Another film-filled event is just around the corner! I really feel so privileged to live in a city where we’ve got not one but TWO film festivals, one in Spring and the other (TCFF) in the Fall. Founded in 1962, The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul is Minnesota’s foremost film exhibition organization, and a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Presented every April, The Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival (MSPIFF) is the largest spring arts event in the region, showing more than 200 films from some 60+ countries each year! Check out the awesome MSPIFF official trailer done by Crash + Sues & audio by Echo Boys Music:
On Thursday April 3, MSPIFF will host its Opening Night Presentation with a special screening of Amma Asante’s BELLE, followed by its opening night party at the Festival Pavilion across the street from the St. Anthony Main Theatre.
Unfortunately I can’t make the opening night festivities, though I’ve been looking forward to seeing Amma Asante‘s period drama Belle for some time. I’ve even posted the trailer here back in November, but here it is again:
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More than 200 films are presented this year from over 70 countries, and it’s quite a lineup! I’ve picked up my Press Pass as well as about a dozen tickets earlier this week, woo hoo!
Here are the movies I’ll be seeing in the next three weeks:
FEATURE FILMS
Half of a Yellow Sun
Nigeria | 106 min | English
Directed by: Biyi Bandele
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton
Joe
United States | 117 min | English
Directed by: David Gordon Green
Starring: Nic Cage, Tye Sheridan
The Grand Seduction
Canada | 115 min | English
Directed by: Don McKellar
Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Taylor Kitsch
Words and Pictures
United States | 111 min | English
Directed by: Fred Schepisi
Starring: Juliette Binoche, Clive Owen
Breathe In
United States | 98 min | English
Directed by: Drake Doremus
Starring: Guy Pearce, Felicity Jones
A Thousand Times Goodnight
Norway | 111 min | English
Directed by: Erik Poppe
Starring: Juliette Binoche, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
The Last of Robin Hood
United States | 88 min | English
Directed by: Richard Glatzer
Starring: Kevin Kline, Susan Sarandon, Dakota Fanning
I REALLY want to see Locke, which is a one-man show with the charismatic Tom Hardy (also starring Ruth Wilson), but I might not be able to see it as it conflicts with the Transcendence screening. If there’s an additional screening for that one, I’ll definitely check this one out! Here’s the trailer:
DOCUMENTARIES
Beyond the Edge
New Zealand | 90 min | English
Directed by: Leanne Pooley
Brave Miss World
United States | 90 min | Hebrew
Directed by: Cecilia Peck
Charlie Victor Romeo
United States | 90 min | English
Directed by: Robert Berger
Google and the World Brain
United Kingdom | 90 min | English
Directed by: Ben Lewis
I’m also thrilled to see my friend (and FC contributor) Conor Holt’s sci-fi short film A BETTER LIFE screening on Thursday, Apr 10 | 6:30 PM.
It’s one of my favorites at TCFF last year, you can check out my mini review of it here.
Get your tickets and MSPIFF passes before they sell out!
$12 General Admission | $10 Film Society Members* | $6 Students w/ Student ID
The MSPIFF website is a great resource for the lineup, schedule, tickets, etc. You can download the 2014 Official Guide which has all the details about each film featured at MSPIFF.
What do you think folks, does any of these films interest you?
FlixChatter Film Blog 
Press pass. Hmmmm, that’s the business right there. All those picks look really strong.
You should look into that in your city, Mark, all you have to do is apply for one through a Marketing company that handles the marketing for studio films.
I can’t wait to finally watch all of these, I might be able to catch more if they have the online or dvd screeners for ’em.
That’s easy… Joe,/i> as it’s considered to be a return-to-form (for now) for Nic Cage. I also would like to see Breathe In.
Yeah, I’m very interested in seeing JOE because of that reason. Breathe In looks good because I love Guy Pearce and I’ve interviewed the director Drake Doremus a couple of yrs ago for Like Crazy.
Awesome! I’m excited for you. I REALLY want to see The Last Robin Hood and Words and Pictures. Seems these days I’m a sucker for star power. I love this set of actors and can’t imagine they’d be “bad” films. You always do a great job with film festivals. Looking forward to your posts! It’ll be months before I get a chance to see them. The price I pay for living in rural, albeit beautiful Arizona.
Hi Cindy! The Last Robin Hood looks so great doesn’t it, and Kline would be perfect as the older Eroll Flynn! I think his grandson is involved in the film as well in a supporting role.
I hope you tune in to the reviews, somehow ppl fall away when I cover film fest but it’s so worth doing. Gotta support the local film society 😀
I love your coverage — count me in!
Thanks Cindy, you’re a real pal! 😀
It’s strange that i’ve lived here for long yet I’ve never attended this film fest, have fun and looking forward reading your reviews of the films you’ll seeing there. I think two films that interest me are Joe (reminded me too much of Mud) and Locke, it’s an interesting concept, wonder how well it will keep the audiences’ attention with just one actor in the entire movie.
You must be busy w/ the move now aren’t you Ted? If you have time tho, why don’t you watch JOE or LOCKE? I was intrigued to see the Tom Hardy one as it’s a one-man show, but I think he can pull it off.
Ah! TWO Binoche films! I’m so jealous. 🙂 All of those feature films sound interesting, but I’m not sure I’ll see any of those documentaries.
I didn’t realize that when I picked the films, only realized that when I saw the trailer. I love her and in both films I really like her male co-star!
Sounds like a fantastic selection. I’m really looking forward to seeing Locke too. Festivals are so exciting and always leave me feeling inspired. I’ve just finished covering the annual Flatpack Festival – you’re so lucky to have 2 a year in your home town!
Hi Natalie! I hope I can make it to Locke screening soon, but if not this month for sure I will see it. LOVE Tom Hardy!
Wow, looks like there’s going to be some brilliant films there Ruth! I’m intrigued to see how Nic Cage’s beard gets on in Joe 😉
Ha..ha.. well at least his haircut looks normal here, it’s been getting rave reviews. Hope he delivers!
That’s a lineup of some excellent movies. 🙂
And I hope you get to see some of ’em Josh! 😉
Me, too. Whatever happens, it’ll all be fine. 🙂
More than 200 films from over 70 countries <– now that… is… incredible!! I would love to be there!
Have great time there Ruth! Hopefully there weather is fine too!
Is there a Malaysian Film Festival where you are Asrap? Yeah this is a big one here in MN, wish I had time to see more film. Well weather wise it still sucks, big snow storm coming tonight! 😦
Interesting! I’d like to see Breathe In. And Juliette Binoche too 🙂 Hope you enjoy the festival
I love Guy Pearce & was impressed w/ Felicity Jones in Like Crazy, this should be a good one!
Hi Ruth – have fun and enjoy yourself.
Down in Sarasota, FL, where I live – the 16th Annual Sarasota Film Festival kicks off tomorrow night. With Red Carpets, Klieg lights, hordes of photographers, and lots of fans waiting. The Opening Night Film is Last Days In Vietnam – directed by Rory Kennedy – the daughter of Robert Kennedy.
The Closing Night Feature is The One I Love with Elisabeth Moss and Mark Duplass.
In between – lots more including God’s Pocket with Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Dom Hemingway with Jude Law, Words and Pictures with Clive Owen and Juliette Binoche, and The Last of Robin Hood with Kevin Kline and Susan Sarandon..
Aren’t we lucky to have film festivals right in town!!
Hi Mike! That’s a pretty darn good lineup right there man. So we both got similar films, tho I wish God’s Pocket and The One I Love are playing here as well. Yeah we’re lucky we have a film event like this in town!
Half of a Yellow Sun really takes me back in time. I was young when Nigeria gained independence in 1961, but later in college I met Nigerians who actually served in the war as officers. Their stories are chilling, to say the least. And I like that the movie was actually filmed in Nigeria too. Hope there are other opportunities to see this.
So Flixy, you’ll have to tell me if Nick Cage is back in form again, let’s hope so. I saw Lord of War recently… it was much better than I expected it to be, and Nick really was great in it.
Actually, I meant to say the Nigerian civil war, which came not long after independence from England. Christians and Catholics from tribes in the south were desperate to be independent from the Muslims in the North… a very brutal and ugly war to say the least.
Thanks for the insightful comment Becky, that should be an interesting film for you to see. That’s nice to see it was filmed locally, too. I love the cast as well in that one.
Amen about Nic Cage, I’m curious about Lord of War now.
Lord of War was on a cable channel and I was just surfing around on a Saturday afternoon and came across it at the very beginning. When I saw Nic was in it I thought I’d stick around for at least the beginning and was totally surprised as I got very engrossed in it and watched until the end. Could certainly see it again. I give it 4 out of 5 reels ;-D
In a word Ruth… jealous. I used to attend the Boston Film Festival back in college where I got to see gems like this:
Unfortunately I’ll never be able to unsee it. Ahh the good old days. LOL.
Joe looks interesting if Cage is able to return to form. So many films so little time.
Too many films too little time seems to always be my dilemma, ahah. I hope one day you can take part in the local film fest again Dave, that’s where we get to see gems not being played in the local cineplex.
I think I say this every year but you are sooo lucky! I wish there was something like that around here. Alas there is not! 😦
Several movies on your viewing list really excite me. I love Binoche so her two films would be a must. Also very interested in Joe and Half of a Yellow Sun. And of course as a big Guy Pearce fan I want to see Breathe In!
Well like I said before Keith, you should start one 😉 Yeah, Binoche is lovely and prolific, I love the two male co-star she’s starring with too, Clive Owen and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau! 😀
That’s a great line up Ruth. I’m waiting for my press pass for the Edinburgh Film Fest so hopefully I’ll get it soon!
Woo hoo! Hope you’ll be blogging about it too Mikey, congrats! Man, I remember Gerry Butler once attended EFF when he was promoting Dear Frankie 😀
If I see Gerry I’ll tell him you miss him! 🙂
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Wow, great lineup. Definitely some title I want to see here. LOL @ The Grand Seduction, though, I don’t think anyone ever’s going to buy Taylor Kitsch as a doctor, haha!
Ha ha very true that Fernando, but who knows maybe he could pull it off. The main draw for me is Gleeson.
Yeah, you never know! And Gleeson it’s pretty good, though lately I’ve become such a fan of his son Domnhall
Interesting line-up, and thanks for sharing the trailers. Hope you enjoy the screenings and get to see everything you want, Ruth!
Locke is probably the film from those I would most like to see.
I’m curious what you think of Breathe In(already out on dvd over in Europe), a film that seems to divide audiences, I think it captures a mood very well, but I know others were underwhelmed by the story.
Hi there Chris! I figure I’ll include the trailers in case these films open in other cities.
I quite like Breathe-In, it’s very atmospheric and minimalistic/naturalistic, but it packs quite an emotional punch. I wasn’t underwhelmed by the story, I knew it wasn’t going to be a plot-driven type of movies but the acting sold it for me.