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The word ‘international’ in the name San Diego International Film Festival isn’t just for show. Of the dozens of movies being screened at this year’s event, nearly two dozen were made outside the United States.

“This year, we probably had 3,500 films submitted to us, representing 85 countries,” event co-founder, CEO and artistic director Tonya Mantooth told Times of San Diego. “We narrowed that down to just over 90 (total films) representing 22 countries.”

Among those countries are Nepal, Germany, Brazil, Romania, Iraq, Spain, Canada and Mexico. Mantooth said that the cultural diversity of the films helps broaden viewers’ mental horizons.

“One of the things that the film festival brings to San Diego from an arts and culture standpoint, is to bring films from around the world to the city and to be able to give a different perspective,” she said.

“To be able to watch a film about monks in Nepal or people in poverty in Brazil, for you to be able to have that experience through cinema, I think changes you,” she explained. “I think it allows you to look at the world differently and more importantly, look at people differently and to see that these issues are complicated, but they’re human issues.”

Ultimately, she concluded, “those are the dialogues that we want people to have.”

Among the buzzworthy foreign and domestic films set to be screened this year:

  • “The Six Billion Dollar Man,” a documentary about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange that has received four-star reviews from a number of major outlets, including Variety and the Hollywood Reporter.
  • “Gringo Champion,” an adaptation of the award-winning 2017 novel of the same name, written by Mexican author Aura Xilonen when she was a teenager.
  • “I Play Rocky,” a dramatization of how a then-unknown Sylvester Stallone wrote the screenplay for the movie “Rocky” in three-and-a-half days and then refused to let anyone else play the title role.

In addition, baseball fans or those interested in stories out of America’s Finest City may want to check out “Alone on the Mound: The Tortured Life of Eric Show.” The documentary depicts the short life of the former San Diego Padres pitcher who surrendered Pete Rose’s record-breaking 4,192nd career hit during a 1985 road game.

The film festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary, so there are special events planned to commemorate the milestone, including “Night of the Stars,” a tribute that’s set for Oct. 13 at the Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center. “25 Years After Dark,” a night of music and dancing, followed by filmmaker awards and a live band, is set for Oct. 17 at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach.

“Our ‘Night of the Stars’ tribute is all about celebrating the great works coming out of Hollywood,” Mantooth explained. “We’ve added a night just to celebrate that.”

Even though some events are taking place at various locations, the majority of the action will be the AMC14 at Westfield UTC in La Jolla. Organizers are converting the cineplex patio into a festival lounge with a stage for panels and performances. 

“We have industry panels that are going on throughout the weekend and that’s what the lounge allows people to do, is to go see some films, come out, listen to a panel, listen to some music, go back and see more films, and then come out and have conversations,” Mantooth said.

Four panels are scheduled for the fest. On Oct. 16, there’s “Women in Film: Breaking Barriers and Shaping the Industry” and “A Conversation with the Artists Behind the Story.” The next day, “Indie Film Distribution” follows, then “Behind the Headlines.” Moderators and participants have yet to be announced.

Organizers, she added, strive to make the festival “an experience.”

“It’s not just about watching a film and getting in your car. It’s about really diving into a really passionate community.”

San Diego International Film Festival, Oct. 13-18, with screenings, panels, galas and special events. Individual tickets and full-event passes available.