Starz, the network, wants to become Starz, the soothsayer. The cabler is setting up a special film room (or as they put, a "Starz Green Room") where pols at the Democratic Convention in Denver can relax, watch a movie and have a drink. They may even have a few stars to bounce political ideas off of, if that ever helps. The films they're expecting to show include Dave, Being There and The Candidate. To put it in perspective, maybe they should toss in All the President's Men.

The press release is after the jump...

Denver – July 22, 2008 – While the Democratic Party holds its history-making convention at the Pepsi Center, convention attendees, special guests and the media will gather at The Starz Green Room on the other side of Auraria Parkway for a getaway from the convention hubbub, as well as a potent mix of movies, newsmakers and events. The Starz Green Room will be the only place within close proximity of the convention hall where convention attendees can have the choice of unwinding with a movie and refreshments, or sharing in high-level political conversation with prominent figures from entertainment and government, notes Starz, LLC, Chairman and CEO Robert B. Clasen, who announced the Starz Green Room today.

“The Presidential race this year marks an extraordinary time for the country, and since the Democrats are meeting in our backyard, we thought it was an ideal opportunity for us to welcome them with a mixture of hospitality and food for thought,” Clasen said. “We’re strictly non-partisan in this and any election campaign, but we do believe in presenting programming that is entertaining, engaging and impactful. We’ll be providing all of that to the diverse community of political insiders, international dignitaries, show business professionals and others in the Starz Green Room.”

As befits a company that programs Hollywood hits and original series on 16 premium channels, and that produces and distributes TV, feature films, DVDs and short-form entertainment, Starz will showcase some of its original productions – from animated children’s series to live action comedy and drama series in the Starz Green Room. In addition, two theatrical features from Overture Films will be screened in the program. Overture is the theatrical film division of Starz.

Starz has also aligned with several prominent film and cultural institutions in putting together engaging and informative programs at the Starz Green Room, which will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Sat. Aug. 23 to Thurs. Aug. 28 at the Starz FilmCenter in the Tivoli. Among the organizations that will participate in the Starz Green Room:

The Denver Film Society, which operates and programs the Starz FilmCenter on a year-round basis and produces the acclaimed Starz Denver Film Festival, will showcase short films from Cinemocracy, an on-line film competition that asks filmmakers from all walks of life, “How do you define democracy?”
SeaChange Communications, a high-powered partnership that unites prominent entertainment figures with key players in national politics, is presenting the SeaChange Ideas Forum, a program of films, panels, book signings, musical performances and more.
The Impact Film Fund will launch the Impact Film Festival at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, which will showcase socially themed documentary and dramatic films and feature panel discussions with filmmakers, entertainers, lawmakers and civic leaders.

For VIPs who’d rather just relax and recover, the Starz Green Room will offer a refuge in the Gallery 30 reception area, where refreshments and comfortable, quiet seating will be available. Most of the events at the Starz Green Room will be held in the morning through early afternoon, concluding each day at 6 p.m. MDT.

Because even the largest theaters in the Starz FilmCenter hold fewer than 200 people, entrance into the Green Room will be restricted to credentialed convention attendees and Starz Green Room VIP guests. Starz is also making plans to webcast some of the panel discussions, Q&A sessions and other events live, at www.starzgreenroom.com. This will enable even those people who are nowhere near Denver to sample the excitement, intense debate and, yes, supreme entertainment value of a major political event. Additionally, the Starz Green Room will set aside space where journalists can interview newsmakers.

Among the Starz Green Room activities will be screenings of Starz’s original series, some featuring Q&As with the cast and creative teams of the programming. Feature film studio Overture Films will also showcase a pair of its acclaimed pictures, notably the critical and box-office hit The Visitor and Henry Poole Is Here, which is being released theatrically nationwide on Aug. 15.

Beyond the Starz and Overture offerings, the partner organizations are putting together panels and discussions that promise to be interactive, informative and insightful.