The 31st annual 2008 Starz Denver Film Festival will open Nov. 13 with a Hollywood film helmed by a director with strong local ties.

The Brothers Bloom starring Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo is directed by Rian Johnson, a former Denver resident. He and his family in the metro area will attend the screening. “This is his sophomore film and he’s somebody we’ll be watching for years to come,” said Festival Director Britta Erickson.

The festival concludes Nov. 22 with only the second screening anywhere of Last Chance Harvey starring Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson. "This year’s festival has got something for everyone among more than 200 films. It’s really an armchair tour of the world in cinema," Erickson said.

Special events include a tribute to the late Paul Newman featuring a premiere screening of new prints of The Hustler and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Erickson is most excited about screening Slum Dog Millionaire. "It's my favorite film of the year, really stunningly put together with great performances and a very uplifting ending,” she said.

She said she was also impressed by the quality and sheer quantity of films submitted for inclusion: over 1,000 features and shorts.

Among the more than 150 filmmakers and industry professionals on hand for the festival are director James Gray and Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi. Richard Jenkins — known for his work in The Visitor, There’s Something About Mary, Stepbrothers and HBO’s Six Feet Under, will be given the 2008 Excellence in Acting Award.

Other notable attendees include Carolee Schneeman, Bruce Bickford, Bill Plympton, Don Hertzfeldt, Rider Stong, Wally Pfister and Thomas Imbach.

Most screenings take place at the Starz FilmCenter at the Tivoli on the Auraria Campus, with other screenings at the King Academic and Performing Arts Center. Red carpet events will be at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.

To mark the 150th birthday of the city of Denver, the Festival will hold a family screening of The Polar Express including cupcakes and face painting.

The schedule also encompasses red carpet events, receptions, panel discussions and award presentations. For complete details and tickets, go to denverfilm.org/festival.