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Preview: Opening highlights at this week’s 2017 Independent Film Festival Boston

Between the schizophrenic weather and the weird playoff showings of the Bruins and Celtics, it’s been hard to be excited about much this April outside of Free Fire and Fate of the Furious hitting theaters.

But fear not, Bostonians: The 15th annual Independent Film Festival Boston is back to give you a week’s worth of stimulating and interesting new movies for you to see and talk about, and a bevy of panels and parties to attend, as well. It runs from April 26 through May 3 at several locations around the city (though mainly the screenings are at the Somerville Theatre and Brattle Theatre). Over the next three days, we’ll be posting about some of our most-anticipated movies at the festival this year, and today we’re covering the first three days of the festival, which include films about Jersey rappers, arm transplants, architecture, and aging western stars. Join us tomorrow for a preview of the best of the weekend’s films.

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The Hero

Brett Haley, the writer and director of 2015’s surprise hit I’ll See You in My Dreams, is back with another tale of getting older and the cruelties of the passing of time. In The Hero, Lee (Sam Elliott), a cowboy actor whose glory days have ridden off into the sunset, is diagnosed with cancer and is forced to put his life into focus in the aftermath: he’s got to reconnect with his daughter (Krysten Ritter), and find one final role to preserve his legacy. Elliott is one of our most undervalued character actors, and it’s so exciting to see him in a tragic and complicated leading role. Go see this so you can know which parts your mom will cry at in advance, so you can be prepared with a tissue and/or a hug.

The Hero screens at the Somerville Theatre on Friday, April 28, at 8 p.m. Advance tickets are available here.

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