Boulder is the 11th most populous city in Colorado. Located in the hills of Denver’s Rocky Mountains, the city has an average elevation of 5,430 ft. or 1,655 m. above sea level. In 2008, The US Census Bureau recorded that the city has a population of more than 94, 000. The Boulder Metropolitan Statistical Area meanwhile, counteracted the Census Bureau’s record and estimated that the city has 293, 171 population.
Boulder was classified as a “Home Rule Municipality” under the Colorado Revised Statues Law. The city is considered as one of the most autonomous cities in the Boulder County. Many residents labeled the city as the “People’s Republic Of Boulder” due to its self-governing rule and democratic ordinances. 37% of the city’s population is democratic while 27% remains to be both republican and independent. During the 1970’s, the Boulder City Council passed the Boulder Country’s first ordinance on anti-discrimination among homosexuals. In 1987, the
Boulder City residents decided to revise the 1974 vote on the anti-discrimination ordinance. In 1990, Boulder became the first city to prohibit discrimination among homosexuals in the US.
Boulder City is the home to prestigious music and film festivals in the US today. The Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) is a non-profit film organization founded by Colorado-based filmmakers Robin and Kathy Beeck of the Colorado Film Society. The Annual BIFF features award-winning local and foreign films that generally tackle on contemporary urban society issues. Held every February, the BIFF has already hosted more than 150 filmmakers worldwide since its launch in 2005. The Boulder Shoot Out 24-Hour Film Festival continues to attract independent filmmakers because of its screening of top American short films.