It’s another exciting time for Minnesota cinephiles! MSPIFF is back from April 2-13 at The Main Cinema and various locations across the Twin Cities, including the Capri Theater in North Minneapolis, the Landmark Center in St. Paul, and the Edina Mann Theatre. As the biggest yearly celebration of international films in the area, MSPIFF44 is set to showcase over 200 films from across the globe, along with a fantastic mix of parties, panels, guest filmmakers, and special appearances.

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THE MSPIFF43 LINEUP »

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One event I’m super thrilled about this year is that MSPIFF44 is the conversation with filmmaker Ang Lee, recipient of the MSPIFF44 Milgrom Tribute, on his decades-spanning career and mastery of the craft of directing. Most of you likely know that Lee’s fifth feature, Sense and Sensibility, is my all-time favorite film, which was nominated for Best Picture in 1996. I’m so excited to learn more about one of my favorite directors!

The MSPIFF44 Milgrom Tribute, named after Al Milgrom, the founder of the MSP Film Society, highlights artists whose unique talents leave a lasting mark on their films. These individuals have played a key role in elevating the appreciation of cinema and continue to make significant impacts worldwide.

One such artist is Ang Lee, who’s originally from Taiwan. He was recently honored with a DGA Lifetime Achievement Award, and his films have received multiple Academy Awards. Notably, he won four Oscars for CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (2000) and three for BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005), the latter produced by Minnesota’s own Bill Pohlad and River Road Entertainment. With this achievement, Mr. Lee became the first person of color to win the Academy Award for Best Director.

OPENING NIGHT FILM

The festival opens with the screening of Free Leonard Peltier at The Main Cinema. This documentary explores the life of Leonard Peltier, an Indian rights activist who was sentenced to two life terms for the 1975 killings of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. It combines current interviews, historical footage, and AI recreations to shed light on the challenges faced by the American Indian Movement.

There are three screenings of this documentary on Wednesday, April 2nd @ 7:OO | 7:15 | 7:30 PM 

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WOMEN-DIRECTED FILMS

Going to film festivals is a fantastic way to dive into global cinema. This year, I’m excited to really kick off my #52FilmsByWomen challenge by watching as many films directed by women as possible at MSPIFF. I took some time last week to check out the lineup, and I’ve found at least 15 narrative features + documentaries #directedbywomen that I’m eager to catch! 

Here they are in alphabetical order:

1. Beloved Tropic (Panama, Colombia)

Director: Ana Endara
Cast: Paulina García, Jenny Navarrete, Juliette Roy

Ana María, a pregnant home health aide and Colombian immigrant living in Panama City, finds herself in a precarious situation while harboring a secret. She takes on the role of caregiver for Mercedes, a wealthy woman whose unpredictable nature is compounded by her advancing dementia, creating a fragile balance of isolation and reliance. However, in Ana Endara’s poignant and immersive debut novel, the two women develop an unexpected connection.

2. Bound in Heaven (China)

Director: Huo Xin
Cast: Ni Ni, Zhou You, Liao Fan

Xia crosses paths with Xu as he attempts to sell tickets to her favorite artist, Wong Faye, and sparks fly between them right away. However, both are hiding deep secrets—he’s facing a terminal illness, and she’s escaping from a violent boyfriend. Ignoring the odds stacked against them, Xia and Xu dive headfirst into a passionate romance that could lead to their downfall in Huo Xin’s intense debut novel.

3. Brooklyn MN (Minnesota-Connected)

Director: Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen
Cast: Amy Madigan, Sadie Jensen-Blank, Erik Jensen, Cullen Moss, Jacob Moran, Heather Reddick, Ines Mojica, Joel Marsh Garland, Tom Kopache

Teenage Maise is a girl with a passion for punk music, much like her late mother, Carolyn. She resides in Brooklyn with her dad, Kurt, an artist, and together they’ve built a cozy life. However, when Kurt’s father passes away, it catches Maise off guard because he had previously told her that his dad was already gone, a promise made to Carolyn, who despised his abusive father. This revelation leads them on a trip to rural Minnesota.

4. The Dating Game (Documentary | China)

Director: Violet Du Feng

In China, there are more men than women, a consequence of the one-child policy. In a society where being lonely is not only tough but also looked down upon, three men in need of companionship seek help from a dating coach to find wives. Enter Hao, who uses “strategic deception” to assist men who struggle to meet society’s lofty expectations. However, while this approach might help them secure partners, could their dishonesty jeopardize the possibility of genuine love?

5. Luz (Hong Kong, China)

Director: Flora Lau
Cast: Isabelle Huppert, Sandrine Pinna, Guo Xiao Dong, Huang Lu, David Chiang, Deng En Xi

In Chongqing, Wei has a strained relationship with his daughter Fa, while in Paris, Sabine is the ailing stepmother of Ren. Both connections are far from healthy. These two seemingly unrelated narratives intertwine in a virtual reality setting, with the help of a magical deer, in Flora Lau’s captivating film experience.

6. Meet the Barbarians (France)

Director: Julie Delpy
Cast: Julie Delpy, Sandrine Kiberlain, Laurent Lafitte, Ziad Bakri, Jean-Charles Clichet, India Hair, Dalia Naous, Mathieu Demy, Marc Fraize, Rita Hayek, Fares Helou

The people of Paimpont are friendly and welcoming. Just take a look at them! They’re almost urging a Ukrainian refugee family to join their community and share their kindness. However, when a Syrian family arrives instead, the true extent of Paimpont’s compassion is put to the test.

7. The Property (Israel, Poland)

Director: Dana Modan
Cast: Rivka Michaeli, Andrzej Seweryn, Sharon Strimban, Piotr Pacek

In this romantic dramedy, Regina and her granddaughter Mika travel to Poland to recover their family property taken during World War II, but their plans soon fall apart. Regina unexpectedly chooses to give up on the mission, leaving Mika feeling disoriented and unsure. To make things even more challenging, an annoying distant relative keeps showing up. Meanwhile, as Mika starts to develop feelings for a charming tour guide, Regina takes the chance to chase her own secret goal: reconnecting with her long-lost love, whom she hasn’t seen in seventy years.

8. Samia (Documentary | Italy, Germany, Belgium, Somalia) 

Directors: Yasemin Samdereli, Deka Mohamed

A biographical film tells the story of Samia Yusuf Omar, a young girl from Somalia who aspired to be an Olympic sprinter. After losing her father and uncle to violence, and facing a society that discouraged women from pursuing sports, she trained in the devastated areas of Mogadishu. At just 17 years old, she competed in the 2008 Olympics.

9. Sima’s Song (Documentary | Afghanistan, Netherlands, France, Spain, Taiwan, Greece)

Director: Roya Sadat

In the midst of the Afghan civil war, close friends Suraya and Sima face challenges in their relationship. Suraya comes from wealth and holds communist beliefs, while Sima has a more traditional upbringing. As they both fight for their nation and advocate for women’s rights in a society that often disregards them, their friendship is challenged. Director Roya Sadat, the first female director in Afghanistan after the Taliban, has created a compelling and thrilling drama that captivates the audience.

10. The Spies Among Us  (USA, Germany)

Director: Jamie Silverman and Gabriel Silverman

A striking depiction of the East German Stasi, known as one of history’s most dreaded police forces. Peter Kreup, a Stasi survivor whose past informs his historical research, faces the individuals behind the operation, revealing the mechanisms of the surveillance state.

11. Folktales (USA, Norway)

Director: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady

In a Norwegian Folk School situated 800 miles above the Arctic Circle, teenagers acquire survival skills in one of the toughest environments on the planet. During their time there, they not only learn these essential skills but also build connections with their teachers, classmates, and the wonderful sled dogs they look after.

12. You Are Not Alone (Canada)

Director: Marie-Hélène Viens, Philippe Lupien
Cast: Pier-Luc Funk, Marianne Fortier, François Papineau, Sandrine Bisson, Blaise Tardif, Micheline Lanctôt

Léo is a young man living in Montreal. He prefers solitude and works as a pizza delivery driver. Then he meets Rita, a musician who becomes intrigued by him, and they start to develop feelings for each other. At the same time, Léo is being followed by an alien that targets lonely individuals like him. John and Lucy, the aliens disguised as taxi drivers, closely watch the city’s struggling residents. They have chosen Léo as their target, but his unexpected romance and growing self-assurance disrupt their intentions.

13. Tiny Lights (Czechia, Slovakia)

Director: Beata Parkanová
Cast: Mia Banko´, Elizaveta Maximova´, Veronika Zilkova´, Martin Finger

Inspired by the childhood of acclaimed director Beata Parkanová, it explores how family conflicts affect six-year-old Amálka. The tension between Amálka’s parents and the strained bond between her mother and grandmother are central to the story. Parkanová’s storytelling technique is engaging, as she positions the camera at Amálka’s eye level, allowing viewers to experience the narrative from her perspective. Tomáš Jurícek’s cinematography complements this approach, employing vibrant, saturated colors that evoke the essence of cherished childhood memories.

14. Undercover (Spain)

Directors: Arantxa Echevarría
Cast: Carolina Yuste, Luis Tosar, Iñigo Gasesti

Aranzazu Berradre Marín holds a secret: she is a police officer. Uniquely qualified, she is the only one who can penetrate the Spanish terrorist organization ETA. Using an alias, Marín goes undercover, leaving her adversaries confused and impressing her colleagues. This gripping thriller by Arantxa Echevarría is inspired by real events and received the Goya Award for Best Film.

15. The Exiles (Spain, Chile)

Director: Belén Funes
Cast: Antonia Zegers, Elvira Lara, Lorena Aceituno, Mamen Camacho, Pedro Castellano, Pedro Romero

Delia, a Chilean immigrant living in Spain, is left to care for her teenage daughter after the unexpected death of her husband, Julian. As they confront the threat of eviction, the mother and daughter begin to take separate journeys. This poignant second film by Belén Funes explores themes of identity, grief, and love.

More MN-connected + international films to check out:

• Andrea Gets A Divorce
• Ai Weiwei’s Turandot (doc)
• By the Streams
• Caught By the Tides
• Crocodile Tears
• DJ Ahmet
• Everybody Loves Touda
• Friendship
• Good Sport
• The Last Journey
• John Cranko
• Monsieur Aznavour
• The Swedish Torpedo
• Undercover

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Festival Passes are On Sale Now

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Stay tuned for my coverage of MSPIFF44 films in the coming weeks!