After Denver’s excitement in hosting the Democratic Convention in August, the Starz Denver Film Festival may not seem quite as thrilling. But the festival’s 215 films from 30 countries spread out over 11 days offer plenty for Rocky Mountain film fans. And while the festival presents a wide range of cinema, it’s quick to showcase the city’s local heroes. Rian Johnson, the director of the opening night movie The Brothers Bloom, attended grade school in Denver, and University of Colorado alum Amy Redford (yes, Robert’s daughter) shows off her debut feature The Guitar – to name just a few. This year there’s also a number of films about the tawdry and touching side of show business: Jeffrey Schwarz’s Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story, a don of the great schlock shocker; Mark Hartley’s Not Quite Hollywood, a terrifying journey into 70s Australian exploitation films; James Chressanthis’s No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos, a portrait of a friendship between two masters of cinematography, Laszlo Kovacs and Vilmos Zigmond; and Pola Rapaport’s Hair: Let the Sunshine In, a behind-the-scenes doc of Broadway’s most mind-blowing musical.