Curtain rises on 15th annual Twin Cities Film Festival Thursday

The curtain rises on 15th annual Twin Cities Film Festival Thursday. This year's event features 140 films.

One of the films is already getting buzz.

" Conclave , which most likely will be nominated for the Oscars," says Festival Executive Director Jatin Setia.

The goal is to have films with meaningful stories according to Setia.

Stories that will create this core of stories that will make you feel, perhaps a subject that you're already familiar with, but with a new take or something completely new out of the blue that you're like, 'oh my God, I didn't know that actually existed'." he says.

And create a community environment.

"You're gonna go in, you're gonna sit down in a theater, the lights would darken and you're gonna be around community," says Setia. "You're gonna go on the same emotional journey that everybody else around you."

The festival has come a long way since its first year, and it's also become much more competitive as the film "Conclave" is showing.

"Back in the day, when you're first starting something, you are just hoping that good content is coming your way," says Setia. "You're wishing, and then you build up your reputation and then you get one or two films that are kind of the, you know, glass breakers. And then you do a good job on those and then the word gets out."

Satia said they received close to 500 submissions that were then pared down to the 140 films that will be shown at Marcus West End Cinemas. The festival runs through October 26th. Click here for more information.

There will also be numerous guests including Daisy Ridley, who played Rey Skywalker in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Minnesota native Josh Duhamel is also scheduled to appear, as is Beau Bridges, Tom Bateman, Matt Dallas, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, and Mystery Science 3000's Joel Hodgson.