For Maine movie fans, this is the week. The 27th annual Maine International Film Festival takes place from Friday to July 21 in the great city of Waterville, bringing Mainers its signature roster of outstanding, challenging and crowd-wowing features, shorts and movie-related events. This year’s festival, as usual, is a movie lover’s smorgasbord, with over 100 films from Maine and around the world for our collective big screen pleasure.
There are world premieres, resurrected and restored classics (now’s your chance to see “Goodfellas” on the big screen) and the sort of innovative, eclectic film fare that only a great festival like MIFF can provide. That’s a lot of stuff packed into a few weeks (smart festival-goers will select the bulk savings of either the full festival pass or the 10-day variety), so here are my picks for the hidden gems scattered among the dazzling MIFF summer sand. “No drama, nothing horrible, just feelings, a gorgeous setting and fascinating people.
” That’s Veazie-based producer Sián Evans on this compelling look at three remarkable people from Lewiston native director Jonathan S. Lee. Chronicling the proud, hardscrabble lives of three Brazilian food vendors who’ve formed a decades-long relationship with the LGBTQ+ tourists who flock to stunning Ipanema Beach, the short film is, according to Evans, a tale of “mutual respect and admiration” between two very different communities, with Evans adding, “the film could have premiered.
