🎬 The Tacoma Film Festival Turns 20 With a Rocky Horror Opening Night October 22

Tacoma's hometown film festival hits a milestone this week. The 20th Tacoma Film Festival runs Thursday, October 22, through Sunday, October 25, mostly at The Grand Cinema downtown.

Opening night sets the tone. At 7 PM Thursday, the festival screens "Time Warp," a new documentary from Allison Berg about a production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in a conservative Wyoming town. Organizers are encouraging the crowd to show up in Rocky Horror costume, and the after party is next door at The Poet.

The rest of the weekend mixes features, documentaries, and shorts from the Pacific Northwest and around the world. A late-night Friday shorts block, "Sorry For Laughing," brings filmmakers in for a Q&A, and a few screenings move to The Blue Mouse in Proctor. The festival closes with a return of "Everything Beautiful Is Far Away" from director Peter Ohs, which had its Washington premiere here nearly 10 years ago.

The awards ceremony is Sunday at 2:30 PM and open to the public, with prizes including Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Short, and Best Pacific Northwest Feature.

Details:

• When: Thursday, October 22, to Sunday, October 25

• Where: The Grand Cinema, 606 S Fawcett Ave, Tacoma, plus select screenings at The Blue Mouse

• Tickets: $15 to $25 per screening at The Grand's website or box office; VIP festival pass $225

• Opening night: "Time Warp," Thursday at 7 PM, costumes encouraged

Real estate note: a 20-year-old film festival anchored by a nonprofit downtown theater is the kind of culture that makes Tacoma feel like a real city. Being able to walk from dinner to an indie premiere is a big part of why downtown and the Stadium District keep drawing buyers.