Sports, horror, drama & more: Movies to watch, what to know for upcoming Centre Film Festival
If you’re unfamiliar with the Centre Film Festival, that likely won’t last for long.
The growing festival, which received more than 600 submissions this year, has a lot to boast about in the fifth annual edition that runs from Monday through Sunday, Nov. 5. Multiple attending directors will travel from around the world to descend on Happy Valley and speak with the audience, two world premieres will take place, a brief concert is planned following a documentary about a punk-rock group returning to Ukraine — and, of course, lots and lots of movies are on tap.
Some films debuted at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year (“Fancy Dance”), while others count nominations and awards from the Tribeca Festival (“Marinette”) and SXSW Festival. Some films were shot in Ukraine and Spain; others are from rural Pennsylvania (“Hayride to Hell”). And at least one, the documentary “Black Barbie,” was recently purchased by Netflix — and locals now have the opportunity to see it here ahead of time.
The Centre Film Festival is aiming to become an academy-qualifying festival, meaning a festival award would qualify the winner for the Academy Awards. (More than 100 festivals worldwide currently hold that distinction.) And this year’s edition should serve as an important step forward.
About 40 films will be shown in-person at multiple venues, including State College’s The State Theatre and Tempest Studio; Philipsburg’s The Rowland Theatre; and Penn State’s Carnegie Cinema and Foster Auditorium. Tickets vary by film and venue, but range from pay-what-you-can to $12 for adults. An all-access pass for all screenings can be purchased online, or picked up at The State Theatre, for $52.
Some of those films, in addition to about 60 others, will also be available to rent online at centrefilm.org through the end of the festival, as long as you’re located within Pennsylvania. Most are also pay-what-you-can.
Here’s a closer look at all the in-person films, along with what directors/actors will be available for post-screening Q&As. (All plot synopses are taken from Centre Film, the respective film websites and/or IMDB.)
Monday
(2-film showing starts 6:30 p.m. at The State Theatre)
Film No. 1: “Marinette”
Genre: Biopic/drama; Runtime: 104 minutes; Language: English, French; Director: Virginie Verrier
Synopsis: This biopic traces the unlikely career path of Marinette Pichon, a pioneer of French women’s soccer, who fought sexism, homophobia and an abusive father to become the first French player to make a career in the U.S. (The decorated forward announced her international retirement in 2006.) This film is based on the biography “Ne jamais rien lâcher,” and it was nominated for Best International Narrative Feature at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.
What to know: Both Marinette Pichon and director Virginie Verrier will be on-hand for the screening at The State Theatre, where they will take part in a post-screening Q&A with Penn State’s Marie Hardin, dean of the Bellisario College of Communications.
Film No. 2: “Dirt Circus”
Genre: Short/Documentary; Runtime: 16 minutes; Language: English; Director: John Affleck
Synopsis: This is the story of the auto racing subculture seen through a rivalry at Clinton County Speedway. It captures “the passion, danger and excitement of dirt track racing.”
What to know: Director John Affleck has served as Penn State’s director of the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism since 2013. He will also be available for a post-screening Q&A.
Tuesday
(2-film showing starts 6:30 p.m. at The State Theatre)
Film No. 1: “The Judgment”
Genre: Drama/Horror; Runtime: 111 minutes; Language: English; Director: Marwan Mokbel
Synopsis: A gay Egyptian couple return from the U.S. for a family emergency. In this homophobic environment, their secret threatens to unravel after someone who knows the secret leaves witchcraft at their door.
What to know: Director Marwan Mokbel and actor Junes Zahdi will be in attendance at The State Theatre. They will hold a post-screening Q&A with Gabby Sumney, a Penn State associate professor in the College of Communications.
Film No. 2: “The Halt”
Genre: Short/Horror; Runtime: 13 minutes; Language: Turkish; Director: Güner Tuncer
Synopsis: A man, alongside his wife, sets out to take his sick father to the hospital. But, as the journey progresses, conflicts between different family members become more evident.
What to know: Director Güner Tuncer, born in 1982, is a student at Düzce University in Turkey. His short was made on a budget of $2,000.
(2-film showing starts at 9:30 p.m. at Penn State’s Carnegie Cinema)
Film No. 1: “Hayride to Hell”
Genre: Horror; Runtime: 91 minutes; Language: English; Director: Dan Lantz
Synopsis: A small-town farmer exacts his bloody revenge on the town folk who have been trying to steal his land.
What to know: Screenwriters Bob Lange and Kristina Chadwick will both be on-hand at Carnegie Cinema for a post-screening Q&A. The movie was filmed in rural Pennsylvania on a 230-acre farm.
Film No. 2: “The Making of Hayride to Hell”
Genre: Short/Documentary; Runtime: 14 minutes; Language: English; Director: Alex Djordjevic
Synopsis: A look behind the scenes of “Hayride to Hell” and how a farmer made a horror film.
Wednesday
(2-film showing starts at 2 p.m. at Paterno Library’s Foster Auditorium)
Film No. 1: “Jess Plus None”
Genre: Comedy; Runtime: 101 minutes; Language: English; Director: Mandy Fabian
Synopsis: A reluctant maid-of-honor attending an off-the-grid wedding in the woods must confront her perfect ex-girlfriend, her more successful college friends, and every single one of her life choices.
What to know: Director Mandy Fabian will be in attendance at Paterno Library’s Foster Auditorium, where she will be available for a post-screening Q&A.
Film No. 2: “Halmoni’s Pot (Grandma’s Pot)“
Genre: Short/Comedy; Runtime: 10 minutes; Language: English; Director: A. Lauren Lee
Synopsis: A dutiful, loving halmoni (grandmother) reluctantly agrees to buy marijuana for her grandson. But pay full price? Never!
What to know: Director A. Lauren Lee won multiple film festival awards for her 2015 short film “The Good Boy,” including Best Screenplay (Milwaukee Short Film Festival) and Best Director (L.A. Diversity Film Festival).
(2-film showing starts at 6:30 p.m. at The State Theatre)
Film No. 1: “Irena’s Vow”
Genre: Drama; Runtime: 121 minutes; Language: English; Director: Louise Archambault
Synopsis: Follows the life of 19-year-old Polish nurse Irena Gut Opdyke, who was awarded the Righteous Among the Nations medal in 1982 for showing remarkable courage in her attempt to save Polish Jews during World War II. She hid 12 Jewish workers in the basement of a Nazi officer’s home ... where she worked.
What to know: There will be a post-screening discussion with the daughter of Irena Gut Opdyke, Jeannie Opdyke Smith, and Penn State’s Boaz Dvir, director of the Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Education Initiative at the Bellisario College of Communications.
Film No. 2: “Sevap/Mitzvah”
Genre: Short/Drama; Runtime: 20 minutes; Language: N/A; Director: Sabina Vajrača
Synopsis: In Nazi-occupied Bosnia, a Muslim woman risks her life to save her Jewish friends — and is saved by them in turn 50 years later.
What to know: This film has already received seven nominations and won three awards, including as the 2023 Humanitas Prize winner for Short Film.
Thursday
(1-film showing starts at noon at The State Theatre)
Film: “Breaking the News”
Genre: Documentary; Runtime: 99 minutes; Language: English; Directors: Heather Courtney, Chelsea Hernandez, Princess A. Hairston
Synopsis: Seeking to buck the white male status quo, a group of women and LGBTQ+ journalists launch a news startup, asking who’s been omitted from mainstream coverage and how to include them.
What to know: Director Princess Hairston will be in attendance at The State Theatre, where she will be available for a post-screening Q&A.
(2-film showing starts at 6:30 p.m. at The State Theatre)
Film No. 1: “Frybread Face & Me”
Genre: Drama; Runtime: 83 minutes; Language: English; Director: Billy Luther
Synopsis: Two adolescent Navajo cousins from different worlds bond during a summer herding sheep on their grandmother’s ranch in Arizona while learning more about their family’s past and themselves.
What to know: Director Billy Luther will be in attendance at The State Theatre and will hold a post-screening Q&A with Penn State’s Tracy Peterson, director of student transitions and and pre-college programs.
Film No. 2: “Fatih the Conqueror”
Genre: Short/Comedy; Runtime: 15 minutes; Language: French, Turkish; Director: Onur Yağız
Synopsis: This Saturday is a Turkish wedding day. Huddled in a car in the parking lot, Fatih, 21, wants to get married. He has set his sights on Ipek, Recep’s sister. But neither his best friend, nor Recep, nor even Ipek are aware of this.
Friday
(3-film showing starts at 6 p.m. at Philipsburg’s The Rowland Theatre)
Film No. 1: “Fancy Dance”
Genre: Drama; Runtime: 91 minutes; Language: English; Director: Erica Tremblay
Synopsis: Following her sister’s disappearance, a Native American hustler kidnaps her niece from the child’s white grandparents and sets out for the state powwow in hopes of keeping what is left of their family intact.
What to know: Director Erica Tremblay will be in attendance at Philipsburg’s The Rowland Theatre and will discuss the film with Holly Kalugo, a Penn State associate professor of education. “Fancy Dance” premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and currently boasts an 84 “Metascore.”
Film No. 2: “Rosalie Fish”
Genre: Short/Documentary; Runtime: 10 minutes; Language: English; Directors: Faith E. Briggs, Tim Kemple
Synopsis: For Rosalie Fish, Indigenous student-athlete and activist, running isn’t just a sport — it’s how she represents the strength and resilience of indigenous women within her tribe and beyond. Rosalie’s story sheds a light on the several indigenous women who have been murdered or missing.
What to know: The film was nominated for the Best Documentary Short at the 2022 Red Rock Film Festival.
Film No. 3: “Be Kind, Please”
Genre: Short/Experimental; Runtime: 3 minutes; Language: N/A; Director: Ace McColl
Synopsis: Told through compiled voicemails and damaged analog tapes, this piercing short film offers an intimate look into a daughter’s complicated relationship with her father.
(2-film showing starts at 8 p.m. at Philipsburg’s The Rowland Theatre)
Film No. 1: “Our Son”
Genre: Drama; Runtime: 103 minutes; Language: English; Director: Bill Oliver
Synopsis: A divorcing gay couple fight over the custody of their 8-year-old son.
What to know: Director Bill Oliver will be in attendance at Philipsburg’s The Rowland Theatre, where he’ll be available for a post-screening Q&A. He was named Best Director at the FilmOut Festival in San Diego.
Film No. 2: “Reunion”
Genre: Short/Drama; Runtime: 15 minutes; Language: N/A; Directors: Zainab Jah, Timothy Naylor
Synopsis: An African immigrant discovers the child soldier who wiped out her family years ago is now a best-selling author living in New York City.
What to know: Directors Zainab Jah and Timothy Naylor will both be on-hand at Philipsburg’s The Rowland Theatre, where they’ll be available for a post-screening Q&A.
Saturday
(1-film showing starts at noon at Philipsburg’s The Rowland Theatre)
Film: “Homeboys”
Genre: Documentary; Runtime: 59 minutes; Language: Arabic, English, Hebrew; Director: Tamar Goren
Synopsis: A musical-documentary film follows Samuel and Isaac, South-Sudanese teenagers deported from Israel who dream about being musicians. Amir, an Israeli musician, comes to their refugee camp in Uganda to work with them. Through rhythm and sound, the film follows hardships and the high hopes of young refugees, as they deal with dreams in a complex reality.
What to know: Director Tamar Goren and writer/musician Amir Sade will both be in attendance for the screening at Philipsburg’s The Rowland Theatre, where they’ll be available for a post-screening Q&A.
(2-film showing starts at 1 p.m. at Philipsburg’s The Rowland Theatre)
Film No. 1: “Black Barbie”
Genre: Documentary; Runtime: 100 minutes; Language: English; Director: Lagueria Davis
Synopsis: Through intimate access to Mattel insider Beulah Mae Mitchell, the filmmaker’s 83-year-old aunt, “Black Barbie” delves into the cross-section of merchandise and representation as Black women strive to elevate their own voices and stories, refusing to be invisible.
What to know: Cinematographer Sara Garth will be on-hand to discuss the documentary with Grace Hampton, who is a Penn State professor emerita of art, art education, integrative arts, and African Studies. The documentary won the Sidewalk Film Festival award as the Best Black Lens Film, and it was also a nominee for an audience award at the SXSW Film Festival.
Film No. 2: “A Feminist Lens: The Art and Activism of Photographer Joan Roth”
Genre: Documentary; Runtime: 28 minutes; Language: N/A; Director: Pamela French
Synopsis: The film focuses on five decades of Roth’s pioneering use of her camera to advocate for homeless women in New York City, document leaders in the U.S. women’s movement from the 1970s to today, and shine a light on the diverse lives of Jewish women around the world.
What to know: Photographer Joan Roth and producer Melanie Roth will be in attendance to discuss the documentary with Grace Hampton, who is a Penn State professor emerita of art, art education, integrative arts, and African Studies.
(2-film showing starts at 3 p.m. at Philipsburg’s The Rowland Theatre)
Film No. 1: “Don’t You Go Nowhere”
Genre: Short/Drama; Runtime: 8 minutes: Language: English; Director: Bryan Poyser
Synopsis: A jazz dynamo belts his way through his weekly set until he makes an unexpected connection with an audience member.
What to know: Director Bryan Poyster will be on-hand for the screening at Philipsburg’s The Rowland Theatre, where he will also be available for a post-screening Q&A.
Film No. 2: “Mom & Dad’s Nipple Factory”
Genre: Documentary; Runtime: 90 minutes; Language: English; Director: Justinsuperstar
Synopsis: A quirky and heartwarming look at how a conservative Christian couple — where the wife underwent a successful mastectomy — deals with starting a nipple prosthetic business, all while staying under the radar from their friends, church and five children in small-town Wisconsin.
What to know: Director Justinsuperstar will be in attendance for the screening at Philipsburg’s The Rowland Theatre, where they will be available for a post-screening Q&A.
(2-film showing starts at 5:30 p.m. at Philipsburg’s The Rowland Theatre)
Film No. 1: “We Will Not Fade Away”
Genre: Documentary; Runtime: 100 minutes; Language: Russian, English, Ukrainian; Director: Alisa Kovalenko
Synopsis: For five teenagers living in the conflict-ridden Donbas region of Ukraine, a Himalayan expedition provides a brief escape from reality. A portrait of a generation that, in spite of everything, is able to recognize and celebrate the fragile beauty of life.
What to know: This documentary has already won five festival film awards, such as Best Documentary Film (Ukrainian Film Academy Awards), Best Documentary Film in the Field of Human Rights Protection (Odesa International Film Festival) and Best Film (Docudays UA International Documentary Human Rights Film Festival).
Film No. 2: “Hedgehog”
Genre: Short/Drama; Runtime: 17 minutes; Language: Ukrainian; Director: D. Mitry
Synopsis: As the war starts in Ukraine, 6-year-old Nina is sent to her grandmother’s remote village. In the shack outside, Nina discovers a badly wounded Russian soldier.
What to know: David Messick and Simona Calin of “Hedgehog” are set to speak publicly with Notre Dame anthropology professor Ian Kuijt, who is also a reporter, for a post-screening Q&A.
(1-film showing starts at 8 p.m. at Philipsburg’s The Rowland Theatre)
Film: “Scream of my Blood: A Gogol Bordello Story”
Genre: Documentary; Runtime: 90 minutes; Language: English, Ukrainian; Directors: Eric Weinrib, Nate Pommer
Synopsis: Known for their raucous live shows, punk rock immigrant folk heroes Gogol Bordello delve into their past and present as they voyage home to Ukraine amidst a smattering of bombs.
What to know: A live concert performance by Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hütz will follow the screening, which will also serve as a benefit for “Razom for Ukraine.” Hütz will obviously be in attendance, as will the directors and producer Beverly Chase.
Sunday
(7-film “kid friendly” showing starts at 10 a.m. at Tempest Studio in State College)
Film No. 1: “A Carousel in the Rain”
Genre: Short/Drama; Runtime: 3 minutes; Language: English; Director: Jaro Jääskeläinen
Synopsis: A short film about finding happiness in being by yourself through difficult times and looking for a glimmer of hope in finding your love and sharing true happiness.
What to know: This short film won more than a dozen awards, including Best International Short Film (Tekka International Film Festival) and Best European Short Film (Rohip International Film Festival).
Film No. 2: “Jordan”
Genre: Short/Adventure; Runtime: 19 minutes; Director: Ebony Blanding
Synopsis: When a tween mermaid enthusiast discovers an ailing water creature, she uses a magical wish to change the fate of their existence — and her own.
Film No. 3: “A Film with Sound (Take Three)“
Genre: Short/Experimental; Runtime: 3 minutes; Director: Josh Weissbach
Synopsis: A father and daughter make a new movie after the daughter requests to make a film with sound after making a silent one the previous year.
Film No. 4: “The Brave Locomotive”
Genre: Short/Animation; Runtime: 7 minutes; Director: Andrew Chesworth
Synopsis: An Old West musical tale with 1940s flair about a mighty little train facing harrowing disaster.
What to know: The film was named Best Animated Short Film at the International Thai Film Festival.
Film No. 5: “Non-Negotiable”
Genre: Short/Comedy; Runtime: 8 minutes; Language: English; Director: Mike Doxford
Synopsis: A couple in a cafe await with trepidation their harshest critic and most important confidant — their 9 year old daughter. Here she outlines the terms and conditions she requires for the arrival of her new sibling.
What to know: This was named Best Comedy (Beeston Film Festival) and Best Short Comedy (Woods Hole Film Festival) at other festivals.
Film No. 6: “Eid Mubarak”
Genre: Short/Drama; Runtime: 16 minutes; Language: English, Urdu; Director: Mahnoor Euceph
Synopsis: A privileged 6-year-old Pakistani girl embarks on a mission to save her beloved pet goat from being eaten on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Azha, only to learn the meaning of sacrifice.
Film No. 7: “Evans’ Drum”
Genre: Short; Runtime: 14 minutes; Director: Ossie Michelin
Synopsis: An adventurous young boy and his determined mother share a passion for Inuit drum dancing in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Evan’s Drum is an uplifting story of cultural pride.
(2-film showing starts at 10:30 a.m. at The State Theatre)
Film No. 1: “The Pink Lagoon (La Laguna Rosa)“
Genre: Drama; Runtime: 82 minutes; Language: Spanish; Directors: Juan Arce, Francisco Gallo
Synopsis: Mariana is a fiercely independent, 20-something young woman with Down syndrome who loves ballet, art and living her best life. When invited to participate in a publicly funded dance exhibition in the city, she visits uptight, estranged brother Arturo with her free-spirited ballet teacher in tow to ask for some assistance getting there. Arturo, initially resistant, can’t help but be swept up by his sister’s sincerity and true passion for dance.
What to know: This was nominated for Best Feature Film at the San Antonio Film Festival in 2022.
Film No. 2: “My Name is Annabel”
Genre: Short/Documentary; Runtime: 20 minutes; Language: English; Director: Ida Joglar
Synopsis: Annabel Hernandez, a charismatic performer with Down syndrome, tells her story.
(2-film showing starts at 12:30 p.m. at The State Theatre)
Film No. 1: “Unicorns”
Genre: Drama; Runtime: 93 minutes; Language: Catalan, Spanish; Director: Alex Lora
Synopsis: Isa is a feminist and polyamorous posh girl. When Guillem proposes to be a monogamous couple, Isa is not sure if he wants to change her life — so Guillem breaks it off, and Isa is forced to confront her crumbling world and personal contradictions.
What to know: Director Alex Lora will be in attendance for the screening at The State Theatre and will be available for a post-screening Q&A.
Film No. 2: “Good Daughter”
Genre: Short/Drama; Runtime: 19 minutes; Language: N/A; Director: Rachel Annette Helson
Synopsis: A small-time con artist rips off elderly dementia patients by pretending to be their daughter — until the con catches up with her.
What to know: Samantha Sloyan was nominated for Best Actress at the Catalina Film Festival for her role in “Good Daughter.”
(2-film showing starts at 2:30 p.m. at The State Theatre)
Film No. 1: “Hey Viktor!”
Genre: Comedy/Mockumentary; Runtime: 102 minutes; Language: English; Director: Cody Lightning
Synopsis: Twenty-five long years after his time in the limelight, former child actor Cody Lightning tries to revive his fortunes with a self-produced sequel to “Smoke Signals” in this smart, irreverent new comedy.
What to know: The director merited a “special mention” at the Calgary International Film Festival as an RBC Emerging Artist, and the film was nominated for the Canadian Narrative Feature Award at the same festival.
Film No. 2: “Vertebrae”
Genre: Short; Runtime: 21 minutes; Language: N/A; Director: Travis Shilling
Synopsis: Worlds collide when a man makes the long journey home to spread his late mother’s ashes. His arrival awakens the spirit world and a parallel universe reveals itself through his mother’s love of art and nature.
What to know: Director Travis Shilling will be in attendance for the screening, alongside Chandler Living Legacy Award winner Gary Farmer, at The State Theatre and will have a post-screening conversation with Penn State’s Tracy Peterson, director of student transitions and and pre-college programs.
