The Vermont International Film Festival is set to showcase 48 films from 25 countries across six continents, from October 18 at the Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center in Burlington. Executive Director Steve MacQueen highlights the festival’s strong connection to local talent, featuring eight Vermont filmmakers alongside acclaimed international works.

Notable Vermont documentaries include “Far Out: Life on and After the Commune,” directed by Charles Light, which explores the lives of radical journalists who relocated to rural Montague in the 1960s. Other local works include a documentary about a bar in Bethel called “One Night at Babes,” directed by Angelo Madsen, and Susan Bettmann’s “Painting the Dandelion Resurrection,” which captures 90-year-old Bread and Puppet founder Peter Schumann at work.

The festival also includes a narrative short film program, “Family Matters: A Tour of Vermont Short Films,” showcasing diverse stories set in the state. Noteworthy screenings include Adrian Anderson and Patrick Gray’s comedy “Pomp & Circumstance,” focusing on college life in Burlington.

A highlight of the festival is “Separated,” the latest documentary from Oscar-winning filmmaker Errol Morris, addressing the controversial separation of immigrant families under Trump’s policy. Music documentaries such as “Eno” and “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” will also feature prominently.

Tickets for opening night have sold out, with discussions planned with filmmakers including Lizzie Borden. The festival aims to connect global cinema with local narratives, fostering a community dialogue around various themes, from the repatriation of art to happiness measurement, enriching the cultural landscape of Vermont.