More than just a gathering of people who love movies, film festivals are a place where people are willing to discover something new together. Most of the titles you encounter at festivals are ones you have never heard of that you decide to see based on nothing more than a title and a promo picture. There are no trailers or marketing campaigns to set your expectations, making festival screenings one of the purest ways to experience a movie.
Events like the Berkshire International Film Festival, which comes to The Triplex this weekend, are also vital parts of the film ecosystem, where filmmakers come to reach a wider audience and, hopefully, gain distribution. That is a big part of the buzz at a festival—that sense that you might be the first to see a work of art about to explode onto the scene.
And so many amazing films are primed for a breakout at this year’s festival. There is the queer revenge thriller “Femme,” the moving magical realism of “Tuesday,” the touching small-town theater comedy “Ghostlight,” and two films that were filmed right here in western Massachusetts, “Cold Wallet” and “Janet Planet.”
Honestly, show up and roll the dice on any of the narratives, documentaries, or shorts playing at BIFF this weekend and you will be in for a pleasant surprise. Expose yourself to something new, something challenging, and who knows, you might be one of the first to see the next big thing.
Now Playing
“Saving Private Ryan”
A free screening to honor the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The Triplex is honoring the 80th anniversary of D-Day with a free screening of Steven Speilberg’s modern classic “Saving Private Ryan.” An unflinching portrayal of the cost of war, “Saving Private Ryan” follows Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) as he leads his troops through the invasion of Normandy and behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan (Matt Damon).
This free screening is generously sponsored by Herrington’s.
“The Best Years of Our Lives”
William Wyler’s classic depiction of the effects of war.
One of the first movies to depict the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder on returning veterans, “The Best Years of Our Lives” is as moving today as it was upon its release in 1946. William Wyler’s Best Picture winner follows three servicemen (Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Harold Russell) as they struggle to return to civilian life after World War II.
Following the screening, The Triplex will be hosting a panel of local veterans for a discussion on the post-war experience. This free screening is generously sponsored by Herrington’s.
“Babes”
A pregnancy comedy for millennial motherhood.
Dubbed “The Bridesmaids of babymaking” by Rolling Stone, “Babes” is a defining comedy for millennial motherhood. When carefree Eden (co-writer Ilana Glazer, “Broad City”) decides to have a baby on her own after a one-night stand, it risks forever changing the dynamics of her lifelong friendship with Dawn (Michelle Buteau).
Ends Thursday!
Coming Soon
“Furiosa”
We ride to Valhalla on June 7. The prequel to George Miller’s 2015 masterpiece “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Furiosa” tells the story of Furiosa (Ana Taylor Joy) as she is kidnapped by the warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) and works her way up in the ranks of Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme) and the Citadel.
“Run Lola Run”
The techno-thumping indie classic returns to the big screen in a brand new restoration on June 7. As influential today as it was 25 years ago, Tom Tykwer’s “Run Lola Run” is a time-bending take on a robbery gone wrong, starring Franke Potente as a woman who has 20 minutes to get 100,000 Deutschmarks if she wants to save her boyfriend’s life.
“Rub Lola Run” plays as part of The Triplex’s Limited Engagement Series from June 7 through 13.
“Evil Does Not Exist”
From Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, the Oscar-winning director of “Drive My Car,” comes “Evil Does Not Exist,” a meditation on the balance between the natural and modern world. As a company announces plans to build a glamping site in a remote, rural village, the mysterious power of nature begins to manifest itself in startling ways.
“Evil Does Not Exist” plays as part of The Triplex’s Limited Engagement Series from June 7 through 13.
