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SFIFF—Preeminent Leader in World Cinema
The 49th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 20–May 4) offers the superb breadth of work that attendees have come to expect, as well as some exciting new programs and events. Key features of the 49th SFIFF include a rich selection of films from Asia, Latin America and France; a typically strong section of smart and courageous documentaries; and a spotlight on the use of new technologies. San Francisco is a mecca for creative people, and many of the Festival filmmakers travel great distances to participate in the Festival.
The Festival’s World Cinema section spotlights narrative work by established directors, providing audiences their first highly anticipated look at new films by acknowledged masters as well as up-and-coming talents. High profile films and artists are featured at Opening and Closing Nights and a mid-Festival gala Awards Night celebrates the world’s finest acting, directing and screenwriting talents.
This year’s Festival will also offer expanded services for industry professionals. Read more.
Narrative filmmakers emerging on the international scene are highlighted and supported in the New Directors section with selected first features competing for the coveted SKYY Prize awarded by an international jury. The San Francisco Bay Area is a center of documentary film production and appreciation, and each year the Festival receives hundreds of entries for its competitive section of international nonfiction work. An international jury bestows the best documentary feature award. Significant cash prizes and in-kind awards also go to eight categories of short films and four works for television.
The San Francisco Bay Area is recognized around the world as a crucible for new creative visions. The San Francisco International Film Festival arose out of this rich ground in 1957 and for the last 49 years has been acclaimed for its programmatic excellence, sophisticated and engaged audiences, and welcoming attitude toward new and established figures in world cinema. The Festival draws from and reflects the uniquely diverse and internationalist cultural climate of San Francisco, making it an exemplary showcase for the premieres of international, national and local works.
San Francisco: America’s Film and Media Frontier
In keeping with the Bay Area’s status as the frontier for new technologies, the 49th Festival introduces KinoTek, a new section focusing on cross-platform media works such as live cinema, Web work, mobile device production, machinima and exhibition and video installations. Satellite locations expand Festival screenings deeper into the city this year through collaborations with local arts organizations to recognize the diversity of visual arts presentations in the Bay Area. Talk Cinema features selections of new films accompanied by Talk Cinema’s trademark facilitated audience discussion. The Schools at the Festival program, now in its 15th year, welcomes several thousand elementary, middle and high school children to view selected Festival programs and interact with visiting filmmakers.
SFIFF – First to 50, America’s Oldest Film Festival
In 2007, the Festival will be “First to 50,” celebrating its 50th year as the oldest film festival in the Americas. Since 1957 the San Francisco International Film Festival has brought the finest in world cinema to Bay Area audiences and played a leading role in enriching and expanding Northern California’s film culture. In 2005, at the 48th Festival, some 250 filmmakers, producers, and industry representatives presented their work to 77,000 film fans, distributors and industry professionals; some 185 films, including roughly 50 world, international, North American and U.S. premieres, debuted to SFIFF audiences.
Talent at SFIFF
Recent Festival guests include Abbas Kiarostami, Agnès Varda, Alan Rudolph, Annette Bening, Arnaud Desplechin, Benjamin Bratt, Charlotte Rampling, Chris Cooper, Claire Denis, Clint Eastwood, Costa-Gavras, Courteney Cox, Cyd Charisse, Daniel Craig, Danny DeVito, Delroy Lindo, Dustin Hoffman, Esther Williams, Ethan Hawke, Faith Hubley, Fernando Birri, Francis Ford Coppola, Gary Ross, George Lucas, Hanif Kureishi, Helen Mirren, Jacques Rozier, Jeff Bridges, Jim Jarmusch, Joan Allen, Jon Else, Kenneth Anger, Kevin Spacey, Kim Ki-Duk, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Lily Tomlin, Lucrecia Martel, Manny Farber, Mario Van Peebles, Melvin Van Peebles, Metallica, Milos Forman, Miranda July, Morgan Spurlock, Nelson Rodriquez, Paolo Cherchi Usai, Pat O’Neill, Patrice Chéreau, Patricia Clarkson, Paul Haggis, Peter Coyote, Peter Sarsgaard, Rita Moreno, Robert Altman, Robin Williams, Robin Wright Penn, Sally Potter, Saul Zaentz, Sean Penn, Stockard Channing, Susan Sontag, the Talking Heads, Taylor Hackford, The RZA, Todd Solondz, Tom Waits, Warren Beatty, Wayne Wang, Winona Ryder, Zhang Yimou and others.
Rich History of Cinematic Discovery
A sample of films featured at recent Festivals includes Crash, The Dying Gaul, Kings and Queen, Yes, November, Three … Extremes, Me and You and Everyone We Know, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Mad Hot Ballroom, Murderball, The Holy Girl, Layer Cake, Palindromes, Coffee and Cigarettes, Love Me If You Dare, Control Room, The Corporation, DIG!, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, Super Size Me, The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, Baadasssss!, Beautiful Boxer, The Secret Lives of Dentists, Dopamine, The Spanish Apartment, The Man on the Train, Infernal Affairs, Whale Rider, Winged Migration, Thirteen Conversations About One Thing, Dogtown and Z-Boys, Fulltime Killer, The Last Kiss, The Safety of Objects, Spirited Away, A Social Genocide, Private, Saraband, The White Diamond, Checkpoint, The Century of the Self, 10th District Court: Moments of Trials and Rivers and Tides.
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