SFFILM Festival Kicks Into Full Swing With Celebs & Exclusive Premieres

Photo Credit: Drew Altizer

It may come as a surprise that the nation’s oldest film festival does not take place in Los Angeles or New York, but San Francisco—and last week the city by the bay welcomed directors, producers, actors, and movie enthusiasts to the 62nd annual San Francisco International Film Festival.

Photo Credit: Drew Altizer

The opening night event was a sensational world premiere of the new Netflix series, Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City. The show is a follow up to the 90s series (which chronicles the life of Mary Ann Singleton, a young woman who moved to San Francisco in 1976) and is based off Maupin’s best-selling book. Netflix has brought the story to the present day and depicts Mary Ann as she returns to SF after a long hiatus. Laura Linney, who portrays Mary Ann, was at the premiere on Wednesday night along with fellow actors, Zosia Mamet, Charlie Barnett, Murray Bartlett, Barbara Garrick, Paul Gross, and May Hong.

Photo Credit: Drew Altizer

The next day Warriors basketball star Kevin Durant presented his film, Q Ball, a documentary that goes inside San Quentin Prison. Here, Durant finds promising former basketball players whose felony convictions took them from the game, specifically one former star player, Harry Alt Smith, is who is about to be released on parole.

Photo Credit: Drew Altizer

John C. Reilly and Laura Dern were honored for their work in film at two different events. Friday night at the Castro Theatre, which is ground zero for the festival, after a screening of The Sisters Brothers, Reilly took to the stage to discuss the film and his career. Dern was celebrated yesterday afternoon and participated in the same sort of conversation following the screening of her upcoming movie, Trial by Fire.

Photo Credit: Drew Altizer

Photo Credit: Drew Altizer

If you didn’t know about the festival, there is still plenty of time to enjoy the screenings and events: There are over 120 different happenings now through Tuesday, April 23.

Photo Credit: Drew Altizer

Photo Credit: Drew Altizer

Photo Credit: Drew Altizer

Photo Credit: Drew Altizer

Photo Credit: Drew Altizer

Photo Credit: Drew Altizer