Foreign Film Festival Opens Friday at the Carroll Arts Center

A retired legal counselor writes a novel, hoping to find closure for one of his past unresolved homicide cases and his unrequited love with his superior. Sound juicy? It’s happening, right here in Westminster. And you can watch it unfold.

Tonight movie-goers can watch the “The Secrets in their Eyes,” the first film to be shown in the 8^th annual Foreign Film festival at the Carroll Arts Center in Westminster.  The event is hosted by the group Film Lovers in Carroll County (FLICC) and sponsored by McDaniel College.

According to Frank Baylor of FLICC, the process of choosing the movies for the festival started many months ago  by a selection committee. "We discussed, reported to the club after viewing the features, and screened several titles at meetings, to arrive at a short list which we then voted on,” said Baylor.

In addition to choosing the films for the festival,  FLICC also provides volunteers  for selling tickets, ushering, selling concessions and cleaning up after the event. According to Baylor, this event is the best-attended of all FLICC’s presentations through the year, with more than 200 attendees in the past.

The Carroll County Art Council’s website has the following lineup listed for the festival:

February 4: “The Secrets in their Eyes”
Argentina; 2009; Rated R; 129 mins. A retired legal counselor writes a novel hoping to find closure for one of his past unresolved homicide cases and for his non-reciprocating love with his superior.  This intriguing film won the 2009 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

February 11: “Volver”
Spain; 2006; Rated R; 121 mins. After her death, a mother returns to her home town in order to fix the situations she couldn’t resolve during her life. Pedro Almodovar’s award-winning comedy stars the stunning Penelope Cruz.

February 18: “After the Wedding”
Denmark; 2006; Rated R; 120 mins. A manager of an orphanage in India is sent to Copenhagen where he discovers a life-altering secret.

February 25: “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
Denmark; 2009; Rated R; 152 mins. A journalist is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing, or dead, for 40 years. This first installment of Stieg Larsson’s trilogy has become an international literary sensation.

All films will be shown with English subtitles.

In addition to the above showings, there will be a double feature on Sunday, March 27^th, “The Girl Who Played with Fire” and “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” will be screened. Show times are 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. These two films, along with “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” make up the complete Steig Larsson trilogy.

All films will be shown on Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $6 for adults and $5 for Arts Council members, students & seniors. McDaniel College students and McDaniel community members are admitted free with an I.D.

Tickets may be purchased in advance through the Carroll County Arts Council website.