The Twin Cities Film Fest (TCFF) arrives in TWO DAYS, that is Thursday, October 17th. Though we got a bit of a frost happening in some parts of the cities, we’re getting a bit of Summer-like weather just in time for this fall’s film festivities, with temps in the 70s and perhaps even hitting close to 80! That is easily 20+ degrees warmer than average. So MN film fans, there’s no excuse for not attending TCFF this year 😉

Over a week ago, I shared a list of 10 indie films to watch at the fest, this time I’m highlighting some documentary features you should check out between Oct. 17th and 26th either online or in the theaters. Some of the filmmakers will be in attendance and plus, a few of these films will screen for FREE! You heard that right, you can simply RSVP at the respective links, and you can watch some of these films free of charge.

TCFF consistently features films that focus on a specific global issue each year. To celebrate its 15-year anniversary, TCFF is presenting a selection of social topics that have been emphasized over the last 15 years, including addiction, affordable housing, support for veterans, homelessness, education, mental health, and more. Female-directed films are marked with * next to the title, so here they are in alphabetical order:

1. All We Carry*

Directed by: Cady Voge

All We Carry is a love story about a couple that finds community in an unexpected place while they attempt to heal from their past. The film follows the family’s extraordinary journey as they flee persecution from narcotraffickers in Honduras and endure months in US detention. Upon release, they are sponsored by a synagogue in Seattle and move into a borrowed beachfront home, all while they await their asylum verdict. Over three years, the family navigates countless life-altering and every-day moments where memory, joy, and grief collide.

Get your tickets » https://twincitiesfilmfest.org/film-fest-movie/all-we-carry/

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2. A Sea Change for Superior: The Warming of the World’s Largest Lake

Directed by: John Thain

A Sea Change for Superior: The Warming of the World’s Largest Lake documents this 24-hour challenge as part of an investigation of what it means that the world’s largest lake, which holds ten percent of the world’s surface fresh water and 84 percent of the U.S. freshwater reserves, is now among the fastest warming lakes on the planet. The film reveals how this fact, and the impacts of our changing climate that are driving this trend, has profound implications for the lake’s wildlife and natural systems, for tribal and other communities who live along its shores, and for those whose livelihoods depend on Superior’s historically clear, clean, and cold waters.

Get your tickets » https://twincitiesfilmfest.org/film-fest-movie/a-sea-change-for-superior-the-warming-of-the-worlds-largest-lake/

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3. Black Outside*

Directed by: Gary Wilkerson, Jr. and Mary Jeanes

Follow the transformative journey of Gary Wilkerson, Jr., as he defies cultural norms and embarks on the adventure of a lifetime: hiking 2,600 miles from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail. As he struggles to navigate the breathtaking wilderness and treacherous terrain, we follow his profound path to self-discovery, forming unexpected bonds with fellow hikers and confronting deep-rooted generational fears of what happens to Black people in the woods.

THIS FILM SCREENS FREE!! RSVP here » https://twincitiesfilmfest.org/film-fest-movie/black-outside/

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4. Camp RicStar (Filmmakers in Attendance)

Directed by: Sam McConnell

Camp Ricstar explores the heartbreaking history and profound impact of a one-of-a-kind camp for people with disabilities, the Eric ‘Ricstar’ Winter Music Therapy Camp. On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, we follow eight spirited campers who embrace being uninhibited as they sing, dance, create, connect, and discover new ways to express themselves. Finally, they perform at the “Be-a-Star Showcase,” where every level of ability is included and celebrated center stage.

Get your tickets » https://twincitiesfilmfest.org/film-fest-movie/camp-ricstar/

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5. Farming While Black

Directed by: Mark Decena

This is a feature-length documentary film which examines the historical plight of Black farmers in the United States and the rising generation reclaiming their rightful ownership to land and reconnecting with their ancestral roots.

As the co-founder of Soul Fire Farm in upstate New York, Leah Penniman finds strength in the deep historical knowledge of African agrarianism – agricultural practices that can heal people and the planet. Influenced and inspired by Karen Washington, a pioneer in urban community gardens in New York City, and fellow farmer and organizer Blain Snipstal, Leah galvanizes around farming as the basis of revolutionary justice.

THIS FILM SCREENS FREE!! RSVP here » hhttps://twincitiesfilmfest.org/film-fest-movie/farming-while-black/

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6. For the Living

Directed by: Marc Bennett and Tim Roper

In January 1945, after 2 years as a prisoner in a death camp, 10-year-old Holocaust survivor Marcel Zielinksi embarked on a perilous 60-mile journey by foot from Auschwitz-Birkenau through an active war zone to Krakow, Poland. A child’s desperate search for any surviving family members. A journey from Darkness to Light.

Decades later, 250 cyclists from 12 different countries traveled to Auschwitz and re-traced 84-year-old Marcel’s liberation path as a collective act of empathy called Ride for the Living.

Get your tickets » https://twincitiesfilmfest.org/film-fest-movie/for-the-living/

Filmmakers will be in attendance!
Producer Lisa Effress and Co-Director/Co-Writer Tim Roper will be at TCFF for a red-carpet interview and Q&A.

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7. His Name Is Ray (Filmmakers in Attendance)

Directed by: Michael Del Monte

His Name Is Ray puts a face on the growing homelessness and opioid crises.

Ray once had everything. A job that he loved with the Coast Guard. The father to a family. But his addiction took it all away. Now, the former sailor lives on the streets of Toronto with an entire population that seems to have just fallen through the cracks.

With a remarkably compassionate and intimate lens, the audience follows Ray on his precarious journey to get off the streets and back on the water, where—in the ultimate achievement of the oblivion he craves—he could just sail away from it all.

THIS FILM SCREENS FREE!! RSVP here » https://twincitiesfilmfest.org/film-fest-movie/his-name-is-ray/

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8. Luther: Never Too Much*

Directed by: Dawn Porter

Luther Vandross always thought he would be a star. The film LUTHER: NEVER TOO MUCH explores the formative years of Luther’s musical career, back to the epicenter of black culture, Harlem’s very own Apollo Theater.

The film explores the incredible investment the artist put into his musical presentation, only to be met with frustration from being pigeonholed as an “R&B” artist, struggles to crossover, and battles with the record industry. Vandross suffered a sudden stroke and passed away at the age of 51. The final chapters of Luther’s life are celebrated by the memories of his cherished friends, family, collaborators.

Get your tickets »https://twincitiesfilmfest.org/film-fest-movie/luther-never-too-much/

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9. Qatar Stars* (Filmmakers in Attendance)

Directed by: Danielle Beverly

Qatar Stars is the first feature documentary about girls in Qatar. It offers a longitudinal observational story of girlhood in all its joys and growing pains, through intimate access to a multinational, girls-only rhythmic gymnastics school in Doha, led by a former Russian gymnast. Girls from Qatar, Lebanon, Egypt, Ukraine, and UK grow up onscreen over four years, changing from wiggly nine year olds to maturing teens who must navigate an evolving gendered world around them.

The girls share both triumphs and heartaches, to ultimately form an unbreakable bond. Meanwhile, exacting coach Tatiana undergoes her own unexpected professional and personal transformation that challenges her sense of strength and identity.

Get your tickets » https://twincitiesfilmfest.org/film-fest-movie/qatar-stars/

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10. Scars Unseen* (Filmmakers in Attendance)

Directed by: Meredith Yinger

Scars Unseen is an inspiring new documentary that brings to light the stories of three incredible women who not only survived domestic violence but are now on a mission to pay it forward. This documentary dives deep into the healing journeys of these courageous women, showcasing the tools they used to build resilience and reclaim their lives amidst the shadows of their past.

Why This Film Matters Now: In a time when the pandemic has led to a surge in domestic violence cases worldwide, raising the statistic of 1 in 4 women affected to 1 in 3 women, SCARS UNSEEN serves as a beacon of hope.

Get your tickets » https://twincitiesfilmfest.org/film-fest-movie/scars-unseen/

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Tickets and the 2024 Twin Cities Film Fest Pass are now ON SALE!!

Don’t miss out, a few screenings are already sold out!

BROWSE THE FULL 2024 LINEUP »

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Any thoughts about the documentaries listed above? Let’s hear it!

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