SIFF takes a break from their excellent Global Lens series to bring you the equally excellent NFFTY.  Pronounced like “nifty”, this festival is;  the National Film Festival for Talented Youth gives you three days (March 28  - 30) of youth-made films, panel discussions, musical performances and more.  The films presented by talented young people dipping their toe into the cinematic waters include short narratives, documentaries, music videos and animations.  There are 73 films originating from all over the country and representing all kinds of viewpoints.  Of what I think is particular note is the Locals Only screening at 3 pm on Sunday featuring five films of various lengths from young Washingtonian filmmakers with an average age of about 17.

Over at the Grand Illusion they are offering up an admission by donation screening of Rubin & Ed, a 1991 film directed by Trent Harris that stars Crispin Glover and Howard Hesseman who take a bizarre road trip through a very strange Utah inspired by the need to bury Glover’s dead cat.  The Grand Illusion offers up a lot of great and/or interesting films that you just can’t see anywhere else; if you go to this film, please donate generously.  If Asian cinema is more your forte, check out the evening screenings of Lost in Beijing, an intense drama about love, violence, blackmail, revenge and redemption.

Aaina is the Urdu word for “mirror” and it’s also the title of the South Asian women’s festival being graciously hosted by Central Cinema.  Performance art, visual art, and speakers aimed at the empowerment of South Asian women are part of this film-centered festival that features movies like Hearts Suspended, a short autobiographical documentary about the struggles of South Asian immigrant women to adjust to being held hostage to their H4  dependant spouse visas, and Enemies of Happiness, about women’s rights in post-Taliban Afghanistan.

Midnight at the Egyptian:  dark thrilled Sin City.

Demi Moore is one of those actors I like almost in spite of myself.  She’s made a lot of stupid career choices but when she’s on her game in a movie that makes an effort, she’s a great actor.  She costars with Michael Caine in Flawless, about a diamond heist in 1960’s Swinging London.  At the Harvard Exit.

Asia Argento plays a drug runner caught in a power struggle with her current and ex-lovers in a non-stop erotic action thriller that takes place in both Paris and Hong Kong.  Boarding Gate opens Friday at NWFF.