FARMINGTON -- The first Farmington Film Festival that starts today at the University of Maine at Farmington will feature documentaries on social change, from coffee production and fair trade to the pressure to "be a man" in American culture.

The festival held from Wednesday to Saturday, is titled, "Critical Films for Critical Times -- Around the World in Four Days: Globalization and Social Change."

"We hope to use this opportunity to shed light on these issues. Most people don't think about where that dollar goes for that cup of coffee, but if they watch the movie, 'Black Gold' tonight, they will find out," said John Messier, assistant UMF professor of economics and one of the festival's organizers.

He said the plan is to expand the idea and make it an annual event, since social issue documentaries are not widely shown. Messier said the films in the festival are all obtained from California Newsreel.

According to its Web site, it is the oldest, nonprofit, social-issue documentary film center in the country and the first to connect media production with contemporary social movements.

Messier said the films were selected by a collaboration of students, faculty and community and church members involved and interested in social justice projects. These include promoting fair trade practices and improving living conditions for people in economically developing nations of Africa and Latin America.

Each film will be followed by an informal discussion. The events are all free and open to the public.

n "Black Gold," 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, Lincoln Auditorium, is about coffee production and fair trade in Ethiopia.

"The Global Banquet: the Politics of Food." 8 p.m., Wednesday, April 9, Lincoln Auditorium, is about the impact of globalization on the world's food supply.

n "Tough Guise," 7 p.m., Thursday, April 10 Thomas Auditorium, examines the relationship between popular culture and masculinity.

n "Made in LA," 6 p.m., Friday, April 11, Thomas Auditorium, follows the struggles of Latino immigrants in Los Angeles organizing for better working conditions.

n "A Killer Bargain," 8 p.m., Friday, April 11, Thomas Auditorium, explores the human and environmental costs of cheap consumer goods.

n "Unnatural Causes," 2 p.m., Saturday, April 12, Thomas Auditorium, is about the ways economic inequality makes people sick.

n "The Beloved Community," 4 p.m., Saturday, April 12, Thomas Auditorium, is about a Great Lakes oil town facing a toxic legacy.

n "Have you Heard From Johannesburg? Apartheid and the Club of the West," 6 p.m., Saturday, April 12, Thomas Auditorium, is about how grassroots organizing reversed American foreign policy in South Africa.

The film festival is sponsored by the UMF Business/Economics Program, Sociology/Anthrop-ology Program, Purchases and Practices Committee, Social Science and Business Department, SEA-Change and the community. For information, call Messier at 778-8172.

For information and a complete schedule, call Jon Messier at 778-8172.

Betty Jespersen -- 778-6991

bjespersen@centralmaine.com