The summer 2009 issue of MovieMaker magazine names the Ann Arbor Film Festival — which annually showcases new, experimental films from around the world — as one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals.

Defining "cool" as "cinema that takes us beyond the expected, captures the zeitgeist and changes the way we view the films that come along for us afterward," the magazine quotes AAFF executive director Donald Harrison, who largely credits the festival's venue, The Michigan Theater, for the fest's "coolness": "The quality of projection — both in the 1,700-seat movie palace and its state-of-the-art, 200-seat screening room — is world-class."

Other festivals on the list include South by Southwest in Austin, and Roger Ebert's Film Festival in Chicago.

On a marginally related note, if you haven't seen it, the festival's view of the recent Ann Arbor Art Fairs is worth a look:

Jenn McKee is the entertainment digital journalist for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at jennmckee@annarbor.com.