Salem Film Fest To Include '9 To 5' Documentary, Several Premieres

SALEM, MA — The Salem Film Fest is returning later this month as both an in-person and virtual event showing 28 films over two weeks.

The event, which first took place in the Witch City in 2007, will include several premieres and will conclude with the documentary "Still Working 9 to 5" — which examines the Dolly Parton-Jane Fonda-Lily Tomlin movie on its 40th anniversary and how the roles of women in the business place have — and in some ways have not — changed over the past four decades.

The Film Fest will open with "Ithaka" about Julian Assange's fight to avoid extradition to the United States with Assange's father, John Shipton, set to attend the screening and participate in a question-and-answer session following it.

Also included in this year's schedule are the world premiere of "Ukrainistan Artist War" — which chronicles the power of art in both the wars in Ukraine and Afghanistan, the North American premiere of John MacDonald's and Nina Schwanse's "Call Me Mule" — which is an intimate look at a man's choice to live outdoors with his three mules, and Giovanni Pellegrine's "Lagunaria" about the myths and realities of the Italian city of Venice, as well as Peter Day's "Off The Rails" about the British YouTubers daring UrbEx and Parkour scene.

New England Conservatory of Music graduate, musician and film artist James Carson will also screen his immersive music experience documentary "Cabin Music" on March 25 at 2:45 p.m. at the Peabody Essex Museum and be part of a question-and-answer after the projection.

Some of the films are only available in person, while the virtual portion of the event runs from March 27 through April 2.

The full lineup can be viewed here.

Seven awards with trophies created by local artists will be presented to filmmakers at Salem Film Fest, including the Special Jury Award and The Michael Sullivan Award for Documentary Journalism, which each include a $1,000 cash prize.

Admission to the screenings is $13 with ticket pack discounts offered here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)