If you’ve got impeccable taste — who doesn’t? — and a penchant for giving your opinion — again, who doesn’t? — the Manhattan Short Film Festival could use you. The 11th incarnation of the annual event features screenings in several countries on four continents this week. Audience members at each venue will be given ballots that ask a single question: Which short film out of the dozen entries deserves to be named the best of the festival?

The 12 finalists include New Boy, an exploration of what it means to be part of the “other” in a largely homogenous society; and Viva Sunita, an Indian adaptation of Italo Calvino’s (very) short story “The Man Who Shouted Teresa.” There’s also Mother Mine, about an adopted woman searching for her birth mother, and Teat Beat of Sex, an animated analysis of sexual firsts from a female perspective. Winners will be announced online at www.msfilmfest.com on September 28.

Be part of the international jury today at 7 p.m. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet. For information, call 713-639-7300 or visit www.mfah.org. $6 to $8.

Tue., Sept. 23, 7 p.m., 2008

This article appears in Sep 18-24, 2008.