Free flicks at WorldFest/Houston

J. Hunter Todd, the indefatigable founder-organizer of the WorldFest/Houston International Film Festival has hit upon a surefire way to attract moviegoers to two festival flicks: He’s giving away free tickets. That’s free as in nada, nothing and/or bupkis when it comes to the price of admission.

Freebie No. 1: Truth Be Tolled, William H. Molina’s advocacy documentary about a home-schooling mother turned anti-toll activist who launches a grassroots campaign to halt what she sees as a proliferation of Texas toll roads. The film screens at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the AMC Studio 30, 2949 Dunvale Road. “Just come to the inside ticket booth,” Todd says, “and ask for Truth be Tolled tickets. There’ll be no limit on how many you can get. And the director will be there in person for a post-screening Q&A.”

Freebie No. 2: Journey to Mecca: In the Footsteps of Ibn Battuta, an award-winning IMAX film that merges drama and documentary while recounting the origins of the Hajj -- the 1,400-year-old ritual that calls for all Muslims to undertake at least one pilgrimage to Mecca to celebrate the prophet Abraham. Filmed on location in the deserts of Morocco and around the Ka'bah at Mecca in Saudi Arabia, and narrated by Sir Ben Kingsley, Journey to Mecca will be shown at 7 p.m. Friday, April 16, at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

“It’s a really superb IMAX film,” Todd promises. “And if you want to see it – for free – all you have to do is pick up tickets ahead of time at the AMC Studio 30 ticket booth. There’s a limit of four tickets per person. But they’re four free tickets.”

We did mention these are free movies, right?