The 17th Annual Polish Film Festival kicks off Friday night at SIFF Cinema. If you’ve attended in the past, then you already know that Poland produces some great films; if you’ve never been, this year offers you an excellent introduction to Polish film. Feature films this year include a film about “emotional narcosis” called Drowsiness, romantic comedy Once Again, and Friday’s opening night films Sex Change, a sly political comedy in which a macho man of a president suddenly finds himself turning decidedly feminine, and Warsaw Dark, a suspenseful drama about murder and corruption. The festival runs through April 19 and also includes documentaries, shorts and appearances by filmmakers and film cast members.

The Grand Illusion continues their “X-Rated Adaptations of Pier Paolo Pasolini series with Salo, or, 120 Days of Sodom, Pasolini’s most outrageous film, one that requires a strong stomach at the very least. Based on Pasolini’s interpretation of 120 Days of Sodom by the infamous Marquis de Sade, Salo takes place in the titular Italian state under Nazi control in 1944 where four young people are subject to excruciating torture while a group of middle-aged women tell stories designed to inflame all sorts of passions. Very intense, very unwholesome, very disturbing.

Late night this weekend the Grand Illusion continues the torture theme with early 70s exploitation flick Barn of the Naked Dead, a grindhouse style story about three young women desperately trying to escape the murderous madman who has trapped them in his house of horrors.

NWFF presents this Friday and Saturday special premiere screenings of Ashes of American Flags, a well made concert documentary that showcases five live performances by the band Wilco and gives audiences a closer look at the personalities behind the music.

Also at NWFF: Hunger, British visual artist Steve McQueen’s passionate recounting of the final six weeks in the life of Irish hunger striker Bobby Sands who died in 1981 protesting the conditions for political prisoners in the British penal system.

Much lighter fare is on the calendar over at Central Cinema, where they’ll be screening Cameron Crowe’s debut film, Say Anything, celebrating its 20th anniversary of release.

Midnight at the Egyptian: the ridiculously awesome (or is that awesomely ridiculous?) The Warriors.