Belmont World Film’s 21st Family Festival from January 13-21: ‘A Shared Experience Children Will Never Forget’

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Photo: A still from Tony, Shelly and the Magic Light, an award-winning original, stop motion animated film which is receiving its US premiere at the Belmont World Film 21st Family Festival.

For the 21st time, Belmont World Film presents a cinema festival that children from 3 to 12 – and their parents – can enjoy!

Films from around the world in English and multiple languages, including Chinese, Czech, French, Dutch, Norwegian and sign language will be presented this holiday weekend as Belmont World Film hosts its 21st Family Festival, a four-day celebration of international culture from January 13-21, guaranteeing an immersive and culturally rich experience for young audiences.

The trailer for the 2024 Belmont World Film Family Festival

The lineup includes a carefully curated mix of animated and live-action feature length and short films, offering something for every age group.

“Films from abroad are known for telling wonderful stories rather than relying heavily on special effects, and they are often set in fascinating locations outside the US, or feature eye-popping hand-drawn and stop motion animation,” says Belmont World Film Executive Director Ellen Gitelman. “Being able to watch these adventurous films on a big screen as a shared experience is something children will never forget.” 

The festival kicks off Saturday, January 13 at Apple Cinemas in Cambridge (168 Alewife Brook Parkway, followed by screenings at West Newton Cinema (1296 Washington St.) on Sunday, January 14, the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge (40 Brattle Street) on Monday, January 15, in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Day, and the Regent Theatre in Arlington (7 Medford Street) on Sunday, January 21. Three shorts programs will also be available online from January 20-21, geared to children age 3-8.

See the complete program of films here: https://belmontworldfilm.org/family-festival/

Subtitles for films in languages other than English will be read aloud through headphones, ensuring an inclusive experience for children with difficulty reading. Many films are making their US or New England premieres; most films are also based on classic and contemporary children’s books, which help reinforce an interest in reading and literature, while supplementing the Massachusetts Public School System’s Curriculum Frameworks.

Belmont World Film is grateful to the Family Festival sponsors including Dutch Culture USA, the Norwegian Consulate General in New York, the Quebec Delegation of Boston, and Belmont Day School for their generous support, enabling the realization of this culturally enriching festival.

Tickets are $12 for feature films and $8 for shorts programs; Three shorts programs (Celebrating 70 Years of Weston Woods Studios, LOL with Mo Willems Films, and Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) will also be available virtually for $15 per program from January 20-21. 

Festival Passes, which include admission to all films are $40. VIP Festival passes are $120 and include all films, the workshop, two t-shirts, and recognition in all of Belmont World Film’s programs for a year. EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholder tickets are half price. Tickets and more info are available at www.belmontworldfilm.org/family-festival or by calling 617-484-3980.

Give The Gift Of Movies As Tickets On Sale For Belmont World Film’s 20th Family Festival

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Photo: A still from the film “The School of Magical Animals 2 (Deutschland 2022)”(Copyright: Leonine)

Looking for a gift for a young one that’s entertaining, will expand a view of the world and begin an appreciation (or even a passion) for the art of cinema? Belmont World Film 20th Family Festival fills all of those boxes.

Belmont World Film’s Family Festival is a must-attend event for families with children ages 3-12, offering some of the world’s top films for children – providing a window into the lives of children around the world – as well as filmmaking workshops that will enrich your children’s lives. This year’s festival features sixteen exciting film programs and four workshops.

The festival will run in person on the Martin Luther King holiday weekend from Saturday, Jan. 14 to Monday, Jan. 16 and Saturday, Jan. 21. Three films will be screened virtually from Friday, Jan. 20 to Sunday, Jan. 22.

All in person screenings take place as follows:

Saturday, January 14 | West Newton Cinema

Sunday, January 15 | Majestic 7 Cinema Watertown

Monday, January 16 | Brattle Theatre, Cambridge

Saturday, January 21 | Regent Theatre, Arlington

The Junior Film Critics Workshop takes place in person at the New Arts Center @ Trio in Newtonville on Saturday, Jan. 14.

Tickets for individual films or passes can be found at this link.

Boston Society of Film Critics commended Belmont World Film as part of their annual awards for its “20 years of programming foreign-language films in coordination with local and international organizations to heighten awareness on a wide range of global issues.”

Below is the trailer for the film “The School of Magical Animals 2”

Cinema trailer for the movie “The School of Magical Animals 2 (Deutschland 2022)”

Belmont World Film 19th International (Virtual) Film Series Begins March 16

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Photo: A scene from Majid Majidi’s “Sun Children,” which is representing Iran in at the 2021 Academy Awards.

Belmont World Film announced the lineup of its 19th annual International Film Series, running March 16-May 10, and featuring the virtual screening of eight of the world’s top films accompanied by online discussions with filmmakers or expert speakers.

Entitled “Family Ties,” the series features films from Belgium, Bhutan, the Czech Republic, Cuba, France, Iran, and Tunisia that focus on the varied definitions and configurations of family.

More than a third of the films are directed by women and half the films are carried over from last year’s Series, which was canceled at the last minute due to the pandemic; half are completely new films screened recently at leading international film festivals.

Of the eight films, previous Oscar nominee Agnieszka Holland’s (Europa, Europa) The Charlatan from the Czech Republic is currently shortlisted for this year’s Oscar for Best International Feature Film. Previous Oscar nominee Majid Majidi’s (Children of Heaven) Sun Children from Iran and first-time director Pawo Choyning Dorji’s Lunana from Bhutan were also their countries’ submissions for that Oscar category.

“We feel fortunate that we are able to continue to bring this annual film tradition to our audience members, even though we won’t be together in a theater and especially since we had to cancel last year’s Series just two days prior to its start,” says BWF Executive Director Ellen Gitelman.

“The few Zoom discussions we’ve had over the past year have confirmed that our audience members crave the opportunity to reflect upon, discuss, and understand the films’ both individual and universal topics.”

Seven of the eight films will be available for streaming for one week each, starting Tuesdays at 12:01 a.m. until the following Monday at 9 p.m.; A Son will only be available for streaming for 72 hours, starting Friday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. until Monday, April 5, at 9 p.m. Each week concludes with a moderated discussion with an expert speaker or a Q&A with the film’s director on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Films can be watched as many times as desired during a 48-hour period.

This year’s line-up includes:

  • March 16-22: Lunana directed by Pawo Choyning Dorji (Bhutan) New England premiere. An aspiring singer, living with his grandmother in the capital of Bhutan, dreams of getting a visa to relocate to Australia, but first must serve at the most remote school in the world, located in a glacial village in the Himalayas.
  • March 24-30: Charlatan directed by Agnieszka Holland (Czech Republic, Ireland, Slovakia, Poland) New England premiere. Oscar nominee Holland (Europa, Europa) directs this true story of a natural healer caught in the crosshairs of the former Czechoslovakia’s totalitarian regime in the 1950s.
  • April 2-5: A Son directed by Mehdi Barsaoui (Tunisia, France, Lebanon, Qatar) New England premiere. In the summer of 2011, in the immediate aftermath of Tunisia’s “Jasmine Revolution,” an upper middle-class family spends a weekend in southern Tunisia. A surprising story unfolds, resulting in an examination of the family’s liberal and modern lifestyle, as well as how religious traditions impact established medical practices.
  • April 6-12: Surprise Screening
  • April 13-19: The Dazzled directed by Sarah Suco (France) East Coast premiere. A 12-year-old girl’s parents join a controlling religious commune in southwestern France, making her on outcast at school and dashing her dreams of becoming a circus acrobat. Based largely on the director’s experience growing up in a community that espoused sharing and solidarity, this feature debut portrays the damaging effects such cults can have on family members, effectively brainwashing them into giving up their true selves for what appears to be a greater spiritual calling.
  • April 20-26: Sun Children directed by Majid Majidi (Iran) New England premiere Previous Oscar nominee Majidi directs this story about a 12-year-old boy and three friends who work to support their families by committing petty crimes to make fast money. When they are given the job of finding an underground treasure by the local crime boss, they must enroll in a charitable school that will give them access to an underground tunnel.
  • April 27-May 3: Gloria Mundi directed by Robert Guédiguian (France, Italy) New England premiere. Guédiguian (Snows of Kilimanjaro, BWF 2012) reunites his regular cast of actors in this family drama about surviving in today’s gig economy. Set in Marseille, the story centers around the birth of baby Gloria. Despite the family’s joy, some family members have fallen on hard times, pinning their hopes on the baby’s uncle when he opens a successful business.
  • May 3-10: Agosto directed by Armando Capó (Cuba, Costa Rica, France) New England premiere. A Cuban teenager, the primary caretaker for his beloved grandmother, develops his first crush during the summer of 1994, when the collapse of the Soviet Union and the ensuing shortage of food, supplies, and electricity compel people to make the perilous journey to the US by boat. Set in the director’s rural hometown of Gibara and loosely based on his experiences.

The festival is funded in part by a generous grant from the Belmont Cultural Council and is sponsored by the Belmont Food Collaborative. Community partners include the Boston Latino International Film Festival, Café Czech, the Czech and Slovak Association in Boston, and Iranians in Boston.

Individual film tickets are $14 each. A “Passport” includes eight films for $85 (as much as $3.37 savings per film). Memberships, which include complimentary tickets or passports and other benefits, are also available. EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholder tickets and passports are half price.

To purchase tickets and passes, or for more information visit www.belmontworldfilm.org or call 617-484-3980. Like us at www.Facebook.com/BelmontWorldFilm or follow us on Instagram @Belmont_World_Film or Twitter at @BelmntWorldFilm

Reset: Belmont World Film’s Family Festival Movies Moves To Saturday, Jan. 27

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Photo: A scene from “The Witch Hunters”

See the New England premieres of two award-winning international films for children, from China and  Serbia, at Belmont World Film’s Family Festival taking place at the West Newton Cinema (1296 Washington St.) on Saturday, Jan. 27 (both have been rescheduled due to cancellation from this past weekend’s storm). Both films also feature English subtitles that will be read aloud through headphones for young readers.

Both films are co-presented by the ReelAbilities Boston Film Festival. ​​For more info, visit www.belmontworldfilm.org​.​​​

Belmont World Film’s ‘Disappearance’ Focus On Impossible Choices; Monday, April 30 [Trailer]

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Photo:”Disappearance” Amir Reza Ranjbaran (left) and Sadaf Asgari.

A young couple’s relationship is tested through a long winter’s night of moral dilemmas and impossible choices in “Disappearance” (Napadid Shodan) Studio Cinema, 376 Trapelo Rd. The film is an Iranian/Qatari production in Persian with subtitles is presented as part of Belmont World Film’s 17 annual International Film Series.

The first feature from experienced shorts director Ali Asgari is a precisely crafted, modestly proportioned drama that draws out the wider political resonance from a tale of individual heartache.

Dr. Zahra Lotfi, a Middle Eastern Studies scholar who focuses on women’s issues, will be the night’s special speaker.

Belmont World Film Proves ‘Streaking’ Is Alive And Well In Switzerland

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Photo: Streaker

A high school teacher bets his school’s athletic field money on a fixed soccer match to raise money to build a museum celebrating his favorite Swiss poet Gottfried Keller, only to see his scheme crash when the winning goal was stopped by a streaker on the field.

In his attempt to get back the school’s money and still build his museum, the teacher decides to take bets on how long a streaker can stay on the field. The more bets he takes, the more streakers he needs to recruit and train. Soon, the entire Swiss soccer league is turned upside down awash in streakers!

“Streaker” (“Flitzer”) will have its East Coast premiere tonight, Monday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Belmont World Film 17th annual International Film Series at Belmont’s Studio Cinema, 376 Trapelo Rd. The 2017 feature is in Swiss German and German with English subtitles.

 

Belmont World Series Presents ‘All the Dreams in the World’ on Monday, April 2

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Photo: Pamela Ramos stars in “All the Dreams in the World”

The North American premiere of the France/Portugal film “All the Dreams in the World” (“Tous les rêves du monde”) will be screened on Monday, April 2 at 7:30 p.m. at Belmont’s Studio Cinema, 376 Trapelo Rd., as part of the Belmont World Film 17th annual International Film Series.

Loosely inspired by renowned Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa’s poem, “I am nothing. I’ll never be anything. I couldn’t want to be something. Apart from that, I have in me all the dreams in the world,” the film portrays a teen living with her first-generation Portuguese parents in France is caught up in her contradictions, failures, and unconditional love for her family. After reconnecting with a childhood friend during her annual summer holiday in Portugal, she finds the courage to choose the path of freedom and the unknown.

Speakers include the film’s director Laurence Ferreira Barbosa and José Rui Velez Caroço, Consul General of Portugal in Boston.

The night is sponsored by the Boston Portuguese Festival and the Camoes Institute.

Belmont World Films Opens 17th International Film Series Sunday, March 18

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Photo: From the movie “The Workshop” which opens the 17th annual Belmont World Film’s 17th annual International Film Series.

Nine films from the world’s top international film festivals will premiere at Belmont World Film’s 17th annual International Film Series, which runs to May 14 at Belmont’s historic Studio Cinema, 376 Trapelo Rd.

Opening night on Sunday, March 18, at 7:30 p.m. features the New England premiere of The Workshop, (“L’ateliera”) by French director Laurent Cantet that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

After the festival’s opening screening, films take place mostly on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. All films are followed by thought-provoking discussions led by expert speakers and occasionally cultural performances. The opening and closing night films are preceded by dinner receptions featuring culturally-relevant cuisine at the theater.

This year’s series, “Bound by Beliefs,” features films that show how difficult it is to implement change in the face of long-held societal or community beliefs. All but one film is either a North American, East Coast or New England premiere and several are also their countries’ submissions to the Academy Awards’ Best Foreign Language Film category. As in the last several years, a third of the films are directed by women. The festival also includes the most recent work by several well-known directors, including French director Laurent Cantet (Foxfire, The Class), Laurence Ferrerira Barbosa (Normal People Are Nothing Exceptional), and Tony Gatlif (Latcho Drom, Gadjo Dilo).

“We don’t have to look much farther than the Hollywood sexual harassment scandal to understand how long it takes or how hard it is to change the status quo,” says Belmont World Film Executive Director Ellen Gitelman. “The characters in each of the nine films are not always successful in standing up to their societies’ beliefs, and even when they are, it is often an uphill battle.”

The festival opener, The Workshop, takes place in the once bustling port town of La Ciotat on the Mediterranean where a group of young writers with multiple backgrounds is trying to reflect the town’s current rundown state in their group written thriller. The hostility and disturbing vision of one particular workshop participant soon alarm his peers and the instructor, a famous Parisian mystery writer. The screening is part of the Month of Francophonie sponsored by the French Consulate in Boston.

The rest of the line-up includes:

  • Monday, March 26: The Wound directed by John Trengrove (South Africa) New England premiere
  • Monday, April 2: All the Dreams in the World directed by Laurence Ferreira Barbosa (France, Portugal) North American premiere
  • Monday, April 9: Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts directed by Mouly Surya (Indonesia, France, Malaysia, Thailand) New England premiere
  • Sunday, April 16: Streaker directed by Peter Luisi (Switzerland) East Coast premiere
  • Monday, April 23: What Will People Say directed by Iram Haq (Norway, Germany, Sweden) East Coast premiere
  • Monday, April 30: Disappearance directed by Ali Asgari (Iran, Qatar)
  • Monday, May 7: Under the Tree directed by Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson (Iceland) New England premiere
  • Monday, May 14: Djam directed by Tony Gatlif (France) North American premiere

Stories Come Alive at Belmont World Film’s Family Festival This Holiday Weekend

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Photo: Windstorm and the Wild Horses

Belmont World Film holds its 15th annual Family Festival, “Where Stories Come Alive,” presented by Jackson-Walnut Park School and Henry Bear’s Park from Jan. 12 to 15, at the Regent Theatre in Arlington (5 Medford Street), Studio Cinema in Belmont (376 Trapelo Road), and Brattle Theatre in Cambridge (40 Brattle Street).

Twelve programs featuring more than 30 top animated and live action children’s films from around the world—many of which are making their international or North American premieres—plus a live version of WBUR’s “Circle Round” will be presented in English and other languages with subtitles from Belgium, Canada, Columbia, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and US. 

“In a world filled with memes and emojis, these films tell rich and unusual stories that don’t rely on special effects to create a sense of wonder,” says Belmont World Film Executive Director Ellen Gitelman.

“Furthermore, in an increasingly multicultural world, parents recognize the importance of fluency in more than one language The Family Festival offers children age 3-12 and their parents, grandparents, and friends the opportunity to hear and understand multiple languages in a fun and natural way.”

Each day revolves around a different theme:

  • Saturday is devoted to aquatic adventures,
  • Sunday to the animal kingdom, and
  • Monday to the heroes in our midst in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Many films are based on children’s literature, including: Zip & Zap and the Captain’s Island, based on the Spanish comic book series; Tales from the Lakeside, an animated coming-of-age film from Hungary based on a book by Judit Berg; and Hedgehog’s Home, an unusual stop-motion short film constructed completely out of felt that is based on a story by Czech writer Branko Copic.

The festival also features short animated films based on children’s books from Weston Woods Studios, including the New England premieres of several newer books, such as 2017 Caldecott Medal winner They All Saw a Cat narrated by John Lithgow, Mo Willems’ popular books such as Knuffle Bunny, and books about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr. Other festival films include stories about spies, reindeer herding, wild horses, brave boats, children overcoming disabilities, and child refugees.

 

SATURDAY, JAN. 13, at the Studio Cinema 

What’s New from Weston Woods Studios, including 2017 Caldecott Medal winner They All Saw A Cat narrated by John Lithgow, Friendshape, Wolfie the Bunny, Duck on a Tractor, Leo: A Ghost Story, School’s First Day of School, and Mother Bruce (10:30 AM, Age 3-8, New England premieres).

Anchors Up: Boat to the Rescue, an original story from Norway about a young rescue boat from a small village that gets promoted to chief rescue boat in a big city harbor and helps to save the world with the help of his village friends (12:00, Age 3-8, International premiere).

Tales from the Lakeside, an animated coming-of-age tale from Hungary, adapted from Judit Berg’s book about the Verdies, the tiny but brave guardians of the lake. (1:30 PM, Age 5-9, East Coast premiere). 

Zip and Zap and the Captain’s Island, a mystery and an adventure about Spanish comic book brothers Zip and Zap, who discover that their parents’ sudden disappearance is related to the mysterious secret behind the island and its curious inhabitants. (3:15 PM, Age 7-12).

SUNDAY, JAN. 15, at the Regent Theatre

WBUR presents: “Circle Round”, a live performance of WBUR’s new storytelling podcast for kids, featuring folktales from around the world, including the Yiddish folktale It Could Always Get Worse and the Romanian folktale Stella and the Dragon, as well as live music (10:30 AM, Age 4-10).

Mo Willems: Bunnies, Pigeons, Mole Rats, Alligators & Dinosaurs, Oh My!, featuring animated versions of the author’s most popular books, including Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, That is Not a Good Idea, Hooray for Amanda & Her Alligator, and Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs. (11:45 AM, Age 3-8).

Cloudboy, about a shy skateboarder who lives with his father in Belgium, who reluctantly agrees to help herd reindeer during the summer in Lapland with his estranged mother, whose new family lives amongst the Sami, an indigenous reindeer-herding people. (1:15 PM, Age 8-12, East Coast premiere).

Windstorm and the Wild Horses, about a teenage horse whisperer who travels to Spain with her beloved black stallion, Windstorm, after she discovers the breed’s Spanish origins (3:00 PM, Age 7-18, North American premiere).

MONDAY, JAN. 15 at the Brattle Theatre

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., featuring Martin’s Big Words narrated by Michael Clarke Duncan, March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World by Dr. Christina King Farris, Rosa, and He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands (10:30 AM, Age 5-12).

Hero Steps, based on the true-life story of a courageous 10-year-old boy from Colombia with a passion for soccer, whose handicap won’t stop him from fulfilling his dream of playing soccer in an important tournament. Co-presented by Reelabilities Film Festival (12:00, Age 5-12, New England premiere).

Oskar’s America, about a 10-year-old boy who dreams of riding the prairies in America with his mother and attempts to row there from Norway to visit her in a rowboat. Co-presented by Bridges Together. (2:00 PM, Age 9-14, North American premiere).

Brave & Amazing Children, a benefit for the Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center featuring four short films that profile the lives of four child refugees (3:45 PM, Age 9-12, North American premieres).

Festival sponsors include: Jackson Walnut Park School and Henry Bear’s Park (Continent Sponsors); Dutch Culture USA and Boston Volvo Village (Nation Sponsors); German International School of Boston and Mass. Cultural Council (Province Sponsors); and Belmont Books, Belmont Day School, East Boston Savings Bank, Consulate General of Sweden, and Whole Foods (Capital Sponsors). Media sponsors include Boston Central and WBUR. Community partners include Bridges Together, Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts, Reelabilities Film Festival, and the Scandinavian Cultural Center. 

Belmont Groups Screen Films of Refugees With Goal Of Greater Understanding

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Photo: After Spring, directed by Ellen Martinez

A coalition of Belmont organizations that are working to help resettle refugees in the Boston area is presenting a series of films on refugees and immigration beginning this week that spotlights issues in the headlines.

“With today’s more than 60 million refugees, we thought that coming together to watch and discuss these significant films would be a way to broaden the community’s understanding of what is happening around the world and what we have been doing to assist,” said Sam James, who is leading a resettlement program at First Church of Belmont Unitarian Universalist.

The Belmont Public Library, Belmont World Film, Beth El Temple Center, and First Church of Belmont presents “A Community Responds: Three Films on the Global Refugee Crisis,” a series of award-winning documentaries:

  • Sonita on Thursday, Feb. 2 and
  • After Spring on Thursday, Feb. 9, both being screened at the West Newton Cinema, 1296 Washington St., Newton, and
  • All of Me on Thursday, Feb. 16 at the Belmont Public Library, 336 Concord Ave.

All screenings begin at 7 p.m. and are followed by discussions.

Proceeds benefit the International Institute of New England, which provides information on resources to refugees and immigrants, and the Refugee & Immigrant Assistance Center (RIAC) which promotes community education, refugee resettlement, post-resettlement support services, counseling services and socio-economic development in Massachusetts refugee and immigrant communities.

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, Sonita tells the story of an 18-year-old Afghan girl living as a refugee in a shelter in Tehran, who dreams of being a famous rapper. In Iran she gets counseling for the traumas she has suffered and guidance in shaping her future. But women aren’t allowed to sing in Iran and her family has a very different future planned for her: as a bride she’s worth $9,000. In an unconventional twist, Director Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami becomes personally involved in helping Sonita fulfill her dream. The evening also features the short film Refugee Blues by Stephan Bookas, which charts a day in ‘the jungle’, the recently destroyed refugee camp outside Calais in France. Nano Raies, a second-year voice student at the Berklee College of Music and originally from Homs, Syria, will speak after the film. 

screen-shot-2017-02-01-at-2-02-35-pm

Former Daily Show host Jon Stewart executive produced After Spring, directed by Ellen Martinez, which follows two Syrian refugee families in transition, as well as the aid workers fighting to keep the Jordan-based Zaatari Refugee Camp, the largest camp for Syrian refugees, running. With no end in sight for the conflict or the refugee crisis, everyone must decide if they can rebuild their lives in a place that was never meant to be permanent. It will be screened with the short film People of Nowhere by Lior Sperando, which documents the volunteers working to save Syrian immigrants trying to make it to the EU. Omar Salem, chairman of the Karam Foundation that provides emergency aid to the people of Eastern Aleppo, will lead the post-film discussion.

All of Me by first-time Mexican filmmaker Arturo González Villaseñor chronicles a group of women who stand by the train tracks near the Mexican town of La Patrona. Calling themselves “Las Patronas,” they wait for a freight train full of illegal Latin American immigrants—on a perilous journey in pursuit of the dream of a better life in the USA—to pass by. They throw them water bottles and packages of food they cooked themselves and never miss a single train. Although poor themselves, the women understand the suffering of others. Representatives from the International Institute of New England and the Refugee & Immigrant Assistance Center will speak after the film. 

screen-shot-2017-02-01-at-2-02-20-pm

Tickets to the screenings at the West Newton Cinema on Feb. 2 and 9 are $11 general admission, $9 students and seniors, and are available in advance online or at the door beginning at 6:30 p.m. Admission to the Belmont Public Library screening on February 16 is free, but seats should be reserved through the site listed above; arrive early as seating is not guaranteed.

Other community partners include Belmont Against Racism, Belmont Religious Council, Human Rights Commission, and Mosesian Center for the Arts. For more information call 617-484-3980.