The Nashville Film Festival is wrapping up but there is another film fest for the movie buffs out there. The International Black Film Festival, starting today (Sep 30) through Sunday (Oct 4) at Belmont University, Scarritt Bennett Center and other venues across Nashville. The festival was founded more than two decades ago by Hazel Joyner-Smith. She talked with This is Nashville’s Blake Farmer about this year’s theme: Return on Independence or R-O-I.

“We’re trying to say that stepping out to tell your own story, in your own voice depicting and your own image has a positive return,” she said. “We’re encouraging people to become aware of the value that they have and the stories they have within their hearts, their history and lineage to step out and tell that and look what’s going to happen and we’ve seen positive things happen. Life happenings, changing your own curiosity and the need to understand your value and why you’re here and the many things that you have to offer.”

Additional event opportunities are tomorrow night (Oct 1) Ryan Beatty with girlsweetvoiced is at the Ryman, Youbet performs at DRKMTTR, and Slothrust is at The Blue Room. On Friday (Oct 2) WNXP Presents Luna at City Winery and Johnny Blue Skies is at Bridgestone Arena. Two shows are at Nashville’s newest venue the Truth this weekend with Malcolm Todd with 54 Ultra on Saturday (Oct 3) and Role Model with Samia on Sunday. On Monday (Oct 5) Dana and Alden perform Cannery Hall’s Row One Stage and wrap up this week’s listing on Tuesday (Oct 6) with WNXP Happy Hour at Coral Club in East Nashville followed by Amyl and the Sniffers back at The Truth and WNXP presents Paris Paloma at Marathon Music Works.