Call2Action - Boulder International Film Festival
 

Call2Action

15 Years of Inspiring Action

You’ve been moved? Now get moving!

What is Call2Action? The Call2Action program addresses a wide range of critical issues that affect us locally and globally through films that are followed by discussions that inspire us to take action. Call2Action films cover a wide range of issues - environmental risks and climate action, social justice and civil rights, human and animal health and well-being, war and peace, democracy and freedom, and much more.

On the 15th anniversary of BIFF's Call2Action, we thank the program founders - Philanthropiece, The Twisted Foundation, Joellen & Scott Raderstorf, and Sandy Younghans - for spearheading this initiative and never doubting the power of film to change people’s lives. Click the button below to read past stories and get inspired.

Talkbacks

Call2Action TalkBacks provide the opportunity to view films that inform us about critical issues and then engage with filmmakers and co-presenters on how we can help make change. TalkBacks offer clear steps for film goers to turn inspiration into action. They are held at or adjacent to the film venues and are free and open to the public.

BIFF 2025 Call to Action Films

Thursday March 13, 2025

Co-presented by Together Colorado

ALL GOD'S CHILDREN

In an unprecedented attempt to combat this rising racial and ethnic tension in their communities, activist Rabbi Rachel Timoner teams up with Baptist Reverend Robert Waterman to unite their congregations.

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Friday March 14, 2025

MONGOLIA, VALLEY OF THE BEARS

Mongolian lands have fallen prey to illegal hunters and miners, causing an alarming decrease in biodiversity. Faced with this worrying situation, the Mongolian Ministry of Environment appointed ranger Jal Tumursukh on a delicate mission to enforce the law of environmental protection.

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Co-presented by James Balog & Jeff Orlowski-Yang

THE LAST OBSERVERS / CHASING TIME

If a single photo can inspire change, how influential are a million images? Over the course of the 15-year Extreme Ice Survey project, photographer James Balog and his team brought some of the world’s first and most compelling visual evidence of climate change to the global stage as he depicted the rapid melting of glaciers around the world.

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CHAMPIONS OF THE GOLDEN VALLEY

In the remote mountain villages of Bamyan, Afghanistan, a newfound passion for skiing attracts young athletes from rival ethnic groups to the slopes. With minimal gear and makeshift wooden skis, the determined ski coach Alishah Farhang organizes a thrilling ski race that fosters camaraderie, joy, and triumph.

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ZURAWSKI V TEXAS

Women denied abortions under Texas’ ambiguous and unforgiving abortion bans band together with a fearless attorney to sue Texas. While battling in court against the state and its immovable Attorney General, the extent of their traumatic experiences is revealed as they wrestle to regain their reproductive futures and set a precedent for millions of other women and families.

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Saturday March 15, 2025

IN WAVES AND WAR

Highly decorated Navy SEAL Marcus Capone returns from Afghanistan and attempts to readjust to civilian life. But years of unprecedented warfare have left Marcus with treatment-defiant PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and severe depression beyond what current government treatment options can effectively address.

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Co-presented by WildEarth Guardians 

UNEARTH

UNEARTH follows a charismatic and inspiring set of Native Alaskan activists and commercial salmon fishermen as they navigate the treacherous waters of the power players, politics, and tactics driving forward North America’s largest-ever proposed copper mine in their beloved homeland of Bristol Bay, Alaska, revealing the potentially unsustainable cost of our sustainable future.

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Sunday March 16, 2025

Co-presented by 350 COLORADO

THE WHITE HOUSE EFFECT

A riveting look at a key moment in the history of the climate crisis, The White House Effect from directors Bonni Cohen, Pedro Kos and Jon Shenk travels back in time to document how a crucial opportunity to take real action on global warming was not just squandered but deliberately undermined.

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Co-presented by Believe Ranch and Rescue

TRI ME: THE SIRI LINDLEY STORY

Siri Lindley is a gay woman who is a child of divorce. Raised by Astrid and Frank Gifford, she spent most of her childhood alone. When she came out of the closet in her early 20’s, she was rejected by her father. She embarked on a desperate mission to prove herself. She couldn't swim, and struggled in running and biking, yet went on to become a two-time triathlon world champion.

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Co-presented by Mental Health Coalition

A MAN WITH SOLE: THE IMPACT OF KENNETH COLE

Kenneth Cole’s fierce, high-risk commitment to caring as much for ‘what people stand for…not just what they stand in’…. has been the hallmark of his name and brand from day one. Now, after four decades of persuasive and impactful ‘cause’-focused campaigns and initiatives, Kenneth Cole is using his blueprint for social impact to eradicate the stigma around mental health.

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Co-presented by PLAN-Boulder County

CITIZEN RUTH: ENVIRONMENTAL WARRIOR

This 96-year-old Boulder environmental warrior has the bruises to show from more than 60 years of battles she fought, and the passion to carry her through the losses and the successes. CITIZEN RUTH is the compelling personal story of an extraordinary environmental activist and state legislator, and the journey into some of her remarkable accomplishments in the face of many challenges.

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Thank You to Our 2025 C2A Sponsors
Thank You to Our 2025 C2A Sponsors