Denver Film will kick off its Women + Film Festival with a luncheon, award presentation, conversation and film screening. The guest of honor at the event will be acclaimed actress and now director, Julie Stiles. Stiles will become the fifth recipient of the Women + Film Barbara Bridges Inspiration Award. She'll participate in a conversation about making the transition from being in front of the camera to behind it, and then her directorial debut film, "Wish You Were Here," will be screened.
SNL50: The Homecoming Concert
Julia Stiles attends SNL50: The Homecoming Concert at Radio City Music Hall on Feb. 14, 2025 in New York City. Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images
"How did this film come about? It's such a beautiful story about love, and finding love again and finding yourself," CBS First at 4 anchor Mekialaya White asked during a recent zoom call with Stiles.
"I have been wanting to direct a movie for a really long time, and I just coun't find the right story. It wasn't until I read Renée Carlino's book that I thought, 'Oh...this is it,'" Stiles replied.
Stiles wrote the screenplay based on the best-selling book "Wish You Were Here" by Renée Carlino. It's a heartwarming romance story about a couple who share a magical night and what happens in the days following their encounter. The movie has been a 5-year passion project for Stiles.
"How does it feel to be a women in film? How does that journey feel to you?" White asked.
"I think a distinctly female trait, in terms of leadership, is being very collaborative. I mean, I hate to make generalizations like that, but I do think it's true, and at a certain point I had to learn to be front-footed about being collaborative," Stiles explained.
"It is hard to kind of be authoritative sometimes in that way," White said.
"It's not so much about being female. It's more about as an actress it's so ingrained in me to please everybody, to make sure that everybody is comfortable, everybody likes you, otherwise you won't get cast. Sometimes you have to really shed that and let it go in order to be a good leader, a good director," Stiles added.
Stiles pointed out that "Wish You Were Here" has a Colorado connection.
"There is a musician, Nathanial Rateliff, that has two songs that are heavily featured in 'Wish You Were Here.' I had them in my head while I was writing the script. I timed sequences to those songs. I reached out and begged him to let me put them in the movie, and he was really gracious about the whole thing. I'm a huge fan, he's a proud Denverite," Stiles said.
Stiles has worked in the film industry since she was a child. Here career includes romantic comedies like "10 Things I Hate About You" and "Save the Last Dance," action adventure movies like the "Bourne" series, and character work in films such as "Mona Lisa Smile," "The Omen," Silver Linings Playbook," and "Hustlers." She feels like women have made progress in Hollywood over the years.
"I would say that the roles for us have changed. They've become more dynamic. They've become less architypes. There's more nuance in the roles that we get to play and the portrayal of women on screen," Stiles said. "I don't think I could have every believed that I would step behind the camera and be a director if I didn't have examples of that before me."
"When it comes to 'Wish You Were Here,' what are you most proud of with the film?" White asked.
"I want to make movies, whether it's acting or directing, I want to tell stories that move people and make them feel all the emotions that we are trying to understand as human beings," Stiles responded.
Stiles says she's definitely caught the directing bug and will be looking for her next passion project.
LINK: For Tickets & Information for the Women + Film Luncheon
The Women + Film Luncheon is Friday, May 30, 2025 at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Julia Stiles will make a Red Carpet Appearance at 11:15 a.m., the luncheon program begins at 12:00 p.m., the award presentation and conversation starts at 12:30 p.m., and the film will screen afterward.
Libby Smith
Libby Smith is a special projects producer at CBS Colorado.