Aspen Filmfest to host in-person and virtual screenings

The 41st annual Aspen Filmfest will screen new titles both in person and online when it runs Oct. 15 to 21.

Aspen Film announced the dates Tuesday. Details about the lineup are expected next week.

The festival’s opening and closing nights will include in-person screenings at the Isis Theatre in downtown Aspen, which reopened in late August with limited capacity and precautions against spreading the novel coronavirus. The pandemic had kept the theater closed to the public since mid-March.

For the five days of screenings between the theatrical presentations, Filmfest will host screenings online. After the pandemic hit in the spring, Aspen Film launched the first major local event with a virtual version of Aspen Shortsfest in late March. The nonprofit film society has continued with online screenings through the summer. On Wednesday, Aspen Film’s monthly Indie Showcase returned to the Isis for an in-person screening of the documentary “Jimmy Carter: Rock’n’Roll President.”

Virtual passes for the 2020 Aspen Filmfest will go on-sale Friday, Sept. 25, followed by tickets for the in-person screenings for Aspen Film members (Oct. 1) and the general public (Oct. 5) at aspenfilm.org.

Last year’s Filmfest included early looks at major movies including Bong Joon-Ho’s Best Picture-winning “Parasite,” “Jojo Rabbit” and “Judy” as well as a tribute to filmmaker Bob Rafelson.