Big things are brewing at the 12th annual South Side Film Festival (SSFF).

The SSFF, with a fundraiser kickoff June 8 and the festival kicking in June 9 - 13 at three South Side Bethlehem venues, is the setting for the United States premiere of a documentary by two Russian female film-makers about the motorcycle trip adventure of a long-time Bethlehem brewer.

"Arctic Alchemy: Discoveries of the Red Hand" is the opening night film, 8 p.m. June 9, Broughal Middle School, Bethlehem.

Nastia Tarasova, "Arctic Alchemy" director, and Irina Shatalova, "Arctic Alchemy" director of photography, are expected to attend the premiere.

A pre-screening party at 6 p.m. June 9 at the Portuguese-American Club, 337 Brodhead Avenue, Bethlehem, offers catered food, entertainment, cash bar and admission to the premiere.

"Arctic Alchemy" tells the story of Chris Bowen, award-winning Bethlehem brewer noted for portraying the city's first brew master, John Sebastian Goundie, at the Burnside Plantation Blueberry Festival.

Bowen became fascinated with the 2007 auction of a bottle of Allsopp's Arctic Ale brewed in 1852. Sir Edward Belcher took supplies of Allsopp's Arctic Ale on an 1852 seafaring exploration to discover the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic.

In July 2010, Bowen, John Chay of Bethlehem and Richard F. Gethin of Corning N.Y., departed Bethlehem on a 2000-mile motorcycle journey to the Canadian Arctic where they recreated the historic beer at a portable brewery.

The film-makers, Tarasova and Shatalova, found out about Bowen's project when they showed films previously at SSFF. "Arctic Alchemy" had its premiere in Russia.

"Their cinematography is really amazing. They [Tarasova and Shatalova] have such an eye," says Jeff Vaclavik, board president, South Side Film Institute, the nonprofit which runs the SSFF. A post-screening party is planned at a location to be announced. Bowen is also expected to attend.

"Alchemy" is not all that's brewing at the SSFF.

"We have a lot of returning film-makers and local film-makers, and a lot of new film-makers," says Vaclavik. "We should have a lot of film-makers in town. We'll have the Q&As after the screenings. That is always a bonus."

Returning this year is the children's film-making workshop. Maciek Albrecht, an animator based in Easton, will instruct eight Donegan Elementary School students whose films will be shown at noon June 13 at Victory Fire House.

Also back is the late-night 11 p.m. June 12 movie.

The children's film series begins with a red-carpet opening at 6 p.m. June 11 and continues with four blocks of mid-day screenings June 12 and 13 at Godfrey Daniels.

Other screenings are at Sinclair Lab auditorium, Lehigh University.

South Side Film Festival information and schedule: southsidefilmfesti-val.com