‘Cover-Up,’ about investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, named best documentary

With a particularly strong field of new narrative films to consider, Denver Film Festival audiences pulled off a bit of an upset in choosing “Calle Malaga” as the best of the 2025 fest.

The title of the Spanish-language film, which counts Morocco, France, Spain, Germany and Belgium as its countries of origin, refers to a street in the city of Málaga, Spain. The film, from Moroccan director Maryam Touzani, has been called “a touching portrayal of an elderly woman’s fight to remain independent, and a celebration of late-life love and desire.” It’s a crowd favorite because it combines heartfelt drama with humor.

The festival’s official jury of experts, meanwhile, have bestowed Denver Film’s official Krzysztof Kieslowski Award for best feature film to director Olivier Laxe’s “Sirāt,” another Spanish-language film. It’s the unpredictable story of a man traveling through southern Morocco with his son in search of his daughter, who was last seen at a dance festival in the desert.

“It’s a movie you will never forget,” the three-member jury said in a combined statement. “‘Sirāt’  immerses us in a terrifying and compassionate world we’ve never seen on screen before, with brilliant performances, sound design and cinematography. No one who sees it will be able to shake it off.”

All things I might say of “Hamnet,” my own choice for best narrative feature. (Not that this designation comes with a prize.) Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s lauded 2020 novel, “Hamnet,” directed by Chloé Zhao, explores the relationship between William Shakespeare and his wife (here called Agnes) and how the death of his young son may have influenced the writing of “Hamlet.”

Among its many haunting charms are the performances of real-life brothers Jacobi and Noah Jupe, who play the doomed boy Hamnet and the actor in the Bard’s company who is the first to play the sullen character of Hamlet, respectively.

“Hamnet,” which did win something Denver Film calls the Rare Pearl Award, will be released widely on Dec. 12.

The jurors also honored “Cover-Up,” directed by Mark Obenhaus and Laura Poitras, as best documentary. It’s about investigative journalist Seymour Hersh. Judges called the film “a radically honest portrayal of one of America’s most renowned and complicated investigative journalists, who shows us both the importance and the personal cost of speaking truth to power.” Coming soon to Netflix.

OTHER AWARD WINNERS

People’s Choice

• Documentary: “Comparsa” (Guatemala, U.S.)

• Short film: “The Singers” (U.S.)

Juried (Expert) Awards

• American Independent Award (presented to a U.S. narrative film that “boldly steps outside of the studio system to offer unique stories in an unconstrained spirit.”: “Mad Bills to Pay “(or “Destiny, dile que no soy malo”

• Short film: “The Singers”

• Best Student Live Action Short: “Nervous Energy”

• Best Student Animation Short: “Detlev”

Music on Film

The “Film on Music Documentary Grant Awards” are $20,000 stipends to be used as finishing funds to help documentary productions pay for  music licensing, scoring and composition):

• ”Bulletproof Stockings”

• The Road to Ruane”

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED:

• 2025 John Cassavetes Award: Lucy Liu, Actor, “Rosemead”

• Career Achievement Award: Delroy Lindo, Actor, “Sinners”

• Excellence in Directing Award: Gus Van Sant, “Dead Man’s Wire”

• Excellence in Acting Award: Imogen Poots, “The Chronology of Water”

• Outlaw Award: Ben Foster, Actor, “Christy”

• CinemaQ LaBahn Ikon Film Award: Niecy Nash-Betts

• Breakthrough Director Award: Charlie Polinger, “The Plague”

• Rising Star Award: Zoey Deutch, Actor, “Nouvelle Vague”

• Stan Brakhage Vision Award: “Peggy Ahwesh”

MORE OF OUR DENVER FILM FESTIVAL COVERAGE:

• Our interview with Delroy Lindo

• Here are five films you don’t want to miss

• Look who’s coming to Denver 

• Spotlight on Colorado films like ‘Creede U.S.A.’

• Daily Dispatch from the Denver Film Festival: Oct. 31

• Daily Dispatch from the Denver Film Festival: Nov. 1

• Daily Dispatch from the Denver Film Festival: Nov. 2

• Daily Dispatch from the Denver Film Festival: Nov. 3

• Daily Dispatch from the Denver Film Festival: Nov. 4

• Daily Dispatch from the Denver Film Festival: Nov. 5

• Daily Dispatch from the Denver Film Festival: Nov. 6

• Daily Dispatch from the Denver Film Festival: Nov. 7

• Daily Dispatch from the Denver Film Festival: Nov. 8

• Daily Dispatch from the Denver Film Festival: Nov. 9

• Daily Dispatch from the Denver Film Festival: Nov. 10