Key Events at Landmark 50th San Francisco International Film Festival Showcase Creative Genius of San Francisco Bay Area

Fog City Mavericks World Premiere, Award to George Lucas and Strategic Partnership with Jaman

January 22, 2007

Early announcements made today by the San Francisco Film Society, presenter of the landmark 50th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 26–May 10, 2007), the first festival in the Americas to reach the 50-year milestone, showcase programs that draw strongly on the genius of the San Francisco Bay Area’s creative communities, from the honoring of George Lucas and several generations of local filmmaking lions to an integrated partnership with one of the region’s technology and culture leaders.

The 50th San Francisco International Film Festival will present the world premiere of Fog City Mavericks, directed by Gary Leva, at San Francisco’s historic Castro Theatre at 7:30 pm on Sunday, April 29. The film explores and applauds the extraordinary cinematic achievements of San Francisco Bay Area filmmakers, with notable attention to the way in which their lives and work mirror the spirit of invention and independence that makes the Bay Area such a unique cultural and artistic community. George Lucas and several fellow Fog City Mavericks (tbd) will be on stage for the introduction of the film and take part in a Q&A following.

As previously announced, George Lucas will be the recipient of the one-time-only Irving “Bud” Levin Award to be presented at the gala Awards Night of the 50th International. The Levin Award, named after the founder of the San Francisco International Film Festival, honors a man who has a deep appreciation for movies as an art form; a recognition of the important role that San Francisco plays in the world of art and cinema; a flair for innovation and entrepreneurship; and a spirit of adventure and passion for community. Film Society Awards Night will take place Thursday, May 3 at the Westin St. Francis Hotel.

SFIFF 50 will also feature The International Online, an exciting new concept in the online presentation of Festival films, designed by the Film Society and Jaman, a premier online community for world cinema. The International Online will offer online screenings of a select group of Festival feature films at better-than-DVD quality. The films selected for The International Online will be available worldwide for download to a limited number of viewers during an exclusive window of time following their SFIFF theatrical screenings. 

These Festival offerings complement and extend the Film Society’s year-round SF360 initiatives, which showcase the vitality and variety of the Bay Area film and media scenes. Launched in early 2006, SF360 initiatives include SF360.org, a daily online magazine copublished with indieWIRE; the “one city/one film” SF360 San Francisco Movie Night; SF360 Live panels and discussions; SF360 Film+Club, monthly “social screenings”; and the new television show SF360 Movie Scene, premiering in February.

Founded in 1957, the vanguard San Francisco International Film Festival is the longest-running film festival in the Americas. Held each spring for fifteen days, the International is an extraordinary showcase of cinematic discovery and innovation in the country’s most beautiful city, featuring 25 juried awards and more than 220 films and live events with upwards of 100 participating filmmakers and diverse audiences of 80,000+ people.

The landmark 50th International runs April 26–May 10, 2007 at the Sundance Kabuki Cinema, the Castro Theatre, The Museum of Modern Art and the Cowell Theater at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco; the Pacific Film Archive Theater in Berkeley; and Landmark’s Aquarius Theatre in Palo Alto, as well as several smaller satellite venues.

For tickets and information go to www.sffs.org, call 925.866.9559 or visit the Main Ticket Outlet at the Sundance Kabuki Cinema (1881 Post Street) or the Satellite Ticket Outlet at Virgin Megastore (2 Stockton Street). For additional information log on to www.sffs.org or call 415.561.5000.

San Francisco Film Society, presenter of the flagship SFIFF, is a nonprofit arts and educational organization dedicated to celebrating the world of film and media in all its glorious forms. The Film Society’s year-round programs and events are concentrated in four core areas: Internationalism and Cross-Cultural Exchange; Educating and Inspiring Bay Area Youth; Showcasing Bay Area Film Culture; and Exploring New Digital Media.

 In early 2006 the Film Society unveiled SF360, a broad-spectrum series of initiatives designed to showcase the extraordinary vitality and variety of the Bay Area film and media scene, including www.SF360.org, SF360 San Francisco Movie Night, SF360 Film+Club and the television show SF360 Movie Scene.

The Film Society runs an acclaimed Education Program that each year introduces international cinema and media literacy to several thousand teachers and students (ages 8–18). The Film Society will present the second annual San Francisco International Animation Festival in October 2007, the eleventh annual New Italian Cinema festival in November 2007 and a new SF International Youth Media Festival in early 2008.