It’s always been something of a feat for Minnesota Film Arts, a small but stalwart nonprofit, to pull off this annual, all-you-can-eat buffet for cinephiles. It’s been in large part a labor of love on the part of the legendary Al Milgrom, who only recently underwent bypass surgery. Considering that, along with the financial trials Minnesota Film Arts is enduring, and this year’s festival–which, we are assured, will go on–seems only just short of a miracle. What’s more, it will open with a fanfare: the Midwest premiere of a documentary about Al Franken. God Spoke chronicles his evolution from Saturday Night Live humorist to persistent thorn in the side of certain political players to his potential transformation into a politician himself. In addition, the festival will screen nearly a hundred works from forty-plus countries, including a brand-new selection of gloomy Scandinavian pictures; short works by Minnesota filmmakers; glimpses of life in the Middle East by resident and visiting filmmakers; and the return of last year’s innovation, the Childish Film Festival. The lineup isn’t final until the lights come back up on the last day of the festival, so visit the festival’s website regularly for updates. www.mnfilmarts.org
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