Belmont World Film’s 19th Family Festival takes place both in-person and online from January 14-23, 2022, featuring 15 film programs—including over 30 feature length and short animated, live action, and documentary films, several based on international children’s books and with others making their US premieres—and several workshops. The festival provides children age 3-12 and their families and caregivers the opportunity to see some of the world’s most remarkable current films for children that aren’t available anywhere else. Films are from Brazil, Chile, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Iceland, India, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the UK, and the US, and will be shown in their original languages with English subtitles (read aloud through headphones at in-person screenings). Filmmakers from around the world will also participate in virtual Q&As.

Films feature stories about such subjects as: a young girl defying female stereotypes; elementary school students learning how to grow food through a 100-year-old in-school gardening program in The Netherlands; magical characters inspired by legends and stories passed down by indigenous peoples, early African inhabitants, and Portuguese ancestors; and an Indian boy living in Germany who dreams of becoming a Bollywood star. Several films are based on children’s books, such as Julia Donaldson’s Superworm (with the voices of Olivia Colman and Matt Smith), the German films Jim Button and the Wild 13 and Laura’s Star, and a selection of short film programs from Scholastic/Weston Woods based on picture books, including their newest never-before seen films, films about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mo Willems. Each day features one in-person screening at 1 PM: at the Regent Theater in Arlington (5 Medford St,) on January 15, the Majestic 7 in Watertown (81 Arsenal Yards Blvd.) on January 16, and the West Newton Cinema (1296 Washington St.) on January 17. Covid protocols will be required. The majority of film programs will also be available for online screening for all 10 days.

The workshops include three online clay modeling sessions (Gromit and Shaun the Sheep), conducted by Aardman’s (the Wallace & Gromit films) senior model maker on January 22, and a two-day, in-person workshop on film criticism led by former Boston Society of Film Critics President Tom Meek and others on January 15 and 16, at the Belmont Media Center.

DOUG CHURCH RETURNS by POPULAR DEMAND for "ELVIS MONTH"

Known worldwide as "The TRUE Voice of Elvis" by not only his fans, but other Elvis Tribute Artists as well.

Doug Church is an international, multi-award-winning Elvis tribute artist
who has awed his audiences for years, mesmerizing them with his amazing vocal rendition of the King of Rock'n Roll.

The 25th Anniversary performance of "On A Winter's Night" brings five of the brightest stars in the singer/songwriter movement for the past three decades together again and for the first time at Arlington's Showplace of Entertainment, Christine Lavin, John Gorka, Patty Larkin, Cheryl Wheeler, and Cliff Eberhardt will appear for this one-night-only concert that you cannot miss!

GARY BACKSTROM, the front man and founder of New England based jam band JIGGLE THE HANDLE, has played regionally as well as toured the country many times over the past 30 years. Gary has played at High Sierra Fest and headlined Berkshire Mountain Music Fest, Strange Creek and Wormtown Music Fest.

He has shared the stage with local favorites such as Max Creek, Assembly of Dust, Strange Folk, and Ryan Montbleau as well as opening for THE ALLMAN BROS, DEREK TRUCKS, LOS LOBOS, SPIN DOCTORS, THE SAMPLES, LITTLE FEAT, RAT DOG and WIDESPREAD PANIC. Backstrom has played with Liberty Devito, the drummer for Billy Joel’s Band, while touring with the symphonic rock group PIANO MEN playing rock concerts with various 60 piece orchestras around the country.

Gary has put together a stellar 8-piece line-up of amazing musicians to form THE GARY BACKSTROM BAND. The lineup includes Chris Nemitz on keys, Everett Pendleton on bass, Peter Koeplin on drums, Yahuba Torres on percussion, Kit Holliday and Kevin Silvia on harmony vocals, and John Vanderpool on sax. Recently, Gary and crew have put together a tribute to one of their biggest influences, Todd Rundgren, and have had the pleasure of being joined on stage by many of Todd’s bandmates.

GARY BACKSTROM, the front man and founder of New England based jam band JIGGLE THE HANDLE, has played regionally as well as toured the country many times over the past 30 years. Gary has played at High Sierra Fest and headlined Berkshire Mountain Music Fest, Strange Creek and Wormtown Music Fest.

He has shared the stage with local favorites such as Max Creek, Assembly of Dust, Strange Folk, and Ryan Montbleau as well as opening for THE ALLMAN BROS, DEREK TRUCKS, LOS LOBOS, SPIN DOCTORS, THE SAMPLES, LITTLE FEAT, RAT DOG and WIDESPREAD PANIC. Backstrom has played with Liberty Devito, the drummer for Billy Joel’s Band, while touring with the symphonic rock group PIANO MEN playing rock concerts with various 60 piece orchestras around the country.

Gary has put together a stellar 4-piece line-up of amazing musicians to form THE GARY BACKSTROM BAND. The lineup, including Gary on voice and guitars has Chris Nemitz on keys, guitars and voice, Everett Pendleton on bass and voice, and Peter Koeplin on drums.

The New Years's Eve Tradition Returns (a bit later than expected...):
Rocking in the New Year with the ULTRASONIC ROCK ORCHESTRA!

The Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra is a giant, 10-vocalist rock band that performs thunderous, fist-in-the-air renditions of classic, iconic ‘60s & ‘70s Rock.

As the works of Mozart and Beethoven live on in symphonies, the U.R.O. performs as a unique and unconventional kind of orchestra, bringing to vivid life the glorious music of Queen, David Bowie, The Beatles, The Who and Led Zeppelin.
Performing with power, nuance and feeling, the U.R.O. is honored to bring these iconic classic songs to today’s audiences. Expanding on their repertoire, the Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra also presents specialty concerts performing music outside of their original set-list. These include The Who’s ‘Quadrophenia,’ Rice and Webber’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar,’ and an evening the group calls ‘Band In Boston,’ where they perform the songs of Aerosmith, The Cars and Boston.

Back by popular demand, the night will feature Greg Klyma and much of the Makin’ Some Noise Band in a reprise engagement that has become a tradition at our century-old theatre, now considered ”...one of the finest live entertainment centers in all of New England”

For over twenty (20) years, Klyma has been keeping the American folk tradition alive with his enduring themes, articulate and amusing stories, and populist ideals. He will roll in off the road, pull out a guitar, and proceed to take us back to the basics: family, love, gratitude, and laughter.

Warren Zanes, best known as the guitarist for The Del Fuegos and the biographer of Tom Petty once penned these words, ”(Petty) always wrote from where he was, never tried to pull off a dye-job approach to song. He had faith in rock & roll’s ability to go wherever it was needed, to age with the people who made it and listened to it and lived by it.”

Warm yourself with the sounds and memories of Aretha Franklin’s legacy on the first weekend of Spring as The Master Entertainer, Leon Beal leads his entourage of multi-talented musicians and vocalists back to Arlington’s Showplace of Entertainment. Their reprise engagement of this one-of-a-kind tribute, Remembering the Queen will lift your spirits and turn The Regent Theatre into a sing-a-long night of dance and celebration.