DC offers many great free opportunities to young interns and workers but the availability of advance screenings of feature films and documentaries may be one of the best. Often, talent from the film is also present and the receptions at movie screenings are some of the tastiest around.

Campus Progress recently did a premier screening of Generation Kill with David Simon and Evan Wright and Reel Progress, part of the Center for American Progress, regularly does advance screenings, most recently featuring Kevin Costner and his new film Swing Vote.

Case in point, check out a free screening of Women of Liberia: Fighting for Peace at the E Street Cinema on Tuesday July 29th at 7PM. The documentary follows ex-child soldiers, detailing the different struggles they face in the disarmament process. Sponsored by Amnesty International, a discussion with some of the women featured in the film and the Academy award-winning director will follow the screening. 

While I don’t think they’ll be any free food, the subject matter is incredibly important and the film is helping to rally support around the International Violence Against Women Act, a critical piece of legislation.

Ok. So DC is no New York. And yes. I should be going to lectures at Brookings or Capitol Hill hearings in my free time. That's what interns do during the summer, isn't it?

Not this week. Much to my surprise and glee, the Silverdocs Film Festival is invading Silver Spring and for the next 8 days, 122 of the most innovative and striking international documentaries will be ripe for the viewing. These are the films I'm wasting spending my pennies on...