The ninth annual Syracuse International Film Festival, dubbed “All You Need is Film,” will take place Oct. 11-14 this year. In addition to dozens of screenings at the Palace Theatre, the Watson Theatre and CNY Jazz Central, there will be a number of Le Moyne-hosted and -sponsored events, including an extended Peace and Social Justice Showcase in Grewen Auditorium.

“In previous years, the Le Moyne College Justice sidebar sponsored one afternoon of film screenings,” communications and religious studies professor Fr. Adelmo Dunghe, S.J., said. “This year, our screenings have doubled to two afternoons, showcasing a wide variety of international documentary films (and one dramatic feature from France).”

The showcase, which will take place Saturday, Oct. 13 and Sunday, Oct. 14, includes visits from the directors of several films being screened: “300 Miles to Freedom,” a film about slaves traveling through the 19th-century Underground Railroad and living in freedom in Central New York; “Camp Unity,” a film chronicling the lives of Iraqi youth who get to live their musical dreams in the aftermath of the war; and “Record Paradise,” a documentary made by Michael Streissguth, the director of the communications program.

The directors of two gay-and-lesbian documentaries will also be present: “Unfit: Ward vs. Ward,” the story of a lesbian mother’s struggle to get custody of her daughter and “Taking a Chance on God,” a film about the life of gay theologian John McNeill (former Le Moyne professor and ex-Jesuit), who wrote “The Church and the Homosexual,” a Christian text on God’s love for gays and lesbians.

“Fr. McNeill is now nearly 90 and very frail, but director Brendan Fay tells me we might get a visit from Fr. McNeill via Skype,” Dunghe said. “Whether or not we can make that happen, I’m sure the film will have enormous interest for Le Moyne, for the festival and for the Syracuse community.

“When ‘Taking a Chance on God’ had its first screening for Gay Dignity for New York City in June, so many tickets were sold that they had to book a theater with hundreds more seats,” he noted. “I think that sold out, too. If we sell out, maybe we’ll storm the Palace Theater.”

Le Moyne, along with the Society of New Music, is also sponsoring the Friday, Oct. 12 screening of Charlie Chaplin’s silent classic “The Gold Rush” at the Palace Theater. The screening will be accompanied by a live score courtesy of Italian composer Gian Luca Baldi and performed by members of the Society of New Music.

Professor Dunghe, along with communications professor and Le Moyne alum James Fleury, serves as Le Moyne’s acting director for the film program. The two were responsible for organizing Le Moyne-related events and choosing the films screened here.

“Although I’ve attended the festival several times before, especially when I was a student, this is my first time being directly involved with it,” Fleury said. “Dr. Julie Grossman, who’s always been an active link between Le Moyne and the festival, had known I’ve wanted to help out, so she asked me to be a Le Moyne rep this year.”

Fleury admits he’s excited about a particular handful of screenings this year.

“As a pop culture fan, I’m looking forward to the screening of ‘Hellboy’ on Saturday, Oct. 14 at the Palace Theater,” he said. “Not only is the Palace a must-see locale for anyone even remotely interested in cinema, Hellboy himself, Ron Perlman, will be participating in a Q&A via Skype!”

“And I’m looking forward to the Nov. 13 presentation by Rob Edwards, screenwriter of Disney’s ‘The Princess and the Frog,’” Fleury continued. “This is the first part of the second annual FilmTalkSeries, which brings audiences together with film artists. All FilmTalk events will take place will take place right on campus at the PAC. Clearly, there’s a lot to be excited about.”

Several communications majors, including Hannah Andrews, Mallory Munro and Caitlin McGuire, are working with the festival’s PR to spread the word about the festival.

“The theme for the entire festival this year is social justice,” McGuire said. “Local communities identify with that aspect, so we’re using our talents and strengths to get the word out.”

The theme came about after the tragic death of Bassel Shahade, a Fulbright scholar at Syracuse University who was killed in Syria while training filmmakers and journalists to capture Syrian life.

“He tried to merge the worlds of justice and film, so as to raise awareness and better the world,” McGuire said. “We’re hoping the festival can likewise raise cultural awareness and be a catalyst to some great efforts.”

Above all, Fleury recommends that students attend at least one, if not several events.

“You’ll get to see interesting movies [and] potentially meet some of the artists involved,” he said. “And a number of programs are discounted or even free for Le Moyne students!”

For more information on events, visit filminsyracuse.com.