10 movies you should see during the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival
This year, the fest includes more than 200 films featuring big-name stars, hidden gems, happy hours, panel discussions, and loads of films with Minnesota connections.
Across the programming, more than a third of the films have connections to the state, a third are directed by women, and a third are the work of first- or second-time directors. It offers the chance to see exciting films that might not otherwise get the spotlight in Twin Cities theaters.
Here's a look at 10 films that are worth tracking down at the fest, which will have screenings at The Main Cinema, Capri Theater, Edina Mann Theatres, and elsewhere.
The timely documentary opens MSPIFF on April 2. Directors Jesse Short Bull and David France explore the life of Leonard Peltier, the activist who was given double life sentences for the murder of two FBI agents at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in 1975. Peltier and activists have maintained his innocence, even after former President Joe Biden commuted Peltier's sentence during his last days in office.
Screening: April 2
Part of the festival's MN Made roster, the teenage Maise accompanies her dad from Brooklyn to rural Minnesota for his father's funeral. Though, it's a bit of a surprise to her, as Maise had been told her grandfather was already dead.
Screening: April 4–5, as well as April 6 in Rochester
If you couldn't get enough of Shogun, Director Kazuya Shiraishi's new samurai film is headed to MSPIFF. It, in many ways, has a traditional chambara set-up. An honorable ronin is pushed to the edge, even as he attempts to live a peaceful life. When there's nothing left to lose, revenge and bloodshed may be in the offing. MSPIFF curators say it's "very Shakespearean."
Screening: April 4 and 7
When renowned Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei was asked to direct Puccini's opera, "Turandot," at the Rome Opera, the experience was followed by director Maxim Derevianko. Weiwei admits he's not particularly interested in opera but attempted to create something new and lively. However, a pandemic and other obstacles turn the endeavor into a documentary that explores art, free speech, and the art of finding your voice.
Screenings: April 5, 9, and 12
The festival has many screenings that are kid-friendly, including this new A24 film starring Willem Dafoe, Finn Wolfhard, and Helena Zengel. Yuri is raised in a forest where they hunt the orange and blue monkey-like creatures called Ochi. When she finds and bonds with a baby Ochi, it leads to a fantastic journey that upends the community.
Screening: April 5–6
This new comedy is getting just one Midnight Mayhem screening at MSPIFF before its theatrical release. (It's a similar situation for The Friend, starring Bill Murray and Naomi Watts.) The movie stars Tim Robinson (I Think You Should Leave) as a lonely suburban man who gets a little too attached to his new neighbor, played by Paul Rudd.
Screening: April 5
MSPIFF presents the world premiere of a documentary about Patrick Scully, the artist behind Patrick's Cabaret in south Minneapolis. It celebrates the life of an artist the film describes as a "dancer, performer, choreographer, LGBTQ+ and publicly HIV-positive activist." Scully and director Mark Wojahn will be in attendance.
Screening: April 8 and 10
The Argentinian film is almost impossible to explain. A jockey suffers an accident, goes on the run from mobsters, and sheds his identity to discover himself anew. It's a comedy. It's surreal. It's a noir. It's got dance numbers. It's the kind of movie where the trailer does a better job selling its idiosyncrasies than any description could.
Screening: April 8 and 12
This new documentary delves into the lives of three community organizers in Minneapolis who are looking to reimagine George Floyd Square and the impact it can have on the community. The filmmakers, who will be in attendance, say it's both a record of the work of these activists and a "clarion call to action."
Screening: April 9–10
As the story moves forward, it's almost hard to remember that Alain Guiraudie's film is a murder mystery. It patiently watches Jérémie, in a powerfully subtle performance by Félix Kysyl, return to his hometown for the funeral of his former boss. It may be a sort of thriller, but its most potent threads probe the unrequited love between Jérémie and a surprising number of the town's inhabitants.
Screening: April 9 and 11
Chinese director Jia Zhang-Ke has made beautiful films that offer thoughtful portraits of life in China, including Ash Is Purest White, Mountains May Depart, and the stunning Still Life about a town in the shadow of the soon-to-be-demolished Three Gorges Dam.
Caught By the Tides is different, though. It takes 20 years of footage from his past films starring Zhao Tao (including the three mentioned above), along with newly-shot scenes, to weave a new story about a woman searching for lost love across space and time.
Screening: April 10 and 13
The festival will honor Ang Lee with the Milgrom Tribute, which includes a panel conversation with the director who was recently given the Directors Guild of America's Lifetime Achievement Award. Among his many accolades, Lee has won Oscars for multiple films, including Brokeback Mountain, a film for which he became the first person of color to win Best Director.
The celebration of Lee's work will include screenings of both Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Brokeback Mountain on April 6, the same day as the panel discussion.
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