Ted Hope, one of the film industry’s most respected and prolific figures, has been named executive director of the San Francisco Film Society (SFFS), effective September 1, 2012. In a surprise move, the veteran film producer and one of the most influential individuals in independent film will embark upon a new chapter in his professional life, leaving New York City, where he produced independent films through his companies Good Machine, This is that corporation and Double Hope Films, t...
Rachel Rosen, director of programming for the San Francisco Film Society, Benoit Jacquot, director of FAREWELL, MY QUEEN, and Melanie Blum, SFFS interim executive director, arriving at Opening Night of the 55th San Francisco International Film Festival, April 19, 2012. Photo © Pamela Gentile, courtesy of San Francisco Film Society
The longest-Running Film Festival in the Americas Enjoys a Spectacular Year with Superb Programming, Numerous Spe...
This evening the 55th San Francisco International Film Festival, presented by the San Francisco Film Society, announced the juried Golden Gate Award winners, New Directors Prize winner and FIPRESCI Prize winner at a ceremony held at Rasselas Jazz Club and Restaurant in the historic Fillmore district. This year the Festival awarded over $70,000 in prizes to emerging and established filmmakers from nine countries around the globe.
Golden Gate Award Documentary Feature Winners
Documenta...
The San Francisco Film Society announced today that Benh Zeitlin, director of the highly imaginative and much acclaimed independent narrative feature Beasts of the Southern Wild, will be the recipient of the inaugural Graham Leggat Award at the 55th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 19 - May 3). The award will be presented to Zeitlin at Film Society Awards Night, Thursday, April 26 at the historic Warfield Theatre. The Graham Leggat Award honors Leggat and the Film Society's suppo...
Director Will Receive Honor at Film Society Awards Night at Warfield Theatre and Onstage Tribute at Castro Theatre
San Francisco, CA -- The San Francisco Film Society announced today that Kenneth Branagh will be the recipient of the Founder's Directing Award at the 55th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 19 - May 3). The FDA will be presented to Branagh at Film Society Awards Night, Thursday, April 26 at the historic Warfield Theatre.
The Film Society and i...
11 Narrative Features From Nine Countries Contend for $15,000 New Directors Prize,
12 Documentaries From Nine Countries Contend for $35,000 in Cash Prizes
The 55th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 19 - May 3) today announced the films in competition for the New Directors Prize and the Golden Gate Awards for documentary features. The International will award $70,000 in total prizes this year. The New Directors Prize of $15,000 will be given to a narrative first feature...
The San Francisco Film Society regrets to announce that Executive Director Bingham Ray passed away on January 23 while attending the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
Bingham Ray
Photo by Michael Rauner
"The board of directors and staff of the Film Society are stunned and deeply saddened by the untimely death of our executive director Bingham Ray. We at the Film Society a...
It is with deep sadness that we announce that Graham Leggat, beloved executive director of the San Francisco Film Society, died at his San Francisco home on August 25, 2011, after an 18-month battle with cancer.
He was 51.
"For nearly six exciting and transformative years, Graham Leggat led the San Francisco Film Society with irrepressible determination, dash and design," said Pat McBaine, president of the Film Society's board of directors. "His vision, leadersh...
The San Francisco Film Society wrapped its 54th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 21 - May 5) with 265 screenings of 193 films from 48 countries, which were attended by 278 filmmakers and industry guests from 22 countries around the globe.
"I had a hell of a good time!" exclaimed Frank Pierson, recipient of this year's Kanbar Award for excellence in screenwriting. "I enjoyed the informality of spirit and the professionalism of execution of the who...
Golden Gate Award Documentary Feature Winners
Investigative Documentary Feature:
Crime After Crime, Yoav Potash (USA 2011)
· Winner receives $25,000 cash prize
Documentary Feature:
Better This World, Kelly Duane de la Vega and Katie Galloway (USA 2011)
· Winner receives $20,000 cash prize
Bay Area Documentary Feature:
Better This World, Kelly Duane de la Vega and Katie Galloway (USA 2011)
· Winner receives $15,000 cash p...
Select SFIFF Films will be Made Available to Festival Scope Members Worldwide
The San Francisco International Film Festival (April 21-May 5) is excited to announce that the Festival has been invited to join Festival Scope, a new Internet platform that allows programming of selected film festivals to be viewed online by film professionals around the world.
"We see the participation of SFIFF in Festival Scope as a substantial benefit for the works programmed...
The San Francisco Film Society today announced the new SFFS Documentary Film Fund, which over the next three years will disburse a series of annual grants totaling $300,000 to support feature-length documentaries in postproduction. Expected to grow in the coming years as further underwriting is secured, the Fund is inaugurated thanks to a generous gift from valued Film Society patrons Sharon and Larry Malcolmson. The first grant cycle application period opens June 17; the first winners wi...
Director Will Receive Honor at Film Society Awards Night at Bimbo’s 365 Club and Onstage Tribute at Sundance Kabuki CinemasThe San Francisco Film Society announced today that Oliver Stone will be the recipient of the Founder’s Directing Award at the 54th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 21–May 5). The FDA will be presented to Stone at Film Society Awards Night, Thursday, April 28 at Bimbo’s 365 Club.The Film Society’s highly regarded Youth Education program wi...
Late Night Awards Ceremony Celebrates Dynamic Star of 'Star Trek' and 'Avatar' The 54th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 21–May 5) is excited to announce that Zoe Saldana will be honored at the fourth Midnight Awards, 10:30 pm, Saturday, April 23 at the W San Francisco. The Midnight Awards takes the form of a late night talk show, hosted by Beth Lisick, New York Times best-selling author and coorganizer of the Porchlight Storytelling Series, with live musical accompa...
Late Night Awards Ceremony Celebrates Compelling Actor of 'Capote' and 'Star Trek' The 54th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 21–May 5) is excited to announce that Clifton Collins Jr. will be honored at the fourth Midnight Awards,10:30 pm, Saturday, April 23 at the W San Francisco. The Midnight Awards takes the form of a late night talk show, hosted by Beth Lisick, New York Times best-selling author and coorganizer of the Porchlight Storytelling Series, with live mus...
Conversations Offer Opportunities for Deeper Audience Engagement with Festival Films and Filmmakers The 54th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 21–May 5) will present two new Conversations series designed to deepen and enhance the Festival experience, giving filmgoers the opportunity to go a step beyond the post-screening Q&A. An extension of the Film Society’s year-round Film Craft & Film Studies program, Master Classes are an opportunity to engage with special ...
The 54th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 21 - May 5) is excited to announce that Zoe Saldana will be honored at the fourth Midnight Awards, 10:30 pm, Saturday, April 23 at the W San Francisco. The Midnight Awards takes the form of a late night talk show, hosted by Beth Lisick, New York Times best-selling author and coorganizer of the Porchlight Storytelling Series, with live musical accompaniment by the Darren Johnston Trio. Lisick will interview Saldana and her soon-to-b...
Director Will Receive Honor at Film Society Awards Night at Bimbo's 365 Club and Onstage Tribute at Sundance Kabuki Cinemas
San Francisco, CA -- The San Francisco Film Society announced today that Oliver Stone will be the recipient of the Founder's Directing Award at the 54th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 21 - May 5). The FDA will be presented to Stone at Film Society Awards Night, Thursday, April 28 at Bimbo's 365 Club.
...
New Print of Italian Classic Starring Marcello Mastroianni, Anita Ekberg, Anouk Aimée
Will Screen at Castro Theatre with Support From Gucci and Scorsese’s Film Foundation
San Francisco, CA – The
54th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 21–May 5), with support from Gucci and Martin Scorsese’s
Film Foundation, will present a new print of the 4K digital restoration of Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (Italy 1960), a film that shook up international...
Screenwriter/Director Will Receive Honor at Film Society Awards Night and
an Onstage Tribute Featuring Dog Day Afternoon
San Francisco, CA – The San Francisco Film Society announced today that Frank Pierson will be the recipient of the Kanbar Award for excellence in screenwriting at the 54th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 21–May 5). The Kanbar Award, which acknowledges the crucial importance of a script in the production of an exceptional film, will b...
Acclaimed Producer and Author to Reflect on
Independent Cinema and Its Continuing Evolution
San Francisco, CA - The San Francisco Film Society announced today that acclaimed producer of independent cinema Christine Vachon will deliver the annual State of Cinema Address at the 54th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 21-May 5) at the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas on Sunday, April 24 at 9:00 pm. Vachon will speak on the current state of independent film and the role of p...
French Collector, Archivist and
Showman Extraordinaire Will Present
Retour de Flamme: Rare and Restored Films in 3-D at the Castro Theatre
San Francisco, CA – The 54th San Francisco International Film
Festival (April 21–May 5) will present the 2011 Mel Novikoff Award to the extraordinary showman Serge Bromberg for his invaluable work as a collector, preservationist, exhibitor, programmer and enthusiast of cinematic treasures, Sunday, May 1 at 5:00 pm at the Castro Th...
12 Feature-length Documentaries
from 11 Countries Contend for $60,000 in Cash Prizes
San Francisco, CA – The
54th San Francisco International Film
Festival (April 21–May 5) today
announced its Documentaries in
Competition for the esteemed Golden
Gate Awards. The International will award close to $100,000 in total prizes
this year. Sixty thousand dollars will be awarded to winners in three
categories: investigative documentary feature ($25,000), documentary feature
($20,...
Eleven Feature Narratives, Including US and World Premieres,
Contend for $15,000 New
Directors Prize
San Francisco, CA – The
54th San Francisco International Film
Festival (April 21–May 5) will
award close to $100,000 in total prizes this year. The New Directors Prize of $15,000 is given to a narrative first
feature that exhibits a unique artistic sensibility and deserves to be seen by as
wide an audience as possible. Seventeen countries contributed to the production...
