Enjoy a selection of documentaries, narrative and short films when the Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF) returns to the small artist colony at the northern tip of Cape Cod for its 20th iteration.
When and where is the 2018 Provincetown International Film Festival?
The festival will take place from June 13-17 in Provincetown, with showings, panels and special events at various location throughout the town.
What films will be on view at the 2018 Provincetown International Film Festival?
The festival’s five spotlight films navigate the difficulties of coming of age and embracing queer identity. All five spotlight films are directed by women.
Events will kick off with a screening of “Wild Nights with Emily,” a film about Emily Dickinson that explores the story of her long-term romance with her brother’s wife. Cinephiles should also check out featured films “The Guilty,” a Danish film about a police officer who finds himself enmeshed in the search for a missing woman; “Leave No Trace,” a drama about a war veteran living in a park with his daughter; “Mapplethorpe,” a biopic about the photographer’s life, art and sexuality as he came into his own in 1970s New York.
“The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” featuring honoree Chloë Grace Moretz, is a coming-of-age film that focuses on a picture-perfect high school student’s embrace and exploration of her sexuality in a sometimes hostile environment. Another featured film, “And Breathe Normally,” centers on Lara, an airport border patrol officer who forges an unlikely bond with with Adja, a refugee from Guinea-Bissau.
The festival’s other showings will explore topics as diverse as immigration, childhood, politics, biography and American history. Festival goers interested in social issues might want to see “Dawnland,” an in-depth look into an American policy that forced Native American children into white families. If you’re looking for a better understanding of what it’s like to be a female restaurateur, “A Fine Line” is a documentary that looks into sexism in the culinary world.
Who will be honored at the 2018 Provincetown International Film Festival?
Writer and director Sean Baker, known for directing “The Florida Project” and independent films “Scarlet” and “Tangerine,” will be named the Filmmaker on the Edge, an honor conferred to filmmakers who take their craft to the next level. Moretz will receive the festival’s Next Wave Award, extended to new, brave artistic voices.
“Sean Baker will be long recognized as one of the most masterful, empathetic, and important filmmakers of his generation,” PIFF executive director Christine Walker said in a press release. “Chloë Grace Moretz… takes the kind of bold risks both in front of the camera and behind the scenes.”
Comedian and actress Molly Shannon will receive the Excellence in Acting award. Shannon was a cast member on “Saturday Night Live,” doing notable impressions of Courtney Love and Liza Minelli and creating characters like Mary Katherine Gallagher and Sally O’Malley. Shannon plays the role of Emily in “Wild Nights with Emily,” topping off a list of film and television credits including the animated comedy “Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation” and the Netflix miniseries “Wet Hot American Summer,” to name only a few.
“Comedy, drama, film, television, Broadway… you name it, Molly Shannon can do it,” PIFF director of programming Andrew Peterson said in a statement. “We’ve been enormous fans for years and are thrilled to honor the singular talents of Molly Shannon at our 20th anniversary festival.”
If you go:
June 13-17, various locations, Provincetown, provincetownfilm.org
