Coming up in repertory film: qFLIX, the Women’s Film Festival, and more

Three years ago, the first qFLIX — a film festival dedicated to showcasing work by and about the LGBTQ community — was held in Philadelphia. This year, the festival lineup includes more than 30 titles that will screen at the Prince Theater, University of the Arts, and other venues around the city from March 14 to 19. Opening night at the Kimmel Center will feature a new Irish film, Handsome Devil, which follows a burgeoning relationship between two mismatched boarding school roommates. Other films on the program include dramas, comedies, documentaries, and shorts that cover a host of topics, from sex and relationships to crime and politics.

According to the qFLIX ticketing page, only members can buy tickets to festival screenings. All-access badges cost between $50 and $165.

Girls to the front

Concurrent with qFLIX will be the Women’s Film Festival, another nascent institution formed in 2014 by veterans of the local festival circuit. The two events even share the same venues: The Women’s Festival will have its opening night on March 16 at the Kimmel Center, and almost all of its screenings will happen at the Prince (with the exception of a short program at the Asian Arts Initiative on March 19, the last day of the festival). All-access badges cost between $50 and $100.

On March 17, a lineup of several short films at the Prince includes Skin from 14-year-old Philadelphia filmmaker/photographer Aniya Wolfe, who funds her film projects through her own photography business. Skin follows “three teenagers facing their own harsh realities” of friendship, family life, and big decisions.

To give you an idea of the scope of the festival’s repertoire, take a look at its closing-day lineup on March 19. One documentary screening earlier on tells the story of a Guatemalan woman persevering through civil war. Later that evening, another doc explores the enduring influence of Madonna. So yeah, it’s a varied occasion.

Critical darlings, old and new

Even more good news out of the Kimmel Center this month: On April 8, it will host two screenings of The Godfather, presented in 4k digital resolution in the Perelman Theater. That’s way better than a laptop, so if you haven’t already seen this universally acclaimed masterpiece, don’t miss the chance to experience it in an ideal context. Hosted by Philadelphia magazine’s Victor Fiorillo, the event will donate 10 percent of its sales to Project H.O.M.E. Tickets cost $12.

Finally, on March 23, CineMug will pull through for everyone who fell behind on Oscar season when it shows Arrival, last year’s sci-fi juggernaut that won nominations left and right. Admission costs $5 and you can BYOB. That’s a little cheaper than the Riverview.