An Oscar-winning biopic, a drama about the inventor of windshield wipers and a much-lauded French cartoon are just a few of the highlights at this year's International Film Festival.

The annual event will have 47 total screenings of 22 films at the Charles V. Park Library Auditorium, the Broadway Theatre, 216 E. Broadway St., and Celebration! Cinema, 4395 E. Pickard Road, from March 26 to April 5.

Included this year are short-film compilation "Youth Producing Change," and four documentaries selected from the Human Rights Watch Travelling Film Festival.

"We always pick a few from the Traveling Human Rights Festival, and there's this really interesting film, 'Shadow of the Holy Book,'" said Film Society president and Festival Executive Committee member Stuart Cram. "And then I'm really excited for all the Academy Award-winning films."

Academy Award-nominated films such as "Milk," "Persepolis," and "La Vie En Rose" will be screening, as well as other high-profile movies like "Boy in the Striped Pajamas," "Religulous" and "Flash of Genius."

Chris Couling, general manager of Celebration Cinema, said "Milk" is the film he is most looking forward to, since it has not yet screened in Mount Pleasant.

"A lot of people wanted to see it, and they'll finally get a chance to," Couling said. "I would imagine that would be the premiere attraction for the film festival this year."

"La Vie En Rose," "Persepolis" and two other French films will be presented as a part of the Tournées Festival, with funding from the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and the French Ministry of Culture.

Cram stated he is particularly excited to see "Persepolis," even though the 2007 film is available on DVD.

"You can get it on DVD, but it's not the same as seeing it on the big screen," said Cram, a Crystal Falls senior.

Adding more local flavor is "Fading In: Michigan's Independent Filmmakers," a documentary by Broadcasting and Cinematic Arts professor Kevin Corbett.

The film is a series of interviews with nearly 30 people involved with independent filmmaking in the state. Corbett began work on the documentary last May, after Michigan's tax incentive for filmmaking began.

Corbett completed the film in January and showtimes at the Broadway Theater on Sunday, March 29 and Saturday, April 4 will be the first official screenings.

"He just recently finished it. He came to the (festival's executive) committee and said 'Can you screen this?'" Cram said.

"Fading In" is Corbett's third completed documentary during his time at Central Michigan University, and his second to show at the festival.

"Crazy or What," a film Corbett called "a lighthearted look at the nature of obsession," screened two years ago at the festival.

Cram said planning began for this year's festival in the middle of the fall.

"We looked at quite a few (films)," Cram said. "We have quite a big list, made up by other people, like the Film Society."

After potential films are listed, they are discussed within the Film Selection Board.

Each screening will be facilitated by a number of volunteers from the school and the community. Cram estimated up to 50 total volunteers.

Like the other two locations, volunteers will be taking tickets at the Celebration! screenings, but the theater's own projection staff will be playing the films, Couling said. Celebration! is donating the theater space.

"We're a sponsor of the film festival, so we don't charge any fee to play those movies here," Couling said. "We like to be a partner of it. It's a long-standing tradition in this city."

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