Denver Jewish Film Festival adds new voices

Th ere’s nothing wrong with taking a new approach to a beloved event — that’s how new perspectives and stories get added to familiar ones. In his second year as general manager of the JCC Mizel Arts and Culture Center, Rich Cowden decided to do just that in preparation for the 27 th annual Denver Jewish Film Festival .

“I used the rst year as a listening tour and one of the things that came up during the process was that we could add some new elements to the festival without throwing away the things that worked so well,” he explained. “We wanted some space for more diversity in the line-up and started looking at how we select lms every year.”

To inject new viewpoints into the festival, Cowden changed how lms were selected, bringing in younger people to share the stories that connected with them and made it easier for members of the pre-screening and lm selection committees to work through the more than 300 submissions the festival receives every year.

“We also opened a second space at the center for lm screenings, so we can show more lms,” he said. “What people will nd this year is we’re making inroads into a more diverse portfolio of lms.” is year’s festival, which is presented by e Chotin Foundation and runs from March 11 through March 19 at the JCC Mizel Arts and Culture Center , 350 S. Dahlia St. in Denver, re ects those e orts to expand the frame - there are 39 Israeli and Jewish lms, including nine shorts and one television mini-series, hailing from 14 countries. For those who can’t attend in person, lms will be streaming

Letter To The Editor

Councilman refers to women as ‘girls’ even after we ask him

Not To Do So

As a profession, I study social justice issues. That means I analyze power dynamics – specifically, the way language and images contribute to historical and ongoing inequities in the U.S., including inequities between the sexes.

Language matters a great deal. Words have histories, and it’s the force of that history that gives words their power. The words we use to refer to people lets everyone know what we think about certain people and their abilities. Language is part of how we construct identities, both our own and others’ identities. Words also affect our experiences in certain situations, including the workplace and politics.

When using outdated gendered language, pairing words of equal weight matters. For example, the word “girls” is paired with the word “boys” because they represent the same age and social group; guys is paired with gals; women is paired with men, that’s parity. The word “women” is the equivalent of the word “men.” “Girls,” however, is not the same as the word “men.” The author-

Coming Attractions

on-demand from March 20 through March 29.

With so many entries, there are truly options for all to enjoy, but one that Cowden particularly cited is the closing night feature, “ e Man in the Basement,” a psychological thriller based on a true story, about a French couple whose cellar is rented out to an anti-Semitic conspiracy theorist.

As an organization that never shies away from fostering conversation, the festival will also screen “Blue Box,” a documentary about e orts to secure land in Palestine. It is just one of the lms that will have an audience discussion afterwards, so viewers can share their thoughts and get more information on the topics the lm delves into.

“I want people who may think a festival like this is not for them to take a chance and have conversations around the lms, the themes and ideas they present, and build a conversation around Jewish culture that is healthy, tolerant and lled with compassion,” Cowden said.

“I really believe in the power of art to build bridges where everyone is trying to build walls. ese lms then become a conduit for connection between people, and that’s ultimately why we do this.”

To learn more about the lms and purchase tickets, visit https://dj . eventive.org/welcome.

Spring into a new season with the LSO e Lakewood Symphony Orchestra is welcoming spring with the latest entry in its Season of Fa- ity it carries is not the same, nor does it demand respect the way an adult-identified word does, such as women.

Language is context-specific. For example, I might swear around my friends, but that same language, what we call “mommy words” in my house, isn’t appropriate when I’m leading a college discussion. Likewise, what I might call my spouse at home is not what I would call him at a work function. Regardless of how he and I feel about the word, it isn’t appropriate in some contexts.

So, it’s the same word, but vastly different implications depending on who says the word, the context in which it’s used, and who the word refers to.

Language is one of the ingredients in the soup of misogyny.

Councilman Rich Olver has repeatedly referred to the women in his district and on City Council as “girls.” When asked to apologize, he responds by calling us “girls” and insisting that we shouldn’t feel offended.

This is a public request to Councilman Olver to apologize and do better.

Magan Brody, Lakewood

vorites with a performance of some beautiful music. e performance will be at 7:30 p.m. on ursday, March 9 at the Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway.

Some of the music the symphony will be performing include Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Coronation March,” followed by music from the ballet “Coppélia,” a story that predates Pinnochio by 13 years but follows a similar storyline. e show will also feature Brahms’ “Symphony No. 2 in D major.”

For more information and tickets, visit www.lakewoodsymphony.org.

Pictures worth more than a thousand words at MOP Denver e Month of Photography Denver , which runs through Friday, March 31, allows the work of photographers of all skill levels and interests the opportunity to showcase their talents. e biennial event is celebrated by galleries and arts organizations all over the state .

One of the most inspiring events in this year’s lineup is the free Night Lights Denver, which will be held at the Daniels & Fisher Clocktower, 1601 Arapahoe St. in Denver. e Colorado Photographic Arts Center

(CPAC) will be digitally projecting images on the building to celebrate the month. For a full list of events and participating locations, visit https://denvermop.org/.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — The Lagoons at the Bluebird Theater

Sometimes you just need something smooth to get you through the day. e music multi-instrumentalist brothers Ryan and Joey Selan make as e Lagoons ful ll the brief beautifully. Over their three EPs and two albums (including last year’s “Daybreak”), the duo has ne-tuned a vibey electronic take on yacht and surf rock that can just carry you away to somewhere warmer if you let it.

In support of the record, e Lagoons will be stopping by the Bluebird eater , 3317 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver, at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15. ey’ll be joined by opener Jelly Ellington. Get tickets at www.bluebirdtheater.net.

Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.

Make-A-Wish Colorado alumni, volunteers celebrate its 40th anniversary

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

2023 has already been a big year for Make-A-Wish.

Wish Week fundraisers have been in full swing at local schools this winter, and basketball legend Michael Jordan donated $10 million — the largest individual donation ever — to the national organization last month. And spring 2023 could be even bigger.

Make-A-Wish Colorado celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and is hosting an anniversary celebration and fundraiser in April in Denver. Since it started, Make-A-Wish Colorado has granted more than 6,000 wishes for children with critical illnesses as a way of giving them hope and something to look forward to during their treatment.

Golden’s Ben Bontrager, 10, went to Hawaii for his wish last spring. He was diagnosed in early 2020 with Burkitt’s lymphoma and was sick for almost a year, with his mom Sarah saying, “We almost lost him a couple times.”

Ben, who’s now in remission, said going to Hawaii was “the rst thing idea that popped in my head,” because he wanted to get out and do something fun.

“I was sick of being home,” he continued.

Now, Ben and his family are becoming Make-A-Wish ambassadors so that they can help other families through the same process.

Dad Je Bontrager said Ben’s wish was a “bright spot” to think about during those long days at the hospital, adding, “ e thought that (MakeA-Wish) has done it over and over for people, it’s really pretty amazing.”

For Jennifer

Joan Mazak has been the proverbial fairy godmother for thousands of Colorado children after she founded the organization in 1983. She started it in honor of her daughter, Jennifer, who died at 7 years old of a liver disease.

Mazak recalled how, about a week before Jennifer’s death, she was granted an uno cial wish to meet local radio mascot KIMN Chicken. He stopped by the family’s house, walking around the entire property hand-in-hand with Jennifer. Many of the neighborhood children stopped by to see KIMN Chicken, but he was focused on making Jennifer feel special.

“It was great for her to be able to have that,” Mazak said.

After Jennifer’s death, Mazak used funds that people had raised for a liver donation to start Make-A-Wish

Colorado. ere were only three other chapters in the country and no national organization yet, she said. e local chapter was all volunteers working out of their homes, helping to create memories for children who needed them. Mazak said the very rst wish was to catch a sh, so they set up a shing trip at Dillon Reservoir.

Longtime volunteer Gary Aboussie recalled wishes to meet the pope and the Broncos. One of his favorite stories was sending a guitar to Bruce Springsteen to sign, him keeping that one, and sending back his own guitar instead with a special message. Mazak said of wishes: “ ey come in all shapes and sizes. ere are so many logistics to putting together a single wish. It’s di erent for every single family.”