Below are all of the selections in the film program listed in alphabetical order.
“Blackbird” 
Feature Narrative (91 Minutes)
Director: Jamie Chambers
Country: England
Colorado Premiere
Blackbird Trailer
*Filmmaker Attending
Young ballad singer, Ruadhan, despairs as the fabric of his Scottish hometown erodes. There are no fish in the sea, no jobs and a steady exodus to the city. Life as he loves it is slipping away and Ruadhan’s idol, town bard Alec, has little stomach to fight the change.Long time best pal, Calum, and returning childhood friend, Amy, spark Ruadhan’s struggle to keep the past alive. When Alec takes off to a retirement home in mysterious circumstances, Ruadhan must act quickly to save him and protect the town he loves. As his battle spirals out of control, it becomes Ruadhan who needs saving. Haunted by the songs and traditions of the past, Blackbird is a story of loss all too familiar across Scotland. Featuring legendary Scottish performers Norman Maclean and Sheila Stewart, alongside up and coming talent, Blackbird brings Scottish stars of past and future
to the big screen.
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“Cheyanne’s Story” 
Short Documentary (10 Minutes)
Director: David Lindblom and JoAnne Tucker
Country: USA
Denver Premiere
*This film is a part of the Shorts Program.
*This film is a part of the Women’s Program
*Filmmaker Attending
Cheyanne’s Story’ expresses a high school student’s experience with date/teen violence. It examples the boyfriend’s domination of a young girl isolating her from friends and family. She shares how she was at first attracted to the bad boy image. As he becomes more and more abusive she breaks off the relationship. Cheyanne relates the difficulty in getting a police order from the tribal police but is able to from the county police. Through the help of her mother and a teacher she is able to regain her self confidence. She takes on a project about domestic violence in school, giving local and state wide speeches telling her personal story.
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“Disconnect”
Feature Narrative (115 Minutes)
Director: Henry Alex Rubin
Country: USA
Disconnect Trailer
A hard-working lawyer, attached to his cell phone, can’t find the time to communicate with his family. A couple is drawn into a dangerous situation when their secrets are exposed online. A widowed ex-cop struggles to raise a mischievous son who cyber-bullies a classmate. An ambitious journalist sees a career-making story in a teen that performs on an adult-only site. They are strangers, neighbors and colleagues and their stories collide in this riveting dramatic thriller about ordinary people struggling to connect in today’s wired world.
Screening: In conjunction with Opening Gala, Thursday, October 16th – 6:00pm – Mainstage Theatre
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“Derby, Baby!” 
Feature Documentary (96 Minutes)
Director: Robin Bond and David Wruck
Country: USA
Derby, Baby! Trailer
*Filmmaker Attending
*This film is a part of the Women’s Program
If you’ve attended a women’s roller derby bout in its latest incarnation, you’ve seen it: the love and addiction that drives thousands of women around the globe to don fishnets, stage names and roller skates. The number of female league-skaters in the US is estimated over 20,000, and the first-ever World Cup in 2011 had women around the globe lacing up skates to compete internationally. Narrated by actress/musician ‘Juliette Lewis’, Derby Baby takes viewers on a quest to learn why women’s roller derby is the fastest growing sport in the world.
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“Facing Fear”
Short Documentary (23 Minutes)
Director: Jason Cohen
Country: USA
Facing Fear Trailer
*This film is part of the Student Program
As a 13 year-old, Matthew Boger was thrown out of his home for being gay. While living on the streets of Hollywood, he was savagely beaten in a back alley by a group of neo-Nazi skinheads. Boger managed to survive the attack and escape life on the streets. Twenty-five years later, Boger found himself in a chance meeting with a former neo-Nazi skinhead, Tim Zaal. The two men soon realized that they had met before…Zaal was one of the attackers who beat Boger and left him for dead.
With their worlds turned upside down, the two embarked on a journey of forgiveness and reconciliation that challenged both to grapple with their own beliefs and fears. Neither could imagine that it would to lead to an improbable collaboration…and friendship.
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“Forbidden Voices”
Feature Documentary (96 Minutes) 
Director: Barbara Miller
Country: USA
Colorado Premiere
Forbidden Voices Trailer
*This film is a part of the Women’s Program
Their voices are suppressed, prohibited and censored. But Yoani Sánchez, Zeng Jinyan and Farnaz Seifi are not frightened of their dictatorial regimes. These fearless women stand for a new, networked generation of modern resistance fighters. In Cuba, China and Iran their blogs shake the foundations of the state information monopoly – putting their lives at risk thereby. Barbara Miller’s film FORBIDDEN VOICES accompanies these brave young rebels on their dangerous journey and trace their use of social media like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter to denounce and combat the violations of human rights and freedom of speech in their countries – thereby triggering international resonance by building up enormous political pressure.
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“Havana Curveball” 
Feature Documentary (60 Minutes)
Director: Marcia Jarmel & Ken Schneider
Country: USA
Colorado Premiere
Havana Curveball Trailer
*This film is part of the Student Program
Mica, is a classic young teen. Enthusiastic. Idealistic. Dreaming baseball. At 13, he is studying for his Bar Mitzvah, the Jewish coming of age rite. An earnest kid, he takes to heart his Rabbi’s requirement to help “heal the world.” Imagining himself a savior of sorts, he launches a grand plan to send baseballs to Cuba, a country with a mysterious pull. He knows only that Cubans are poor and love baseball-and that Cuba saved his grandpa’s life. On a hunch, his award-winning filmmaker parents pick up their camera. They know the U.S. embargo with Cuba-and the complications of growing up-will throw him a curveball.
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“Im Schatten im Fremde” (Taken Dream)
Narrative Feature (30 Minutes) 
Director: Julian Weiss
Country: Switzerland
US Premiere
Im Schatten der Fremde Trailer
*Screened as part of the Human Trafficking Program
It’s about the sad reality of young women who are every year in their thousands lured away with false promises from their impoverished homelands (Eastern Europe) into rich countries (Western Europe) and then sold to unscrupulous traffickers. This film shows the view of ANNA a 25- year-old mother of a 4 year old son, how these women in the hope of escaping their poverty, end up in the clutches of unscrupulous traffickers and are exploited under inhuman conditions.
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“Kissing Drew”
Narrative Short (9 Minutes)
Director: Phil Connell
Country: USA
Denver Premiere
Kissing Drew Trailer
Inside a drab middle school in 1992, a sexually-confused eighth-grader attempts to regain his dignity after being bullied by a sex-obsessed ‘cool kid’ whom he privately fantasizes about.
*This film is part of the Student Program
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“Living with the Dead”
Documentary Feature (49 Minutes)
Director: Jessica Chance
Country: USA
Living with the Dead Trailer
Manila is the world’s most densely populated city. In the center of this heaving metropolis lies the North Cemetery. The final resting place of Filipino presidents, celebrities, and hundreds of thousands of the city’s Catholic dead, the cemetery is also home to a living community of more than 2,000 people.
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“Mia”
Animated Short (9 Minutes)
Director: Wouter Bongaerts
Country: France
Mia Trailer
*This film is a part of the Shorts Program.
In this Animated Short, Seven year old Mia tries to liberate her overworked Mother from the grasp of an overpopulated metropolis. In her quest, she unlocks the hidden secrets that make the world turn.
To see the rest of the Shorts Program and to purchase tickets please click here.
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“Passages”
Narrative Short (7 Minutes)
Director: Neysan Sobhani
Country: China
Passages Trailer
*This film is a part of the Shorts Program. To see the rest of the program and purchase tickets please click here.
‘Passages’ follows two consecutive days in the life of a young child who is experiencing inner turmoil as he tries to cope not only with a recent major life event but also with an on-going daily personal struggle. Powerfully presented with an original score in a modern silent film format, we encounter the conflict, both within and without, that the sole character is faced with, and the passage of emotions he must experience in order to move towards self-actualization.
“Private Violence” 
Feature Documentary (91 Minutes)
Director: Cynthia Hill
Country: USA
Colorado Premiere
Private Violence Trailer
*This film is a part of the Women’s Program
Private Violence is a feature-length documentary film and audience engagement campaign that explores a simple, but deeply disturbing fact of American life: the most dangerous place for a woman in America is her own home. Every day in the US, at least four women are murdered by abusive (and often, ex) partners. The knee-jerk response is to ask: “why doesn’t she just leave?” Private Violence shatters the brutality of this logic. Through the eyes of two survivors – Deanna Walters, a mother who seeks justice for the crimes committed against her at the hands of her estranged husband, and Kit Gruelle, an advocate who seeks justice for all women – we bear witness to the complicated and complex realities of intimate partner violence. Their experiences challenge entrenched and misleading assumptions, providing a lens into a world that is largely invisible; a world we have locked behind closed doors with our silence, our laws, and our lack of understanding.
Zina Ortiz – Counselor for Private Violence
Zina helps adolescents, women, and families heal emotional wounds, find internal peace, and have a happier life. She has been providing therapeutic services to a diverse population since 1997. With kindness and compassion she helps my clients achieve a greater sense of self-esteem and confidence.
What sets her apart from her colleagues is that she has taken the time and made a conscious effort to work on her personal issues and traumas, and has made the professional promise to only work on those issues similar to her own. Zina says with great confidence that everyone has the capacity to recover from old wounds completely, and you don’t have to do it alone. Understanding that while everyone’s experience is unique and different, there is a common human element that unites us all in this journey called life. Learn more here www.elephantintheroomllc.com/
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“Scapegoat”
Short Narrative (6 Minutes)
Directed by: Khadif Sanders
Country: USA
Colorado Premiere
*This film is a part of the Shorts Program.
A Chinese store owner is robbed after arguing with a customer he racially profiled. Shortly after the argument the store is being robbed by a masked assailant and the owner is shot and the customer must then decide if he will intervene. When the thug begins to assault the wife the black man takes action, and after a tussle with the thug it is revealed that the thug is also Chinese.
To see the rest of the Shorts Program and to purchase tickets please click here.
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“Sequoia”
Short Narrative (86 Minutes) 
Directed by: Andy Landen
Country: USA
Colorado Premiere
Sequoia Trailer
Sequoia tells the story of a 23-year-old cancer victim whose plan to take her own life in Sequoia National Park is disrupted by a young man she meets on her way to the park.
Screening: In conjunction with Closing Gala, Sunday, October 19th – 6:00pm – Mainstage Theatre
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“Spijt! Regret!”
Feature Narrative (95 min)
Director: Dave Schram
Country: Netherlands
Spijt! Regret! trailer
School life isn’t easy for Jochem. He is the target of a bully, Sanne, and her two friends. Class mentor, Tino, is too busy acting popular for his students and doesn’t take action. Classmate David is annoyed by all this, but doesn’t dare to say something. Then teacher Tino organizes a class party, where the band formed by David, Youssef, Niels and Nienke is allowed to play. David hopes this will impress Vera, the cutest girl in his class. When that plans fails, David turns his back on Jochem, who is severely pestered by his bullies. The next morning the Principal informs the class that Jochem didn’t return home from the party…
*This film is part of the Student Program
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“The Hideout”
Narrative Short (16 Minutes) 
Director: Daniel Wahlen
Country: USA
Colorado Premiere
The Hideout Trailer
*This film is a part of the Shorts Program.
The Hideout follows the story of a young girl named Holly whose life is thrown upside down when she is molested by her favorite teacher. Through the support of her best friend, Sam, she finds the strength to tell her mother.
To see the rest of the Shorts Program and to purchase tickets please click here.
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“The Morning of Everything”
Narrative Short (13 Minutes) 
Director: Jeff Stern
Country: USA
Colorado Premiere
The Morning of Everything Trailer
*This film is a part of the Shorts Program.
The Morning of Everything is a fever dream about fatherhood. Shot on Black Betty (a one-of-a-kind 16mm digital cinema camera) and starring real-life father and son Jeff and Leo Stern, The Morning of Everything is a lyrical short film in which a father envisions the world through the eyes of his three year-old son. As the boy traverses strangely beautiful and increasingly dangerous lands in search of his lost owl, the father drifts deep into a fever dream, confusing his identity with the boy’s, the owl’s, and his own younger self. The Morning of Everything is a meditation on growing up, being young, pushing things too far and pulling them close again. But most of all, it is a story about a father and a son.
To see the rest of the Shorts Program and to purchase tickets please click here.
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“The Sidewalk”
Animated Short (4 Minutes)
Director: Celia Bullwinkel
Country: USA
Colorado Premiere
The Sidewalk Trailer
*This film is a part of the Shorts Program.
*This film is a part of the Women’s Program paired with Forbidden Voices
A woman walks through life, but the real journey is deeper within as she confronts her changing body and learns to love herself.
To see the rest of the Shorts Program and to purchase tickets please click here.
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“You Have His Eyes” 
Feature Documentary (91 Minutes)
Director: Christopher Wilson (Filmmaker Attending)
Country: USA
Colorado Premiere
You Have His Eyes Trailer
* Filmmaker Attending
In each family a story is playing itself out. All its characters affected, for better or worse…
At three months old Christopher was adopted. 25 years later he reunited with his biological mother. He then began documenting his search for his father. An intense life changing experience is captured as Chris uncovers the dormant truths behind his biological family. CTW Productions presents a story about a search. For one man. Oneself. And the inescapable link of family.
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The Film Program
The BolderLife Festival (501c3) was founded for the purpose of creating a platform for filmmakers, artists and educators who have delved into difficult questions and taboo topics, with the desire to cultivate discussions and empower an audience to openly explore new ways of thinking. Film and other artistic festivals are generally about entertainment, not personal growth. Our mission is to feature films that shed light on timely issues and invoke the audience to continue the conversation. Our intent is to provide the audience with the platform to produce change in the community, both locally and globally.
The foundation of the festival is built around the films that are chosen by the Film Committee. The Film Committee chooses films that are in alignment with the BolderLife vision and mission. The films can be any genre or style and are divided into four categories: Narrative, Documentary, Animated and Live Action.
BolderLife seeks films that aim to open minds to unsettling topics, cultivate mindfulness and live in courage. In previous years, we have chosen films that have highlighted topics such as: bullying, suicide, social injustice, living with a disability, peace and conflict resolution, coping with loss, mental illness and the human journey, among may others. For a full list of the films chosen in previous years, click here.
In addition, each film is accompanied by the filmmaker or partnered with community organizations whose expertise help further the themes, ideas and conversation brought forth in the film. In our fourth annual festival, we are thrilled to continue to share our mission with passionate filmmakers and audiences from all over the world.