THE TFF DIRECTOR GIVES HER TWO CENTS >>>

To mark the Tacoma Film Festival's seventh anniversary, The Grand Cinema folks are screening more than 100 independent films, local and international, from Oct. 6-16 in several Tacoma venues. "As usual, I organized about 12 volunteer reviewers to watch every submission (each one was watched by at least two people), and ultimately made our final selections in late July. We usually try to choose around 100 films, and this year we are on target with 107 official selections," Tacoma Film Festival Director Emily Alm told Weekly Volcano Editor Matt Driscoll in a feature story posted here.

Alm has seen nearly all 107 films programmed for this year's fest. The Weekly Volcano asked her to filtered out the films that stick out in her mind the most.

"It's not an easy task," Alm says, "and I truly believe that each and every official selection has undeniable value and entertainment. Each of this year's selected films has depth, unique stories, and will offer you much more than a trip to the movie theater."

We asked her to do it anyway. The follow are the TFF director's picks:

International Shorts

Sunday, Oct. 9, 12:40 p.m., Tacoma Art Museum
This grouping of seven short foreign films is a first for the Tacoma Film Festival. We've always had films of all lengths from many countries; but this year, I chose to play the shorts together. It's a sort of "passport to independent film," as I like to call it. Each short in this grouping represents a different culture, a different area of the world, and a different approach to storytelling. Not to mention, there's some terrific filmmaking as well.

Heart Breaks Open

Friday, Oct. 7, 6:05 p.m., The Grand Cinema

I had the pleasure of screening this film on the big screen during one of our regular volunteer screening sessions at the Grand. Not one person in the audience disliked Heart Breaks Open, and not one person was unaffected by its powerful and realistic story. The film was powerful simply for its storyline, but the filmmaker (William Maria Rain), and actors amplify its presence through not-to-be-missed performances and creativity. Heart Breaks Open screens Friday, Oct. 7th at 6:05 p.m. at the Grand Cinema. The director, cast and crew will be in attendance for a post-film Q&A.

Harlistas: An American Journey

Sunday, Oct. 9, 12:40 p.m., The Grand Cinema
I'm not exactly a motorcycle girl. I'm much more likely to be cruising around in my very safe, and very predictable Honda Civic. That's why, upon popping Harlistas: An American Journey in my DVD player, I wasn't sure that it would be up my alley. Boy, was I wrong. The film is so much more than an ode to Harleys - it's an intimate look at family, at relationships, and how the two shape who we are and who we want to be.

This Narrow Place

Friday, Oct. 7, 3:55 p.m., The Grand Cinema
Also Wednesday, Oct. 12, 6:30 p.m., The Grand Cinema
Sometimes a film comes along that blows you away, that represents new, raw, and undeniable talent. The director of This Narrow Place, Sooney Kadouh, exhibits enormous potential with his debut feature. His cause is greatly empowered by the lead actors, Sammy Sheik (Hassan) and Jonathan Stanley (Chris). Hassan has recently smuggled himself into the United States and plans on avenging the death of his brother, who was killed in Israel by a US-made bomb. In the meantime, Hassan develops an unlikely and fascinating friendship with Chris, a lonely drug-addict who seems reinvigorated by his new relationship with Hassan.

Hit So Hard

Saturday, Oct. 8, 8:35 p.m., The Grand Cinema
Much like Harlistas, I wasn't sure how well I would relate to Hit So Hard, given that my music tastes differ quite a bit from the grunge and rock scene dispelled from Seattle in the 1990s. But yet again, I was pleasantly surprised. I was lucky enough to watch Hit So Hard  in Seattle on the big screen, and listen to Patty Schemel herself (the film centers on her, the openly-gay female drummer for the band, Hole), talk about her life story and her experiences in the music industry, and yes - her friendships with Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain. This is a music documentary unlike any other.

Splinters

Monday, Oct. 10, 6 p.m., FREE, Rausch Auditorium, University of Puget Sound
Like many other films on this list, Splinters snuck up and floored me. The seemingly innocent documentary about the introduction and development of surfing in Papua New Guinea has a lot more meat to it than you'd think. Sure, it's entertaining to watch the surfers practice and prepare for battle in the island nation's first-ever surfing competition. But it's ever more fascinating to get a peek into their culture and social dynamics.

Pacific Northwest Programming

One thing that the Tacoma Film Festival prides itself on is showcasing, celebrating and supporting filmmaking in the Pacific Northwest. This year, the overall festival program looks a bit different. All of the locally-made films will be screened within two days - Oct. 10-11. No matter what you come to see on either day, you'll see impressive and vibrant works from filmmakers who live in Tacoma, Seattle and a few other neighboring cities. There will be shorts, features, documentaries, and more - there will definitely be something for everyone.

LINK: 2011 Tacoma Film Festival preview