The Green Mountain Film Festival is returning this weekend to central Vermont. It runs March 14 to 16 and showcases films from all over the world in a range of styles.The 2025 schedule of films includes award-winning works and even a U.S. premiere. A Serbian coming-of-age film called "78 Days" is having its U.S. premiere as the festival's opening night feature. It will feature a question-and-answer session with the film's cinematographer, Inés Gowland, and its digital specialist, Alex Wiske. The winner of the 2025 U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival, "Seeds," will also be in the spotlight at the Green Mountain Film Festival. The screening of "Seeds" will be preceded by a panel discussion of Black farmers in Vermont."In this day and age of streaming, I feel like it's really important for folks to come together in real life, in person, and have that cinema-going experience," said Phayvanh Luekhamhan, the director of the Green Mountain Film Festival. "There's a reason why movies feel magical when you go to them. You get the lights down, you're in the theater together with a whole bunch of strangers having this same exact experience, and then you get to talk about it later."Luekhamhan said other highlights of this year's event include "The White House Effect," a documentary that uses archival footage to trace the evolution of the nation's climate policy since the late 1970s, and "The Shrouds," a horror film written and directed by David Cronenberg. The Palestinian-Israeli collaboration "No Other Land" which won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature at this year's 97th Academy Awards is also on the program. A panel discussion on filmmaking in Vermont is scheduled for the late afternoon of March 16, Luekhamhan added. Most of the activities are right in downtown Montpelier at the Capitol Theater and at the Savoy Theater. As the capital city's business district continues its recovery from recent flooding events, the festival director told NBC5 News she hopes the event provides a good reason for visitors to check out all the progress Montpelier has made since the summer of 2023. She also hopes they will grab a coffee, lunch, dinner, or do some shopping before or after their movies."It's really great to have a draw like this to give folks an occasion to drive into Montpelier, spend the weekend here, and really get to know the town," Luekhamhan said.Luekhamhan said last year, she met festival-goers from Montreal, Maine, Boston, and other places who traveled for the festival. She said visitors who have not been to Montpelier in a while will notice the extensive renovations at the Capitol and Savoy Theaters. Because of the number of renovations, including new seats, the Capitol is "essentially a brand-new theater," Luekhamhan said.For a full schedule, ticket information, and more details on the 2025 Green Mountain Film Festival, visit the event's website.