About the Festival
Presenting the best of new fiction, documentary and experimental filmmaking by national and international filmmakers, the Massachusetts Multicultural Film Festival, one of the nation’s longest-standing university-based, grant-funded film festivals, seeks to cultivate an appreciation of film and the moving image, to inspire audiences to a deeper understanding of the world's cultures through film, and to celebrate past, present and future achievements of international filmmaking within a university setting. Our culturally diverse films are screened for the benefit of students, faculty, and the interested public, with critical introductions by scholars and filmmakers.
Founded in 1993 by Professors Jacqueline Urla (Anthropology) and Catherine Portuges (Comparative Literature), the Festival was directed for 25 seasons by Catherine Portuges. Subsequent directors include Shawn Shimpach (2017-2019) and Daniel Pope (2020-2023). In recent years, the Festival has featured guest curators such as Laura McGough (Art, 2021) and Mariana Ivanova (German and Scandinavian Studies, 2023), with the support of assistant curators Nefeli Forni Zervoudaki (2019-2022) and Celia Sainz (2023-on going).
Directed by Barbara Zecchi, Head of the Film Studies Interdepartment Program.
Guest Curator of the 2025 Edition: Jim Hicks (Comparative Literature).
Please click here for this year's program
Film screenings are free and open to the public.
Students can participate in the organization of the MMFF, and earn credit, through our Internship Program.
Or they can enroll in one of these two classes:
FILM-ST 291F – Film Festival Undergrad Lab: Creation, Curation, and Conversation (3 credits -Pass/Fail) Wednesdays, 6:30pm-10:30pm Course Description: Students will learn the essentials of film festival organization by using the Massachusetts Multicultural Film Festival (MMFF) as a detailed case study. Through close study of MMFF’s planning and execution, students will learn about each stage of festival creation, from programming to marketing and audience outreach. Additionally, they will actively participate in the festival through discussions of the films. This hands-on approach provides students with valuable skills in both event planning and public discourse around cinema.
FILM-ST 691F -Film Festival Grad Lab: Creation, Curation, and Conversation (1 credit -Pass/Fail) Wednesdays, 6:30p.m. -10:30pm Course Description: Students will learn the essentials of film festival organization by using the Massachusetts Multicultural Film Festival (MMFF) as a detailed case study. Through close study of MMFF’s planning and execution, students will learn about each stage of festival creation, from programming to marketing and audience outreach. Additionally, they will actively participate in the festival by co-leading discussions on selected films, fostering an environment of critical engagement and multicultural awareness. This hands-on approach provides students with valuable skills in both event planning and public discourse around cinema.
For questions about the festival, if you wish to donate to the festival, or if you would like your film to be screened at the festival, please contact Celia Sainz, Assistant Curator, or Barbara Zecchi, Program Director.