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CINEMA

Did you know that the Boedecker Theater is Boulder’s ONLY year-round arthouse cinema?

The Boedecker Theater opened within the Dairy Arts Center in 2010 as a first-run arthouse cinema. With an intimate seating capacity of 70, “the Boe” is the perfect place to see films not available at the commercial cinemas in a professional theater setting. Concessions, including alcohol, are available for purchase at every screening; our popcorn is a staff favorite!

With nearly 700 screenings last year, the Dairy Arts Center’s cinema programming is noted for excellence as well as diversity. From contemplative documentaries to quirky independent comedies and international dramas (we’ve shown films from over 85 countries since 2015), there is something for everyone!

Our regularly scheduled films play Wednesday – Sunday and typically rotate between one narrative and one documentary feature throughout the week, with special programs generally taking place Sunday – Tuesday evenings, including cultural offerings like international ballet and opera screenings, Exhibition on Screen and National Theatre Live, or community partnerships and local showcases. Many films also feature “talkbacks*,” post film discussions led by film critics, community leaders, and professional experts so that you can get the most out of the cinema experience!

Community is what sets our theater apart. The Boedecker is home is to numerous series and festivals including Classics with Jeffrey Kash, Friday Night Weird, How to Watch a Movie, the Boulder Jewish Film Festival, Boulder Environmental/Nature/Outdoors Film Festival, and Mimesis Film Festival.

*Talkback screenings noted on the ticketing page of a given film

Sign up for our WEEKLY CINEMA EBLAST by logging into your online account and updating your preferences! Look for the cinema eblast in your inbox Wednesday mornings from the Dairy Arts Center (info@dairyarts.org)

You can also follow us on Facebook & Instagram for event postings and trailers.

Want a printed calendar for your bulletin board or refrigerator? Print it out from the monthly calendar section below or pick one up next time you’re at the Dairy!

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Plus the Dairy Arts Center is now on Letterboxd! Follow us as we update our weekly film screenings and view an archive of over 900 films that you can sort by release date, country origin, tags of interest and more!

Join our artistic family to receive discounted tickets and exclusive offers. Plus, you won’t want to miss the annual Academy Awards party! 

Join Now!

ACCESSIBLE PARKING AND WHEELCHAIR ACCESS

Parking spaces for persons with disabilities are located at the southwest corner of the building in our Dairy parking lot nearest the West Entrance. A valid parking permit is required for use of these spots. There is an elevator accessible from directly inside the West Entrance (with curb cut outside of the entrance) and ramp access from the East (front) Entrance (with curb cut on the corner of 26th and Walnut). Patrons may use the temporary loading zone directly in front of the East Entrance (26th Street) to drop off patrons and then park. Unfortunately the nearest curb cut to this entrance is located on the corner of 26th and Walnut.  The Dairy’s facilities including its two Main Entrances, East (front) and West, and all public restrooms are wheelchair accessible.

ACCOMMODATED SEATING

For general admission shows, it is best to call the Box Office in advance at 303-444-7328 to make sure we can accommodate your needs before you purchase tickets. For reserved seating shows, you can select the ADA-designated seats that best suit your individual needs. Please arrive 30 minutes before show time, and check in with the Box Office or Dairy house management staff. ADA-designated seats will be located in Row A of the Grace Gamm and Gordon Gamm Theaters and Row E of the Boedecker Theater. ADA-designated seats in the Carsen Theater will depend on the configuration of the particular performance. Dairy Hartman Box Office Associates and House Managers will work with you to make sure you purchase the seat that best fits your needs for a particular show. 

SEAT MEASUREMENTS

Theater Seat: 17.5” Width x 18” Depth; 19” Width between armrests (all flip up); 24 – 27” Aisle (larger aisle space in back row); 15.5 – 18” Leg room (larger leg room in back row)

Director chairs (non-folding/ non-collapsable): 18” Width x 20” Depth x 29.5” Height; 21” Width between armrests (do not flip up); 43” Aisle

Additional Chairs (may fill wheelchair seating when not in use; non-folding/non-collapsable): 19” Width x 17” Depth; no armrests

COURTESY WHEELCHAIR

A courtesy wheelchair is available by request to any patron during their visit on a first come, first served basis. Patrons are encouraged to call Dairy Arts Center staff in advance if they anticipate needing a courtesy wheelchair. It is strongly recommended that patrons who do not normally use a wheelchair bring a friend or companion to assist them in maneuvering the wheelchair around the Dairy Arts Center. Staff can make arrangements for patrons to borrow wheelchairs but may not be able to leave their posts to assist patrons in moving around the building.

AUDIO ENHANCEMENT

Personal listening devices (with ear buds or loop necklace) are available free of charge to audience members attending all performances at The Dairy. To check them out, the box office will hold your driver’s license or credit card, returning it to you when the listening device is turned in to The Dairy House Manager on duty at the end of the performance. These earbuds are tuned into an FM frequency that receive sound picked up from the transmissions of choir mics suspended above our stages. Currently, over-the-ear listening devices are unavailable but you are welcome to bring your own.

Note: Our Boedecker Theater is now equipped with a hearing loop.
What is a hearing loop and how does it work? Hearing Loops allow people who wear hearing aids to directly receive the sound from a PA system in their own hearing aids, much like Wi-Fi for laptops. To hear better, you will no longer have to pick up a separate listening device. Europe has thousands of hearing loops in churches, cathedrals and theaters. US installations are becoming more common.

Do my hearing aids work in a loop? If you wear hearing instruments you will need to find out if they have this wireless receiver, called a T-coil or Telecoil, built in to benefit from the hearing loop in our theater. The T-coil program is accessed by pushing a button on your hearing aid. This T-coil setting has to be activated before use. Please consult your audiologist to ensure your t-coils are properly adjusted.

Hearing loops improve hearing aids
Digital hearing aids have significantly improved in the last decade, but they do not restore hearing to normal. Difficulties often remain when in challenging listening situations. Hearing loops help hearing aid users overcome this problem by broadcasting sound without background noise or reverberation. Loop Information: www.hearingloop.org

or download a PDF Guide

CLOSED CAPTION EYEWEAR

Closed Caption Glasses (Captionwear CCH-100) are available the Boedecker Cinema for certain screenings! Screenings that offer closed caption technology will be noted on the event page for the film.

You can download the user manual here for more information.

See a list of upcoming closed caption enabled screenings here

SUBTITLES & OPEN CAPTIONS

SUBTITLED SCREENINGS

Subtitles are caption translations of a film’s audio dialogue, usually translating a film’s native language to the audience’s langue (ie English language subtitles for international film). Subtitled films are different from closed captions in that they always appear on screen to all audience members without the use of additional devices. They also differ from open caption screenings in that subtitles will generally only display translated dialogue, not description of other audio components (ie music, sound effects, etc.).

Approximately 1/3 of the films we show are international. With few exceptions, films in a language other than English will be shown with English subtitles on screen regardless of whether or they are also compatible with closed caption glasses.

See a list of upcoming subtitled screenings here.

 

OPEN CAPTION SCREENINGS

When possible, the Dairy will provide open caption screenings of films in the Boedecker Theater and will be noted on the event page for the film. Open captions are captions that are permanently visible in movies, TV and online videos. In addition to dialogue, they display important audio information on-screen, separate from subtitles accompanying films in a language other than English. Unlike closed captions, they are burned into the film and can’t be switched on or off.

See a list of upcoming films with open captioning here

Films exhibited at the Dairy Arts Center may contain depictions of violence and death, assault, abuse, self-harm, addiction, acts of discrimination, white supremacy, brutality, war, mental illness, medical situations, blood, sex, sexuality and nudity of all manners, and other potentially sensitive subjects.

We acknowledge these depictions are powerful and have the potential to cause distressing emotional and psychological responses or contribute to otherwise harmful situations for some individuals; we also believe that great art comes with inherent risk, and we invite you to take an informed part in the process of deciding which artistic experiences feel appropriate for you.

In certain situations, we will share potentially distressing or offensive content depicted in a film with the audience ahead of time. This will most likely appear on the film’s synopsis page of our website and/or preshow email to ticket holders.

Truthfully, not every film is prescreened start to finish by staff, especially through the lens of content analysis. This is an industry standard, often due to a mix of staff resources and media availability.

We rely on recommendations from trusted distributors, festival credentials and critical evaluations that align with our values, a community advisory committee, and guest programmers with diverse experience and expertise to guide our programming decisions. It is a point of pride that our programming is deeply human. But that also means it is subject to, well, our own subjectivity. Sometimes we don’t agree on what content is worth flagging; sometimes we rely overly on our own personal sensitivities; sometimes we have blind spots; and sometimes potentially sensitive content is so obscured in ambiguity that we miss it entirely.

We recognize this is an imperfect system and we invite you to use additional resources deciding what content is right for you.

Deeper engagement makes us all better appreciators of the artistic world that surrounds us. We believe the filmgoing experience should extend beyond the screen. Programs like Talkbacks and Cinema Club seek to do just that, but we also know that some audiences need more, specific information before the film to decide if it’s right for them– and we support that whole heartedly. Here are some resources:

DoestheDogDie.com is a community-driven platform, creating an extensive database of trigger warnings covering a wide range of emotional content

Since 2003, Common Sense has been the leading independent source for media recommendations and advice for families – focusing on content through the lens suitability for children and young audiences.

Critical analysis of films helps us better understand the context and subtext of a film; you can often get a sense of the themes and tone that might guide your decisions without any spoilers. And finding a critic you admire means you now have a trusted friend to recommend films professionally.


Pro tip: Most online outlets will allow you to see an archive of their contributor’s work so you can build trust through a critic’s previous reviews of films you are already familiar with.

Trailers and Synopsis are mainly marketing tools to entice you without revealing too much, so take them with a grain of salt, but they do often introduce to you to the overarching story, characters, and style of a film – offering clues to the less apparent aspects of a film. They often set the tone for the world in which the film exists, reference the previous works of directors and producers for context, or use evocative language, visuals and stylistic cues like editing and score, to indicate the genre or produce an emotional response.


Trailers are their own fascinating artform within the industry. If you’re interested in a deeper dive, you can check out this video from Vice News on the way trailers can manipulate audiences or this video on the different trailer styles from Vanity Fair 

When available, we provide MPA (formerly MPAA) ratings for films – these are G, PG, R or NC-17 ratings you see at the end of our film descriptions. MPA ratings act as recognizable model for larger categories of content that may be present in a film (such as violence, strong language, and sexuality). In sharing these ratings, the Dairy Arts Center intends them to act as a shorthand, but does not enforce any official admission policy under the guidance of MPA ratings.


It is important to note that there is not much transparency surrounding the MPA decision making process; the identity of its members is not public information, and many filmmakers have alleged that some films, subjects, and identities are judged more harshly than others, impacting the marketability of a film. You may notice that many films we curate are listed as NR or Not Rated; MPA ratings are a voluntary system, with many international and independent filmmakers who are not relying on commercial theaters to reach their audience opting out of the process. An NR designation simply means the film was not submitted to the MPA for rating and has no bearing on what content may be present within a film.

We are passionate about connecting the right movies with the right audiences. We don’t just want to sell you a ticket, we want to invite you into our community and connect you with meaningful artistic experiences. In order to do that, we’re happy to make a recommendation based on what kinds of films you do (and do not) want to see – or help you find the information you need to make that decision yourself. We’re not just one voice – we’re many; if a staff member is unable to help with your specific request, we’ll do our best to find someone who can!

Sometimes, even if we take all the right steps, someone ends up seeing a film that isn’t a good fit for them. It is never our intention to create a harmful environment for any audience. If any content in a film you attend causes discomfort or distress, we invite you to the leave the theater. You are welcome to take a break in our lobby and re-enter at any time. If you are unable to attend a film due to sensitive content, we may be able to credit your account for a future film.

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SERIES, COURSES & SHOWCASES

From curated series to educational opportunities, we create programs that go beyond the screen to enrich our community and cultivate the next generation of audiences.

In this monthly series, curator Jeffrey Kash takes the typical theater experience beyond the screen with his pre-talks and curation of overlooked and underappreciated titles. Many of the films are award winners or mentioned in online lists and are removed one to two steps from the list of mainstream, popular classics, paired with introductions from Kash expertly explaining what’s happening behind the scenes, offering fun facts about the stars and costars, their careers and those of the filmmakers, and touching on worldwide events occurring at the time of filming.

Upcoming Screenings:
View Calendar

Sometimes, we take a break from cinema and showcase the best of the Denver Metro comedy scene, curated by comedian Zoe Rogers.

Upcoming Events:

Creative Connections is a new initiative of the Dairy Arts Center, designed to provide older adults with free, arts-centered activities that foster community and fun. 

Launched in September 2025, our first event brought 70 people together for a robust 1960s sing-along, followed by a screening of a classic 1960s musical. We are continuing to build on that momentum, inviting older adults to similar events, pairing interactive music in the lobby with favorite cinema classics for dynamic community events everyone is sure to love! 

Want to join us for the next edition of Creative Connections? Watch this page as more events are announced, and join the Dairy’s mailing list to stay up-to-date on this and other programs that you won’t want to miss. 

All are welcome, but space is limited! Reserve your free spot to make sure you’re on the list. 

This program is offered in partnership with Circle of Care Project. 

Upcoming Screenings:

We believe that even the weirdest films deserve the proper theater experience.
Our weekly Friday Night Weird program provides curated access to the best in new and classic genre films from first-time filmmakers, marginalized and outsider voices, innovators of style, and provocative auteurs.

Upcoming Screenings:
View Calendar

Whether you are a lifelong cinephile or just beginning your journey into film appreciation, this course will deeply enrich your viewing experiences and change the way you watch “the movies” forever.

Filmmaker, podcaster, programmer, and historian, Jack Hanley guides you through an entertaining and interactive course on how to get more out of the cinematic experience. From the fascinating history of the medium, through an introduction of the fundamentals, and analysis of the filmic process, participants will become more literate in the language of cinema and deepen their appreciation of how films are constructed- from how they are directed and shot, to how they tell stories, comment on, and reflect our world, to how they develop characters and articulate their stories through the employment of sound and image.

Topics:

  • Development of an Art Form: A History of Film
  • The Auteur’s Eye: Film Direction
  • Framing the Story: Cinematography
  • The Science of Storytelling: Screenwriting
  • The Method and the Madness: Performance on Screen
  • The Art of the Cut: Film
  • Dropping the Needle: The Art of Sound and Music
  • Thinking About Film Critically: Theory and More
New series coming soon!

Our Members Cinema Club Conversations are designed to form a deeper connection with our member community and discuss the love of cinema. Each month, the Dairy’s programming committee will select one film and host a post film discussion facilitated by our cinema and membership staff. Different from our expert-led talkbacks, these are designed to be group discussion outside the cinema, where all are welcome to share their thoughts, feedback, and questions in a community centered environment – as well as form shared connections over additional film recommendations and experiences.

Pizza & Soda is provided! These conversations are free for members, but please RSVP! Conversation RSVP does not include the film ticket, so please make sure to purchased your film ticket separately! If you plan to attend and have a dietary restriction, please email us at memberships@thedairy.org

This series is generously sponsored by Belzer Law LLC

Upcoming Screenings:
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Creative pairings of current, classic, cult, and documentary films with lively introductions by notable figures from the world of science, technology, and medicine. The Science on Screen® grant initiative brings science to cinemas nationwide – including the Dairy Arts Center!
Learn more: https://scienceonscreen.org/

 
Upcoming Screenings:
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World Cinema Classics presents annual min-series exploring essential international films with CU Professor Emeritus Suranjan Ganguly of the Cinema Studies Department. Ganguly teaches a wide range of international film courses; former chair of the department and director of the Stan Brakhage Center for Media Arts, he is the founder and curator of the monthly Brakhage Film Series, Celebrating Stan.

Summer 2026 – Dark Night of the Soul: Cinema and Transcendence

This six-part European film series, presented by Suranjan Ganguly, focuses on the search for spiritual transcendence by people who struggle with faith, conscience, loss and grief. It seeks to define a cinema of interiority in which the subtle nuances of one’s inner life find poetic expression.

Upcoming Screenings:
View Calendar

FILM FESTIVALS, PARTNERS & COMMUNITY RENTALS

In addition to year-round programming, the Boe has been home to numerous local film festivals and community partners that bring exciting new works, filmmakers, and perspectives to our cinema.

Don’t miss special events like our annual Oscars celebration, Member Movie Pick, and PEEK fundraising gala!

Upcoming Special Events:

The Dairy is home to a number of annual film festivals, showcasing local filmmakers, curated short films, and programs that spotlight topics of interest. The Dairy Arts Center is a primary venue for the Boulder Environmental Nature Outdoor Film Festival (BENOFF), Boulder Jewish Film Festival (BJFF), and Mimesis Documentary Festival.

Boulder Environmental/Nature/Outdoors Film Festival celebrates the natural world around us – the ocean, land, nature, and the air we breathe. The selection of feature and short films will be drawn from around the world to bring to you both a local and global perspective of the challenges and solutions ahead for our environment. The films are just the beginning. Making your festival experience more enlightening, special guests from film, media, government, and science will discuss the films’ issues with our audiences afterward. Learn more at the Boulder ENOFF Festival Website

 

Upcoming Screenings:

Annual 8-day celebration of Jewish world cinema and conversation hosted by the Boulder JCC. The Dairy Arts Center also partners with the JCC on periodic film screenings throughout the year. Learn more at the Boulder Jewish Film Festival Website

 

Upcoming Screenings:


We offer this festival as means to project the voices, wisdom and creativity that aim to benefit. The Buddhist Arts and Film Festival (BAFF) is a Boulder-based non-profit bringing Buddhist inspired art, film, performance, discussion, and workshops to the community. BAFF is a diverse, inclusive program representing various Buddhist inspired practices and traditions with content interesting and beneficial for all audiences, including non-Buddhists.  Learn more at the Buddhist Arts and Film Festival’s website!

Upcoming Screenings:

Mimesis (n.) /məˈmēsis/
Resemblance, receptivity, representation, and the act of expression.

The Mimesis Documentary Festival in Boulder, Colorado, is an immersive theatrical and virtual experience featuring in-person and at-home screenings, workshops, and conversations with documentary artists, scholars, and producers from across the world. Learn More at the Mimesis Festival Website

 

Upcoming Screenings:

ScorpiusFest returns with a bold new chapter. New team, new home. Now based in Boulder, Colorado, our mission remains unchanged: to present thought-provoking films, shorts, and documentaries that challenge conventions and push creative boundaries. This year’s program brings together emerging voices and established filmmakers from around the globe, sharing powerful cultural stories and daring explorations of the unknown.

Upcoming Screenings:

In addition to multi-day festivals, the Dairy periodically partners with film oriented community organizations for special events, such as our annual student showcase in partnership with with Film and Video Arts program at Boulder TEC.

Upcoming Partner Screenings

Did you know that you can rent our venues? The Dairy rents our professional venue space – including the Boe – at affordable rates to over 100 organizations annually! The Boe is the perfect venue for test screenings, private audiences, and presentations! Learn more about venue rentals & pricing or fill out our venue application form here!

Upcoming Rentals 

Any events listed below are open to the public; ticket prices may vary. Private rentals do not receive calendar listings and are not ticketed through the Dairy’s box office.

"Dairy is a great venue for foreign language movies that are not shown in other cinemas. The quality of movies is high. Also, getting tickets/seats is refreshingly easy. A name on a list...great!" Christel Detsch, Dairy Patron
“The quality of the movies and documentaries is good. The Dairy feels like a warm, welcoming place for the arts. Every town or City ought to have a place like the Dairy to celebrate artistic creativity.” Victoria Rivera Mckinley, Dairy Patron
“We expect to see first-rate films at the Boe that we wouldn't see at mainstream commercial theaters, films that make us think beyond merely entertaining us.” Anonymous, Dairy Patron
"The Dairy Cinema is a much more enjoyable venue for seeing movies; the chairs are great, the wine is good, and the place is generally full of other friendly movie lovers." Anonymous, Dairy Patron
"The most amazing experience was using T-Coil. I could hear every word so clearly directly in my hearing aids. Normally I have difficulty understanding speech in: films, plays, speakers, etc. I am grateful that the Dairy Arts Center has installed this capability for hearing impaired people" Anonymous, Dairy Patron
"The Boedecker is what an independent theater experience should be. It's one big reason I've become a member." Bob Kanick, Dairy Patron
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