Movies have been compared to many things over the years, but the comparison that I’ve been thinking of lately is how much they’re like bears. Fiberglass bears, to be precise. Valley residents will surely recall Easthampton’s recent public art display: several dozen fiberglass bears, decorated by local artists, were placed around the city, drawing locals and tourists alike (as well as, unfortunately, a few thieves) to a sometimes sleepy downtown. It was a huge success, and even today Google places “Easthampton Bear Fest” fourth in its list of suggested search completions, ahead of “bed and breakfast” but still trailing “bowling alley”—bears notwithstanding, the 01027 remains a pretty blue collar town.

But what has put me in an ursine state of mind recently has been the concurrence of some very different local film festivals. All taking place over the next week or two, these three festivals—the Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival, the Women’s Film Festival 2010, and the Farm Film Feast—aim to do with films what Easthampton did with bears. In other words, not many people are likely to go out of their way to see a single fiberglass bear, no matter how well it might be gussied up. But you put a few dozen of those together, and you’ve got an event, damn it.

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Now in its 19th year, Brattleboro’s Women’s Film Festival is the longest running of the three, and this season it screens over 25 award-winning documentaries and feature films between March 12 and 21. The festival opens with The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls, a film about the award-winning Jools and Lynda Topp, a lesbian country and western singing sister act out of New Zealand. Other festival standouts include Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg, a fascinating film about the vibrant Molly Berg, a female comedian who revolutionized early radio and television comedy; and The Jazz Baroness, Hannah Rothchild’s film (narrated by Helen Mirren) about the curious life of her aunt, who would become the benefactor of jazz legend Thelonious Monk.

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Running from March 11 to 24 is the Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival (PVJFF), now in its fifth year. Consistently bringing one of the strongest programs among local festivals, it features everything from the story of baseball’s first big-league Jewish star to the romantic comedy of the ’80s hit Crossing Delancey, complete with a pre-show pickle tasting. To find out about everything in between, see the web links at the bottom of this column.

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Perhaps the most unlikely (if admirable) of film fests rounds out this trio: the Farm Film Feast, taking place over five days in Williamstown. Already underway and ending on March 14, it features over a dozen films about “food and related events,” and a portion of the take will go to support the REACH Community Garden Project in North Adams. It’s a good cause—go get your fill.”

For more information: womensfilmfestival.org, www.pvjff.org, and www.farmfilmfeast.com.

Jack Brown can be reached at cinemadope@gmail.com.