Aspen Film is proud to present a Summer of Cinema. Following one of our most successful Shortsfest’s to date, we are excited to build on that momentum throughout our Valley with a diverse palette of cinema offerings.
This community truly embraces the arts, and one of the greatest aspects of cinema is that it encompasses and celebrates art of all forms. Our programs are reflective of the collaborative nature of film, and we are thrilled to present screenings with the Aspen Music Festival & School, The Arts Campus at Willits, Aspen Art Museum and the USC Shoah Foundation, in addition to our monthly Indie Showcase at the Isis Theater.
We kicked-off the season in partnership with WindWalkers for a sold-out, benefit screening of the award-winning film 'The Rider' with a pre-party at Kemo Sabe. We were also honored to welcome Braxten Nielsen, a former pro bareback rider turned powerful motivational speaker for an emotional Q&A.
Every Monday night through August 20th, we will be presenting DAMFilms in conjunction with TACAW at The Temporary, showcasing films about dance, art, music and food.
Our next Indie Showcase screening is one you will not want to miss. We can’t wait to share the box-office smash hit documentary RBG with you on July 3. The response to the venerable Ruth Bader Ginsberg has been overwhelming already, so we have just added a second theater. Get your tickets now before it sells out!
Earlier this month, I had the honor and pleasure of serving on the jury of the 20th International Festival of Environmental Cinema & Video (FICA) in Golás Velho, Brazil, a UNESCO World Heritage Centre. This festival is considered one of the most important environmental film festivals in the world, bringing visibility to various environmental and humanitarian issues such as water conservation, impact of pollution, food security and energy generation. Their mission resonates with that of our Valley and what so many of our nonprofits strive to achieve and preserve within our own region. I look forward to sharing some of these moving and insightful works with you later this year. 
Expanding upon our robust FilmEducates program, we are exited to announce a new partnership with Stepping Stones in Carbondale. From July 9-13, Aspen Film will present the iFilm Young Filmmaker Lab—a one week workshop hosted in KDNK’s new community classroom, where participants will learn to share their own stories using their iPhones. Exclusive to Stepping Stones students free of charge, they will learn lessons in film theory, story structure, film production proficiency and editing skills—culminating with the completion and presentation of their own short film.
And finally, I’d like to make you aware of our Summer Fundraising Campaign goal and ask you to consider supporting us.
Despite going through a major transition over the last year, we have continued to produce three world-class festivals, grow community partnerships, as well as broaden educational enrichment opportunities to thousands of area students and teachers.
We are proud of our work, our tenacity and our ability to adapt within an ever-morphing landscape. But now we need your help. In order to enhance our on-going film and education programs and continue to produce our signature film festivals, we are hoping to reach our goal of raising $50,000 by July 31st. Any contribution helps and with your endorsement, Aspen Film is here to stay.
To make a donation, please feel free to reach out to me directly, give our office a call, or visit our online pledge portal.
Susan Wrubel
Executive Director, Aspen Film