Judy Blume is entertaining, relevant at Denver’s Women + Film Fest

Author Judy Blume isn’t just a culture changer. Effervescent and wise, the 85-year-old writer of YA lit (before it was a hot genre) is the star of “Judy Blume Forever.” Entertaining and revealing, the documentary by Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok is the fitting and fun (and occasionally infuriating)  opening night offering of the Women + Film Fest, which runs April 13-16.

It’s also timely: Earlier this week, the writer, who lives in Key West, Fla., pointedly criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for his stance on the banning of some books in public schools.

The 14th installment of one of Denver Film’s most successful and enduring branded festivals features notable films (Sundance documentary winner “The Eternal Memory”); filmmakers (Kelly Reichardt and Maite Alberdi); and compelling subjects (sex researcher Shere Hite, Black Barbie and the abortion pill Plan C), while also bringing community members into the fold of one of the area’s largest year-round arts organization.

The festival “has been instrumental in allowing us to bring our community together to celebrate stories by and about women for everyone for two decades now,” said Denver Film CEO Kevin Smith in an email. “It truly has been a fantastic reflection of our mission to create entertaining and transformative experiences through the power of diverse voices in film.”

“I’m really excited about and proud of the event as a whole and all that we’ve put together,” says programming manager Ambriehl Turrentine, pointing out the festival’s Saturday marketplace, which features the wares of local, women-owned small businesses. Not that she was giving short shrift to the films. This year’s slate offers a well-curated mix of documentaries and narrative features as well as a slate of shorts that Turrentine touted. Here’s a cheat sheet.

Programmer’s choice: “Blue Jean,” directed by Georgia Oakley. Variety deemed this narrative feature about a lesbian physical education teacher only recently out when Margaret Thatcher and her Conservative Party’s anti-gay Section 28 ruling takes effect. “A frank, piercing debut … that crisply evokes that climate of politically propagated homophobia without preserving it in amber.” Section 28 prohibited local authorities — in select schools — from “promoting homosexuality.” Screening is at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 14.