A yearly tradition at Michigan Tech, the 41 North Film Festival will take place this week for the tenth year in a row. The festival allows Michigan Tech students and the public the opportunity to view a myriad of new independent films. The festival is free and open to the public.
This year, the festival will take place between Thursday, Nov. 7, and Sunday, Nov. 10. All films are scheduled to be shown either in the Rozsa Center theater or in Fisher Hall 135. The festival will begin with a short program containing three to four new independent short films, followed by two similar programs.
This year’s festival will include the Michigan premiere of “Somnium” (2024) and twenty other films. The festival is also working with Michigan Tech’s Film Board to show multiple viewings of “Whiplash” (2014) and “A Thousand and One” (2023) in Fisher Hall 135. Other feature highlights include “Eno” (2024) and “Agent of Happiness” (2024).
Multiple films have Q&As after the viewing, giving audience members the chance to ask experts, filmmakers, and Michigan Tech professors insightful questions about a film and its topic. The festival has also invited a variety of musical acts to play in the Rosza lobby at scheduled times, giving audience members a break from consistent viewings.
The stated mission of the festival is to “provide Michigan Tech students and the surrounding community with an opportunity to see new films that take up important topics of the day, to facilitate engagement and discussion, and to provide opportunities to interact with filmmakers about the art and business of cinematic storytelling.”
The festival asks Michigan Tech students to use the Rozsa’s south door and tap their Michigan Tech I.D. to enter the theater. The festival is run using funding from major sponsors and donations from individual supporters. For more information and a detailed schedule, visit 41northfilmfest.mtu.edu.
