San Francisco Independent Film Festival (SF IndieFest)

  • ‘Resistance of Vision’ Social Justice Traveling Film Fest Unveils May Lineup in Boston, Wichita, San Fran, Birmingham

    Loving Town by Wes Overvold
    Loving Town by Wes Overvold

    San Francisco IndieFest’s social justice-focused touring film festival Resistance of Vision unveiled the film lineup for the debut screenings in Boston, Wichita, Birmingham (which also includes a virtual component), and San Francisco next month (May 1-3, 31).

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  • ‘The Paper Bag Plan’, ‘Among Neighbors’, Encrypted and Pavements Win Top Prizes at 27th San Francisco IndieFest

    27th San Francisco Independent Film Festival (SF IndieFest) winners
    (Photo credit: SF IndieFest)

    The Paper Bag Plan directed by Anthony Lucero has won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature and Among Neighbors directed by Yoav Potash won the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 27th anniversary edition of San Francisco Independent Film Festival (SF IndieFest). The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos directed by The Agbajowo Collective won the Audience Award for Best International Feature

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  • Alex Ross Perry’s ‘Pavements’ to Open 27th San Francisco Independent Film Festival (SF IndieFest) Lineup

    Pavements by Alex Ross Perry
    Pavements by Alex Ross Perry (courtesy SF IndieFest)

    Alex Ross Perry’s Pavements will open the 27th San Francisco Independent Film Festival (SF IndieFest) taking place from February 6 to 18, 2025. The documentary chronicles the story of one of the popular 90s bands.

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  • LET’S MEET HALFWAY, CIRCUS OF THE SCARS, BROADWAY and THIS IS NATIONAL WAKE Win at 25th SF IndieFest

    Circus of the Scars directed by Cory Wees
    Circus of the Scars directed by Cory Wees – The Torture King 1992 photo by Jan Gregor

    San Francisco Independent Film Festival (SF IndieFest) announced the award winners for the 25th anniversary of the festival, which came to an end this Sunday, February 12th.

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  • A WILL FOR THE WOODS Top Winners of 2014 SF IndieFest

      A WILL FOR THE WOODS directed by Amy Browne, Jeremy Kaplan, Tony Hale and Brian Wilson A WILL FOR THE WOODS directed by Amy Browne, Jeremy Kaplan, Tony Hale and Brian Wilson

    After 2 weeks of films, the 16th SF IndieFest came to a close; and the festival announced the 2014 Award winning films and filmmakers. The audience voted LETS RUIN IT WITH BABIES directed by Kestrin Pantera as the Best Narrative Feature, and A WILL FOR THE WOODS directed by Amy Browne, Jeremy Kaplan, Tony Hale and Brian Wilson as Best Documentary Feature.  The Jury also selected A WILL FOR THE WOODS as Best Documentary Feature, but went with DOOMSDAYS for Best Narrative Feature.

    Audience Award Winners & Woodcock Jury Prize Winners

    Narrative Feature: LETS RUIN IT WITH BABIES

    http://youtu.be/chv48rRn9d0

    Documentary Feature: A WILL FOR THE WOODS

    http://youtu.be/uHbjE3Nz0fs

    Narrative Short: ANOTHER TIME, MAYBE

    Documentary Short: MR GRILLO, THE THEREMINIST

    Animation: VIRTUOUS VIRTUELL

    SF IndieFest also presented the following films the Woodcock Jury Prizes chosen by a jury of pass holders.

    Narrative Feature ($1000 prize): DOOMSDAYS

    http://youtu.be/ZFPLDCw9U6s

    Documentary Feature ($1000 prize): A WILL FOR THE WOODS

    Short Film ($500 prize): DULUTH IS HORRIBLE (San Francisco based filmmaker Vincent Gargiulo)

     

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  • SF IndieFest Announces Sweet 16 Lineup; Opens With Ari Foleman’s THE CONGRESS, Closes with Cannes Film Festival Award-Winning Film BLUE RUIN

    Ari Foleman’s THE CONGRESSAri Foleman’s THE CONGRESS

    The San Francisco Independent Film Festival (SF IndieFest) returns for its Sweet 16th year from February 6 to 20, 2014 at the Roxie and Brava Theaters in San Francisco and at Oakland’s New Parkway Theater. The festival launches its 2 weeks of film programs on Thursday, February 6th at the Brava Theater in San Francisco with director Ari Foleman’s THE CONGRESS, based on Stanislaw Lem’s classic sci-fi novel. This futuristic blend of animation and live action stars Robin Wright, Harvey Keitel, Jon Hamm and Paul Giamatti. 

    Matt Wolf’s TEENAGEMatt Wolf’s TEENAGE

    Matt Wolf’s latest film TEENAGE will screen as the festival’s Centerpiece film on Sunday, February 9th at the Roxie Theater. Based on the book by Jon Savage and narrated by actors Jena Malone, Ben Whishaw, Julia Hummer and Jessie Usher, TEENAGE looks at the birth of the iconic figure of the teenager using archival material, Super 8 recreations and diaries of actual mid-century teenagers, resulting in an unconventional pop historical film.

    BLUE RUINBLUE RUIN

    After two weeks and 78 films, SF IndieFest will close the Sweet 16 edition with a screening of the Cannes Film Festival award-winning film BLUE RUIN on Sunday, February 16th at the Roxie Theater. Director Jeremy Saulnier (SF IndieFest Alum, MURDER PARTY) is expected to be on hand for his dark comedy about revenge.

    Focus on Animated Films

    In addition to the Opening Night Film THE CONGRESS, SF IndieFest features some of the best independent animation films from around the globe. Canadian co-directors Shayne Ehman and Seth Scriver will be in attendance for a screening of their Toronto International Film Festival award winning, psychedelic animated road movie ASPHALT WATCHES; Bill Plympton’s new feature CHEATIN‘ offers a unique look at romance and jealousy; and AN ANIMATED WORLD, a shorts program of animated films featuring a wide range of styles and innovated new ideas, rounds out the diverse animated programming.

    Local Flavor

    Taping into the vast array of Bay Area filmmakers, SF IndieFest presents two local films.REMEMBER YOU’RE SPECIAL follows an aspiring rapper in Oakland and his best friend; a PhD student as they face adulthood with student debt, complicated relationships, and adjusted ambitions. Featuring a cast and crew of all local, first time filmmakers, REMEMBER YOU’RE SPECIAL make its World Premiere at the festival. Additionally, the latest short film from San Francisco based filmmaker Vincent Gargiulo, DELUTH IS HORRIBLE, a series of vignettes chronicling a few lonely people in Duluth, Minnesota, searching for a connection in a bleak winter,will also be making its World Premier.

    World Class Independent Cinema

    Year after year, SF IndieFest premiers some of the best independent foreign cinema from around the globe and the 2014 edition is no exception. This years selection features: the lively Chinese romantic comedy set in China during the 60’s and 70’s, THE LOVE SONGS FROM TIEDAN; Chad’s Foreign Language Oscar Entry GRIGRIS, an uplifting story of young man with dreams of becoming a dancer; and the Mexican film REZETA, about a carefree, young woman who’s lifestyle changes when she meets a young man cleaning her trailer during a commercial shoot.

    sf indiefest 2014

    Additional Highlights

    Other can’t miss films in this year’s SF IndieFest include: DOOMSDAYS, a self-proclaimed “pre-apocalyptic comedy,” with director Eddie Mullens expected to be in attendance; Joe Begos debut feature ALMOST HUMAN, about a man who returns to wreak havoc upon a small town; the West Coast Premiere of HANK: 5 YEARS FROM THE BRINK, the latest from Academy Award winning director Joe Berlinger, a riveting portrait of former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson; Kestrin Pantera’s LETS RUIN IT WITH BABIES, a exploration of relationships when they reach ‘That Point’; two adolescent brothers confront changing relationships, nature and their own mortality in Daniel Patrick Carbone’s HIDE YOUR SMILING FACES; and THE WAIT, from writer/director M. Blash, starring Jena Malone and Chloë Sevigny as two sisters who contemplate their mother’s resurrection following a mysterious phone call.

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