San Francisco International Film Festival 2011 (year 54)

[Chris Knipp]

April 21 to May 5, 2011

The Filmleaf Festival Coverage thread for the 2011 festival begins here.

March 29, 2011. The San Francisco International Film Festiva has announced its program today with the usual press conference on the beautiful top floor of the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, with Graham Leggett, Executive Director of the SFFS, presiding in his fifth year at the Society's helm.

The full program of the festival films begins here.

I will plan to attend and review films.

There are 189 films from forty-odd countries. I've already seen around 18 of them, which gives me a slight headstart.

Opening night film is Mike Mills' Beginners with Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer. Centerpiece is Azarel Jacobs' Terri. Closing night film is Matthieu Amalric's On Tour (Tournée).

Special awards are going to legendary screenwriter Frank Pierson; Persist ence of Vision Award to artist Matthew Barney; the Mel Novikoff Award for contribution to public appreciation of film goes to film restorer/showman Serge Bromberg (whose Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno was in the SFIFF last year).