Bay Area film festivals — with one notable exception — are back and going large, with stars and other big events filling the spring calendar.
这两位兄弟导演背后即将到来的集团kbuster “The Lost City” stops by Sonoma, as do actresses Jacqueline Bisset and Karen Allen; big stars are promised with the first full in-person SFFilm Festival in three years; the San Francisco Silent Film Festival returns with live musical accompaniment of classic films; and CAAMFest is planning a huge bash filled with movies, music and food for its 40th anniversary.
Only Cinequest, the cutting-edge San Jose film festival, has determined that it’s not yet safe to go back into theaters. Their online festival, Cinejoy, holds space until a planned in-person event in August.
Sonoma International Film Festival
The 25th anniversary of the Wine Country event features film, parties and food. “The Lost City,” the newSandra Bullock-Channing Tatum comedy adventure opens the festival Wednesday, March 23, with directors Aaron and Adam Nee in attendance. Other events include a five-course dinner as part of a tribute ($350 a ticket) to chefJacques Pépinon Thursday, March 24; a tribute to Bisset (“Bullitt”), who will present her new film “Loren & Rose” on Friday, March 25; and in-person appearances byAllen,San Francisco chef and cookbook authorJoanne Weir,and filmmaker and California first partnerJennifer Siebel Newsom.
March 23-27. Festival passes $400-$2,500. Non-passholder tickets $20; at rush tickets $10. Proof of vaccination and masks required. At nine Sonoma-area venues.sonomafilmfest.org
Noir City Film Festival
The venerable celebration of classic cinema from the dark side is back after a one-year absence — and a furthertwo-month pandemic delay— with a new location: Oakland’s Grand Lake Theatre.
Presented by the Film Noir Foundation and founded by Turner Classic Movie host and Alameda resident Eddie Muller, its theme is“They Tried to Warn Us!”— 12 films made in the mid-20th century addressing social ills that eerily resonate today, including con-man politicians (opening night film “All the King’s Men”), racism (Sidney Poitier’s first film, “No Way Out”) and even a pandemic (“The Killer That Stalked New York”).
March 24 -27. Thursday-Friday double bills $15, Saturday-Sunday separate admissions $12.50. Mask protocols enforced; proof of vaccination required. Grand Lake Theatre, 3200 Grand Ave., Oakland. 510-465-7586.noircity.com
Cinejoy
Cinequest is holding an all-virtual event during the traditional dates of its festival ahead of a planned in-person event in August. The opening night film on April 1 is “18½,” a dark comedy about Watergate, and English actress and producerGemma Artertonwill receive the festival’s Maverick Spirit Award on April 10.
Festival co-founder Halfdan Hussey said that Cinequest has always had a relationship with Silicon Valley and embraced technology, and first had an online component to the festival in 2005. The virtual Cinejoy, which features 132 film/television programs, 82 of which are world or U.S. premieres, also includes live spotlight events, screening parties and an “audience meet artists” interaction with Arterton,“The Dropout”starAmanda Seyfriedand Rosario Dawson.
April 1-17. Ticket and schedule information atcinequest.org
San Francisco Greek Film Festival
The celebration of Greek and Cypriot films both new and classic, first held in 2004, will be a hybrid event, both virtual and in-person at the Delancey Street Screening Room. The event’s full program will be announced at a later date.
April 8-16. Ticket prices and COVID protocols to be announced. In-person screenings at Delancey Street Screening Room, 600 The Embarcadero, S.F. 415-512-5153.grfilm.com
Green Film Festival of San Francisco
The folks atIndieFeststarted this event last year as theLivable Planet Film Festivalto fill the void left by the San Francisco Green Film Festival, whichdid not survive the pandemic.
Rebranded as the Green Film Festival of San Francisco, it will be both an in-person and virtual event. The in-person opening-night film, which can also be streamed, is “Do I Need This?,” an often humorous look at American consumer habits by San Francisco filmmaker Kate Schermerhorn.
The rest of the program will be announced Tuesday, March 22.
April 14-24. $15 in-person programs, $10 virtual programs. Vaccination and masking protocols to conform with the Roxie Theater’s policies at time of event. Roxie Theater, 3117 16th St., S.F. 415-863-1087.sfindie.com
SFFilm Festival
Launching in 1957 as the San Francisco International Film Festival, the oldest film festival in the nation is a fully in-theater event for thefirst time since 2019(the 2020 event was cancelled; the 2021 event was a drive-in and virtual festival).
The Castro Theatrewill be home base once again, with a full program to be announced March 30.
April 21-May 1. Ticket packages $75-$140 through March 29; $90-$125 beginning March 30. Individual ticket prices to be announced. Proof of vaccination and mask-wearing required. Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St., S.F. and various other venues to be announced.sffilm.org
