Anyone who believes that Tacoma is still a blue-collar backwater town with few ties to the outside world had better stay away from the 11th annual Sister Cities International Film Festival, which launched two weeks ago. The experience might just shatter everything that poor soul holds to so misguidedly. Tacoma is an international city in every sense of the world.

The city of Tacoma's Sister Cities program pulls together movies from each of its sister countries and offers nights of all things cultural that include music, dancing, talks and film screenings. The events run at the Blue Mouse Theatre, which seats about 220. Most, if not all, of those seats will be filled during the 10-night run of the festival. The film festival has come a long way from when it was just a side thought at a brainstorming session more than a decade ago about how to boost the profile of the Sister Cities program.

Thursday, Feb. 21 Cuba steps into the Mouse. The Cuba Sister City Committee will present a cultural program celebrating Tacoma sister city Cienfuegos, Cuba. After the hoopla, the film The Beauty From Alhambra will screen. The story is set in 1920s Cuba. Rachel is an ambitious chorus girl set on becoming a cabaret star at the famous Alhambra Theater. Her artistic talent and help from the theater owner are enough to make Rachel's dream a reality. But along the way, she loses the love of her life and instead finds a passion that puts her career at stake. - Weekly Volcano

BLUE MOUSE THEATRE, THURSDAY, FEB. 21, 6:15 P.M. PROGRAM, 7 P.M. FILM, NORTH 26TH AND PROCTOR, TACOMA, 253.752.2242

LINK: Details on this year's Tacoma Sister Cities International Film Festival