The Denver Film Festival returns for its 49th edition Oct. 22 through Nov. 1, 2026, with Peter Farrelly’s “I Play Rocky” as the opening film and James Gray’s “Paper Tiger” as the closer, according to the Denver Gazette.
The festival will honor seven film figures, including actor Carrie Coon and John Cho. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the lineup and honorees.
Opening and closing films at the Denver Film Festival
“I Play Rocky” opens the festival Oct. 22 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. “Paper Tiger,” directed by James Gray and starring Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller, closes the festival Oct. 31 at the MCA Denver at the Holiday Theater, per Hoodline.
Festival leaders say the program deliberately avoids a single theme. Artistic Director Matthew Campbell told Hoodline his team reviewed more than 2,000 films, aiming for a wide range of voices and styles.
2026 Denver Film Festival honorees
The Denver Gazette lists the following honorees: Carrie Coon receives the Excellence in Acting Award for “The Liberation,” and John Cho receives the Outlaw Award for “Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother.” Liz Sargent wins the Breakthrough Director honor for “Take Me Home,” while Fred Hechinger receives the Rising Star Award for “A Long Winter.”
Benedetta Porcaroli will receive the Maglione Italian Film Award for “The Kidnapping of Arabella.” David Acord is honored for excellence in sound design, and Michael Gitlin receives the Stan Brakhage Award for experimental cinema.
The honorees span acting, directing, sound and experimental film. Coon is known for “Fargo,” “Gone Girl” and “The Gilded Age,” while Cho’s credits include the “Harold & Kumar” films and “Star Trek.” Hechinger, honored as a rising star, is known for “The White Lotus” and “Thunderbolts*.”
How to plan your Denver Film Festival visit
The Denver Film Festival runs for 11 days, from Oct. 22 through Nov. 1, so visitors have time to build a schedule around the opening and closing films, the honoree tributes and the international titles. Check the festival’s website for showtimes and venue details before you buy.
Because pay-what-you-can seating is available at the opera house and some general admission screenings, fans on a budget can still attend the biggest events at the Denver Film Festival. The opening film plays at the opera house, while the closing film screens at the Holiday Theater, so plan travel between venues if you attend both.
Venues, tickets and Sundance news for the Denver Film Festival
Screenings will take place at several venues, including the Sie FilmCenter, the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, MCA Denver at the Holiday Theater and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The Denver Gazette’s list adds the Denver Botanic Gardens as another venue.
The festival offers sliding-scale or pay-what-you-can tickets for screenings at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House and select general admission showings, according to Hoodline.
The event also lands as Colorado prepares for the Sundance Film Festival. Hoodline reported that Sundance will be based in Boulder beginning in January 2027, a move projected to bring $156 million to $195 million in economic impact to the state. Campbell said the Denver festival is “by and for this community,” noting it has been bringing audiences the best films of the year for 49 years.
For more film festival coverage, see our guides to the Tokyo Film Festival 2026, the Pakistan Oscar submission and the Ivors Academy Honours 2026.
What’s next
The full Denver Film Festival lineup and tickets are available on the festival’s website. The 49th edition opens Oct. 22. Fans can also follow the festival’s announcements for any additional guests, screenings and special events as the Denver Film Festival approaches.
Reporting from The Hollywood Reporter, the Denver Gazette and Hoodline contributed to this story.
