From just around the corner to halfway around the globe, International House brings the best in contemporary and vintage film to Philadelphia during the 10-day Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema. This year's festival offers film-lovers 45 feature films, 41 short subjects and documentaries, seminars and special guests, capped off with a great big Cajun feast, concert and dance party on May 9.

Chicago Sun-Times film critic and "Siskel & Ebert" co-host Roger Ebert will be on hand for two special events: "Democracy in the Dark," a four-day event beginning April 30 in which festival-goers are invited to first view a classic film straight through -- in this case, Martin Scorsese's "Raging Bull" -- and then, over the next three days, publicly pick it apart scene by scene, looking for unusual coincidences, revealing dramatic moments or flashes of cinematic brilliance, and a conversation with the subjects of this year's "Spotlight," Good Machine co-founders Ted Hope and James Schamus.

There's also a Penn connection to two festival events: Jonathan Cohen (C'92) is one of the producers of "Safe Men" (pictured here: the film's stars, Sam Rockwell and Steve Zahn), being screened on May 8 and 10, and adjunct English professor John Stuart Katz, the festival's documentary consultant, will moderate a panel discussion on documentary film in the '90s on May 9.

• PHILADELPHIA FESTIVAL OF WORLD CINEMA: Now through May 10. Day-of-show film tickets for each screening $7; advance tickets (at UpStages, 1412 Chestnut St., or by phone: 569-9700) $7 + $1 service charge; FestFan passes good for five screenings or other events $35; CinePass good for all events $125. See day-by-day listings for seminar and special-event times, locations and admission info. For complete festival info, visit the festival Web site or call 1-800-WOW-PFWC.

--S.S.