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The festival, tonight through Sunday, features documentaries that fit into three broad categories: music (check), the environment (check) and quirky people (check, check, check).
See what we mean?
“I had volunteers and members suggest some titles,” said Helen Thornton, the society’s film programmer. “They are all basically award-winning documentaries. It does run the gamut. I tried in the final pick to pick things that would interest different people.”
The festival also features lots of question-and-answer sessions with filmmakers, three in person and two via Skype video calls, which are projected onto the big screen.
“We try to do Q&As as much as possible,” Thornton said. “More and more independent theaters that bring in filmmakers are doing it via Skype. We have some special equipment that we use, so it’s worked really well. It’s not like doing your home Skype.”
Thornton is particularly enthusiastic about “Being Elmo” (noon Sunday), about the little red monster on “Sesame Street” and the Muppeteer who gives him life.
“That is for kids and adults,” she said. “I’m hoping I’ll get a chance to see it – I’ve watched trailers, but I’m hoping I’ll get to see the whole thing. We need a little happiness in the world.”
“Being Elmo” fits pretty well into the quirky category. Here’s the rest of the lineup, categorized for your convenience.
QUIRKY
“Strongman” (2 p.m. Saturday; with filmmaker Q&A via Skype): The 2011 film stars freelance sideshow performer Stanley “Stanless Steel” Pleskun, who can bend pennies with his fingers and lift trucks. Roger Ebert wrote that “Strongman” is “the kind of documentary I find engrossing: A film about an unusual person that invites us into the mystery of a human life.”
“Vincent: A Life In Color” (5 p.m. Sunday; with filmmaker and star Q&A): This film explores the life of a truly colorful character, Vincent P. Falk of Chicago, known for his flamboyant clothes and his spinning and twirling performances. Ebert named it one of the best documentaries of 2010.
ENVIRONMENTAL
“Farmageddon” (6:30 p.m. today; with filmmaker Q&A via Skype): The 2011 film examines the effect of government regulations on small independent farmers.
“Fresh” (2:30 p.m. Sunday; a benefit for the Friends of the Farmers Market): This 2009 documentary looks at the industrialization of America’s food production and explores how sustainability might be achieved.
“Green Fire” (7:30 p.m. Sunday; with Q&A): This 2011 film paints a portrait of conservationist Aldo Leopold, who is considered to be the founder of wildlife ecology.
MUSICAL
“Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone” (9 p.m. today; with filmmaker Q&A live): This 2011 documentary explores the rollercoaster ride of the wildly inventive 1980s punk band Fishbone.
“Beats, Rhymes & Life: Travels of a Tribe Called Quest” (6:30 p.m. Saturday): This 2011 documentary traces the influential rap group’s rise and breakup and documents its former members’ lives today.
“Who Took the Bomp? Le Tigre on Tour” (9 p.m. Saturday): This is 2011 film documents the 2004-05 tour of the iconic feminist electronic band Le Tigre.
