Denver's XicanIndie FilmFest XVIII will happen in April. Here's a couple highlights:

Pinches Actores
Six friends overcome a series of adversities and challenges as actors. One dreams of being a soap opera star; another puts up with a jealous wife and less than promising roles; a young actress believes in the power of acting as an art form but has to deal with the industry’s sexism; a leading man doesn’t care who he has to step on as he climbs to the top; and a family man’s acting dreams begin to slip away. Then there’s the eccentric Mad who shares these stories and his own in this love letter to acting.

La Sombra del Roble
Fifty-year-old Jorge still hasn’t overcome his wife’s death; his grief has alienated him from his children, 20-year-old Pascual and 12-year-old Elisa, who now seek a father figure in their grandfather Roberto. Everything changes when Roberto is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and is taken to a nursing home. Roberto’s deteriorating health forces Jorge to re-evaluate his damaged relationship with his children. Saldivia’s observational first film offers a nuanced portrayal of grief, memory and reconciliation.

Denver: April 7 to 10. Full details on their website.