BIFF is 18 years old, so bring on the romantic encounters, the mischief and the drama.

Coming of age is the theme for this year’s Bermuda International Film Festival.

“Many of the films explore the difficult divide between childhood and adulthood, and the internal and external conflicts it brings,” said BIFF’s Alison Hicks.

This month’s line-up includes a short film by local teen Marq Rodriquez. The Last Time I Heard Your Voice is about the poignancy of a voicemail from a lost love.

The French movie After School is about a shy boarding school student who secretly follows his roommate to learn more about his nocturnal games.

For a more grown-up rendezvous, BIFF offers 5 to 7, a romantic comedy nominated for Best Narrative Feature at Palm Springs International Film Festival. In this film an aspiring novelist has an extramarital affair with a French diplomat’s wife.

Thirty full-length and short films will be screened from March 20 to 26 at the Liberty Theatre.

One of the highlights of the festival promises to be the World Cinema line-up, which will include films from such diverse places as Canada, Hungary and the Congo.

The Belgian film Two Days, One Night is about a young mother who discovers that her colleagues have accepted a significant pay bonus — in exchange for her dismissal. She has only one weekend to convince them to change their minds so she can keep her job. The film’s leading lady Marion Cotillard was nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars last weekend.

Other world films include the Indonesian documentary The Look of Silence, a companion piece to the controversial and Oscar-nominated Act of Killing, which screened at BIFF 2013; Cannes Jury Prize winner Mommy and Northern Ireland drama ‘71, which earned Yann Demange a Best Director gong at the British Independent Film Awards.

Parents of young children will be pleased to hear that BIFF Kids is back with two Academy Award nominated films — Song of the Sea and The Tale of Princess Kaguya.

These films will be screened during the family-friendly weekend lunchtime slots.

BIFF is one of a small number of qualifying festivals for the Short Film Academy Award.

Around 20 entries will screen in competition at BIFF 2015.

For the full programme and a detailed listing see www.biff.bm. The box office opens on Wednesday.