If you’re looking for a film experience that’s a bit more nuanced and globally focused than, say, the latest Marvel movie, there’s an upcoming festival for you right here in D.C. that will close out the month.

The Washington, DC International Film Festival (Filmfest DC ), now in its 37th year, takes place from April 19-30, and showcases films from 30 different countries, spanning several genres — including thrillers, adult animation, and social-justice documentaries.

In the past, celebrities like Cicely Tyson, Charlize Theron, and Morgan Freeman have made appearances at the screenings and related programming. However, those Hollywood-tier cameos are rare and not really the focus, says Tony Gittens, the festival’s founder and director. Filmfest DC instead highlights independent filmmakers from around the world who want to connect new audiences with their work. Gittens compares the experience to tasting fine wine.

“You’re going to see something you wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to see,” says Gittens. “You’re going to get a sense of international cinema … The value of this festival and this international storytelling is that you begin to learn how other people on this earth live their lives.”

The full schedule includes 65 films, a list that gets dwindled down from the hundreds of films the Filmfest team reviews each year.

Most films will screen at Landmark’s E Street Cinema, though a handful will screen at the Wharf, the National Gallery of Art, and the French Embassy. Individual tickets cost $14 per screening, though there are discounts available for audience members ages 16 to 25, ten-ticket packages, and more.

Not sure where to start? Here are a few films that caught our eye:

Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman (2022), by Pierre Földes: Gittens says he’s seen a rise in popularity of animated features, like this film, based on the short story collection by Japanese writer Haruki Murakami. Composer Pierre Földes has his directorial debut with this feature that’s set in Tokyo after the 2011 tsunami. Things get fantastical when a giant talking frog appears and changes the lives of the three main characters, who are struggling with the reality of life after a natural disaster. (Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman, April 22; E Street Cinema; $14)

Dough (2016), by John Goldschmidt: British-Austrian director John Goldschmidt brings us this touching film about Ayyash, a young Muslim immigrant who finds work at a Jewish bakery in London’s East End. Audiences will recognize a familiar face in Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes; Game of Thrones; Pirates of the Caribbean), who plays the aging baker who just wants to keep his family business afloat. Pryce’s chemistry with Jerome Holder, who plays the apprentice, will make audiences laugh, cry, and cry from laughing — especially when Holder’s character mistakenly drops a bag of weed into the challah dough, which turns out to be a boon for the business. (Dough, April 22; The Wharf; $10)

Die goldenen Jahre (2022), by Barbara Kulcsar: “Growing old isn’t for sissies.” This line from the trailer is like a thesis statement for this film that dives into the adventure of aging. (The Swiss German title translates to “Golden Years.”) Co-presented by the Embassy of Switzerland, the comedy-drama will leave you laughing and reflecting on life’s biggest questions — about marriage, friendship, and everything in between. (Die goldenen Jahre, April 22 & 29; E Street Cinema; In Swiss German with English subtitles $14)

El Suplente (2022), by Diego Lerman: This Spanish-language film set in Buenos Aires tells the story of Lucio, a substitute literature teacher at a school where classwork is the least of the students’ problems. Lucio, played by Juan Minujín, has to step in for those around him in more ways than one, especially when a local drug kingpin threatens his father, an influential community organizer. In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, Lucio has some incredibly tough choices to make as one of his students gets involved with the gang. The film is co-presented by the Embassy of Argentina. (El Suplente, April 21 & 29; Landmark’s E Street Cinema; Spanish with English subtitles; $14)

L’Origine du Mal (2022), by Sébastien Marnier: This French mystery-thriller is getting its North American premier here in the District. It centers on Stéphane (Laure Calamy), a factory worker who connects with her estranged father, Serge, a wealthy man surrounded by blood-sucking family members. “Family is a contamination,” warns the youngest daughter in this award-winning film that is full of enough twists to make the one hour and 25 minutes fly by. (L’Origine du Mal, April 21 & 27; E Street Cinema; French with English subtitles; $14)

MetroShorts: The festival is hosting its sixth annual MetroShorts program that highlights short films from D.C.- area filmmakers. For 90 minutes, audiences will see six works, including an animated film, a four-minute romantic piece, and multiple short docs about race in the nation’s capital. (MetroShorts, April 29; E Street Cinema; $14)