The Sacramento Italian Film Festival is back for its 35th consecutive year, featuring five Italian-language films and one English-language film meant to enhance attendees’ understanding of the country’s culture and people. The festival, an annual event that tends to be the biggest outreach for the Sacramento Italian Cultural Society, starts Friday and will screen six films between now and May. Its organizers say they look forward to audiences having an opportunity to see rarely-screened films and learn about a rich culture.

Bob Masullo, a founding member of the ICS and director of the film festival for the last five years, picks the films shown each year based on personal readings and what is available with English subtitles, along with ICS executive director Bill Cerruti. “It’s one of the integral components of the activities of the (ICS),” Masullo said. “Film is a powerful medium for spreading culture, and that’s why we’ve included it.”