BSAF 2018: Salem Film Fest, Day Eight

IT’S HERE! IT’S HERE! As we told you a couple weeks back, spring is the busiest season for film festivals in Metro Boston. But this year is especially crazy, because FIVE of the festivals were running their programming on the same weekend. Now, that weekend has passed, and two of the festivals are saying goodbye for the year tonight, as another one holds it’s opening night gala.

So…lets get started kiddies! Boston Springs A Fethival 2018 is officially underway, and we’ll have info for all the various festivals and their schedules every day, so be sure to keep your browser turned to eCinemaBoston.com for all the latest info!

The wonderful all-documentary Salem Film Fest concludes its 11th annual program tonight with the closing night film Becoming Who I Was:

In India’s mountainous Ladakh region, a young boy considered the reincarnation of a Tibetan monk and his elderly godfather embark on a grueling trek to return the monk-to-be to his rightful monastery in Tibet. With powerful imagery capturing the natural landscape, this is a stirring exploration of dedication, culture, tradition and identity that conveys the universal truths of unconditional love, family bonds and sacrifice.

Click on the title link for ticketing info; the film description is from the official website. Some tickets can be purchased at the fest box office kiosk at the Museum Place/Witch City Mall in downtown Salem (home of CInemaSalem). The screening for closing night starts at 7 PM at CinemaSalem.
There will also be a closing night reception at one of Salem’s finest establishments, Rockafellas, located just down the street at 231 Essex St; it runs from 9:15 to Midnight and admission is free. The winner of the fest’s Audience Award will be announced at the gala!

Films showing at SFF always begin with a three or four minute short from the “Salem Sketches” series, celebrating the history of the city and its many inhabitants, many of whom own unique businesses that help to make Salem the wonderful tourist destination it has become. They are a delightful slice of life. Many screenings also feature musical performances between shows.

This was the first year that the fest expanded beyond its usual screening homes at CinemaSalem, the Morse Auditorium at Peabody Essex Museum, and the Salem Visitors Center; several screenings were offered at Beverly’s historic Cabot Performance Arts Center, which is now also owned by the owners of CinemaSalem, and also at Rose Performance Hall at Endicott College, also in Beverly, Both are just a quick 5-10 minute drive up the road!

For complete information on the festival and its lineup of offerings from this year, be sure to visit the official website at http://salemfilmfest.com! We have attended this wonderful festival every year since 2012 except for last year, and we have NEVER been disappointed. You will find that SFF is truly a unique experience and is a great fest to cut your festival teeth on if you’ve never been to one before.

One other thing – if you drive and park in the Museum Place Garage, where the cinema is located, and are attending a late screening, you will not be able to access the garage through the mall after it closes. You will need to go out CinemaSalem’s street entrance, turn right and walk 1/2 block to the garage exit, then walk to your vehicle from there. It’s a bit of pain, but not that difficult.

SFF heads into the sunset for 2018 , but the fun isn’t quite over! Don’t forget, Salem Film Fest will be part of our sister podcast Subject:CINEMA‘s massive BSAF coverage throughout the month of May, and also in our huge BSAF SuperGuide PDF online magazine, also coming in mid-May!