SFFILM Announces the Lineup for the 68th San Francisco International Film Festival

Posted on March 29, 2025 by admin

L to R top row: Josh O’Connor, Lily LaTorre in REBUILDING. Nicole Beharie, André Holland in LOVE, BROOKLYN. Asia Kate Dillon, Ridley Asha Bateman in OUTERLANDS. L to R, bottom row: filmmaker Chris Columbus, and actor André Holland. Top row photos and A. Holland headshot courtesy of rights holders. C. Columbus photo courtesy of Netflix; photo by Giles Keyte.

Today, SFFILM announced the full lineup for the 68th San Francisco International Film Festival (SFFILM Festival), the longest-running film festival in the Americas. Taking place April 17-27, the Festival returns to its full 11-day run bringing the best of this year’s global filmmaking to Bay Area audiences in theaters across San Francisco’s Marina and Presidio neighborhoods, the Mission, and in Berkeley. The festival lineup includes over 150 films from more than 50 countries including 11 World Premieres, 10 International Premieres, 10 North American Premieres, and six US Premieres. All feature films in competition, special events, and Marquee sections are California premieres. In addition to many filmmakers returning to the Festival, the program also includes 11 SFFILM Supported titles which are projects that received support from the organization’s youth education and artist development programs as grants, residencies, or funding, reflecting the year round mission of SFFILM.

“I am over the moon that we are back with 11 days of screenings, special Tributes, Awards, free talks, our annual Industry Days Conference, parties, city tours, and much more. It has been a delight to curate over 150 films for this year’s festival and we cannot wait to welcome local and international creatives to the city by the Bay,” said Jessie Fairbanks, SFFILM’s Director of Programming. “The program is packed with discovery titles, emerging storytellers, buzzy new films, A-list talent, and a special horror retrospective—that will be sure to delight audiences and filmmakers alike.”

The Festival opens with Max Walker-Silverman’s Rebuilding, a poignant exploration of communal love and resilience in the wake of devastating wildfires. This intimate, timely drama stars Josh O’Connor (Challengers, La Chimera, The Crown) as a man determined to restore his family’s ranch and rediscover his purpose. The Centerpiece presentation is Rachael Abigail Holder’s Love, Brooklyn, a layered romantic comedy exploring urban isolation and Black life in the modern age. Executive produced by Steven Soderbergh and starring André Holland, Nicole Beharie, and DeWanda Wise, the film generates plenty of sparks and humor. The Centerpiece film is presented alongside a Festival Tribute celebrating the career and craft of André Holland (Selma, Moonlight, Passing) who has been dazzling audiences on stage, television, and screen over the past two decades. Alongside the Centerpiece film, Holland offers a remarkable performance in Andre Gaines’s The Dutchman in the Marquee spotlight.
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Sundance Institute Announces Boulder, Colorado, as the New Home for the Sundance Film Festival Beginning in 2027

Posted on March 28, 2025 by admin

Sundance Institute’s Board of Trustees has announced that Boulder, Colorado, will become the Festival’s home beginning in 2027.

“This decision was informed by a detailed evaluation of the key components essential to creating our Festival. During the process, it became clear that Boulder is the ideal location in which to build our Festival’s future, marking a key strategic step in its natural evolution,” said Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute Board Chair. “We have a profound appreciation for the finalist cities and their communities — including Boulder, Colorado, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Salt Lake City, Utah — who presented overwhelmingly strong proposals and dedicated their time, passion, and commitment every step of the way. We have deep respect and gratitude to these communities for their hard work and partnership throughout the past year. Additionally, we sincerely value the steadfast support from our staff and board as we have ventured on this exploration together.”

The Sundance Film Festival is the largest artist program of the nonprofit Sundance Institute. Its Artist Programs cultivate a vibrant ecosystem, supporting artists and connecting their work with audiences. The Festival stands as the pre-eminent gathering of original storytellers and audiences seeking new voices, fresh perspectives, and a celebration of independent film and storytelling.

“The Sundance Film Festival is a catalyst for innovation, creative expression, and the discovery of groundbreaking independent films that inspire and shape the future of storytelling. This process provided the opportunity to imagine how we design the Festival while staying true to our programming and mission. We extend our appreciation to the staff, artists, partners, volunteers, and audiences who have and continue to support that mission,” said Amanda Kelso, Sundance Institute Acting CEO. “Boulder is an art town, tech town, mountain town, and college town. It is a place where the Festival can build and flourish. This is the beginning of a bold, new journey as we invite everyone to be part of our community and to be entertained and inspired. We can’t imagine a better fit than Boulder.”

2025 Slamdance Film Festival Announces Award Winners

Posted on February 26, 2025 by admin

The 31st Slamdance Film Festival this evening announced the winners of their annual Sparky Awards in Audience and Jury categories for 2025. The festival also announced the recipient of their AGBO Fellowship from Slamdance alumni Joe and Anthony Russo, a curated Acting Award, and the second annual Summer Chastant Episodic Award. All winners were announced during the in-person awards ceremony on February 26th at the DGA Theater Complex in Los Angeles, CA.

“Our first year in Los Angeles hasn’t just been a new chapter—it’s been a breakthrough,” said Taylor Miller, Slamdance Director. “These award-winning films don’t just stake a claim; they redefine what cinema can be. These filmmakers have cemented their place in the future of cinema, proving that Slamdance isn’t just moving—it’s evolving. And we’re just getting started.”

A celebration of emerging filmmaking talent from around the world, this year’s lineup consisted of 146 films – 21 of which are World Premiere features. The fully accessible lineup included 33 features, 104 shorts, and five episodics. For the second year in a row, Slamdance continues to champion female filmmakers, with women directing 55% of this year’s lineup – marking a powerful shift in independent filmmaking. The full Slamdance lineup is still available online on the Slamdance Channel through March 7th.
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“Under The Burning Sun” Premiere At 2025 Slamdance Film Festival

Posted on February 17, 2025 by admin

“Under The Burning Sun” is written and directed by Yun Xie. Produced by Aaron Linjun Yu and Jera Wang. Cinematography by Tianyi Wang. Edited by Bowei Yue and Christopher Ma. Music by Dong Liu. A Narval Films production.

Says the film’s synopsis: In a barren, desolate land where abortion is outlawed, Mowanza struggles with an unwanted pregnancy. When she hears of a distant land with a lenient abortion policy, Mowanza, armed with only a half-empty water bottle and a battered car, embarks on a journey across the desert towards the lush land of Iropus.

“Our protagonist, Mowanza, never had the agency to make choices about her own body,” says Yu Xie.

“She is trapped in a cycle of anguish and anger, with freedom always just out of reach—like a distant oasis she can never quite grasp. Through Mowanza’s journey, the world we’ve crafted, and the struggles she endures, I hope we can inch closer to understanding the complex realities of womanhood—ones that remain unresolved, but deserve to be told.”

“Under The Burning Sun” is set to have its world premiere at 2025 Slamdance Film Festival where it plays on these dates:
Saturday Feb 22 – 1:30pm at LA Times Theater – Quixote Studios
Monday Feb 24 – 3:45pm at LA Times Theater – Quixote Studios

Berlinale: World Premiere of PUNKU by J.D. Fernández Molero

Posted on February 5, 2025 by admin

Punku, the latest film by Peruvian Rotterdam Tiger Award-winning writer-director J.D. Fernández Molero [Videophilia (and Other Viral Syndromes)], will have its world premiere in the Forum section of the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, running from February 13 to 23, 2025. This one-of-a-kind, playfully genre-blending film was shot in 16mm, Super 8, and digital formats, and it will be screened on 35mm in its world premiere at the Berlinale.

Set deep in the Peruvian Amazon lowlands and the tropical city of Quillabamba in the Cusco region of Peru, Punku—which means “gateway” in Quechua—follows an unlikely pair on a foreboding journey that artfully threads together the fantasy and Surrealism of fairy tales with the harsh shadow of trauma in a shared search for belonging and safety.

Meshia, a Matsigenka Indigenous teenager, finds a young boy, Ivan, who vanished two years ago and was presumed dead. Determined to rescue him, she leads him on a journey upriver into the mountains toward the city for a surgery urgently needed to stop the infection that is progressively consuming his sight.
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Come See Me in the Good Light Wins Festival Favorite Award at 2025 Sundance Film Festival

Posted on February 2, 2025 by admin

2026 Sundance Film Festival Dates Also Revealed.

Today the Sundance Film Festival announced its final award for the 2025 edition: Come See Me in the Good Light in the Premieres category received the Festival Favorite Award, voted for by the audiences from all the new feature films presented at the 2025 Festival. Other award winners were previously announced at a ceremony at The Ray Theatre in Park City, Utah, on January 31.

Looking ahead to next year, Sundance Institute also announced today the dates for the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, taking place in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, from January 22–February 1, 2026.

“The past 11 days of the Festival have been a meaningful opportunity to connect as a community in support of independent storytelling,” said Amanda Kelso, Acting CEO, Sundance Institute. “We look forward to being reunited with audiences, artists, industry, and press next January for another edition of the Festival.”
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2025 Sundance Film Festival Award Winners Announced

Posted on January 31, 2025 by admin

Today the 2025 Sundance Film Festival awards were presented at a ceremony for the jury and audience award–winning films at The Ray Theatre in Park City, where independent storytelling was celebrated ahead of the Festival’s conclusion. The 2025 Festival, taking place now through February 2, has featured premieres, screenings, talks, events, and more in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah. All feature award-winning films are available online nationwide now through February 2. Select award-winning films will screen in person for ticketholders and passholders. Tickets can be purchased at festival.sundance.org/tickets.

Grand Jury Prizes went to Atropia (U.S. Dramatic Competition), Seeds (U.S. Documentary Competition), Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) (World Cinema Dramatic Competition), and Cutting Through Rocks (اوزاک یوللار) (World Cinema Documentary Competition). The NEXT Innovator Award presented by Adobe was given to Zodiac Killer Project.

Audience awards for films in competition were presented by Acura to Twinless (U.S. Dramatic Competition) and André is an Idiot (U.S. Documentary Competition) and presented by United Airlines to DJ Ahmet (World Cinema Dramatic Competition) and Prime Minister (World Cinema Documentary Competition). East of Wall won the audience award for NEXT presented by Adobe. Awards for the Short Film Program Presented by Vimeo were announced at a ceremony on January 28 at The Park in Park City, Utah.
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20th Annual GEMFest Kicks Off With Premiere Screening Of “One Must Wash Eyes”

Posted on January 30, 2025 by admin

Gender Equity in Media Society Vancouver Announces Iranian-Canadian filmmaker Sepideh Yadegar’s One Must Wash Eyes as the Opening Night Film for the 20th Annual GEMFest.

Gender Equity in Media Society Vancouver (GEMS) has announced the Opening Night Film for the 20th annual GEMFest, set to take place in-person at VIFF Centre in Vancouver from March 5-9, 2025. GEMFest kicks off with the premiere screening of One Must Wash Eyes, Iranian-Canadian filmmaker Sepideh Yadegar’s feature film debut, inspired by the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. This year’s festival, celebrating two decades of championing women and gender-diverse filmmakers, features a robust schedule of feature films, panels, networking events, and special programming designed to advance gender equity in the film industry, which will be announced in full on February 5th.

The hometown premiere of the award-winning One Must Wash Eyes at GEMFest on March 5th, follows a successful festival run and marks the first time B.C. audiences can see the film. The screening will be followed by an exclusive panel and Q&A session with some of the filmmaking team including writer/director Sepideh Yadegar, moderated by GEMS Board President, Iranian-Canadian filmmaker Ghazal Elhaei.

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2025 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Program Award Winners Announced

Posted on January 28, 2025 by admin

Tonight the nonprofit Sundance Institute awarded the prizes for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Program at the Short Film Awards Ceremony & Party Presented by Vimeo. Filmmakers from across all 57 shorts selected for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival gathered at The Park in Park City, Utah, for a private event celebrating short-form storytelling. Most award-winning short films are available online nationwide January 30 through February 2 for audiences to view from home. Visit festival.sundance.org for all details. The 2025 Festival, taking place now through February 2, has featured world premieres, screenings, talks, events, and more in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Grand Jury Prize went to The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing (International Nonfiction). Short Film Jury Awards were presented to Trokas Duras (U.S. Fiction), Grandma Nai Who Played Favorites (International Fiction), We Were The Scenery (Nonfiction), and Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado (Animation).

Two Special Jury Awards were also presented: Short Film Special Jury Award for Animation Directing to The Eating of an Orange (Animation) and Short Film Special Jury Award for Directing to Tiger (Nonfiction).
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“Sorry Baby” Sundance Premiere

Posted on January 27, 2025 by admin

“Sorry, Baby” premieres at 2025 Sundance Film Festival with the cast and crew in attendance.

Written and directed by Eva Victor, the film premiered at 2025 Sundance Film Festival on Monday, Jan 27, 2025. “Sorry, Baby” stars Eva alongside Naomi Ackie, Lucas Hedges, John Carroll Lynch, Louis Cancelmi, and Kelly McCormack. The A24 film is produced by Barry Jenkins.

“Something bad happened to Agnes. But life goes on… for everyone around her, at least,” the film’s logline says.

Photos: aipimaging.com