks debut, calling on friend Usher to join him. Other musical guests have been Lauryn Hill, John Legend and Lady A. Onscreen offerings have included Taylor Sheridan’s “Yellowstone,” which has only gotten more popular.

This year, Lake Street Dive will play a full set during the band’s only scheduled appearance in Colorado for the year. With the Red Rocks Centerpiece, SeriesFest early on forged one aspect of its identity: It����ap cool.

More than a Sundance wannabe

When Randi Kleiner and Kaily Smith Westbrook launched SeriesFest in 2015, they wanted to become a Sundance-like event for episodic storytelling. It was great shorthand. Sundance stood for the buzzy, the indie-driven, the hippest meeting of creatives with the industry folk who can make it possible for them to tell their — and our — stories. And the growing acclaim of (and access to) SeriesFest are making it a destination fest for storytellers.

“Many of our close colleagues have told us about the amazing opportunities and connections they have made attending the festival, and we are happy to be a part of it,” said New York-based director Carlos Cardona. His pilot, “Chiqui,” part of the Independent Pilot Competition (Drama), follows Colombian immigrants Chiqui (Brigitte Silva) and husband Carlos (Sebastián Beltranini) as they navigate New Jersey and then Montauk, N.Y., in the late 1980s.

Sydney Davis and Mike Holt����ap comedy contender “Syd & Mike” builds on the success that the duo has had online. “We’ve always been inspired by the sketch comedy we came up watching, but at the same time, starting out, we were a little intimidated to follow in the footsteps of the giants that had come before us,” the pair wrote in an email. “After collaborating with a ton of talented writers and shooting with cast and crew who really vibe with our style, we knew we had to take a shot at creating a show that would allow us to play with the things we think are funny.”

Sustainability is the idea. “One thing we ask all our filmmakers is, ‘Why is this a series?’ And I think that we keep that in mind with everything that we watch,” says Taylor. “Randi and I are both film lovers. We don’t want film to go away — it’s an incredible way to tell a story. But for SeriesFest, we have our filmmakers prove that their story is a series and lay out their plan for how it would look for one season, for eight seasons. And it’s amazing to see.”

In fact, there’s a little love and hate hardwired into the SeriesFest experience. If a pilot hooks you, you’re thrilled — and then you’re like, “Wait, what happens next? No, really; what happens?!”

That����ap the kind of feeling, the kind of response that fans, producers and streamers crave and that SeriesFest wanted to tap into from the get-go. “We really love the idea of watching TV in a movie theater, in a theater with an incredible picture, incredible sound and with a community of people,” says co-founder Kleiner. “Because I think TV is so often watched by yourself or with your family, but it’s not watched in a large group. That’s such a cool experience.”

Illuminating an industry

Shows that came to Denver and have since found streaming homes include: “Cooper’s Bar” (AMC+ later this year), “Generation Por Qué” (HBOMax) and “Everyone Is Doing Great” (Hulu).

“SeriesFest has uniquely positioned itself as a marketplace and discovery platform for new talent, and with the demand for content continuing to accelerate, it is a terrific resource for both the industry and emerging creators,” wrote Denver-based Liberty Global CEO and SeriesFest champion Mike Fries in an email. “That’s one of the reasons we’re so proud to support them. Plus, we think Denver is the ideal home for it.”

In 2019, Fries sat down with Netflix’s chief content officer, Ted Serandos, for one of the fest����ap first-ever Innovation Talks. It was entertaining and illuminating — and might have had you gulping the streamer’s brand of Kool-Aid.

What a difference a couple of years make. In the intervening years, the old-school networks have launched or rebranded their streaming services: There’s Peacock (NBC), Paramount Plus (CBS) and ABC’s products on Hulu. That����ap just for starters. Cable news concern CNN started CNN+ only to yank it. And it was big news — the biggest — when Netflix announced in April that it has experienced a dramatic shedding of subscribers. The changes have been fast-paced, to say the least.

“Things are evolving on almost a daily basis,” Fries wrote. For his Season 8 Innovation Talk, he will sit down with Jon Feltheimer,  CEO of Lionsgate, a company that has deep roots in film production but also in television, with Starz. “I’m looking forward to doing a deep dive into Jon’s personal and professional journey as well as discuss where the industry is heading.”

On closing night, NPR’s television critic Eric Deggans will offer one side of another Innovation Talk, exchanging big ideas with W. Kamau Bell, the writer-director of Showtime’s documentary miniseries “We Need To Talk About Cosby” and executive producer and peripatetic host of CNN’s “Unites Shades of America.”

Some of this may sound like a wee bit of insider baseball. “Industry-schmindustry,” you say. What matters is what we watch, right? But how we watch continues to experience seismic shifts that affect the content we consume. The table is piled high, and who’s cooking up that fare is increasingly diverse. That variety of storytellers is reflected throughout SeriesFest Season 8.

The terrifically bonkers “Tank Fairy,” from Taiwan, finds its vinyl-suited protagonist delivering propane tanks and free-spiriting a bullied boy. It����ap part of the Digital Short Series Competition, as is the Canadian produced “Hello (Again),” in which supernatural magic will be required to mend the relationship between a cook and his internist girlfriend.

“We are most proud of the fact that “Hello (Again)” is an authentic Asian story told by Asians supported by an Asian creative team,” stated producers Teresa Ho and Timothy Yeung in an email. The comedy is the work of writer Nathalie Younghai and actor Simu Liu. “SeriesFest has the prestige like a Sundance to showcase “Hello (Again),” and it is the perfect festival for its U.S. premiere.”

Amber shows what?

“The Amber Ruffin Show” episode Ruffin chose for the Rock Rocks will be a surprise — perhaps even to the comedian herself. “I remember narrowing it down a little bit, but then I don’t remember which one I went with,” she says. “I’m pretty partial to all of the shows.”

And why not? She and her writers have crafted a half-hour show that is agile when it comes to skewering the headlines of the day or the week and is often madcap.

“I always want my writers to be a little silly. I think there are two schools of thought on comedy. Your stand-ups, a lot of times, are more “over it”; they like to make fun of how dumb everything is. They operate from a cool-guy island, and I am not that,” Ruffin admits. “And I don’t do that. I’m very silly and kind of overly loving. Odds are if I met you, I love you, and I think we’re best friends.”

Whichever episode she selected is sure to be smart and silly, and she’s likely to be wearing a killer, custom tie that looks like the love child of a bolo tie and a seriously fab bow tie.

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