OVERVIEW (back to top) It seems like only yesterday that the first season of Festivus kicked off with a bang. Fast forward three years later and Festivus Film Festival has become the largest independent film festival in Denver. Coverage from nearly every major media outlet in the city, (Denver Post, Westword, 303 Magazine, 5280 Magazine, Fox 31 News, Channel 2 News, Channel 9 News, Denver Daily News, Onion AV Club, and the Aurora Sentinel, just to name a few,) has helped make us one of the hottest
young festivals in North America. Festivus Film Festival is the can't miss event where you can see great new indie flicks, meet talented up-and-coming filmmakers, and party like it's the last day on earth. VENUE INFO (back to top) The Oriental Theater The historic Oriental Theater, in the Berkeley Highlands neighborhood, is a shining example of the Exotic Revival architectural style popularized in late 1920s movie theaters. Built at a time when a theater's décor prepared patrons for the excitement and glamour of a film, the Oriental Theater's interior created for theatergoers the atmosphere of a Middle Eastern palace at twilight. The Persian courtyard theme is evident in realistic murals depicting desert themes, minarets, domes, arches and palm fronds. Plaster friezes, terracotta accents, recesses designed to resemble porticos and balconies, rich draperies and rose-colored seats completed the scene. A small orchestra pit was built in front of the stage, joined by a large pipe organ. The Oriental Theater was built as a movie theater, but even in 1928 it hosted vaudeville and music performances. Through the 1930s and 1940s the theater flourished with daily features that included the Depression Era concept of �??bank night�?? where groceries and small household goods were given to lucky patrons. The age of the automobile and the rise of the suburbs in the 1950s marked the beginning of rough, dark days for the Oriental Theater. In the 1960s to boast withering attendance, plush seating, new carpet, fresh paint, fluorescent lighting and a bigger projection screen were added. But by 1969 the owners had resorted to showing adult films in order to stay afloat, a business decision that inflamed the community. Through the 1970s and 1980s the Oriental Theater slid into a steady state of shabby disrepair, as a dollar movie house catering mostly to college students from nearby Regis University , and by 1987 the theater was untenable and shuttered. For a while the theater was home to a church, but subsequently, except for the very rare special performance, it lay vacant for years. In the 1990s several attempts were made to revive the Oriental Theater but none of the owners in those years had the vision or staying power to keep in front of trends and capitalize on the theater's substantial assets. The renovation makes the Oriental Theater one of Denver 's premiere entertainment venues �?? a live music theater that features comedy, drama, dance, independent film, and offers tableside food service during most performances, something totally unique in Denver. A new lobby greets the public with high-gloss wood flooring, contemporary lighting and gallery-quality artwork. Inside the theater a fresh coat of paint that enhances the original 1920s décor, comfortable seating and a brand new sound and stage light system complete the renovation. An exterior restoration is planned. Oriental Theater The Bug Theatre Originally built in 1912 as a nickelodeon movie house, the theatre now known as The Bug survived multiple incarnations and more than 25 years of dormancy before local artists Chandler Romeo and Reed Weimer renovated the building in 1994 and founded the Bug Performance & Media Art Center (BPMAC), a non-profit organization dedicated to serving Denver audiences by facilitating the development and presentation of diverse arts and cultural programming. Though recognized early on by the media as an important Denver alternative arts center, the organization floundered financially. Since a restructuring in 1998, the Bug Theatre has flourished and gained critical acclaim & financial stability. Bug Theatre DIRECTIONS (back to top) To the Oriental:
click the map for detailed, door to door directions To the Bug:
click the map for detailed, door to door directions HOTELS (back to top) The Curtis hotel is the official hotel of the Festivus Film Festival. The Curtis is located in downtown Denver at 14th Avenue and Curtis Street. Call 800-525-6651 to book your room. Filmmakers: Be sure to contact the festival before booking rooms.
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| january 13 - 16, 2011 | denver, colorado |
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