Independent Film Festival of Boston 2011 guide

Bellflower
Saturday, Apr. 30 + Monday, May 2
This apocalyptic love story is DIY, full of real explosions and features a fire-breathing car named Medusa—and it’s all shot with handmade. Like a lo-fi, more fun Mad Max, Bellflower generated serious buzz at Sundance. 10pm + 9:30pm. Somerville Theatre

Raising Renee
Sunday, May 1
This documentary by locals Steve Asher and Jeanne Jordan centers around Beverly McIver, a well-known New York painter who finds she must take care of her mentally disabled sister. 5pm. Somerville Theatre

Project Nim
Sunday, May 1
James Marsh (director of the awesome Man On a Wire) documents the true story of a talking chimp. The titular Nim was the subject of a 1970s study to see how an ape would cope with being raised like a human child. 5:30pm. Brattle Theatre

The Whistleblower
Tuesday, May 3
This feature is studded with stars: the aforementioned Weisz and Strathairn, plus the legendary Vanessa Redgrave. The story centers around a police officer (Weisz) who goes to Bosnia to help girls taken into prostitution. Whether it’s good or not, the cast alone makes it worth checking out. 9:30pm. Stuart Street Playhouse

Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop
Wednesday, May 4
A camera follows our red-headed Brookline hometown hero on a live tour. And not just any tour, but the one that he did after he got unceremoniously dumped from The Tonight Show and banned from being funny on TV. 8pm. Coolidge Corner Theatre

The Independent Film Festival Boston runs from April 27–May 4 at the Somerville Theater, The Brattle Theater, The Stuart Street Playhouse and the Coolidge Corner Theater. Go to iffboston.org for more info.