Though most fests usually consist of kegs and jerseys, the festival starting Monday will likely go best with popcorn and candy.
The Athens International Film and Video Festival will take place this week Monday through Sunday at The Athena Cinema, 20 S. Court St., and will include films that were nominated at the Academy Awards this year.
The film fest is in its 44th year, according to the fest’s official website, and showcases feature-length and short films. Some of the films are eligible for the fest’s competition, and others are special screenings.
Here are the screenings to check out each day at the Athens International Film and Video Festival:
Monday at 1:15 p.m.: Death by a Thousand Cuts — The documentary follows the investigation of the murder of a park ranger from the Dominican Republic who was killed by a Haitian charcoal producer. The film highlights the conflict between the Dominican Republic and Haiti in the battle for natural resources.
Tuesday at 10 p.m.: Animation Night — The block of short films are all animated and geared toward an older audience. The durations of the films range from one to 19 minutes.
Wednesday at 3:15 p.m.: Ka Bodyscapes — The 99-minute feature film follows three people who struggle to find happiness in an Indian city. One is a gay painter, another is a kabaddi player and the last is an activist who refuses to conform to norms.
Katy Bickett, a freshman studying political science, is interested in attending the Athens International Film and Video Festival because she said people can learn from any movie.
“I think it’s interesting to see different cultures and you can definitely see that through film,” she said.
Thursday at 9:30 p.m.: My Life as a Zucchini — The film was nominated for Best Animated Film at this year’s Academy Awards. After his mother’s death, Zucchini is comforted by a police officer named Raymond.
Friday at 5 p.m.: Toni Erdmann — A jokester father tries to reconnect with his hard-working daughter and creates an alter ego that acts as a life coach for a CEO. Toni Erdmann was nominated for an Academy Award this year, and the film is in talks to get an American remake starring Jack Nicholson.
Saturday at 9:30 p.m.: Hair Raising Tales — The block includes seven short films of varying topic, but the goal is to make the audience’s hair stand on end. The films include documentaries and narratives.
Sarah Hall, a freshman studying marketing and strategic leadership, is required to go to films for her art and English classes. Her English class focuses on horror literature.
“It was a way to get us away from reading horror stories and seeing it in a visual way,” she said.
Sunday at 5:10 p.m.: The Transfiguration — Milo has a fascination with vampire lore, and, when he meets Sophie, his reality blurs with fantasy. The film is from the United Kingdom and is pegged as a drama and horror film.
The full list of movies can be found here.
