Surrender to your passion for cinema. Step out onto the red-carpet this Valentine's Day. Plan a romantic date with your special partner, or meet new friends on this night of glamour. Celebrate independent film at the Boulder International Film Festival's Opening Night Gala and enjoy a red hot evening with sensuous, sinful appetizers from the Cheesecake Factory, plus a tall, warm, mouth-watering chocolate-fountain, (properly consumed with a cinnamon biscotti) along with paparazzi, filmmakers galore, and a chance to dig out those designer threads for a fabulous night on the town. Black-tie optional. Tickets are $50 and are on sale now at bouldertheater.com. Program to be announced late January.

BIFF Film lover's special: A posh hotel room and 2 tickets to the opening night gala. Visit biff1.com for special packages at the Hotel Boulderado.

Create a life experience that you can point to with pride all your life. The entirety of BIFF's operational success depends on the hard work of volunteers, work that can often be boring, frustrating, chaotic and unsung, with magnificent highs followed by unbelievable disasters, and the only bennies being free admission to screenings and dress-up parties.

But you'll meet fascinating, creative people from all over the world, and you'll emerge from this experience with some great new stories to tell, great new friendships, and a lot of unbelievable memories. To become a volunteer for BIFF 2008, just fill out an application on our website or come to the December 5th Schmoozer!

It's like a great office party, except you don't have to face your fellow partiers right away the next morning! You're cordially invited to begin your traditional month- long celebration of the holidays at the next Colorado Film Society schmoozer this Wednesday, December 5th at 5:30pm. There'll be great food, drinks, and lots of conversation - the cost is just $5. Please RSVP to staff@biff1.com. It's at 1906 13th Street, Suite 301, on the NE corner of 13th and Walnut, just three doors south of Connor O'Neill's. The next schmoozer will be February 16th during BIFF.

The Colorado Film Society/Boulder International Film Festival recently received grants from Chase and Philanthropiece, a Boulder-based philanthropic organization. Philanthropiece supports locally defined projects that focus on education, health initiatives, quality of life, environmental issues and business and economic opportunity with cultural sensitivity and an emphasis on sustainability. It also seeks productive partnering relationships with other global non-governmental organizations.

Chase gives million of dollars through grants and sponsorships to thousands of not-for-profit organizations around the world. The three areas of funding include 1) Community asset development, to encourage, sustain and develop economic self- reliance; 2)Youth education, to help young people succeed in life and in work; and 3) Community life, to enrich communities with sponsorships and events focused on arts and culture. We thank both Chase and Philanthropiece for supporting the Colorado Film Society and the Boulder International Film Festival!