The last few years have not been great for cinephiles in or near North Carolina’s capital. Both the Galaxy Theater in Cary and The Colony Theater in Raleigh have closed their doors, But relief from the doldrums of endless summer is on the way in the form of Filmfest 919, a new project hosted at the Silverspot Theater in Chapel Hill. 

Running October 3-7, the inaugural iteration of the festival opens with Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma and closes with People’s Choice Award from the Toronto International Film Festival, Green Book. Throughout the run, Triangle residents will have the opportunity to, as the festival’s motto states, “catch the films before they catch on. The festival features a strong mix of world cinema and potential award-season favorites, including new films by Hirokazu Koreeda, Olivier Assayas, Asghar Farhadi, and Paul Greengrass.

The festival also features two seminars, including “The Art of Screenwriting” with Chris Burgoch, writer of The Florida Project. (Burgoch was nominated with co-writer Sean Baker in last year’s NCFCA Awards.)

Individual tickets and festival passes are still available at the festival website or theater box office. Be sure to follow NCFCA member coverage at The News & Observer, and NCFCA member sites. Also, keep an eye on the NCFCA Twitter feed for quick takes and early buzz on the first screenings.

Tags: Filmfest 919