In one week, the 22nd annual Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival begins its marathon screening of over 100 films in 15 days at a mere five venues. What makes this year’s fest of particular interest is that one of the five venues is Macalester’s own John B. Davis Lecture Hall.

It has been a fascinating process in bringing the fest to campus. The idea was first suggested, as a whim, by former Mac Cinema president Nate Abbott ’05 a little over a year ago. Either suggesting the idea too late or contacting festival sponsor Minnesota Film Arts when they were too busy (I forget which), the plan was pushed to the back burner until this year, when it was taken up by current Mac Cinema president Dorothe Singer ’06, with some assistance from myself.

Meetings were organized between Mac Cinema (who, in an underhanded, albeit optimistic maneuver, booked the Lecture Hall for much of April before any commitment was certain), the college Program Board and representatives from Minnesota Film Arts.

While the negotiations felt positive, technical problems often threatened to halt any progress. First, there was concern as to whether the film arts board had a spare 35mm projector to lend to Macalester (as is, the Lecture Hall only contains a video projection system); if not, the Program Board would have to buy one. This investment would cost the school anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000––money that college simply does not have to spend on a two-week event.

Once a film projector was found, issues of safety hazards arose. Namely, is the Lecture Hall properly ventilated to handle the 200-degree heat given off by a projector bulb? Such questions opened up the ever-expanding negotiations to include Macalester’s Facilities Management, an unlikely but ultimately invaluable collaborator in preparations for a film festival.

These complications strike me as somehow appropriate for an event as inclusive as the MSP International Film Festival. Featuring movies from roughly 50 countries in categories of fiction, non-fiction and children’s films, there is, needless to say, something here for everybody. More significantly, the variety of films (and, by extension, nations) represented inspires a sense of community amid culture clash. It is an event more affirmative, and certainly less costly, than the Olympics, since it encourages cultural exchange without overt competition.

Of all the films coming to the festival, the one I’m most excited to see is Tsai Ming-Liang’s latest, Goodbye, Dragon Inn (playing at the Riverview Theater on Wednesday, April 14 at 9:30 p.m. and at the Oak Street Cinema on Thursday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m.). Tsai, a member of the Taiwanese New Wave, is one of my favorite contemporary filmmakers, in part because his innovative style is based upon viewing Taiwanese society with the distinctly European reflexiveness of directors like Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Francois Truffaut.

Tsai’s East-meets-West approach makes him a natural choice for an international fest (if not screenings year-round), though there are plenty of examples of purebred national cinema to look out for as well. It seems as though there are a number of new films from Russia to check out, as the nation’s film industry has been rejuvenated, reportedly, with a lot of fresh talent in the past few years. One of the most highly-touted features of the festival, The Return (Bell Auditorium; April 14 at 7:15 p.m.) has been said to continue the majestic, contemplative tradition of Andrei Tarkovsky. Although not Russian in origin, the Turkish feature and Cannes-festival winner Distant (Bell Auditorium; Saturday, April 17 at 12:30 p.m.) has also been said to channel Tarkovsky’s awesome legacy. (I suppose this is reflective of how our film culture, like the world itself is growing more intimate.)

There is also a group of rebellious new works from South American nations, several of which will play in the Lecture Hall. Some of these, like the documentary The Blonds (Saturday, April 3 at 7:30 p.m.) directly addresses past injustices (Argentina’s “dirty war” in this case). Others, like the made-for-$100 Saturday: A Real-Time Movie (Tuesday, April 13 at 9:00 p.m.), reflect the changing spirit of the continent through cutting-edge techniques.

These recommendations are the product, of course, of my own tastes and cultural concerns. As much as I look forward to seeing them––not to mention Crimson Gold (Bell Auditorium; Friday, April 16 at 9:30 p.m.), Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s first film since The Circle (one of the more eye-opening experiences I’ve had at Mac Cinema in the past year)––I am perhaps more excited to discover tastes and concerns that are not my own, which is part of what a big international film festival is all about.

During last year’s fest, I was asked by various friends to go to movies I hadn’t read about, with the sorts of audiences I’ve rarely watched movies with; I said yes to almost all of them. In my two-and-a-half years at Macalester, I’ve been impressed to discover that the Twin Cities (given their population size and distance from the coasts) has a more diverse and accessible movie-going scene than my hometown of Chicago. Seeing that the International Film Festival has expanded to include Macalester as one of its venues, I am again impressed although hardly surprised.

Tickets for movies playing in the John B. Davis Lecture Hall will be $4 for students with Mac ID. Tickets at all other venues are $7 for students and $8 general admission. Mac Cinema will raffle off free film festival tickets next week.

Film, schedule and venue information for the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival can be found on the web at www.mnfilmarts.org/mspiff2004. Schedule information is subject to change, so be sure to check regularly. Or simply show up at the venues randomly on the nights of the festival and see something different; this only happens once a year.