Certain things will always remind me of fall, including sitting in a darkened theater surrounded by strangers and watching a movie I may never have heard of.

But what am I to do this year, when there is a bigger-than-usual St. Louis presence in my international film festival?

Negotiating the St. Louis International Film Festival requires making hard choices or cloning yourself like Michael Keaton in Multiplicity.

I found the films were still excellent, but smaller and more focused on the tension and occasional horror of just getting through life.

PLAYBACK:stl's own Kevin Renick, whose song "Up in the Air" appears over the closing credits of the film of the same name. "I feel honored to be part of a movie, even if a small part, that has something worthwhile to say, and that makes really good use of a song I care about."

Organizers Kerri Yost, Paula Elias and Polina Malikin put on a fine combination of local, independent and big-budget films directed by women.

Bondy's production is eclectic, combining an essentially spare approach in the sets and costuming with some additional bits of stage business which are true to the characters.

While none of the films sink to the level of offensiveness seen in Another Gay Movie and Another Gay Sequel, that alone isn't much of a compliment.

As usual, no matter what you fancy when the theater lights go down, this years' festival has something for you.

It looks to be a pretty strong year for the festival, so don't feel bad about exhausting either yourself or your wallet.

From the experimental to the mainstream, the SLIFF can introduce you to some of the best in the cinema.

Thank goodness for events like the St. Louis International Film Festival, which provide the opportunity to go on a multi-day bender, cinematically speaking, without having to leave St. Louis.