SpIFF 2015: Japan goes Coen Brothers

Our resident cinematic treasure, the Spokane International Film Festival, had a pretty fair opening weekend. One of the best in its 17-year history. So now we continue the run, through Saturday, and we'll see just how interested Spokane movie fans are about seeing intriguing film.

The festival screens two programs, essentially back to back, at the Magic Lantern tonight. A feature, "Kumiko: The Treasure Hunter," will screen in the Lantern's 100-seat theater at 6:30. A program of International Shorts will screen in the 33-seat theater beginning at 6:45.

The feature, which will be hosted by Chase Ogden, a professor of film at Eastern Washington University, follows a young Japanese woman who is convinced that the loot seen buried in the movie "Fargo" is real. And so she goes off in search of it. David Ehrlich, writing for Film.com, called it "One of the best films to ever premiere at Sundance" — which is fairly high praise.

The shorts program will be hosted by Adam Boyd, a lecturer in film at EWU and a filmmaker himself. Seven films, ranging from four to 23 minutes and hailing from countries as diverse as China, Canada and Brazil, fill out the program.

Bit of advice: Seats at the Lantern are, clearly, limited. Show up early to ensure that you get in.