Laura Blum

Reading what Brooklyn International Film Festival executive director Marco Ursino has to say about "Stunt," the theme of this year's edition (June 4 to 13, 2010) in Brooklyn, New York, I can't help but wonder if he's been fraternizing with his title sponsor, Bushmills Irish Whiskey:

"With Stunt, the festival intends to take a snapshot at some of the hottest issues affecting our times while emphasizing the weight and gravity of being on a critical collision path with history. By acknowledging the fact that like never before our single and organized actions may affect both local and global environments, we invite everybody to get ready to discuss with us local issues of planetary proportions."

I'll have what he's having.

Not that, lord forbid, there's anything wrong with like-worried souls pondering weight, gravity and things that go bump in history's night. On the contrary, how refreshing that a film festival -- and one that's a bridge away from Wall Street -- would mention "issues of planetary proportions" on its program. It's just that I seldom see such copy or, for that matter, the pink elephants that helped write it.

Established in 1998, New York's first international competitive film festival isn't all teach-ins and rebirths. One of its stated aims is "to connect filmmakers to distribution companies and expose them to the media," and its roster of past premieres that snagged theatrical releases and/or a retail life is a point of Festival pride. Contemplating the Earth, even at its blog Meridian, only gets a filmmaker so far.

BiFF struts into its 13th year with more than 100 premieres, drawn down from some 2,400 films that regaled its inbox from 92 countries. The Festival takes care of its native sons and daughters; 16 of the films hail from Brooklyn filmmakers, and 12 are set in Brooklyn.

The Opening Night films are Gabi on the Roof in July, a tweak on relationships and callings from Brooklynite Lawrence Michael Levine, and Madoffesque romp Welfare Worker/Der Fürsorger, from Swiss-based Lutz Konermann. Both will be shown at Brooklyn Heights Cinema, followed by an after-party at Dumbo gallery, boutique, book store and performance space, The powerHouse Arena.

If Opening Night's double bill was selected for its "Stunt"-worthy commentary on the way of the contemporary world, so too are two of the Festival's world premieres: Corey Wascinsky's The Minutemen Movie and Sebastian Conley's Blogging Colin Heart's Kay. The former chronicles a group of real life rebels along the U.S/Mexico border who take the matter of undocumented immigrants into their own hands. And in the latter, Park Slope cartoonist Colin Jenson looks humorously back on his failed love with a fellow blogger.

Also Stuntalicious is Queen of the Sun, the new documentary by Taggart Siegel (The Real Dirt on Farmer John). about today's threat to the world's bees. To crib a sobering teaser from the program blurb, "Without bees, Albert Einstein said, 'Man would only have four years of life left.'" Which was sort of the theme of Bee Movie, come to think.

This year, the Festival will also show films at indieScreen, a recently opened cinema and bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. For example, it will share hosting honors for the annual kidsfilmfest, BiFF's offering for families and children. The Long Island Children's Museum, in Garden City, New York, is another kidsfilmfest venue.

Fun and toys are also being dangled before the Festival's vying filmmakers, who stand to gain $50,000 in film services, products and cash come the Closing Awards ceremony.

Get the full fest lowdown at www.brooklynfilmfestival.org.