It is said that all the truly profound things happen when people freely wade into the “mess of life,” mostly the mess of relationships. And every human struggles with some basic issues while in the mess, such as who to love, how to love, when to get closer, when to break away.

Li Congxi, for instance, is a police officer in China. His wife is having an affair. A mess. Hamro, of Moscow, Russia, must return to his home village in Tajikistan to make peace with a difficult mother. Another mess. These two men are coming to Spokane next week. In film, that is. They are characters in two foreign movies, one made in Tajikistan, the other in China. These films, and 13 others, will be featured during the eight-day Spokane International Film Festival.

Film festivals don’t normally make for opinion-page fodder. But it’s one more sign that Spokane is on its way to thriving-city status. Spokane is often called a big small town. The seeming provincial nature of Spokane, a plus in some ways, can hinder economic vitality. When individuals and companies research whether to relocate to this area, they often ask about the area’s cultural opportunities.

Bob Glatzer, director of the festival, said, “When people are considering Spokane for their business and see a good symphony orchestra here, and see a film festival, they say ‘OK, it’s a real city.’ “

Film has evolved into the most popular way we tell the stories about who we are as communities and cultures. The world is shrinking through increased travel and better communication. And, thanks to our new immigrant population, people now live next door to people once known only through National Geographic articles.

An international film festival allows the stories of these new immigrants to be told to all of us. For instance, a film from India, “Hari Om” is the opening-night festival premiere. The filmmaker is traveling to Spokane to introduce it.

Families from India have been settling into the Spokane area in recent years, drawn here for software-industry jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities. Some Indian films have gone mainstream, such as “Monsoon Wedding,” but the festival will introduce moviegoers to a film they wouldn’t find in the usual line-up at area theaters.

“It’s like the difference between an airport bookstore and Auntie’s,” Glatzer said. “At the airport, you have the choice of 25 books and they may all be fun and great pleasure to read. At Auntie’s you have 25,000 books and they represent the whole world of books.”

The film festival also will open the world to those who might not be able to travel it. As our economy and culture grows more global, it’s essential to understand the greater world.

The February drearies are almost upon us. Next week, they can be forgotten amid lights, camera and some international action.