SF film festival featuring big names

The San Francisco International Film Festival is returning to the Bay Area, celebrating its 52nd year of screening little, large, and award-winning films from all over.

One of the most renown and respected film festivals in the world is back starting April 23 to May 7, this year highlighting well over 60-plus films from Argentina to India to the U.S.

The festival will also feature spotlights on filmmakers, Q&A sessions, and the Golden Gate Award Ceremonies for the screened films running in competition during the following two weeks.

The opening night ceremonies will begin on April 23 with the West Coast premier of La Mission starring Benjamin Bratt, who stars in TV’s’s Law and Order.

It tells the story of one man’s journey of redemptions on the streets of San Francisco’s Mission District.

The centerpiece of the festival, 500 Days of Summer, directed by newcomer Marc Webb and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. The film tells of a nonlinear romance between office workers Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel. Think Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind but with brighter music and younger people. It will have its festival premiere on Saturday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kabuki Sundance Theater. Director Webb, Gordon-Levitt, and Deschanel are expected to attended the screening.

There will be several special guest-speaking panels throughout the two-week run, the largest taking place on Friday, May 1st at 7:30 p.m. at the Castro Theatre, with film directors Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, and film editor Walter Murch. The Q&A section will be followed by a 15- minute trailer world premiere of Coppola’s newest film Terto, which opens this summer.

The festival will also premier digitally restored film prints of such classics as Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West on May 3rd at 12:30 p.m. in the Castro Theater, Federico Fellini’s Nights of Cabiria on May 3rd at 7:30 p.m. in Castro Theatre, Michelangelo Antonioni’s Le Amiche on April 26th at 3 p.m. in Castro Theater, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid on April 29th at 7:30 p.m. in the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas.

A few films to be on the lookout during the festival’s run are from England, Moon, directed by David Bowie’s son Duncan Jones, starring Sam Rockwell; from Mexico, Rudo y Cursi, with Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna; the documentary Tyson, directed by James Toback; From Kazakhstan, Tulpan; From France, Mesrine: A Film in Two Parts, starring Vincent Cassel; the documentary My Neighbor, My Killer; the documentary Crude directed by Joe Berlinger; the CGI film, Battle for Terra; from Hong Kong, Claustrophobia and The Beast Stalker; and many more other film screenings.

The closing night ceremonies of the festival will conclude on May 7th, with the English/Argentine produced film, Unmade Beds. The film is directed by Alexis Dos Santos and tells the story of another love story between two solidarity expatriots, who find themselves living and loving on the art-rock scene of East London.

The tickets prices vary from $12.50 for general admission, $11 dollars for students, and $10 for film society members. All panels and filmmakers Q&A’s are $25 dollars for general and $20 dollars for members. The opening night screening and party on April 23rd at 7 p.m. are $85 for general admission. The showing of 500 Days of Summer is $20 for screening, and all closing screens are $20 as well.

The festival film screenings take place around various San Francisco and Berkeley theaters.

Check out some great little movie these coming weeks, because it might not ever be shown to the world again.