— SF Film Society Blog

December 04, 2012 December 04, 2012/ SF Film Society

Rosemarie Dewitt, star of SFIFF55 hit Your Sister's Sister, visits the festival with husband Ron Livingston. Photo by Pamela Gentile.

SF Film Society Blog

#TBT: San Francisco International Film Festival founder Irving Levin just before the second-ever #SFIFF (1958). This spring, we are proud to attach his name to the Festival prize that has honored him for so many years. Our Founder's Directing Award — presented in recent years to legendary filmmakers such as #RichardLinklater, #SpikeLee & #FrancisFordCoppola — will going forward be known as the Irving M. Levin Directing Award in memory of this passionate and driven Bay Area film exhibitor.

Last week, we announced the finalists for our #DocumentaryFilmFund, a competitive cash grant that supports post-production work on nonfiction films. We selected 11 outstanding projects after combing through more than 300 apps — read about these films on @indiewire at bit.ly/DFFfinalists2015. In the meantime, a #TBT to one of last year's grantees, #TomorrowWeDisappear. The doc follows a magician, puppeteer and an acrobat — all members of a small artist colony tucked away in New Delhi — as the neighborhood they inhabit begins to attract real estate developers and eviction looms on the horizon. Read more about past winners and the various ways that #SFFSsupports doc & #indiefilm at sffs.org.

#TBT: #SpikeLee & #DannyGlover at #SFIFF 29, for the world premiere of Lee's film She's Gotta Have It. Over the years, we've screened a variety of Lee's work, from his graduate school thesis film We Cut Heads to to his 2006 doc about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, When the Levees Broke: A Requiem In Four Acts. We also honored Lee at SFIFF 50 with the Festival's prestigious Founder's Directing Award. Love this filmmaker? His latest, #DaSweetBloodOfJesus, opens at the #RoxieTheater tomorrow!

#SFIFF 58 is just down the road! This year's Festival will run from April 23-May 7, and we will release our full program roster on March 31. In the meantime, stay tuned: a few select special events will be announced in advance. #SFFSmembers get first crack at purchasing tickets to all Festival programs. Not a member? Join now and beat the #SFIFF rush. Photo: #TheAmazingCatfish by Claudia Sainte-Luce (SFIFF 57).

Animator #TommMoore engaged in a live drawing demonstration at a local elementary school. Moore screened his #AcademyAward-nominated film #SongOfTheSea for nearly 300 Bay Area students through the SFFS Education program just a few weeks ago. Learn more about his visit with us and about our time with legendary Disney animator #GlenKeane on the Film Society Blog at blog.sffs.org.

Get YR hair did and head over to the #AsianArtMuseum this Thursday night! Their latest exhibition Seduction: Japan's Floating World kicks off with an awesome opening night party DJed by Proof (AKA @markyenriquez) and peppered with installations & performances by artist & sexuality educator @planetmidori. #SFFSmembers: want to join in the fun for free? Email community@sffs.org by 5p tonight with your name & member number for your chance to win a pair of tickets. Subject should read 'Courtesans & Cooks' & body should include reason why you want to go! Image: Courtesan promenading under cherry blossoms by Katsushika Hokuun, John C. Weber Collection. #TheFloatingWorld

Filmmakers: this is your final weekend to apply to the SFFS / KRF Filmmaking Grant! Get your materials together & submit by Feb. 17. This award funds narrative feature films in all stages of production. In addition to cash prizes, grantees receive one-on-one project consultation, fundraising assistance and access to the full suite of filmmaker services at #SFFS. You need not be local to apply! Pictured: #MosquitaYMari, a film about the evolving friendship between two Chicana high schoolers in Los Angeles, 2011 grant recipient. #SFFSsupports #indiefilm

Very saddened about the passing of journalist #DavidCarr. An amazing writer & forward thinker. Honored to have screened #PageOne: A Year Inside the #NewYorkTimes at #SFIFF 54, #AndrewRossi's in-depth portrait of the paper as it began transitioning into the digital era. Carr became the unexpected star of this film, and came to life on screen as a champion of the Times and an early adopter of new media. His voice will be missed by NYT readers & film lovers everywhere.

Filmmaker #AndrewRossi at #SFIFF 54, just before we screened his documentary #PageOne: A Year Inside the #NewYorkTimes. Journalist #DavidCarr became the unexpected star Rossi's film, and came to life on screen as a champion of the Times and an early adopter of new media. An amazing writer and forward thinker, Carr will be missed by NYT readers & film lovers everywhere.

#SFFSmembers: watch #AcademyAward nominated documentary #FindingVivianMaier with us & codirector Charlie Siskel at 7p tomorrow night at the Delancey Street Screening Room! #VivianMaier took more than 150,000 pictures over the course of her life but rose to fame as a photographer only posthumously — she didn't even develop many of her negatives. See this incredible film which pieces together the artist's life & get in gear for the Oscars — just 10 days away. Remember, Film Society member screenings are free! To RSVP, visit sffs.org.

EXHIBITION | SF INT'L FILM FESTIVAL

EDUCATION | FilmEd.

FILMMAKER360 | GRANTS

RT @SFIFF: Just Ahead: #SFIFF 58. First Fest announcement NEXT TUES! Stay tuned & join up >> http://t.co/kjgJBIKUyM http://t.co/qhrUcaT7wB
about a day ago
#CasablancaMonAmour (#CinemaByTheBay 2012) screening for FREE 3/3. Make yr way to Tiburon >> http://t.co/dFUqe2og8p http://t.co/oW5pFfWHLE
about a day ago

#TBT: Fest founder Irving Levin before the second #SFIFF. Proud to now call our Founder's Directing Award by his name http://t.co/YjqEhzboMh
about a day ago
Just Ahead: #SFIFF 58. First Fest announcement NEXT TUES! Stay tuned & join up >> http://t.co/kjgJBIKUyM http://t.co/qhrUcaT7wB
about a day ago

Home

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The San Francisco Film Society just announced the array of programs comprising its 2014 Fall Season!

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See More SFIFF: An Evening with Richard Linklater - Video!

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SFIFF57 Wraps!

about 9 months ago

The San Francisco Film Society wrapped its 57th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 24–May 8) with 263 screenings of 168 films from 56 countries, which were attended by over 300 filmmakers and industry guests from over 20 countries. Over 15 days, SFIFF57 showed 74 narrative features, 29 documentary features and a total of 65 short films. See all the highlights and photo galleries!

In Focus: Sara Dosa on The Last Season

about 9 months ago

SFFS is proud to have hosted the premiere of our very own Sara Dosa's documentary, The Last Season, at SFIFF57! Read on to hear the story behind the film.

SFIFF57 Golden Gate Award and New Directors Prize Winners

about 9 months ago

Last night, the 57th San Francisco International Film Festival announced the winners of the juried Golden Gate Award and New Directors Prize competitions at an event held at Rouge | Nick’s Crispy Tacos. This year the Festival awarded nearly $40,000 in prizes to emerging and established filmmakers from 13 countries around the globe!