The Mizzou International Composers Festival will launch ticket sales for 2014 with a FREE public event on Tuesday, April 22 at Ragtag Cinema featuring live music, refreshments, a film screening, and a live-by-Skype video chat with Nico Muhly, who will be a guest composer at this year’s festival.

Doors will open at 5:00 p.m., and single tickets and festival passes for the 2014 MICF will be on sale at special discounted prices throughout the event.

The Mizzou New Music Ensemble (pictured) will perform at 5:45 p.m., followed a screening of the film “Choking Man,” an 2008 independently produced drama with a musical score composed by Muhly that also includes Mandy Patinkin and a pre-“Breaking Bad” Aaron Paul in supporting roles. (You can see the trailer for “Choking Man” in the embedded video window below.)

When the screening is over, Muhly will appear live via Skype to take questions and discuss his work with the audience.

Admission is free, but because seating is limited, tickets will be required. Distribution of free tickets for the event will begin at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, April 22 at the Ragtag box office, 10 Hitt St. in downtown Columbia. Each ticket admits one person, and includes one free beer or soda and one free small popcorn.

The 2014 Mizzou International Composers Festival will take place Monday, July 21 through Saturday, July 26 in Columbia, with Muhly and Swiss national Beat Furrer as guest composers; Alarm Will Sound as resident ensemble; and eight resident composers selected from more than 200 applicants from around the world.