42nd Boston Film Festival

The Boston Film Festival returns September 17 to 21 for its 42nd edition, with a program that goes well beyond the usual indie film showcase. This year's lineup includes independent features, documentaries, shorts, animation, fall studio releases and a new sports category, with four world premieres among the highlights. The festival's strongest appeal is the chance to see films before they become part of the broader conversation, then stick around for post screening Q&As with filmmakers and other industry guests. There are also panels, parties and red carpet events woven into the schedule, so it feels more like a week of cinema than a string of screenings. For local film obsessives, that makes it worth browsing the full program rather than picking a single movie and calling it a day. The festival has been part of Boston's film culture for more than four decades, and this year's expanded program gives it plenty to dig into.