48th Annual Denver Film Festival brings together Hollywood icons and hometown heroes

The Denver Film Festival, which celebrated 48 years of cinematic excellence this weekend, brought together international talent and local legends under one roof.

Denver Film Festival CEO Kevin Smith says this year's lineup has been nothing short of spectacular.

"The festival has been fantastic this year," says Smith. "We've had a ton of stars come out to join us."

Among those stars was Lucy Liu. You may know her as O-Ren Ishii from "Kill Bill" or one of Charlie's Angels, but Saturday night, Liu was honored with the John Cassavetes Award, recognizing her contributions to filmmaking and creative expression, including her latest work, "Rosemead."

"I just want them to share and have a conversation about it afterward," Liu said. "There are so many different levels of emotion and ideas in the movie that hopefully people can talk about."

But the festival didn't stop there; it also spotlighted a familiar face much closer to home.

From international superstars to hometown heroes, closing night featured the world premiere of a new documentary about Denver Broncos legend John Elway.

"It's the first time coming to a movie where it's about me," Elway admitted. "I think it's a good tale of my life, something other than my football life, which is nice."

As the curtain closed on another successful year, the Denver Film Festival once again proved why the Mile High City's arts and cultural scene is on the rise.

"The arts and cultural scene is really buzzing in the city," Smith says. "And with the addition of Sundance coming in, there's a huge spotlight on film and where the industry is going."

A celebration of storytelling, creativity, and Colorado pride all captured on the big screen.