These are my unedited notes from the SFIFF press conference. I don’t have Internet access here at the Westin, so I’ll post this as soon as I can. When I get a chance, I will post an edited version. Update: I had that chance. You'll find a more readable version here. I’m not totally comfortable … Continue reading This Year’s San Francisco International Film Festival Announced—Raw Version
Category: Festivals
Early News on the San Francisco International Film Festival
The press conference isn't until next Tuesday, but the San Francisco Film Society has been sending out select announcements for weeks now. Here's what I know: The festival opens with Beginners, starring Ewan McGregor as a man recalling the life of his recently-deceased, gay father (Christopher Plummer). Christine Vachon, producer of Kids, Happiness and Boys … Continue reading Early News on the San Francisco International Film Festival
Cinequest Preview: A Little Help
C- A Little Help, Camera 12, Thursday, March 3, 9:15; Wednesday, March 9, 12:00 noon; California Theatre, Saturday, March 9, 9:15. This film really helped me appreciate Mike Leigh. It did so by reminding me that not everyone can make a good low-key drama about ordinary, damaged human beings. A Little Help's protagonist (Jenna Fischer) … Continue reading Cinequest Preview: A Little Help
Cinequest Preview: Small Town Murder Songs
Cinequest opens tonight, and I'm not ready. The festival recently sent me several screener DVDs so I could review some of their films, but I don't know how many I'll get to in time. Because I don't know how many of these films I'll get to in a timely manner, I'm going to post capsule … Continue reading Cinequest Preview: Small Town Murder Songs
Cinequest
With its celebration of technology and independent filmmaking, Cinequest always seemed like a festival I should attend. But San Jose a big schlep for me, and I've yet to make it. But that doesn't mean you should miss it. It runs the first 12 days of March. The festival kicks off this year with Passsione, … Continue reading Cinequest
Green Film Festival
Last month I explained the three types of film festivals: identity festivals, which focus on ethnic, religious, racial, and gender identities, genre festivals, which look at particular kinds of movies and generic film festivals. There's a fourth kind: Advocacy film festivals. The latest addition to the Bay Area pantheon, the Green Film Festival, falls into … Continue reading Green Film Festival
IndieFest Preview
I've previewed three films coming to IndieFest. Here's what I thought about them. B+ The Drummond Will, Roxie, Friday, February 4, 7:00; Sunday, February 6, 2:30; Monday, February 7, 7:00. No one can make murder funny like the British. In this low-budget comedy, two very different brothers inherent a ramshackle house from the father neither … Continue reading IndieFest Preview
A Weekend in Black and White, Part 2: Noir City
It was dark. It was dangerous. Lust, greed, and fear hung heavily in the air. It was enough to drive you crazy. That's right. I spent Saturday at the Castro with two Noir City double bills. That's four pictures from the 40s and early 50s I'd never seen before. While the movies where dark and … Continue reading A Weekend in Black and White, Part 2: Noir City
IndieFest 2011
I tend to put film festivals into three categories. First, you've got identity festivals, which focus on the many ethnic, religious, racial, and gender ways in which people group themselves (the Jewish Film Festival, Frameline, and so one). Second, you have genre festivals, which look at particular kinds of movies (Noir City, Silent Film Festival). … Continue reading IndieFest 2011
For Your Consideration
I missed a festival: For Your Consideration. Well, I didn't quite miss it. It opens tomorrow at the Rafael, and runs for eight days. But I didn't catch it in time to include it in last week's newsletter. The festival will screen ten foreign-language films that have been submitted, by their countries of origin, into … Continue reading For Your Consideration
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