The Minnesota Film Festival (MFF) shines a light on local films, Indigenous voices, stories from across the midwest, and beyond! Held annually each Spring at the Zeitgeist’s Zinema, MFF brings together film lovers and filmmakers.
MFF champions local talent alongside international films to bridge communities through new perspectives. Throughout the week, guests can look forward to film screenings, post-film conversations with film guests, community events, networking opportunities, parties, and more!
Festival Schedule
Saturday, March 22, 2025
Join Or Die
Zinema 1
11:00 AM
Follow the half-century story of America's civic unraveling through the journey of legendary social scientist Robert Putnam, whose groundbreaking "Bowling Alone" research into America's decades-long decline in community connections could hold the answers to our democracy's present crisis.
Indigenous Shorts
Zinema 2
12:00 PM
Stories from Indigenous and First Nation filmmakers.
Freelancing 101: Making a Living in Film
Zeitgeist Teatro
1:00 PM
MN Made Shorts
Zinema 1
1:30 PM
A collection of shorts from filmmakers across Minnesota.
Ultimate Citizens
Zinema 2
2:30 PM
Mr. Jamshid is the charismatic, fiery, and funny guidance counselor in Seattle Public Schools, helping the children of immigrants and refugees find belonging as they train to compete in the world’s largest Ultimate Frisbee Tournament.
Decolonizing Our Youth
AICHO
3:00 PM
As the world strives toward truth and reconciliation for Indigenous peoples of many cultures that have been devastated by centuries of forced colonization, efforts are underway to regain the culture, pride, and narratives through a process called “decolonization”. Educating our young people has the utmost importance in all cultures and this documentary film strives to show that rethinking how we teach children can be a truly amazing way to set a new future for Indigenous people and students from all cultures. This film’s director Lyndon Suntjens is from the Goodfish Lake First Nation and an expert in childhood education from Canada who has taken his First Nations teenage students back to their roots with land based education which engages their heart, mind, and soul. Follow along with Lyndon as he takes the viewer on a student’s journey to learn the important lessons of their Elders and the land they walk upon, while providing a modern education that links to these amazing experiences.
Inside the Festival Circuit: What Programmers Want
Zeitgeist Teatro
3:30 PM
This panel brings together experienced film festival programmers to share insider knowledge on the submission process, what makes a film stand out, common mistakes to avoid, and how programming decisions are made. Whether you're a first-time filmmaker or a festival veteran, this panel will give you the tools to navigate the festival circuit with confidence.
Village Keeper
Zinema 1
3:45 PM
Jean lives in constant fear of everything that could go wrong, going to great lengths to shelter her children. When a spree of violence comes to her doorstep, it leads her on a path that exposes generational chains of silence, self-discovery and finally putting herself first.
Time & Place Shorts
Zinema 2
4:30 PM
Films that look at our realtionships to spaces, our past, and our future.
Boundary Waters
The Depot - Theater
5:00 PM
Suspenseful, tender and rapturous, Boundary Waters is a lyrical coming of age drama that immerses in its young characters as they navigate a very adult world. Set in the Iron Range of Northern Minnesota, Michael Murray relishes in the carefree joys of early adolescence - girls and friends - until his mom has a black eye and a busted lip, but won’t talk about it. Michael is desperate to know what happened but his father Brian avoids him, Granny shushes him, and his usually resilient mother can’t get out of bed. While his family weighs the cost of keeping secrets against the price of telling the truth, Michael is determined to unravel the mystery of his hurt mother and his elusive father.
The Dim
Zinema 1
5:35 PM
When the relationship between Troy and Lisa, a Native American couple, deteriorates into toxic shambles, Troy stumbles upon an inter-dimensional object that turns out to be more a curse than a blessing to himself, and everyone around him.
The Spotlight Celebration + Awards Ceremony
The Depot - Great Hall
7:00 PM
Join us at The Depot Great Hall to celebrate another fabulous festival and to honor a diverse group of filmmakers for their accomplishments. During the festivities we’ll be announcing the winners of the film awards and giving out almost $20,000 in grant awards.
Francophile Shorts
Zinema 2
7:20 PM
A collection of French language films that will leave you charmed.
Date: March 19-23, 2025
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