Women+Film partnering with Planned Parenthood for festival screening

At this year’s 14th annual Women+Film festival, the emphasis will be on the “plus.”

In addition to screening 10 full-length films, a program of international shorts and a few scheduled live Q&As with filmmakers, Denver Film’s April 13-16 gathering will include a one-day marketplace featuring gifts, artwork, crafts and novelties from 10 local, women-owned small businesses.

“The thing I’m most excited about this year is the fact that this is really starting to feel like a true community event,” Denver Film Programming Manager Ambriehl Turrentine said. “We’re really branching out to the community beyond film, and we are excited to bring these businesses into our space.” Confirmed vendors (so far) include Jo's Body Shop, Red Camper and Flame Candle Co.

But, of course, it’s the film that makes it a festival. And this year, the focus will be on a high-profile screening of “Plan C,” a documentary that explores the curious history of the abortion pill. It’s been approved by the Federal Drug Administration to effectively end a pregnancy up to 12 weeks since back in 2000 – and yet many have never even heard of it. “Plan C” screens at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 14.

Abortion has again become one of the most polarizing social issues of our times, but Denver Film is not shying from the controversy. Rather, it is encouraging an open dialogue about it. Denver Film has invited local representatives from Planned Parenthood and Cobalt, which advocates for abortion access and reproductive arts, to introduce the film. And Director Tracy Droz Tragos will take questions from the audience following the film.

Turrentine said Denver Film would be shirking its mission if it avoided subject matter that some might find objectionable. A fundamental responsibility of the documentary filmmaker is to have a point of view, and the fundamental responsibility of the festival is to put it out there. 

“A lot of films during our festival deal with controversial topics,” Turrentine said. “Abortion is currently one of them, and Planned Parenthood is at the center of that controversy. But ultimately, our purpose is to provide access to stories that are very real and authentic to women. And our goal with this film is to provide resources and information to people in our community, because you never know who it might help.” Partnering with local organizations like Planned Parenthood, she said, “is another way to expand awareness of who we are and what we do.”

Other featured documentaries include “The Disappearance of Shere Hite,” a look back at “The Hite Report,” a groundbreaking study of the intimate experiences of women published in 1976; “Girl Talk,” the timely story of five diverse girls on a cutthroat Massachusetts high-school debate team; and “Black Barbie,” the surprising story behind, yes, the first black Barbie.  

Women+Film is Denver’s only year-round program dedicated exclusively to celebrating the contributions of women on both sides of the camera. This year marks the retirement of founder Barbara Bridges.

Turrentine said anyone interested in a variety of subjects and styles should check out the screening of short films directed by and about women at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 15. The program includes comedy, drama and animation from France, Singapore, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Slovenia and more.

“These shorts really capture the essence of Women+Film and the variety of stories we want to tell at our festival,” she said.

The spotlight opening-night film is “Judy Blume Forever,” a documentary celebrating the author whose trailblazing fiction books featured situations that helped millions of young readers understand themselves. (Her popular 1970 coming-of-age novel “Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret” will be released as a narrative film on April 28.)