Opening day of the 12th annual New Hampshire Film Festival is traditionally given over to New Hampshire filmmakers. Hollywood actor Mike O’Malley gave the event a new twist this year, screening his new film “Certainty” on the eve of national distribution in November.

Director Peter Askin (“Hedwig and the Angry Inch”) joined O’Malley for an afternoon press conference at the Discover Portsmouth Center, which is serving as festival headquarters.

“Being here is a very awesome, very profound experience for me,” O’Malley said.

The Nashua native graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1988 and headed off to New York and Los Angeles, where he realized his big plans to be a writer and actor. But when he sits down to write, the characters and situations that arise look like the people he grew up with “There’s a vernacular—some would call it a profanity—that people will recognize in the film,” he says.

“Certainty” draws on O’Malley’s experience growing up Catholic and attending Catholic schools, which he describes as “a good experience, a good education.” The couple at the center of the story are participating in a “Pre Cana” retreat, the course for couples who will be married by the Catholic church. He is going to get it over with; unbeknownst to him, she is trying to keep up her faith.

“It’s a movie about real people and what they’re going through. There’s humor in it, but also intense feeling. When you’re in a relationship and trying to make it work, it’s the most important thing in the world,” O’Malley said.

The story is universal, but showing it to New England audiences always feels special, he says. “It’s a very warm feeling to know you’re in the room with a lot of like-minded people.”

“Certainty” screened on Thursday night, following a block of New Hampshire short films.

An audience favorite in the New Hampshire block, drawing enthusiastic hoots and cheers, was “Hub Freerunning Portsmouth,” a music-videoesque film showing a freerunning/parkour team performing the flips and twists typical of sports like snowboarding or men’s gymnastics. But instead of the snow, boards or mats, they’re flipping their way across brick walls, loading docks, jersey barriers, playgrounds, sidewalks and rooftops around Portsmouth.

Another highlight, “Salmon Theory,” felt unfinished like a teaser for a longer film, but captured the intense commitment and reward of Nor’easter surfing on the New Hampshire coast.

Most of the films from the New Hampshire block will screen again on Sunday at the Music Hall Loft at 4:30 p.m. The block is well worth catching for “Love and Germophobia” alone, a quirky, funny, smart, fast film about a boyfriend visiting his girlfriend in the hospital for flu. Or is it viral meningitis? He is unable to reconcile his practical considerations with her need for a kiss.

Local awards were also presented on Thursday night. NH Film Festival awarded O’Malley the Van McLeod Award for outstanding work in film and television. “In Danger of Being Discovered” about the Seacoast music scene in the early 1990s was recognized as New Hampshire Documentary of the Year. The award for New Hampshire Filmmaker of the Year went to Brett Wiese Saunders for “Slipping: Skate's Impact on Egypt.” New Hampshire Performance of the Year went to Jace McLean in “Three Days of Normal.”  Fred Catalfo’s “Rocketship" was named New Hampshire Film of the Year.

Events continue throughout the weekend, including several feature films that have already done well in wider distribution, including “Celeste and Jesse Forever” and “The Queen of Versailles.” O’Malley’s “Certainty” will show again on Saturday at Seacoast Rep at 2:20 p.m. The weekend will also feature workshops and panel discussions for aspiring filmmakers.

A full schedule is available at www.nhfilmfestival.com or in printed programs available at festival headquarters in the Discover Portsmouth Center.

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