When representatives from Geneva’s Cultural Arts Commission put out the call to filmmakers to enter the second annual Geneva Film Festival, they didn’t expect to more than triple the number of entries they got last year.

“We were amazed,” said Vic Portincaso, arts commission member.

This year’s contest brought in 74 submissions, compared with 23 last year.

Winners will be screened Saturday.

And the films came from all over the world, including Australia, Japan, China, London, Israel, Sri Lanka, Canada, and the United States.

Only four of the entries came from cities in the Chicago area, including Geneva, Evanston, Oak Park and Chicago.

Portincaso said executive producer/writer Kenneth Eade will promote his romantic thriller, “Say It in Russian,” starring Faye Dunaway. Eade will bring Agata Gotova, another actress in the film, with him.

This will be the second time the movie has competed.

“We’re crossing our fingers to win this one,” Eade said.

Portincaso is hopeful there is good attendance at this year’s festival.

“It will give us the justification to run this more than one day,” he said. “This year, if people want to see all the films, they can’t because there are so many. Last year they could have.”

To coincide with the film festival, several workshops from 8 to 11:45 a.m. are planned where participants can learn more about the film industry — such as producing, writing and directing — the day of the event at Riverside Receptions and Convention Center, 35 N. River Lane.

One of the workshops will be hosted by Gloria Calderon Kellett, writer and co-producer of the CBS series “How I Met Your Mother.”

Festival attendees can attend a free awards ceremony and reception at 6 p.m. at 514 W. State St.

The purpose of the Cultural Arts Commission is to serve as an information center for cultural arts by providing information to and about arts groups and maintaining an annual arts activity calendar for the community, according to the organization.