Washington DC’s longest-running film festival is back with exciting features, timely documentaries and poignant local films. From April 24 through May 4, Filmfest DC returns for its 39th year with a vast array of new and exciting films. Over 11 movie-packed days, the festival spans a variety of categories with 63 films from 36 countries, including World View (international cinema), The Lighter Side (comedies), Trust No One (thrillers), Global Rhythms (international music), Justice Matters (social issues), and Shorts.

With the recent closure of Landmark’s E Street Cinema, this year’s festival will primarily take place at Regal Gallery Place (701 7th Street, NW), maintaining its central downtown presence.

Opening Night kicks off on April 24 at the Embassy of France (4101 Reservoir Rd, NW) with The Marching Band (France), winner of the Audience Award at the San Sebastián Film Festival. A post-screening discussion with noted film critic Arch Campbell and a reception will follow.

Closing Night of the festival will take place on May 4 at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library in downtown DC (901 G St, NW) with Grand Finale, an Icelandic comedy about a chamber music orchestra trying to avoid bankruptcy. A post-screening reception on the library’s balcony follows.

Other highlights of this year’s festival include Reading Lolita in Tehran, a new film based on the popular New York Times best-selling book, with author Azar Nafisi in attendance, and the U.S. premiere of Frieda’s Case (Switzerland). From the Cannes Film Festival, Filmfest DC will feature award-winners Souleymane’s Story (France) and Visiting Hours (France). Venice Film Festival award winners include Stranger Eyes (Indonesia/Taiwan), Aicha (Tunisia), and Yalla Parkour (Palestine).

Also featured is Monsieur Aznavour, a biopic starring Tahar Rahim as the legendary French singer Charles Aznavour, often referred to as the “French Frank Sinatra.” Mauritanian auteur Abderrahmane Sissako’s new drama Black Tea follows an Ivorian woman who flees her wedding and emigrates to China to start a new life working in a tea shop. Costa Gavras’ newest film Last Breath stars Kad Merad and the remarkable Charlotte Rampling.

The festival also showcases timely and political films, including the documentary The Last Republican, which explores former Congressman Adam Kinzinger’s decision to leave the Republican Party, and BORDERLAND: The Line Within, an exposé on the profitable business of immigration.

As always, Filmfest DC highlights local films and filmmakers. This year’s DC4Reel selections include documentaries such as The Dalai Lama’s Gift, which recounts how in 1981, His Holiness the Dalai Lama initiated over a thousand young Americans into the ancient Kalachakra Tantra, the Wheel of Time; The Most Beautiful Deaths in the World, which explores the lives of DC artists from the El Salvadoran diaspora living in Columbia Heights/Mt. Pleasant, and Salad Days: A Decade of Punk in Washington, DC.

Marking a milestone, Filmfest DC’s Arabian Sights celebrates its 30th anniversary with a compelling lineup of films from the Arab world. This year’s selection includes the aforementioned award-winning Aicha from Tunisia, Disorder from Lebanon, and Fez Summer 55 from Morocco. Two films from Palestine take center stage: Happy Holidays, a family drama set in Haifa, directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Scandar Copti, and Yalla Parkour, a documentary by DC filmmaker Areeb Zuaiter, who explores her connection to her homeland while chronicling her friendship with a Palestinian parkour athlete in Gaza. Zuaiter will be present for one of her screenings.

“Our goal is to make life more connected and meaningful through film”, said Filmfest DC Director Tony Gittens.

Continuing its efforts to expand film opportunities throughout the city, Filmfest DC will also host several films and programs beyond traditional theater spaces. The annual Movies Under the Stars at The Wharf will feature the Argentine audience favorite Lion’s Heart. Meanwhile, Filmfest DC’s Impact Project will bring filmmakers into the city’s public schools. Additionally, PBS stations WETA and WHUT will host “Filmfest DC Select,” showcasing many local films from the festival.

Throughout the festival, many filmmakers, subjects, and performers will be present for post-film conversations and panels.

For more information and to view the growing list of films, please visit the website

Tickets go on sale beginning April 4. The full catalog of films is now available online and will be featured in a 20-page insert in The Washington Post on Friday, April 18.

My good friend and esteemed local film critic Bill Henry passed away on May 10, 2015. Bill was a DC staple, from his "Movie Guys" talks at local bookstores with Joe Barber, to his hosting DCFS Oscars parties and trailer programs. A decade later, Bill's death still stings. What would he think about movies today? About streaming? About the state of our cultural discourse? I look back at who he was and what he meant in .

We are always looking for film-related material for the Storyboard. Our enthusiastic and well-traveled members have written about their trips to the Cannes Film Festival, Karlovy Vary Film Festival, London Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, Edinburgh Film Festival, the Berlin Film Festival, the Palm Springs Film Festival, the Reykjavik Film Festival, the Munich Film Festival, the Virginia Film Festival, the Locarno Film Festival, The Nitrate Picture Show, and the Chicago Critics Film Festival. We also heard about what it's like being an extra in the movies. Have you gone to an interesting film festival? Have a favorite place to see movies that we aren't covering in the Calendar of Events? Seen a movie that blew you away? Read a film-related book? Gone to a film seminar? Interviewed a director? Taken notes at a Q&A? Read an article about something that didn't make our local news media? Send your contributions to Storyboard and share your stories with the membership. And we sincerely thank all our contributors for this issue of Storyboard.

FILMS

American Film Institute Silver Theater
"AFI Silver After Dark" is a series of midnight-style movies. The film for May is Space Balls (Mel Brooks, 1987).

"Stage and Screen" presents filmed performances including stage productions from the National Theatre and concert performances. May's film is "Bjork: Cornucopia" (2025) recorded live in Lisbon.

"Recent Restorations" (April 25-July 10) is a selection of recently restored films, most of which are 4k restorations. Films in May include El (Luis Bunuel, 1953); Picnic at Hanging Rock (Peter Weir, 1985); Little Shop of Horrors (Roger Corman, 1960); Twelve Angry Men (Sidney Lumet, 1957); Calamity (Vera Chytilova and Josef Silhavy, 1982); Murdering the Devil (Ester Krumbachova, 1970); Opera (Dario Argento, 1987); The Apartment (Billy Wilder, 1960); A Woman Is a Woman (Jean-Luc Godard, 1961); Swept Away (Lisa Wertmuller, 1974); Manthan (Shyam Benegal, 1976); Camp De Thiaroye (Ousmane Sembene, 1988); Tommy (Ken Russell, 1975); His Girl Friday (Howard Hawks, 1940); and three programs of Fleischer Cartoons. More in June and July.

"Wild at Heart: The Films of David Lynch" (April 25-July 8) commemorates the late director who died earlier this year. Films in May include Blue Velvet (1986); Eraserhead (1977); The Elephant Man (1980); Dune (1984); Wild At Heart (1990); Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992); Lost Highway (1997); and a program of short films. More in June and July.

"Oh Mai! The Films of Mai Zetterling" (April 25-June 3) takes a look at the Swedish-born actor, a pioneer of feminist cinema. Films in May are Sunshine Follows Rain (1946); Iris and the Lieutenant (1946); Music in the Dark (1948); Loving Couples (1964); and a program of short films. More in June, and July.

"Special Engagements" for May include Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001); The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) starring Maggie Smith; the art documentary Michelangelo: Love and Death (David Bickerstaff, 2017); the documentary Drew Friedman: Vermeer of the Borsht Belt (2024) with director Kevin Dougherty present for Q&A; and the music documentary Tall Tales (2025).

"The Star Wars Saga" (May 2-8) is becoming an annual program in May. Films are Star Wars: A New Hope (1977); Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980); and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983).

"DC Labor FilmFest" (May 1-29) begins this year with Lilly (2024) for Opening Night Film starring Patricia Clarkson as Lilly Ledbetter. Other films in the series are Calamity (1982) from Czechoslovakia in a new 4K restoration; Clockwatchers (1997); The Last Showgirl (2024); Blue Sun Palace (2024); La Cocina (2024); Manthan (1996) from India; Nine to Five (1980); September 5 (2024); Bless Their Little Hearts (1983); Good Night and Good Luck (2005) and ends with Closing Night Film the great silent classic Strike (Sergei Eisenstein, 2025) with Andrew Simpson providing live music accompaniment.

"World Pride on Screen" (May 18-July 3) celebrates the 50th anniversary Pride celebrations in DC. May films are I Saw the TV Glow (2024); Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019); Paris is Burning (1990) in a 4K restoration; Strawberry and Chocolate (1993) from Cuba; and Viet and Nam (2024). More in June and July.

"Three Films by Mamoru Hosoda" (May 11–September 30) begins in May with the animated Wolf Children (2012), in both dubbed and subtitled versions. More in coming months.

"Spanish Cinema Now!" (May 30-June 3) presents new films from Spain. The Opening Night film is They Will Be Dust (2024) with filmmaker Carlos Marques-Marcet present for Q&A. Other titles in May are A House of Fire, The Exiles, Rita, The Wailing, and Undercover, all from 2024. More in June.

National Museum of Asian Art (Freer Gallery of Art)
On May 14 at 2:00pm is Girls of the Night (Kinuyo Tanaka, 1961) part of the "Japanese Classics" series of films.

On May 2 at 7:00pm is A Hard Day (Kim Seong-hun, 2014) from Korea. On May 4 at 2:00pm is the award-winning film Parasite (Bong Joon Ho, 2019) from Korea. On May 10 at 2:00pm is The Last of the Sea Women (Sue Kim, 2024), a documentary about women divers who harvest seafood off the coast of South Korea's Jeju Island, with the director present for discussion. On May 16 at 7:00pm is the documentary Pol Pot Dancing (Enrique Sánchez Lansch, 2023) with special guests Sophiline Cheam, choreographer and Toni Shapiro-Phim, cultural anthropologist and dance ethnologist.

National Gallery of Art
The on-going series "Art Films and Special Screenings" shows the documentary Georgia O’Keeffe: The Brightness of Light (Paul Wagner, 2025) on May 3 at 2:00pm, followed by discussion with the filmmaker. Part of Filmfest DC 2025.

"Friday Afternoons with Elizabeth Catlett" shows Betty y Pancho (1998) on May 9 at 12:00pm and May 23 at 12:00pm. Standing Strong (2023) is on May 16 at 12:00pm and May 30 at 12:00pm. The series continues through June and accompanies the exhibit "Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist."

The series "Leadership and Resilience: Asian Americans on Screen" starts with The Exiles (Violet Columbus and Ben Klein, 2022) on May 10 at 2:00pm. On May 17 at 2:00pm is Wisdom Gone Wild (Rea Tajiri, 2023), preceded by a short film History and Memory: For Akiko and Takashige (1991). Filmmaker Rea Tajiri will take part in a discussion after the film. On May 24 at 2:00pm is Surname Viet Given Name Nam (Trinh T. Minh-ha, 1989). On May 25 at 2:00pm is What About China? (Trinh T. Minh-ha, 2022).

National Museum of African American History and Culture
On May 4 at 4:30pm is the documentary Earth, I Thank You: The Garden and Legacy of Anne Spencer, about the life and legacy of Harlem Renaissance poet, gardener, and civil rights advocate Anne Spencer. A panel discussion follows. Location: The Oprah Winfrey Theater.

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
On May 13 at 6:30pm is Why Dinosaurs? (James and Tony Pinto, 2024), a documentary about why people love dinosaurs. A discussion follows with the film's directors, the museum's Kirk Johnson and others.

Washington Jewish Community Center
The 2025 Jewish Film Festival (May 8-18) shows films in DC, Maryland and Virginia. The Opening Night film is Bad Shabbos (Daniel Robbins, 2024). A few other titles: Blind at Heart (2024) from Germany/Switzerland; the documentary Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire (2024); Matchmaking 2 (2024) from Israel; Nor by Day Nor by Night (2024) from Israel; Pink Lady (2025) from Israel; Real Estate (2024); The Property (2025); the documentary The True Story of Tamara De Lempicka & the Art of Survival (2024) and lots more. Locations: the JCC; Landmark's Bethesda Row and Cinema Arts in Virginia

The Japan Information and Culture Center
On May 15 at 6:30pm is the sci-fi comedy River (Junta Yamaguchi, 2023).

Cinema Arts Bethesda
"Cinema Arts Bethesda" is a monthly Sunday morning film discussion series held at Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema. On May 4 at 10:00am is Marguerite's Theorem (Anna Novion, 2023) from France.

Breakfast is at 9:30am, the film is at 10:00am and discussion follows, moderated by Adam Spector, host of the DC Film Society's Cinema Lounge and author of the column "Adam's Rib." A season pass is available.

The Avalon
On May 7 at 7:30pm is Blackberry (Matt Johnson, 2023) for the "Science on Screen" series. Speakers are Brendan Bordelon of Politico and Jason Dick of Roll Call.

On May 14 at 8:00pm is Girl America (Victor Taus, 2024) part of "Czech That Film" series.

On May 21 at 8:00pm is the "French Cinematheque" film for this month Being Maria (Jessica Palud, 2024), a docudrama about Maria Schneider's rise to fame and the influence Last Tango in Paris had on her career.

The "Cine Polska" film for May is Photosensitive (Tadeusz Sliwa, 2025) on May 28 at 8:00pm.

New York University Abramson Family Auditorium
On May 6 at 6:30pm is the documentary Game of Truth (2021), set in post-conflict Northern Ireland. The film is followed by a Q&A with director Fabienne Lips-Dumas.

Kennedy Center
On May 4 at 3:00pm is I'm Still Here (Walter Salles, 2024), winner of the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. On May 11 at 3:00pm is The Monk and the Gun (Pawo Choyning Dorji, 2023) from Bhutan. On May 18 at 3:00pm is Perfect Days (Wim Wenders, 2023) from Japan. On May 25 at 3:00pm is A Complete Unknown (James Mangold, 2024) starring Timothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan. Location: The Justice Forum.

On May 21 at 8:00pm and May 22 at 8:00pm is The Wizard of Oz (1939) in concert with Steven Reineke conducting the National Symphony Orchestra "live-to-picture." Location: The Concert Hall.

Old Greenbelt Theater
On May 5 at 1:00pm and May 8 at 8:00pm is Steel Magnolias (Herbert Ross, 1989), part of the "Cinema Classics" series, shown on the first Monday and first Thursday of the month.

On May 12 at 8:00pm and May 17 at 1:00pm is the animated Mirai (Mamoru Hosoda, 2018), part of the "Cinema Pop!" series shown on the second Monday at 8:00pm and second Saturdays at 1:00pm.

On May 15 at 8:00pm is Top Gun (Tony Scott, 1986) part of the "Cult Classics" series shown on the third Thursday of the month.

On May 26 at 7:00pm is The Battle of Algiers (Gillo Pontecorvo, 1966), part of the "Film in Focus" series.

Alden Theater
The foreign film for May is The King of Masks (Tiang-Ming Wu, 1995) from China on May 1 at 1:00pm and May 15 at 6:30pm. The performing arts film this month is “Ki Ho'alu: That's Slack Key Guitar” (Susan Friedman, 2006) and "The Hobart Shakespeareans" (Mel Stuart, 2005) on May 15 at 1:00pm.

Angelika Film Center Mosaic
The "Angelika Classics" series shows classic films on the first Monday of the month at 7:00pm. On May 5 at 7:00pm is Breakfast at Tiffany's (Blake Edwards, 1961).

On May 26 at 7:00pm is On the Town (Stanley Donen, 1949) for the series "Musical Mondays."

"Classics in Black and White" features a classic B&W film on the third Monday of each month at 4:00pm and 7:00pm. On May 19 at 4:00pm and 7:00pm is The Magnificent Ambersons (Orson Welles, 1942).

"Celebrating Mothers" is a series of films for Mother's Day. On May 5 at 4:00pm and 7:00pm is Breakfast At Tiffany's (Blake Edwards, 1961); on May 7 at 4:00pm and 7:30pm is Miss Congeniality (Donald Petrie, 2000); on May 8 at 4:00pm and 7:30pm is About Time (Richard Curtis, 2013); on May 10 at 4:00pm and 8:30pm is Magic Mike (Steven Soderbergh, 2012); and on May 11 at 4:05pm and 7:15pm is Bridget Jones' Diary (Sharon Maguire, 2001).

Four Korean films are shown in May: on May 7 at 7:00pm is Parasite (Bong Joon-Ho, 2019); on May 14 at 7:00pm is Burning (Lee Chang-Dong, 2018); on May 21 at 7:00pm is In Our Day (Hong Sang-Soo, 2023); and on May 28 at 7:00pm is Poetry (Lee Chang-Dong, 2010).

Korean Cultural Center
On May 7 at 6:00pm is the comedy-drama Pawn (Kang Dae-gyu, 2020). Check the website for RSVP information.

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