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CBS News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Denver Women+Film event honors actress Julia Stiles, celebrates her directorial debut
On Friday afternoon, surrounded by gorgeous spring foliage, the Denver Botanic Gardens was filled with film enthusiasts as the Women+Film Festival began its weekend-long celebration. CBS Presented by Denver Film, Women+Film honors the remarkable achievements of women in cinema and amplifies their voices through outstanding storytelling. This year, actress Julia Stiles was in attendance, receiving the Barbara Bridges Inspiration Award. Bridges presented Stiles with the award, calling her "one of the most fearless and talented actresses in Hollywood." The crowd also enjoyed a film screening of her directorial debut, "Wish You Were Here." Stiles wrote and directed the adaptation of Renee Carlino's best-selling book. The film was released by Lionsgate in January 2025. "This is a total dream come true because the story means so much to me," she told CBS News Colorado First at 4 Anchor Mekialaya White, who emceed the luncheon. "I think this kind of story is necessary in our world today." CBS CBS Colorado is a proud partner of the Women+Film Luncheon. The Women+Film Festival continues throughout the weekend, featuring a marketplace and an evening with writer and journalist Elizabeth Gilbert. "This festival is designed for you to connect with your peers and community," said Denver Film Programming Manager Ambriehl Turrentine. CBS "Women+Film does more than promote films from emerging and seasoned female filmmakers," added Denver Film Director of Development Amy Weiner Wiess. "It provides an opportunity to highlight important issues, foster dialogue, share diverse perspectives, and celebrate stories that reshape the landscape of women in cinema. Women+Film is vital to Denver Film's year-round programming, but we can't do it alone. As an arts non-profit, we rely on the generosity of community members like you."
CBS News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Denver Film's Women + Film Festival celebrates women on the silver screen
Denver Film has a dynamic line-up for its Women + Film Festival. The program includes ten feature films, a shorts program, receptions, a marketplace and panel conversations. The Festival kicks off with a luncheon in which actress/director Julia Stiles will be receiving the Barbara Bridges Inspiration Award. There will be an awards presentation, conversation with Stiles, and a screening of her directorial debut, "Wish You Where Here." "We're going to have a pre-party for the film 'SALLY.' It's about Sally Ride, the astronaut so it'll be space-themed, super fun," said Ambriehl Turrentine, Programming Manager for the Women + Film Festival. "Then we'll have two community conversations throughout the festival. One about sexuality on screen and how its depiction has evolved over time. The second one being about moral panics and how they effect the most marginalized of society." Women + Film Luncheon Red Carpet 2024 CBS The Making of a Moral Panic panel discussion will be on Sunday after the closing night screening of "The Librarians," which follows several librarians in Texas as they battle against book bans and fight for First Amendment Rights. The panel discussion will include Janique E.. Robillard, producer of the film; journalist Owen Swallow; and James LaRue, Executive Director of the Garfield County Public Library District. "We really just look for films that are bold, telling fresh stories from new perspectives and thought provoking, and of course, we make sure they reflect both emerging talent and established talent," Turrentine explained. The Women + Film Festival will also feature a marketplace in the lobby of the Sie FilmCenter, which will be made up of local, women-owned businesses. This year Denver Film is hosting a Sip and Craft event on the outdoor patio which will include cocktails and crafts. "I think the films are powerful, the guest and filmmakers coming are super inspiring, the audiences are so passionate, so seeing all that come together in one spot is really worth it," Turrentine said. LINK: For Tickets & Information for Women + Film Festival Denver Film's Women + Film Festival runs May 30 - June 1, 2025 at the Sie FilmCenter in Denver.
CBS News
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Denver Film honoring actress/director Julia Stiles during Women + Film Festival
Denver Film will kick off its Women + Film Festival with a luncheon, award presentation, conversation and film screening. The guest of honor at the event will be acclaimed actress and now director, Julie Stiles. Stiles will become the fifth recipient of the Women + Film Barbara Bridges Inspiration Award. She'll participate in a conversation about making the transition from being in front of the camera to behind it, and then her directorial debut film, "Wish You Were Here," will be screened. Julia Stiles attends SNL50: The Homecoming Concert at Radio City Music Hall on Feb. 14, 2025 in New York City. Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images "How did this film come about? It's such a beautiful story about love, and finding love again and finding yourself," CBS First at 4 anchor Mekialaya White asked during a recent zoom call with Stiles. "I have been wanting to direct a movie for a really long time, and I just coun't find the right story. It wasn't until I read Renée Carlino's book that I thought, ' is it,'" Stiles replied. Stiles wrote the screenplay based on the best-selling book "Wish You Were Here" by Renée Carlino. It's a heartwarming romance story about a couple who share a magical night and what happens in the days following their encounter. The movie has been a 5-year passion project for Stiles. "How does it feel to be a women in film? How does that journey feel to you?" White asked. "I think a distinctly female trait, in terms of leadership, is being very collaborative. I mean, I hate to make generalizations like that, but I do think it's true, and at a certain point I had to learn to be front-footed about being collaborative," Stiles explained. "It is hard to kind of be authoritative sometimes in that way," White said. "It's not so much about being female. It's more about as an actress it's so ingrained in me to please everybody, to make sure that everybody is comfortable, everybody likes you, otherwise you won't get cast. Sometimes you have to really shed that and let it go in order to be a good leader, a good director," Stiles added. Stiles pointed out that "Wish You Were Here" has a Colorado connection. "There is a musician, Nathanial Rateliff, that has two songs that are heavily featured in 'Wish You Were Here.' I had them in my head while I was writing the script. I timed sequences to those songs. I reached out and begged him to let me put them in the movie, and he was really gracious about the whole thing. I'm a huge fan, he's a proud Denverite," Stiles said. Stiles has worked in the film industry since she was a child. Here career includes romantic comedies like "10 Things I Hate About You" and "Save the Last Dance," action adventure movies like the "Bourne" series, and character work in films such as "Mona Lisa Smile," "The Omen," Silver Linings Playbook," and "Hustlers." She feels like women have made progress in Hollywood over the years. "I would say that the roles for us have changed. They've become more dynamic. They've become less architypes. There's more nuance in the roles that we get to play and the portrayal of women on screen," Stiles said. "I don't think I could have every believed that I would step behind the camera and be a director if I didn't have examples of that before me." "When it comes to 'Wish You Were Here,' what are you most proud of with the film?" White asked. "I want to make movies, whether it's acting or directing, I want to tell stories that move people and make them feel all the emotions that we are trying to understand as human beings," Stiles responded. Stiles says she's definitely caught the directing bug and will be looking for her next passion project. LINK: For Tickets & Information for the Women + Film Luncheon The Women + Film Luncheon is Friday, May 30, 2025 at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Julia Stiles will make a Red Carpet Appearance at 11:15 a.m., the luncheon program begins at 12:00 p.m., the award presentation and conversation starts at 12:30 p.m., and the film will screen afterward.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Champaign USPS goes back on plan to reroute local mail to Chicagoland hubs
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Officials with the main Champaign United States Postal Service (USPS) post office said they will stop sending local mail to Chicagoland facilities. Last spring, postal service officials said they were going to start sending Champaign mail up to hubs in places like Bedford Park and Forest Park for processing, only to be sent back. Now, they're saying mail will stay local in an effort to be more efficient. USPS announces reversal of plans to Champaign facility, operations and jobs staying put But one employee at the Mattis Ave. branch, Barbara Bridges, said that word could have different meanings. 'We really have to question that word, 'efficiency,' and what does it really mean?' she said. Bridges has worked for Champaign's post office for a couple years, but last spring she began to worry about her, and her coworkers' job security. 'They started last summer to send letters to some of the supervisors,' Bridges said. 'But those letters were later recalled, and the consolidation plan was put on hold until after the election.' She said people were notified about potential layoffs as part of the postal service's 'Delivering for America' plan. Now however, officials said there'll be no anticipated layoffs. 'Our job isn't to turn a profit for a small number of shareholders,' Bridges said. 'Our job is to provide a service to all of the American people.' City of Champaign asking for input on downtown area upgrades The postal service is also stopping a practice that sent local mail up to Chicagoland post offices for processing, and then back to Champaign for delivery. 'Hopefully it'll keep the mail here local and not be, you know, going up north and coming back,' said USPS customer, Vanessa Thompson. 'So hopefully our mailbox will be full.' She said she's been noticing a change in mail frequency. 'I do work for a company here and we pick up our mail, you know, every morning,' Thompson said. 'And it does seem like it's not as forthcoming as normal.' Last year, officials said they wanted to invest $16 million to modernize Champaign's hub, and that hasn't changed. What has changed is Bridges' and her coworkers' ability to do their jobs without the fear of losing them. 'We really feel strongly about the postal service and protecting, you know, people's mail, protecting election ballots and people's medications,' Bridges said. 'People are depending on the mail for a lot of things.' Officials said the plan will save USPS $3 billion dollars a year, nationwide. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
