Did you know that sailors once carried pancakes on their person at all times, both for good luck and to ward off scurvy? Or that early reports of mermaids are now believed to be nothing more than aquatic pancake sightings? And who can forget the Flying Dutchman, forced to travel the seas until its captain perfected his pancake recipe?

Okay, it’s possible that none of these things are true (though I didn’t do any research one way or the other, so they might be!). The point is, the International Pancake Film Festival is back! For the uninitiated, the IPFF is America’s longest-running breakfast-themed celebration of the cinematic arts, touring the world with a dazzling array of filmic odes to the flapjack for the better part of a decade (full disclosure: this author contributed to the program back in 2012). This time around, the theme is nautical, which promises all manner of high seas hijinks and beachside breakfast. The program begins at 8:00 at the Brattle, but show up early for a complimentary pancake buffet— and trust me, you’ll regret missing out once you see the golden, fluffy stars of the screen. Cannes may have the prestige, Sundance may have the stars, but the International Pancake Film Festival has all the syrup you can drink. The choice is clear.

The International Pancake Film Festival: Tales from the Sea
Thursday, 9/29 @ Brattle Theatre
Screening 8:00 PM // Doors and free pancakes @ 7:30