50th San Francisco International Film Festival to Open with Emanuele Crialese’s Golden Door

February 8, 2007

The much anticipated 50th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 26-May 10, 2007) will open on Thursday, April 26, 2007 at the majestic Castro Theatre with Emanuele Crialese's sweeping tale of early 20th century Sicilian emigration to the United States, Golden Door (Nuovomondo). Golden Door will screen at 7:00 pm with guests from the film in attendance, followed by the gala Opening Night party at 9:30 pm in the San Francisco City Hall Rotunda.

Combining a lavish visual style with a thoroughly contemporary sensibility, Golden Door is the story of a Sicilian family and their tumultuous journey to America at the turn of the last century. Also on the journey aboard the overcrowded ship is a British woman with a complicated past, played by the ravishing Charlotte Gainsbourg. They all face further life-changing challenges on arrival at Ellis Island. This novel and ambitious epic is a feast for the eyes and ears. Golden Door was Italy's official submission for the 79th Annual Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film category. Crialese's deeply felt love story Respiro played at SFIFF in 2003. Golden Door is being distributed in the United States by Miramax and is scheduled to open theatrically in 2007.

Graham Leggat, executive director of the San Francisco Film Society, said, "We can't imagine a more beautiful or moving film with which to open the 50th International than Golden Door. Emanuele Crialese's stirring tale is enough to give all of us at the Film Society courage as we embark on our own voyage to the New World of our second half-century."

The gala Opening Night party following the film will be held in the spectacular San Francisco City Hall Rotunda (Polk between McAllister and Grove) at 9:30 pm. Party goers will indulge in culinary delights from Bay Area food purveyors, enjoy libations from San Francisco favorites and dance the night away. Admission for the Opening Night film and party is $85 general public/$70 for San Francisco Film Society members; VIP tickets are $125 (includes reserved seating at the Castro Theatre and exclusive access to Cathay Pacific's VIP Wing Lounge).

Opening Night is sponsored by Cathay Pacific Airways.
Golden Door is presented in association with the Italian Cultural Institute, San Francisco.
The Opening Night party is presented in part with the generous support of the San Francisco Film Commission.