Marcelo Mainzer, Nederland. Stories and the love of them are one of the things that make us human and have been with us since the time we dressed in rough skins and faced an uncertain future. “Og, Stick, Durg, Bruug and I were out hunting when…?

Stories allow us to live more then one life, to be a boy earning the trust of a horse as in Rio, or a man who does 64 base jumps and climbs over 30,000 feet in 21 hours in Free Falling. To join a group of Native American weaving artists who bridge their heritage with the requirements of “modern” life successfully in Spider Woman’s Web. Experience a shepherd’s struggle to live life as his ancestors have in the mists of a society who no longer understands the value of engaging with the animals we eat and cover ourselves with as in Sheep Hero.

In Ongtupa a Hopi musician shares both his version of traditional music and the Grand Canyon’s role in that tradition. In Shared Territory Iceland two guys cross Iceland on bikes, despite dire warnings of the terrain from everyone they meet, and they triumph. Eyes Nicely Open follows the story of a remodeler who, despite his best efforts at peaceful resolution, kills a man in self-defense, only to find himself at the mercy of a judicial system which fails to see him and the circumstances surrounding the incident. In all the Nederland Film Festival brought us twenty-eight films and stories.

Jackie Brennan the Social Media Coordinator and Producer for the Nederland International Film Festival and Lyons International Film Fest Producer said, “Film Festivals are more than a night at the movies. A film festival is a platform for film makers to share their vision and their stories. They are a chance to meet the film making community and learn how they made their films. Some are “short” films, and some are” long” films. A film festival has different blocks and in each block about five to six films are screened. Each block is approximately two hours and we allow time for film maker Q & A with the audience after each block. 

When film festival attendees vote it is to help in choosing which films will receive the winning “Laurels”. The votes help film makers, in their films process, and to be recognized in the film world community. That is the main goal of a film festival. We want to provide an education and an introduction to the public into a whole new way of viewing and seeing the world through the stories that are told and engage them in the creative spirit”.

Colorado Festival Productions is the dream child of Jake Fink, Executive Producer and owner. The company and its staff are; Jake Fink, Melinda Jordan, Production Manager, Destin Hernandez, Projectionist, Julien Blundell, Volunteer Coordinator, Jackie Brennan the Social Media Coordinator and Producer. They enjoy bringing to the public five festivals; the Front Range Festival, February 22, 2020, Lyons International Film Festival, April 4, 2020, Boulder Film & Brew Fest, September 26, 2020, Dickens Horror Film Festival, October 17, 2020, and this past weekend the Nederland Film Festival. The Nederland Film Festival was emceed by our own Littlefoot and featured Frozen Dead the pilot of a series filmed in and around our own town of Nederland. 

The film festivals are supported by the people who attend, the film makers, the Colorado Festival production staff and the many wonderful volunteers, sponsors, and venues. Colorado Festival Productions loved being at the Backdoor Theater and being able to premier the Frozen Dead television pilot in addition to showing the many great films submitted.

So, mark your calendars and gift yourself the experiences of seeing the world through a cornucopia of eyes, hearts and stories and learn how to tell your story in film.

(Originally published in the November 28, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)