Independent Film Festival Boston begins its 21st edition this Wednesday, with 41 feature films and 50 shorts on tap, including ‘Fear of Flying,’ starring Quincy’s Mike Mitchell.
By Bob Tremblay/Boston Movie News
As playoff fever sweeps through Boston, with the Celtics and Bruins both contending, the Independent Film Festival Boston (IFFB) kicks off Wednesday, offering cinephiles a refreshing alternative to the sports frenzy.
The award-winning festival kicks off on May 1 and concludes on May 8. The majority of films are hosted by the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, with screenings also at the Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge, and the Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline.
The festival spotlights top-notch independent films. It has been doing this since 2003, and the effort has not gone unrecognized. Among its honors is receiving the Best of Boston award from Boston Magazine in 2016.
The festival includes 41 features and 50 shorts. Many will receive theatrical releases later in the year, while others are looking for a distributor. The IFFB’s goals are “to find the best films from local, national, and global filmmakers to share with the community” and “introduce artists to savvy audiences and ideal locations for future films.”
A tip of the chapeau to festival programmers Nancy Campbell and Brian Tamm and more than 200 volunteers who make the IFFB one of the best-curated festivals in the area.
The festival opens May 1 with a 7:30 p.m. screening at the Somerville Theatre of “Ghostlight” directed by Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson. The plot: When a melancholic construction worker finds himself drifting from his wife and daughter, he discovers community and purpose in a local theater’s production of “Romeo and Juliet.” As the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life, he and his family are forced to confront a personal loss.
The festival concludes May 8 with a 7:30 p.m. screening at the Coolidge of “Thelma” directed by Josh Margolin. The plot: When 93-year-old Thelma Post (June Squibb) gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her. The film co-stars Parker Posey and Richard Roundtree in his last film appearance. He died in October.
The festival’s centerpiece spotlight films are “My Old Ass” and “The Road to Ruane.”
The former, directed by Megan Park, screens May 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre. The plot: In this coming-of-age story, an 18th-birthday mushroom trip brings free-spirited Elliott (Maisy Stella) face-to-face with her wisecracking 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza). But when Elliott’s “old ass” starts handing out warnings about what her younger self should and shouldn’t do, Elliott realizes she has to rethink everything about family, love, and what’s becoming a transformative summer. The film is scheduled to be in theaters in August and then stream on Amazon.
The latter, directed by Scott Evans and Michael Gill, screens May 4 at 7 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre. The plot: Billy Ruane, legendary impresario of the 1990s Boston indie music scene, promoted shows and inspired cult-like followings of bands by the likes of The Lemonheads, Dinosaur Jr., Elliott Smith, Pixies, Superchunk, Buffalo Tom, Pavement and Sonic Youth. He set new standards for the gracious treatment of musicians. But underneath Billy’s exuberant cartoon-like demeanor and Harvard education was the pain of a man with deep trauma. He also struggled with bipolar disorder and substance abuse and was confounded by the weight of an endless supply of money. The documentary is seeking distribution.
Other notable films include:
“Animalia” is about a pampered, pregnant rich man’s wife (Oumäima Barid) and her in-laws who find their lives turned upside down by a supernatural event. The film marks the debut of French Moroccan writer-director Sofia Alaoui.
“Daughters,” a documentary directed by Angela Patton and Natalie Rae about a daddy-daughter dance at a Washington, D.C., prison. The film is scheduled to stream on Netflix later this year.
“Every Little Thing,” a documentary by Sally Aitken about a Los Angeles woman who goes on a transformative journey to nurture wounded hummingbirds. The film is seeking distribution.
“Fear of Flying” is about a man who fears everything, especially flying. With all this anxiety and worry, he must try to navigate his career, love, and life despite always living in despair. The semi-autobiographical film is by Boston-born writer-actor-comedian Mark Phinney and stars Quincy native Mike Mitchell. The festival screened his film “Fat” in 2014.
“Tallywacker,” from Hanover native Brendan Boogie, unravels the friendship of two bandmates when one of them gets a gig touring with a major rock star.
Tickets for the festival are available at iffboston.org.
Bob Tremblay is the former film critic for The MetroWest Daily News and a member of the Boston Society of Film Critics.
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