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2012 Boston International Film Festival Preview

Boston International Film Festival
AMC/Loews Boston Common
175 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02111
(888) 262-4386
www.amctheatres.com

April 13 to April 22, 2012
Hours: Click here for showtimes
Prices: Click here for for ticket prices

The Boston International Film Festival is a 10-day celebration of the art of filmmaking, founded by Patrick Jerome. Every year since 2003, the Boston International Film Festival has featured close to 100 films. This event gives local movie fans a chance to view films and mingle with those that worked both on and behind the scenes. The 2012 festival begins on Friday, April 13 and ends on Sunday, April 22.

The AMC/Loews in Boston Common hosts every movie showing of the Boston International Film Festival. Individuals can attend other events of the film festival for additional fees or they can simply go to movie showings in the Common. Each session features at least one film, and ticket prices are a flat rate. There are also group session and full festival rates available. Here are a few must-see films being featured this year.

Sofia
Starring: Christian Slater, Elika Portnoy, Donald Sutherland and Timothy Spall
Director: Isaac Florentine
Writer: Nancy Babine
Running Time: 89 minutes

Sofia
Still from Sofia (credit: dir. Isaac Florentine)

Showtime: Wed, April 18 from 7 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. (Session 23)

One of the many films playing at the Boston International Film Festival, "Sofia" features a talented cast which includes Donald Sutherland and Christian Slater. The plot of this action thriller revolves around a woman named Sofia whose traumatic experiences drive her to revenge. The government aids her in her quest by using mind control. In true thriller fashion, the plan goes awry for both herself and her employers.

Carbon for Water
Director and Producer: Evan Abramson and Carmen Elsa Lopez Abramson
Writer: Carmen Elsa Lopez Abramson
Running Time: 22 minutes

Carbon for Water
Production still from Carbon for Water (credit: Evan Abramson)

Showtime: Sun, April 15 from 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. (Session 9)

"Carbon for Water" is a short documentary that focuses on the contaminated water crisis in the Western Province of Kenya. The film delves into the impact this crisis has had on local communities, from waterborne illness to sexual assault. It shows how the struggle to purify water is a daily job for women and girls that choose precedence over furthering their lives. In fact, it is a struggle to preserve what lives they have.

Below Zero
Starring: Edward Furlong, Kristin Booth, Michael Eisner, and Delores 'Dee' Hanna, Michael Berryman, Sadie Madu
Director: Justin Thomas Ostenson
Writer: Signe Olynyk
Running Time: 95 minutes

Below Zero
Edward Furlong stars in Below Zero (belowzeromovie.com)

Showtime: Saturday, April 21 from 10:10 p.m. to 11:55 p.m. (Session 39)

"Below Zero" is the story of a screenwriter dealing with something that every writer dreads and often encounters: writer's block. His desperation sends him over the edge and he uses drastic measures (he locked himself in a slaughterhouse freezer) to get back in a writing groove. The film's writer, Signe Olynyk, actually took the steps that the main character resorts to in the movie.

The Galas
Dates and Times: Opening Night Gala - Fri, April 13 at 9 p.m., Closing Night Gala - Sun, April 22 at 9:30 p.m.

For pricing, directions and more information about the 2012 International Film Festival's Gala events, visit the website.

Every year, the Boston International Film Festival hosts two galas. They include a red carpet, a screening and a party. Guests may attend the party after the showing or they can purchase tickets for the entire event. Both take place upon the opening and closing of the festival.

Related: Guide To Movies Filmed In Boston

Shelly Barclay is a professional freelance writer and amateur author. She writes on a variety of topics from food to mysteries. She loves to share the culture and rich history of her birthplace and home, Boston, with the rest of the world. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.


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