Twin Cities Film Fest is a celebration of storytelling

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of commentary online and in print each day. To contribute, click here. All the world’s a stage. Or a screen — at least starting Thursday at the Twin Cities Film Fest, which opens with “Hamnet,” the cinematic version of the superb novel by Maggie O’Farrell about events that inspired William Shakespeare’s eternal “Hamlet.” The movie version awed audiences and critics alike at the recent Toronto Film Festival, winning the People’s Choice Award. It will open wide late November (just in time for awards season) but premiere locally at the fest on Thursday at the Marcus West End Cinema in St. Louis Park, which, along with the Edina Mann Theatre, will screen more than 150 films through Oct. 25. “Hamnet” is getting Oscar buzz for best picture, best actress (Jessie Buckley) and especially best director and screenwriter (Chloé Zhao). Regarding the film festival, lightning may strike twice: The last Zhao film to open the fest was “Nomadland,” which then went on to win Best Picture. Beyond “Hamnet,” another stage-inspired film, “Hedda,” an updated version of Henrik Ibsen’s “Hedda Gabler,” will have its local debut. Other hot Hollywood titles include “Christy,” about a boxer, starring Sydney Sweeney. Among several others is “Bugonia,” starring Academy-Award winner Emma Stone. There are also many Minnesota-made (or -themed or -starred) feature films, documentaries or shorts, with some in key categories the film fest emphasizes, including the “HER series” — movies made by, for and about women. Another 40% of films focus on stories from Black and Indigenous people and people of color. “A story is a story, but it matters who tells it and how they share it,” said Jatin Setia, the film festival’s founder and executive director. “That’s what’s key for us: to make sure that we’re able to celebrate stories from all walks of life that are relatable. And with discussions afterwards you just get deeper into it. And we bring community partners on board to help us celebrate and help us add context from a subject-matter expert standpoint as well.”

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of commentary online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

All the world’s a stage. Or a screen — at least starting Thursday at the Twin Cities Film Fest, which opens with “Hamnet,” the cinematic version of the superb novel by Maggie O’Farrell about events that inspired William Shakespeare’s eternal “Hamlet.”

The movie version awed audiences and critics alike at the recent Toronto Film Festival, winning the People’s Choice Award. It will open wide late November (just in time for awards season) but premiere locally at the fest on Thursday at the Marcus West End Cinema in St. Louis Park, which, along with the Edina Mann Theatre, will screen more than 150 films through Oct. 25.

“Hamnet” is getting Oscar buzz for best picture, best actress (Jessie Buckley) and especially best director and screenwriter (Chloé Zhao). Regarding the film festival, lightning may strike twice: The last Zhao film to open the fest was “Nomadland,” which then went on to win Best Picture.

Beyond “Hamnet,” another stage-inspired film, “Hedda,” an updated version of Henrik Ibsen’s “Hedda Gabler,” will have its local debut. Other hot Hollywood titles include “Christy,” about a boxer, starring Sydney Sweeney. Among several others is “Bugonia,” starring Academy-Award winner Emma Stone.

There are also many Minnesota-made (or -themed or -starred) feature films, documentaries or shorts, with some in key categories the film fest emphasizes, including the “HER series” — movies made by, for and about women. Another 40% of films focus on stories from Black and Indigenous people and people of color.

“A story is a story, but it matters who tells it and how they share it,” said Jatin Setia, the film festival’s founder and executive director. “That’s what’s key for us: to make sure that we’re able to celebrate stories from all walks of life that are relatable. And with discussions afterwards you just get deeper into it. And we bring community partners on board to help us celebrate and help us add context from a subject-matter expert standpoint as well.”