62nd annual San Francisco International Film Festival opens today, Wednesday, April 10th
The 62nd annual San Francisco International Film Festival begins today, Wednesday, April 10th, and runs almost two weeks, until Tuesday, April 23rd. This year’s Festival boasts 163 films from over 50 countries in 36 languages, and will include twelve world premieres and five North American premieres. The Festival is proud that this year close to 45% of its films are directed by women. More information, complete program listings, and online tickets can be found here.
With so many offerings, figuring out your Fest schedule can be tricky. But never fear! As always, Spinning Platters has your back. We’ll get you started by sharing five Festival film spotlights (two narrative features and three documentaries). And of course be sure to check back here throughout the Festival for more spotlights and updates.
1.) Colewell
(USA 2019, 79 min. Global Visions)
“Looking back, it doesn’t matter how old you are — life always feels the same length… Like forever, and not very long,” muses a character at the beginning of writer/director Tom Quinn’s poignant and reflective new film. Karen Allen plays Nora, the longtime postmistress in Colewell, a tiny (fictional) Pennsylvania town. When word comes that Colewell’s post office is to be closed, the news upends both Nora and the town’s residents, many of who rely on the cozy space for social interaction. Karen Allen is exceptional as an older woman questioning her life decisions and confronting her future. A thoughtful meditation on aging, loneliness, and the nature of time, Quinn’s second feature film deserves to be a hit on the Festival circuit.
Screenings (tickets available here):
– Saturday, April 13th, 8:00pm, Dolby Cinema, SF
– Tuesday, April 16th, 6:00pm, Children’s Creativity Museum Theater
2.) Paper Flags
(France 2018, 102 min. In French with English subtitles. Golden Gate Award Competitions)
A fitting nominee for the Film Fest’s New Director Golden Gate Award, Paper Flags (Les Drapeaux de Papier) was written and directed by Nathan Ambrosioni when he was just 18 years old. Ambrosioni’s youth and inexperience certainly don’t show here, though, as his film exhibits the gravitas and depth you might expect from a much more seasoned filmmaker. French actors Noémie Merlant (a Kristen Stewart doppleganger) and Guillaume Gouix play Charlie and Vincent, siblings reunited after Vincent’s recent prison release. Charlie longs to connect with the older brother she barely knows, but Vincent’s temper and post-prison adjustment make bonding difficult. Adding an angry, distant father to the mix, Ambrosioni sets the stage for an often brutally tense and charged family drama that never ceases to hold the viewer’s attention. Merlant and Gouix are terrific, and their dynamic is believable and heartbreaking.
Screenings (tickets available here):
– Saturday, April 20th, 9:15pm, Roxie Theater, SF
– Sunday, April 21st, 7:00pm, Children’s Creativity Museum Theater, SF
3.) Show Me the Picture: The Story of Jim Marshall
(UK/USA 2019, 92 min. Global Visions)
You may not know his name, but there’s a good chance you know his photographs. Bay Area native Jim Marshall is responsible for some of the most iconic images of rock and jazz legends, including Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, Johnny Cash, and Miles Davis. Director Alfred George Bailey, a jazz musician himself, highlights Marshall’s enviable career, spent photographing some of rock history’s most important faces and events. The doc offers something for everyone: Bay Area music lovers will relish the look at the ‘60s and ‘70s San Francisco scene, photography lovers will appreciate Bailey’s examination of Marshall’s technical prowess, and documentary aficionados will be captivated by the story of a reckless artist whose personal and professional lives were often in disarray. Featuring interviews with Marshall’s longtime friend and assistant Amelia Davis, former SF Chronicle rock critic Joel Selvin, and musicians and actors like Graham Nash and Michael Douglas, Bailey’s film paints an indelible portrait of a volatile man whose work more than stands the test of time.
Screenings (tickets available here):
– Thursday, April 18th, 8:30pm, SFMOMA Phyllis Wattis Theater Theater, SF
– Sunday, April 21st, 12:30pm, Roxie Theater, SF
4.) The Seer and the Unseen
(USA/Iceland 2019, 86 min. In English and Icelandic with English subtitles. Golden Gate Award Competitions)
If you’ve been lucky enough to travel to Iceland, you know that a belief in elves and spirits is deeply embedded in the Icelandic culture. Documentarian Sara Dosa brings us the fascinating story of Ragnhildur “Ragga” Jónsdóttir, a grandmother, activist, and “seer” who can communicate with the unseen creatures that inhabit the Icelandic landscape. When construction of a new road threatens a large rock that she knows to be an elf chapel, Jónsdóttir works tirelessly to save the boulder that is sacred to the unseen beings. Cynical Bay Areans may have a hard time accepting Jónsdóttir’s beliefs, but her conviction is admirable, and her faith unwavering. A movie that celebrates wonder, imagination, determination, and the holiness of the natural world, Dosa’s film will have you questioning your own truths and applauding the power of conviction.
Screenings (tickets available here):
– Saturday, April 13th, 5:00pm, Dolby Cinema, SF
– Wednesday, April 17th, 8:30pm, Grand Lake Theater, Oakland
– Friday, April 19th, 3:00pm, Children’s Creativity Museum Theater, SF
5.) Ask Dr. Ruth
(USA 2019, 100 min. Marquee Presentations)
There’s no such thing as normal,” sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer often reassured her radio talk show callers, making millions of people feel better about their sexual proclivities. She rose to prominence at a time when sex was not widely spoken about, especially on the radio or TV. Non-judgmental and always respectful of her clients, Dr. Ruth led a remarkable life, and director Ryan White (The Keepers) brings her story to the screen in an affecting and inspiring documentary. An only child who lost both her parents in the Holocaust, Dr. Ruth’s journey from orphan girl in Switzerland to the world’s most famous sex therapist is a story of resilience, positivity, and perseverance that has lessons for us all.
Screenings (tickets available here):
– Sunday, April 21st, 3:00pm, Castro Theater
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The 62nd San Francisco International Film Festival runs from Wednesday, April 10th through Tuesday, April 23rd.
You can watch the Festival trailer on the Festival’s website, here.
