Spring Film Festivals

Spring is here and it is time for film festivals!

The Maine Jewish Film Festival (MJFF) will take place at the Portland Nickelodeon Cinema March 26 to 31. The opening night party is sold out, but you can still enjoy many other offerings of the festival. MJFF began in 1998 at South Portland’s Congregation Bet Ha’am. Since then they have presented over 250 films both domestic and foreign, brought more than 70 guest artists from the U.S. and around the world and sold close to 28,000 tickets to both Jewish and non-Jewish attendees. Experience it for yourself! http://www.mjff.org/

Lewiston Auburn Film Festival (LAFF) is a brand new festival that will be held on April 2. The event will showcase 26 Maine-made films, as well as cinematic offerings from around the world. Tickets can be purchased through LA Arts. Films will be exhibited throughout the Lewiston Auburn area at the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce, Auburn Public Library, Fish Bones American Grill, Franco-American Heritage Center, Free Grace Church, Hilton Garden Inn, Holly's Own Deli and Restaurant, L/A Gallery 5, Lewiston Public Library and She Doesn't Like Guthrie's. For more information visit www.lafilmfestival.org.

The Maine Deaf Film Festival will be taking place Friday April 8 from 7-9:30 p.m. and Saturday April 9 from 1-10:30 p.m. on the University of Southern Maine Campus. The festival provides a platform for people to learn about, appreciate, and celebrate Deaf culture, issues and art. For more information, visit http://www.mainedeaffilmfest.com.

And be sure to pencil in other great film festivals that will take place later this season, like the Maine International Film Festival ( http://www.miff.org/) in Waterville July 15-24, The film offerings at the KahBang Festival (http://www.kahbang.com/film) August 5-13, the Camden International Film Festival from September 29 to October 2. (http://www.camdenfilmfest.org/) and all the other great celebrations of film in the state of Maine.