Why do we love movies so much? Not just watching them, but making them, too. Watching is easy â€" you leave your life behind for a brief amount of time in trade for what’s happening on screen. Making them â€" it becomes your life for an amount of time.

Philip Cowan, The Grand Cinema director, is also the festival director behind the 2nd Annual Tacoma Film Festival, which opens Thursday, Oct. 4 at The Grand Cinema. Cowan and others believe “…new and emerging filmmakers should be given the opportunity to have their work shown before an audience.” Of the 72 film submissions, many will have first time showings, others like “Limbo” and “All About Haggarty,” are familiar works for the area.

Cowan will post a “Philip’s Top 10 Not To Miss” on The Grand Cinema’s Web site, but he let a couple slip early.

“Overall there is some really nice work going on from regional filmmakers, and it is fun to show their work, mostly for the first time publicly,” says Cowan. “Definitely attend the opening festivities and watch South 5’s two short films and the comedy ‘Let Others Suffer’ from a Spokane first time filmmaker.”

Cowan spotlights a group of short films showing Oct. 6.

“Finding Thea” is the only “encore” presentation from last year’s festival. “Every time we played the 24-minute documentary on Thea Foss last year, it sold out so we’re bringing it back.” Another documentary, a 14-minute movie called “Spitfire 944,” is the true story of John Blyth, a WWII pilot from Lacey, now as an 83-year-old veteran, watching a movie of his crash landing for the first time ever, Blyth will attend the screening.

Oct. 7 catch “Her Best Move,” a non-documentary family movie about a 15-year-old soccer player. Cowan also recommends the documentary “Inlaws and Outlaws” on Oct. 7. “It’s both informative, entertaining and at times heartbreaking,” Cowan says of this Washington state production cataloging true stories of gay and straight couples and singles in a heartbreakingly funny narrative. “It isn’t obvious who’s straight or gay, and it becomes unimportant as the film goes along, delving into how very much alike all people are, their wants, desires, and fears.”

The Weekly Volcano recommends “Full Disclosure,” a short film solely consisting of dialogue between two female and male characters discussing the merits of full disclosure: revealing all faults, quirks, weaknesses and strengths upon first meeting to save future time dating and finding things out gradually. Recognizable actors, mildly snarky dialogue, and humorous, thought provoking content make this a must see. The idea of full disclosure is an intriguing one and worthy of lighthearted discussion afterward. It screens Saturday, Oct. 6, at the Tacoma School of the Arts.

Tacoma Film Festival details

Tacoma Film Festival schedule

Q&A with “Limbo” actor Joe Rosati

Q&A with “South 5 â€" True Grit” director Bryan Johnson

Where to eat around The Grand.