Observer Editor
61st Annual Ann Arbor Film Festival.
Mar. 21–26. The oldest and one of the most prestigious avant-garde film festivals in North America, showcasing new experimental and independent films in a wide range of genres. Also, “Off the Screen” round-table discussions, exhibits, and parties (see aaFilmFest.org for full schedule). Tickets: $150 (buy before Mar. 1, $125; members, students, & seniors, $100) for the entire festival; $85 (buy before Mar. 1, $75) for weekend passes, or $60 (buy before Mar. 1, $60) for an online-only pass in advance at aafilmfest.org. $12 (students, seniors, & members, $8) per screening at the door. All feature films eligible for online viewing are available Mar. 21–29. 995–5356. Michigan Theater (except as noted), various times.
Mar. 22: “Stories Buried and Unburied.” Festival juror Koyo Yamashita presents three films by East Asian women—all under 30 minutes: Flos Pavonis (Aya Momose, 2021) is a Japanese documentary about control over women’s bodies. Trinity (Mowen Wang, 2020) is a Chinese drama about the death of a mother. Mud Man (Chikako Yamashiro, 2017) is a fantastical Japanese drama about colonization. 1 p.m., State Theatre. “Burial.” Emilija Škarnulyté’s competition documentary explores our attempts to bury the immortal, from Etruscan ruins to the radioactive cores of ruined nuclear power plants. 5 p.m., State Theatre.
“Films in Competition 2.” Highlights include Filipa César’s Mangrove School and films about a lost balloon, the edge of Skid Row, and a magical life form. 5:30 p.m.
“Diòba.” Adriana Marcela Rojas Espitia’s competition drama follows a spiritually lost 63-year-old Indigenous woman trying to find her way back to her roots. 7 p.m., State Theatre.
“Expanded Cinema.” Four performances that employ live manipulation of the motion of film images to create a dynamic audience experience. 7:30 p.m.
“The root and the harvest.” Short films from Mexico and Chicago that “speak to each other” about identity and time, curated by Raul Benitez and Tzutzu Matzin. 9 p.m., State Theatre. Free.
“Films in Competition 3.” Highlights include cyanotype sunprints, gargoyles, and Black metamorphosis. 9:30 p.m.
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