The directorial debut of Colorado writer-director Taylor McFadden, LOVERis a love letter to Denver, the Queen City of the Plains. The film will premiere at the 47th Denver Film Festival with a special screening on Sunday November 3at the Festival Theater.

The story of LOVER follows two women who return to Denver for the funeral of a friend who committed suicide. Although the city has evolved, one beloved landmark remains: LOVERa dive bar and music venue (recognized by Denver locals as Hi-Dive, where much of the film was filmed). As the women reconnect with their former community, they confront their shared grief and rediscover the healing power of music and togetherness.

In an interview with host Alisha Sweeney, McFadden discusses the origins of the film and how the music fits into the narrative to explore themes of friendship and loss. The film stars Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath in her acting debut and features performances by Hannah Cohen, Nicole Atkins and a new original song by Nathaniel Rateliff.

LOVER will be screened at the Holiday Theater on Sunday, November 3 at 5:30 p.m., followed by a Q&A with McFadden and lead actresses Angela Trimbur and Amelia Meath. A second screening will take place on Tuesday November 5at 3:00 p.m. at the Sie FilmCenter.