New Hampshire Film Festival Marjorie Prime

Film Festival Top Five

Film
A look at some of the most anticipated movies screening at the NHFF

More than 100 films have been accepted into the 17th annual New Hampshire Film Festival in Portsmouth. The lineup includes feature-length films, documentaries, shorts, and a number of special events spread across several downtown venues. With the four-day festival starting tomorrow (Thursday, Oct. 12), here’s a look at five of the top highlights coming to local screens.

Lucky

Friday, Oct. 13, 10:30-11:55 a.m. at The Music Hall
Saturday, Oct. 14, 7:15-8:40 p.m. at The Music Hall Loft

New Hampshire Film Festival Lucky

Film favorite Harry Dean Stanton died last month, but not before taking the lead role in “Lucky,” the directorial debut of similarly prolific actor John Carroll Lynch. Stanton plays the title character, a 90-year-old Navy veteran forced to reassess his life as he confronts the realities of old age. Oh, and it also features David Lynch.

Marjorie Prime

Friday, Oct. 13, 5:10-6:50 p.m. at The Music Hall
Sunday, Oct. 15, 7-8:40 p.m. at The Music Hall

New Hampshire Film Festival Marjorie Prime

Jon Hamm, Geena Davis, and Tim Robbins headline the star-studded cast of this sci-fi drama, about an elderly woman reunited with her late husband (sort of) via a futuristic service that creates holographic images of deceased loved ones. Directed by Michael Almereyda, “Marjorie Prime” also features Lois Smith as Marjorie.

The Florida Project

Friday, Oct. 13, 7:35-9:30 p.m. at The Music Hall

New Hampshire Film Festival Florida Project

“The Florida Project” documents one summer in the life of a precocious 6-year-old girl being raised by a young single mother at a motel near Disney World. Directed by Sean Baker, the film also stars the always-compelling Willem Dafoe as the motel manager, who becomes a father figure to the girl.

The Reagan Show

Friday, Oct. 13, 7:50-9:05 p.m. at The Music Hall Loft
Saturday, Oct. 14, 5:35-6:50 p.m. at 3S Artspace

New Hampshire Film Festival Reagan Show

Drawing from more than 1,000 hours of rare archival news and White House footage, “The Reagan Show” documents the eight-year tenure of an exceptionally television-savvy president. Directed by Sierra Pettengill and Pacho Velez, the film premiered on CNN last month. The documentary promises some timely comparisons to another TV-obsessed president…

The Square

Saturday, Oct. 14, 9:10-11:30 p.m. at The Music Hall

New Hampshire Film Festival Square

This satirical drama follows the progressive curator of an art museum in Sweden as a stolen phone and a new installation promoted by an unorthodox PR agency wreak havoc on his life. The Swedish film is directed by Ruben Östlund and stars Claes Bang and Elisabeth Moss (of “Mad Men” fame).

For more information about the New Hampshire Film Festival and a full schedule, click here.