The 53rd San Francisco International Film Festival (4/22-5/6)
April 21, 2010 If you're a film lover and you live in the SF Bay Area, the 53rd San Francisco International Film Festival is starting tomorrow (April 22 - May 6). The largest film event in SF, this year's festival program is showcasing 177 films over a span of fifteen days. I'm very excited to see that Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "Micmacs" will be the opening night film. I'm also planning to see the romantic drama "Cairo Time" next week (starring Patricia Clarkson).
Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "Micmacs." Courtesy of San Francisco Film Society.
Here are a few picks for the festival:
"The Portuguese Nun" - The beautiful Lisbon scenes and moving fado music make this film worth seeing. Julie (Leonor Baldaque), a young French actress working in the Portuguese capital, examines the many forms of love and happiness as she wanders around the city. Director Eugène Green has a unique way of evoking the same nostalgic yearning in each scene. You can feel it as fallen leaves swirl along the cobblestone sidewalk, on the ancient walls and even at desolate street corners. The actors adapt a strange, stilted dialogue and their way of looking directly at the camera is a bit startling, but it does work and you leave the theater with your own feelings of saudade.
A scene from Eugène Green's "The Portuguese Nun." Courtesy of San Francisco Film Society.
"Around a Small Mountain" - After accepting Kate's (Jane Birkin) invitation to see her family's circus performance, a wealthy Italian traveler (Sergio Castellano) is seduced by the nomadic circus life and postpones his Barcelona trip. As he follows the troupe from town to town, he finds his place on the stage and discovers Kate's melancholic past. The sleepy French countryside provides a calming counterpoint as we watch the heroine struggle to escape her inner demons.
Jane Birkin and Sergio Castellano in Jacques Rivette's "Around A Small Mountain." Courtesy of San Francisco Film Society.
"Woman on Fire Looks for Water" - Yearning and regret are the major themes in this meditative look at life in a Malaysian fishing village. Sensing the approach of death, the elder Ah-kau attempts to rekindle a lost love while his son Ah-fei navigates his first romantic relationship. Ah-fei's love interest refuses to marry him until he earns a solid income, bringing us the age-old struggles of attaining economic power and social status. Director Woo Ming-jin shows a lot of promise with this tender and quietly resonating film.
Woo Ming-jin's "Woman on Fire Looks for Water." Courtesy of San Francisco Film Society.
"Littlerock" - Embarking on their first U.S. road trip, a Japanese brother and sister get stranded in a California desert town. Despite the language barrier Atsuko is enchanted with the small town and decides to spend a few days with the local youths. She soon gets caught in a love triangle while Rintaro discovers the not-so-pleasant side of the Golden State.
Mike Ott's "Littlerock." Courtesy of SFFS.
"Empire of Silver" - Christina Yao's film debut is a visual treat in many ways. Set in China's Shanxi province, this epic tale of the powerful Kang family deals with war, love and succession within their vast banking empire. Sharing a small but important part of Chinese history, Yao's style is reminiscent of the Chinese Fifth Generation filmmakers. Fans of Hong Kong pop star Aaron Kwok will be thrilled to see him in the role of Third Master. Jennifer Tilly also appears in a supporting role.
Aaron Kwok and Hao Lei in Christina Yao's "Empire of Silver." Courtesy of San Francisco Film Society.
For more info and to purchase tickets, go to: fest10.sffs.org/
Reader Comments (1)
Looks like it's going to be a great festival!
*I can't wait to see a few of them. Lots of great films this year.