Looking for a way to break out of the Macalester bubble and immerse yourself in stories from around the globe? MSP Film Society hosts the 44th Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival (MSPIFF44) from April 2-13, showcasing over 200 films in addition to parties, panels and special guests. The full lineup of films and events can be found at MSPIFF.org.
Screenings occur across the Twin Cities at The Main Cinema in Minneapolis, the Capri Theater in North Minneapolis, the Landmark Center in St. Paul and the Edina Mann Theatre. Anjali Moore ’22, the community outreach coordinator for MSP Film, encourages Mac students to attend the festival.
“There is a great film community [in the Twin Cities] — it’s very robust and interconnected,” Moore said. “Something that really added to my experience at Macalester was making sure I got out and went to these things, specifically around film. Films give you a window into another world, and there’s this escapist element, too.”
Moore first became acquainted with the festival by working at the box office for the reopening of the theater post-COVID. As she transitioned to a role behind the scenes, Moore experienced first-hand the power of a small nonprofit team working to put on a robust, global event. Now, in her position as community outreach coordinator, Moore strives to bring together cultures and identities that are often left out of Western space and conversations about film, getting people into the audience who can see themselves on the screen.
“I’m trying to make it so that no matter your culture or the country you’re from, there’s accessibility for you to see yourself represented on screen right here in Minne.,” Moore said.
The festival kicks off on Opening Night, Wednesday, April 2, with the film “Free Leonard Peltier,” a documentary revisiting “the double life sentences handed down to Indian rights activist Leonard Peltier for the 1975 murder of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation of South Dakota,” according to the website. The film utilizes archival footage, AI recreations and modern interviews to bring to life the injustice that occurred half a century ago. Directors Jesse Short Bull and David France and producer Jhane Myers will be in attendance. Moore underscored the importance of this Indigenous-centered event, giving a voice to native narratives and filmmakers.
“It’s important to highlight the groups that need it the most,” Moore said. “[Those who] have faced the highest lack of representation on screen and in festivals.”
Subsequently, the Opening Night Party will be held at A-Mill with catering by Owamni, the James Beard Award-winning Indigenous restaurant.
MSPIFF44’s Industry Night Milgrom Tribute will take place on Sun. April 6, in remembrance of Al Milgrom, an acclaimed director and the founder of both MSP Film Society and MSPIFF. The fourth Milogrom Tribute honors director Ang Lee for his achievements in film and invites audiences to an in-person conversation and retrospective film screening. Lee’s accolades include the Directors Guild of America Lifetime Achievement Award, alongside five Oscar nominations and two wins.
Lee’s film retrospectives include showings of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Brokeback Mountain,” the latter with an introduction by Lee himself. “Brokeback Mountain,” which was produced by Minn.’s own Bill Pohlad and River Road Entertainment, distinguished Lee as the first person of color to win the Academy Award for Best Director.
Besides “Brokeback Mountain,” the festival hosts a plethora of other Minn.-connected films in addition to their MN Made Lineup, including the recent Sundance hits “Folktales,” which follows a gap year in a Norwegian folk school, and “Speak,” a documentary feature about high schoolers competing in original oratory competitions, which includes students from Apple Valley, Minn. The screening of “Speak” accompanies a Q&A Moore assisted in organizing, and the speech coach and main subject of the film will also be in attendance. Another film, “Or Something,” stars Minn.’s own Kareem Rahma, who will showcase his new film, followed by a taste of his viral talk show “Subway Takes Live!”
“Basically every day of the festival, there are Minn. guests and artists who participated in the films that are either attending or representing their movies,” Moore said.
Additionally, nearly every short film category includes a Minnesotan film. The MN Made party takes place on Sat. April 5.
Two screenings of the Bhutanese feature film “I, The Song” highlight the prowess of director Dechen Roder ’04, a Mac grad born in Bhutan who returned to her home country post-graduation to direct numerous documentaries, short films and feature films.
“Bhutan doesn’t have a big film industry,” Moore said. “Those movies aren’t being produced that often or making it all the way over [to the United States]. There are these pockets [in the festival] where the representation is impressive to me.”
“I, The Song” follows a schoolteacher in rural Bhutan who is fired from her job and abandoned by her boyfriend when an inappropriate video surfaces that appears to depict her but in reality features a woman who looks exactly like her. What follows is the subsequent search to find her doppelgänger. Screenings of the film take place on April 4 and 6, with the film composer Tashi Dorji attending the April 6 screening.
Another highlight of the festival is the Oscar-nominated Palestinian director Scandar Copti’s feature film “Happy Holidays.” The film follows the intersecting lives of four people as they navigate the relationships between Israelis and Palestinians. Screenings of the film take place on Friday, April 4 and Saturday, April 5.
For all cinephiles and aspiring filmmakers, MSPIFF44 is a can’t miss opportunity to connect with local and international stories, artists and lovers of film.
Student passes, packs and individual tickets can be purchased at the box office or by emailing [email protected] with a valid university email address. Student passes, which include access to all screenings, events and parties as well as priority status in line, are available for $75. Student six-packs, which include six screening tickets for the price of five, are available for $30. Individual screening tickets are available for $10 for students with a valid student ID presented at the box office.
