You'll find all kinds of cinematic stories, from quiet relationship dramas to noirish thrillers. You can see films about estranged daughters, deranged clowns, and Australian serial killers. If you walk out in a daze, eager to discuss the images you've just seen, you have your pick of 25,000 other festival-goers.
If you've been dying to see just one featured film, you can pick up an individual ticket for $13. With a $40 flex pass, you'll get admitted to any four festival films of your choice. And for $120, the festival pass gives you access to any screening – except for the opening night gala. (See details on that below.) There are also VIP passes and discounts for students and seniors.
In total, there are 175 films to take in, and most of them should bring a satisfying number of smiles, shivers, or tears. Here are some standouts that caught our eye and might very well catch yours. See you at the movies.
The Hero
April 6
An over-the-hill actor (Sam Elliott) is content to sit around and smoke weed all day. But when he faces a serious diagnosis, the old man decides he's got some business to attend to. In the same tradition of Crazy Heart and The Wrestler, Bretty Haley's The Hero is a character study about fame, mortality, and mending family ties. The Hero kicks off the festival during a special première event on April 6 at 7:30 p.m. See the Phoenix Film Festival website for details.
Brave New Jersey
April 7 to 9
It's one of the great urban legends: When Orson Welles aired his radio drama War of the Worlds in 1938, many of his listeners mistook the science fiction mockumentary for a real newscast. Unlike a lot of urban legends, the calamity that followed happens to be true, including panic attacks, people locking themselves in their basements, and attempted suicides. Jody Lambert's dark comedy brings those events to life. Brave New Jersey screens at 9:20 a.m. on April 7, at 5:55 p.m. on April 8, and at 1:55 p.m. on April 9. Visit the festival listing for more about Brave New Jersey.
The Lost City of Z
April 8
In the 1920s, British adventurer Percy Fawcett was convinced that an ancient city was concealed within the Amazon, and he ventured into the world's largest rainforest in order to find it. Instead of returning with photographic evidence, Fawcett disappeared without a trace. James Grey's The Lost City of Z is both biopic and historical thriller, largely based on the bestselling book by David Grann. Was Fawcett a visionary explorer with bad luck, or was he a New Age-y fantasist with delusions of grandeur? Find out on April 8 at 7 p.m. Visit the Phoenix Film Festival website for more about The Lost City of Z.
Arizona Shorts
April 8 and 9
The Phoenix Film Festival has a number of short film compilations, including horror flicks, science-fiction shorts, and even showcase of black and Native American directors. But locals should get a particular kick out of Arizona Shorts, brief dramas and documentaries by area filmmakers. As plucky Arizonans are always trying to prove, you don't have to emigrate to Los Angeles to make moving pictures. One particular standout is Just Like Us, the documentary about an Arizona camp for people with special needs. The first round of shorts screens April 8 at 9:05 a.m., and the second April 9 at 4:30 p.m. See the Phoenix Film Festival website for a list of other short films.
Quaker Oaths
April 7 to 9
Three fun facts about Quakers: 1. They abstain from violence. 2. They hold "meetings," where congregants sit in silence until someone decides to say something. 3. When Quakers get married, their friends and family all sign an ornate marriage contract, approving of the union. But what happens when Quakers divorce? Quaker Oaths is the lighthearted story of a couple trying to break their commitment, with the help of everyone they care about. But will they second-guess their decision? Director Louisiana Kreutz explores the gentle world of modern Quakerism. Quaker Oaths plays April 7 at 5:50 p.m., April 8 at 9:15 a.m., and April 9 at 4:20 p.m. If the spirit moves you, see more details about Quaker Oaths.
Read on for more of the 2017 Phoenix Film Festival's top-notch offerings.
Painless
April 7 to 9
This might just win the logline of the year: "If you don't feel pain, how do you know you're alive?" A scientist (Joey Klein) is incapable of feeling physical pain. That might sound great at first, but he also doesn't have the instinct to avoid dangerous things. Out of nowhere, a mysterious man offers to reverse his condition. But Jordan Horowitz's moody film poses an uncanny question: Is painlessness a handicap to be cured, or a power to be enjoyed? Painless screens April 7 at 1:45 p.m., April 8 at 7:55 p.m., and April 9 at 11:55 a.m. To learn more about Painless, visit the festival website.
The Open - teaser trailer (w/ English subtitles) from Village 42 on Vimeo.
The OpenApril 8 and 9
Leave it to a French director to imagine a dystopia where plucky survivors of a global war rekindle their humanity by playing tennis. Marc Lahore's film has been compared to Tank Girl, although we'll probably have to see the film to see why, since the beautifully shot trailer leaves more questions than answers. The Open screens April 8 at 6 p.m. and April 9 at 9:40 p.m. To learn more about The Open, visit the Phoenix Film Festival website.
Gold Star
April 7, 10, and 13
Vicki is not doing well. She's dropped out of college, her father is very ill, and she's lost all direction in life. But just when Vicki is about to give up, her life takes a dramatic turn. Victoria Negri's Gold Star is the kind of grassroots relationship drama that required a Kickstarter campaign to get funding. Now, we have the chance to see the fruits of her labors. Bonus: Negri directed and starred, winning an acting award at the Oxford Film Festival. Gold Star screens April 7 at 11:15 a.m., April 10 at 7:10 p.m., and April 13 at 12:30 p.m. Visit the Film Fest website to learn more about Gold Star.
The Islands and the Whales
April 7 and 9
Halfway between the shores of Scotland and Iceland, the Faroe Islands have remained largely unchanged since the Middle Ages. That lack of change includes a lingering affection for whaling. But as Mike Day's documentary attests, tradition doesn't always keep up with the times, and the Faroese may face a day of environmental reckoning. The Island and the Whales screens April 7 at 9:05 a.m. and April 9 at 11:35 a.m. Harpoon more information at the Phoenix Film Festival website.
Tommy's Honour
April 13
Nothing says "film festival hosted in Scottsdale" like an epic motion picture about golf. Jason Connery's film follows the lives of Tom and Tommy Morris, the father-and-son team that basically created professional golf. Jack Lowden plays the uppity young Scotsman who would make a fortune swinging clubs for British nobles – until he started going his own way. The film closes the festival on April 13 at 7:30 p.m. For more information about Tommy's Honor, visit the Phoenix Film Festival website.