Must See: The Silent Gems of Hitchcock 9

Photo courtesy of BFI

“The silent pictures were the purest form of cinema.”

— Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock has defined much for classic cinema.  A short list consists of making his name a style unto itself and actors legendary icons. Though we see so much of his influence, little has been watched from his early career...as a silent film director!  Sir Alfred's rare silent films are fascinating celluloid predecessors and gems to behold  at SF Silent Film Festival's premiere of Hitchcock 9. The gallery below is our homage and a deeper token of appreciation is to see them on that glorious theatre screen with musical accompaniment, June 13-16 at Castro Theatre.

Blackmail (1929)

Cast: Anny Ondra, Sara Allgood, Charles Paton, John Longden, Donald Calthrop, Cyril Ritchard, Hannah Jones

The Manxman (1929)

Cast: Anny Ondra, Carl Brisson, Malcolm Keen, Randle Ayrton

Easy Virtue (1928)

Cast: Isabel Jeans, Robin Irvine, Franklin Dyall, Ian Hunter, Violet Farebrother, Frank Elliott, Dorothy Boyd, Benita Hume

Downhill (1927)

Cast: Ivor Novello, Isabel Jeans, Ian Hunter, Annette Benson, Robert Irvine, Norman McKinnell, Violet Farebrother, Barbara Gott

See More SFIFF: Frances Ha

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Frances Ha
Dir: Noam Baumbach
Narrative Feature
USA, 2012

Frances Ha had it's Bay Area premiere at SFIFF56 and will open May 24 at select Landmark Theaters and Rafael Film Center.

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Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig at the premiere of FRANCES HA at the 56th San Francisco International Film Festival. Photographed by Pamela Gentile.

“Frances Ha begins pleasantly enough, but it isn’t until our scattershot heroine sets out on a hilarious, borderline slapstick quest for an ATM machine while in the midst of a platonic dinner date that it really takes off. From there, the picture begins to blossom like a multicolored flower (all the more impressive considering Frances is living in a black-and-white world). Frances is both sloppy and adorable, annoying and endearing. At 27, she’s technically an adult, yet she nonetheless comes across as the gawky adolescent sister you trust will one day figure things out, though that day won’t come for a long time. Because of this, the noticeable lack of sexual content — this movie is about modern 20-somethings in NYC, after all, and yet we see nary a kiss from Frances — doesn’t feel like an omission; considering the protagonist, it feels somehow appropriate.”

— Michael Tully, Hammer to Nail

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See More SFIFF: Stories We Tell

Sarah Polley at the premiere of STORIES WE TELL at the 56th San Francisco International Film Festival. Photographed by Pamela Gentile.

Stories We Tell
Directed by Sarah Polley
Documentary Feature
Canada, 2012

Stories We Tell had it's Bay Area premiere at SFIFF56 and is currently screening at select Landmark Theatres and Rafael Film Center.

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“What is so thrilling about Stories We Tell is not that the film ineffably expresses its themes, but rather how it directly confronts them, constantly calling into question the adequacy of what the film is setting out to do and drawing in different opinions about what might be accomplished by telling Diane and the family’s story. This constant questioning of its own premise and presumptions gives Stories We Tell a real power, forcing viewers to not only examine the film’s storytelling devices and strategies, but ultimately, their own position in their own lives, their own secrets and those of the people they love, the memories that they can no longer fully call to mind, the way in which their own lives are re-created in the stories they tell themselves.”

— Tom Hall, Hammer to Nail

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Unveiled: Fruitvale Station Trailer

The Weinstein Company has finally unveiled the trailer for SFFS/KRF Filmmaking Grant Winner Fruitvale Station - watch it below. With a Sundance Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award in tow, we anticipate a fantastic reception for its upcoming international debut at Festival de Cannes' 'Un Certain Regard.' After the film will finally be in theaters July 12; Bay Area screening party TBD. 

Our warmest congratulations and support to director Ryan Coogler - you've made our Bay Area community well-up from film joy!

A2E OnRamp Inaugural Crew

photo by Chris Thomas

A2E OnRamp (The Direct Distribution Lab) filmmakers, tech partners and consultants after 4 intense days working on plans for the direct distribution of the 12 A2E films (they look tired but happy yes?). Standby for more exciting news! 

In the meantime, fill yourself in with Alison Willmore's "Is Direct Distribution the Future for Indie Film? Notes From A2E at the 2013 San Francisco International Film Festival" on Indiewire.