‘Porte Bagage’ road-trip dramedy closes Belmont World Film’s international series

Belmont World Film will conclude the main section of its 24th International Film Series with the North American premiere of “Porte Bagage,” a road-trip dramedy about a Dutch family of Moroccan descent traveling from the Netherlands to Morocco so their ailing patriarch can spend the rest of his life there.

The film screens Monday, May 18, at 7 p.m. at the West Newton Cinema, 1296 Washington St., and will be followed by a discussion led by Ian VanderMeulen, a fellow at Brandeis University’s Crown Center for Middle East Studies whose research explores media, sound, the senses and Islamic thought and practice, with a particular focus on the Maghrib.

Written, directed and produced by Dutch-Moroccan filmmaker Abdelkarim El-Fassi, the closely observed family dramedy explores the emotional baggage relatives carry with them—sometimes literally strapped to the roof of the car, a playful nod to the title, which means “luggage rack.”

Tickets for “Hold Onto Me” and other films in the series are available in advance online, with remaining seats sold at the door at the West Newton Cinema.

Individual tickets are $14 in advance with no fees and $16 at the door. Passports, which can be shared with one other person, provide admission to eight films for $96, and memberships that include tickets or passports plus benefits such as free ticket exchanges are also available. Tickets and passes are half-price for EBT, WIC and ConnectorCare cardholders. For tickets or more information, visit belmontworldfilm.org or call 617-484-3980.