This weekend the Mesa International Film Festival returns to downtown Mesa.

Activities kick off 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at Benedictine University-Mesa, 225 E. Main St., with speakers Joanne Williams and Matthew Earl Jones discussing the advantages of filming in Arizona and concluding with a conversation with Oscar winner — and Mesa native — Troy Kostur and his manager Mark Finley moderated by Hitesh Patel of Voyager Entertainment.

More than 150 films from around the globe will screen over the weekend culminating in an awards brunch on Sunday, Dec. 4.

All screenings will take place at ASU’s Media and Immersive Experience Center, 50 N. Centennial Way in Mesa, while filmmaker networking events will be held at local businesses in downtown Mesa including Chupacabra Taproom, Oro Brewing and Jarrod’s Coffee, Tea and Gallery.

Tickets and/or badges are required to attend screenings/events and can be purchased online or at the event box office. For information, go to mesainternationalfilmfestival.com.