Welcome to SF360

Nov 15, 2011

SF360.org represents a nearly six-year experiment in philanthropically funded film journalism, covering films and filmmaking in the Bay Area and beyond. Published by the San Francisco Film Society, the website debuted February 27, 2006 and was created in a unique collaboration between SFFS and Indiewire, with Susan Gerhard as editor. While SF360.org is no longer publishing feature stories, the SF360 Archive remains the most comprehensive collection of articles about the Bay Area film community, with more than 1,000 feature stories and reviews as well as Indie Toolkit's informative columns about the basics of creating a film and delivering it to audiences. Articles by some of the Bay Area’s most notable voices will remain at your fingertips for the foreseeable future.

Welcome to SF360

Nov 15, 2011

SF360.org represents a nearly six-year experiment in philanthropically funded film journalism, covering films and filmmaking in the Bay Area and beyond. Published by the San Francisco Film Society, the website debuted February 27, 2006 and was created in a unique collaboration between SFFS and Indiewire, with Susan Gerhard as editor. While SF360.org is no longer publishing feature stories, the SF360 Archive remains the most comprehensive collection of articles about the Bay Area film community, with more than 1,000 feature stories and reviews as well as Indie Toolkit's informative columns about the basics of creating a film and delivering it to audiences. Articles by some of the Bay Area’s most notable voices will remain at your fingertips for the foreseeable future.

Essential SF: Nov. 6

Nov 6, 2011

Essential SF shines a light on the Bay Area’s legendary, idiosyncratic and multifaceted contributions to the filmmaking world at SF Film Society | New People Cinema, 7:00 pm. An outgrowth of SF360.org’s Essential SF column, the event this year also pays tribute to the half-decade-plus SF360.org project.

Essential SF: Nov. 6

Nov 6, 2011

Essential SF shines a light on the Bay Area’s legendary, idiosyncratic and multifaceted contributions to the filmmaking world at SF Film Society | New People Cinema, 7:00 pm. An outgrowth of SF360.org’s Essential SF column, the event this year also pays tribute to the half-decade-plus SF360.org project.

Essential SF: Nov. 6

Nov 6, 2011

Essential SF shines a light on the Bay Area’s legendary, idiosyncratic and multifaceted contributions to the filmmaking world at SF Film Society | New People Cinema, 7:00 pm. An outgrowth of SF360.org’s Essential SF column, the event this year also pays tribute to the half-decade-plus SF360.org project.

Essential SF: Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman

Michael Fox
Nov 3, 2011

With riveting characters, cascading revelations and momentous breakthroughs, Epstein and Friedman’s work paved the way for contemporary documentary practice.

Essential SF: Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman

Michael Fox
Nov 3, 2011

With riveting characters, cascading revelations and momentous breakthroughs, Epstein and Friedman’s work paved the way for contemporary documentary practice.

Essential SF: Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman

Michael Fox
Nov 3, 2011

With riveting characters, cascading revelations and momentous breakthroughs, Epstein and Friedman’s work paved the way for contemporary documentary practice.

Essential SF: Canyon Cinema

Michael Fox
Oct 26, 2011

For 50 years, Canyon Cinema has provided crucial support for a fertile avant-garde film scene.

Essential SF: Canyon Cinema

Michael Fox
Oct 26, 2011

For 50 years, Canyon Cinema has provided crucial support for a fertile avant-garde film scene.

Essential SF: Canyon Cinema

Michael Fox
Oct 26, 2011

For 50 years, Canyon Cinema has provided crucial support for a fertile avant-garde film scene.

Essential SF: Canyon Cinema

Michael Fox
Oct 26, 2011

For 50 years, Canyon Cinema has provided crucial support for a fertile avant-garde film scene.

San Francisco Jewish Film Festival Announces New Executive Director

Oct 24, 2011

Press release: The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival announced its new Executive Director: Lexi Leban, who begins working with the festival November 7, 2011. A longtime member of the Bay Area film community, Lexi has worked in all aspects of film, from production to distribution. She’s also worked with numerous film festivals, including the Mill Valley Film Festival, the San Francisco International Film Festival, and the Global Social Change Film Festival in Bali. Lexi is currently Academic Director of the Digital Filmmaking & Video Production Program at the Art Institute of California, where she built the department from its inception. Her most recent feature documentary, Girl Trouble, which follows young girls in San Francisco’s juvenile justice system, aired on PBS’s acclaimed series Independent Lens in January of 2006, and won Best Bay Area Documentary at the San Francisco International Film Festival. More at sfjff.org.

Essential SF: Irving Saraf and Allie Light

Michael Fox
Oct 19, 2011

Saraf and Light's work is marked by an unwavering appreciation for underdogs and outsiders.

Essential SF: Irving Saraf and Allie Light

Michael Fox
Oct 19, 2011

Saraf and Light's work is marked by an unwavering appreciation for underdogs and outsiders.

Essential SF: Irving Saraf and Allie Light

Michael Fox
Oct 19, 2011

Saraf and Light's work is marked by an unwavering appreciation for underdogs and outsiders.

Essential SF: Irving Saraf and Allie Light

Michael Fox
Oct 19, 2011

Saraf and Light's work is marked by an unwavering appreciation for underdogs and outsiders.

Clean White Lines Demos DIY Ethos

Jessica Sapick
Oct 18, 2011

Can three film school grads from San Francisco break out without the help of Hollywood or New York connections?

Clean White Lines Demos DIY Ethos

Jessica Sapick
Oct 18, 2011

Can three film school grads from San Francisco break out without the help of Hollywood or New York connections?

Clean White Lines Demos DIY Ethos

Jessica Sapick
Oct 18, 2011

Can three film school grads from San Francisco break out without the help of Hollywood or New York connections?

Kelly, Pickert Interpret ‘Cherokee’ Words

Michael Fox
Oct 12, 2011

A film on Cherokee chief Wilma Mankiller bucks biopic formula and concentrates on a pivotal moment in the leader's life.

Kelly, Pickert Interpret ‘Cherokee’ Words

Michael Fox
Oct 12, 2011

A film on Cherokee chief Wilma Mankiller bucks biopic formula and concentrates on a pivotal moment in the leader's life.

Kelly, Pickert Interpret ‘Cherokee’ Words

Michael Fox
Oct 12, 2011

A film on Cherokee chief Wilma Mankiller bucks biopic formula and concentrates on a pivotal moment in the leader's life.

On Chronicling Criminals

George Rush
Sep 27, 2011

Though it's legal to film illegal acts, crime can certainly complicate your filmmaking process.

On Chronicling Criminals

George Rush
Sep 27, 2011

Though it's legal to film illegal acts, crime can certainly complicate your filmmaking process.

On Chronicling Criminals

George Rush
Sep 27, 2011

Though it's legal to film illegal acts, crime can certainly complicate your filmmaking process.

‘Aurora’ Startles, Subtly

Dennis Harvey
Sep 15, 2011

Unhurried, character-driven story demonstrates the filmmaking finesse that’s brought Romanian cinema to the fore. Though it had made an occasional international impression before—notably with a long history of Cannes entries and prize winners—few could have anticipated the splash Romanian cinema would create in the last few years. Or that the attention paid it would bring a number of often long, difficult, obtuse movies out of their usual habitat (the festival circuit) into theaters around the world. The collapse of Communism and execution of Romania's quarter-century dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989 freed the filmmaking industry from strict governmental control and propagandic content. But it took until the middle...

‘Aurora’ Startles, Subtly

Dennis Harvey
Sep 15, 2011

Unhurried, character-driven story demonstrates the filmmaking finesse that’s brought Romanian cinema to the fore. Though it had made an occasional international impression before—notably with a long history of Cannes entries and prize winners—few could have anticipated the splash Romanian cinema would create in the last few years. Or that the attention paid it would bring a number of often long, difficult, obtuse movies out of their usual habitat (the festival circuit) into theaters around the world. The collapse of Communism and execution of Romania's quarter-century dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989 freed the filmmaking industry from strict governmental control and propagandic content. But it took until the middle...

Iranian Teenage Love Sparks ‘Circumstance’

Susan Gerhard
Sep 10, 2011

Director, producer speak of challenges, inspirations behind a story of the urban Iranian underground.

Iranian Teenage Love Sparks ‘Circumstance’

Susan Gerhard
Sep 10, 2011

Director, producer speak of challenges, inspirations behind a story of the urban Iranian underground.

Iranian Teenage Love Sparks ‘Circumstance’

Susan Gerhard
Sep 10, 2011

Director, producer speak of challenges, inspirations behind a story of the urban Iranian underground.

Graham Leggat and a Film Society Transformed

Susan Gerhard
Aug 26, 2011

Leggat’s eventful six-year tenure with the San Francisco Film Society changed an institution as well as the filmmaking landscape in the Bay Area and beyond.

Graham Leggat and a Film Society Transformed

Susan Gerhard
Aug 26, 2011

Leggat’s eventful six-year tenure with the San Francisco Film Society changed an institution as well as the filmmaking landscape in the Bay Area and beyond.

Graham Leggat and a Film Society Transformed

Susan Gerhard
Aug 26, 2011

Leggat’s eventful six-year tenure with the San Francisco Film Society changed an institution as well as the filmmaking landscape in the Bay Area and beyond.

SFFS Announces Winners of Spring 2011 SFFS/KRF Filmmaking Grants

Aug 15, 2011

The San Francisco Film Society and the Kenneth Rainin Foundation today announced the five winners and two honorable mentions of the fifth round of SFFS/KRF Filmmaking Grants. The grants are awarded twice annually to filmmakers for narrative feature films with social justice themes that will have significant economic or professional impact on the Bay Area filmmaking community. Between 2009 and 2013 the SFFS/KRF Filmmaking Grants will award nearly $2.5 million, including a total of $788,000 already awarded in the first five grant rounds.

Carlton Evans and Matthew Lessner (Ross), $50,000 for screenwriting; Aurora Guerrero (Mosquita y Mari), $88,000 for postproduction; Adam Keker (National Park), $35,000 for screenwriting; Timothy Kelly (The Cherokee Word for Water), $75,000 for production; Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of a Southern Wild), $55,000 for postproduction. Honorable Mentions went to: John Dilly (Rubbish), development and Ian Olds (The Western Habit), screenwriting. More at sffs.org.

Teens Tackle Production at SFFS Young Filmmakers Camp

Kim Nunley
Aug 12, 2011

The second year of the Film Society's movie-making summer camp puts youth on location.

Teens Tackle Production at SFFS Young Filmmakers Camp

Kim Nunley
Aug 12, 2011

The second year of the Film Society's movie-making summer camp puts youth on location.

Teens Tackle Production at SFFS Young Filmmakers Camp

Kim Nunley
Aug 12, 2011

The second year of the Film Society's movie-making summer camp puts youth on location.

Cinematographer Cardiff's Eye Prized in 'Cameraman' Doc

Dennis Harvey
Jul 29, 2011

'Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff' is a lovely portrait of an innovator and consummate craftsman.

Cinematographer Cardiff's Eye Prized in 'Cameraman' Doc

Dennis Harvey
Jul 29, 2011

'Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff' is a lovely portrait of an innovator and consummate craftsman.

Cinematographer Cardiff's Eye Prized in 'Cameraman' Doc

Dennis Harvey
Jul 29, 2011

'Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff' is a lovely portrait of an innovator and consummate craftsman.

Essential SF: ‘Freedom On My Mind,’ ‘The Good War’

Michael Fox
Jul 28, 2011

The best of the Bay Area's historical docs transform our understanding of previous eras, and, consequently, our own.

Essential SF: ‘Freedom On My Mind,’ ‘The Good War’

Michael Fox
Jul 28, 2011

The best of the Bay Area's historical docs transform our understanding of previous eras, and, consequently, our own.

Essential SF: ‘Freedom On My Mind,’ ‘The Good War’

Michael Fox
Jul 28, 2011

The best of the Bay Area's historical docs transform our understanding of previous eras, and, consequently, our own.

Essential SF: ‘North Beach,’ ‘Medicine For Melancholy’

Michael Fox
Jul 20, 2011

Two Bay Area location-based features that speak to the moment are poised to stand the test of time.

Essential SF: ‘North Beach,’ ‘Medicine For Melancholy’

Michael Fox
Jul 20, 2011

Two Bay Area location-based features that speak to the moment are poised to stand the test of time.

Essential SF: ‘North Beach,’ ‘Medicine For Melancholy’

Michael Fox
Jul 20, 2011

Two Bay Area location-based features that speak to the moment are poised to stand the test of time.

Essential SF: ‘North Beach,’ ‘Medicine For Melancholy’

Michael Fox
Jul 20, 2011

Two Bay Area location-based features that speak to the moment are poised to stand the test of time.

Essential SF: ‘North Beach,’ ‘Medicine For Melancholy’

Michael Fox
Jul 20, 2011

Two Bay Area location-based features that speak to the moment are poised to stand the test of time.

Essential SF: ‘North Beach,’ ‘Medicine For Melancholy’

Michael Fox
Jul 20, 2011

Two Bay Area location-based features that speak to the moment are poised to stand the test of time.

Essential SF: ‘Off the Charts,’ ‘Double Dare’

Michael Fox
Jul 7, 2011

Surprising characters, narratives emerge in Jamie Meltzer and Amanda Micheli’s portraits of unlikely artists.

Essential SF: ‘Off the Charts,’ ‘Double Dare’

Michael Fox
Jul 7, 2011

Surprising characters, narratives emerge in Jamie Meltzer and Amanda Micheli’s portraits of unlikely artists.

Essential SF: ‘Off the Charts,’ ‘Double Dare’

Michael Fox
Jul 7, 2011

Surprising characters, narratives emerge in Jamie Meltzer and Amanda Micheli’s portraits of unlikely artists.

Silverdocs 2011: A Festival with Legs

Sara Dosa
Jul 1, 2011

A film festival and conference offered audiences and makers opportunities to move forward.

Silverdocs 2011: A Festival with Legs

Sara Dosa
Jul 1, 2011

A film festival and conference offered audiences and makers opportunities to move forward.

Silverdocs 2011: A Festival with Legs

Sara Dosa
Jul 1, 2011

A film festival and conference offered audiences and makers opportunities to move forward.

Critic's Notebook: A Day in the Life

Stephanie Rosenbaum
Jun 26, 2011

One day of Frameline35 finds Witi Ihimaera offering insight into the writing of 'Kawa,' dour Norweigan drag kings processing endlessly and Ma Rainey being well-remembered.

Critic's Notebook: A Day in the Life

Stephanie Rosenbaum
Jun 26, 2011

One day of Frameline35 finds Witi Ihimaera offering insight into the writing of 'Kawa,' dour Norweigan drag kings processing endlessly and Ma Rainey being well-remembered.

Critic's Notebook: A Day in the Life

Stephanie Rosenbaum
Jun 26, 2011

One day of Frameline35 finds Witi Ihimaera offering insight into the writing of 'Kawa,' dour Norweigan drag kings processing endlessly and Ma Rainey being well-remembered.

Richardson Wraps Circus ‘Net’

Michael Fox
Jun 7, 2011

A filmmaker finds the rigors of circus life match the rigors of growing up in poverty in Brazil.

Richardson Wraps Circus ‘Net’

Michael Fox
Jun 7, 2011

A filmmaker finds the rigors of circus life match the rigors of growing up in poverty in Brazil.

Richardson Wraps Circus ‘Net’

Michael Fox
Jun 7, 2011

A filmmaker finds the rigors of circus life match the rigors of growing up in poverty in Brazil.

Patrick Raises Child ‘Booksellers’

Michael Fox
May 24, 2011

S. Smith Patrick shares purpose with the children she films.

Patrick Raises Child ‘Booksellers’

Michael Fox
May 24, 2011

S. Smith Patrick shares purpose with the children she films.

Patrick Raises Child ‘Booksellers’

Michael Fox
May 24, 2011

S. Smith Patrick shares purpose with the children she films.

City College of San Francisco City Shorts Film Festival

May 19, 2011

City College of San Francisco offers a best-of program in the one day, student-run City Shorts Film Festival. The festival is free to the public. More at cityshorts.tumblr.com.

Stone not Cold in Castro Conversation

Dennis Harvey
Apr 28, 2011

Oliver Stone reflects on his own heated past, and the world’s, as he accepts the Founder’s Directing Award onstage at the Castro Theatre during SFIFF54.

Stone not Cold in Castro Conversation

Dennis Harvey
Apr 28, 2011

Oliver Stone reflects on his own heated past, and the world’s, as he accepts the Founder’s Directing Award onstage at the Castro Theatre during SFIFF54.

Stone not Cold in Castro Conversation

Dennis Harvey
Apr 28, 2011

Oliver Stone reflects on his own heated past, and the world’s, as he accepts the Founder’s Directing Award onstage at the Castro Theatre during SFIFF54.

Production Values: Debbie Brubaker

Adrianne Anderson
Apr 19, 2011

A veteran producer talks about the art, craft and industry behind her work.

Production Values: Debbie Brubaker

Adrianne Anderson
Apr 19, 2011

A veteran producer talks about the art, craft and industry behind her work.

Production Values: Debbie Brubaker

Adrianne Anderson
Apr 19, 2011

A veteran producer talks about the art, craft and industry behind her work.

The Art of the Steal

George Rush
Apr 12, 2011

Whether in the foreground or background of your narrative feature, pieces of art require copyright consideration.

The Art of the Steal

George Rush
Apr 12, 2011

Whether in the foreground or background of your narrative feature, pieces of art require copyright consideration.

The Art of the Steal

George Rush
Apr 12, 2011

Whether in the foreground or background of your narrative feature, pieces of art require copyright consideration.

The Art of the Steal

George Rush
Apr 12, 2011

Whether in the foreground or background of your narrative feature, pieces of art require copyright consideration.

The Art of the Steal

George Rush
Apr 12, 2011

Whether in the foreground or background of your narrative feature, pieces of art require copyright consideration.

The Art of the Steal

George Rush
Apr 12, 2011

Whether in the foreground or background of your narrative feature, pieces of art require copyright consideration.

Juelich Rides ‘Neon’ Roller Coaster

Michael Fox
Apr 6, 2011

Jennifer Juelich uses California carnivals as atmosphere for her DIY drama.

Juelich Rides ‘Neon’ Roller Coaster

Michael Fox
Apr 6, 2011

Jennifer Juelich uses California carnivals as atmosphere for her DIY drama.

Juelich Rides ‘Neon’ Roller Coaster

Michael Fox
Apr 6, 2011

Jennifer Juelich uses California carnivals as atmosphere for her DIY drama.

First Person Rural: The New Nonfiction

Mar 26, 2011

Lisandro Alonso’s 2001 ‘La Libertad’ is the first film in Pacific Film Archive’s First Person Rural: The New Nonfiction series, which presents works that utilize documentary filmmaking techniques in fictional storytelling. More at bampfa.berkeley.edu.

Nonfiction's Future Lies in Optimism

Karen Everett
Mar 15, 2011

A new crop of filmmakers are building audiences by showing nonfiction doesn’t have to be depressing to reveal hard truths.

Nonfiction's Future Lies in Optimism

Karen Everett
Mar 15, 2011

A new crop of filmmakers are building audiences by showing nonfiction doesn’t have to be depressing to reveal hard truths.

Nonfiction's Future Lies in Optimism

Karen Everett
Mar 15, 2011

A new crop of filmmakers are building audiences by showing nonfiction doesn’t have to be depressing to reveal hard truths.

What you Need to Know to License Music for Film

George Rush
Mar 8, 2011

Breaking down the common licensing terms.

What you Need to Know to License Music for Film

George Rush
Mar 8, 2011

Breaking down the common licensing terms.

What you Need to Know to License Music for Film

George Rush
Mar 8, 2011

Breaking down the common licensing terms.

Scary Cow Stampede Continues Apace

Michael Fox
Feb 9, 2011

Scary Cow matches makers with crews, and, every quarter, finds audiences for both.

Scary Cow Stampede Continues Apace

Michael Fox
Feb 9, 2011

Scary Cow matches makers with crews, and, every quarter, finds audiences for both.

Scary Cow Stampede Continues Apace

Michael Fox
Feb 9, 2011

Scary Cow matches makers with crews, and, every quarter, finds audiences for both.

Politics, Sacrifice Define 'Bhutto,' Director

Michael Fox
Jan 5, 2011

Director Duane Baughman's day job in direct mail/political consulting brought him unbelievable access to Benazir Bhutto.

Politics, Sacrifice Define 'Bhutto,' Director

Michael Fox
Jan 5, 2011

Director Duane Baughman's day job in direct mail/political consulting brought him unbelievable access to Benazir Bhutto.

Politics, Sacrifice Define 'Bhutto,' Director

Michael Fox
Jan 5, 2011

Director Duane Baughman's day job in direct mail/political consulting brought him unbelievable access to Benazir Bhutto.

Film 2010: Moments, Trends, Docs and the Best of the Bay Area

Susan Gerhard
Dec 24, 2010

The Bay Area film community sounds off on the best/worst trends, times, docs and Bay Area-made films of 2010.

Film 2010: Moments, Trends, Docs and the Best of the Bay Area

Susan Gerhard
Dec 24, 2010

The Bay Area film community sounds off on the best/worst trends, times, docs and Bay Area-made films of 2010.

Film 2010: Moments, Trends, Docs and the Best of the Bay Area

Susan Gerhard
Dec 24, 2010

The Bay Area film community sounds off on the best/worst trends, times, docs and Bay Area-made films of 2010.

Film 2010: Moments, Trends, Docs and the Best of the Bay Area

Susan Gerhard
Dec 24, 2010

The Bay Area film community sounds off on the best/worst trends, times, docs and Bay Area-made films of 2010.

SFFS/KRF Announce Fall 2010 Grant Recipients

Dec 6, 2010

Press release: The San Francisco Film Society and the Kenneth Rainin Foundation today announced the five winners of the fourth round of SFFS/KRF Filmmaking Grants: Debbie Brubaker, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Christopher Mason Johnson, Mike Ott and Morgan Wise. The grants are given twice annually to filmmakers for narrative feature films with social justice themes that will have significant economic or professional impact on the Bay Area filmmaking community. More at sffs.org.

Roman Polanski Shorts with Live Music by Sza/Za

Nov 10, 2010

Taking the legendary director of 'Rosemary's Baby,' 'Chinatown' and 'The Pianist' out of headlines and back to his filmmaking and geographic roots, this program pairs a live performance by Warsaw electro-acoustic duo Sza/Za with early Polanski shorts at Letterman Digital Arts Center’s Premier Theater. More at sffs.org.

Essential SF

Susan Gerhard, Editor
Nov 5, 2010

SF360.org profiles the 2011 roster of Essential SF, an ongoing compendium of the film community’s vital figures and institutions.

Ed Burns Looks to Future by Getting Back to Basics

Andrew Provost
Oct 31, 2010

Ed Burns offers ideas about art and marketing as he releases his new film, 'Nice Guy Johnny,' into the world.

Ed Burns Looks to Future by Getting Back to Basics

Andrew Provost
Oct 31, 2010

Ed Burns offers ideas about art and marketing as he releases his new film, 'Nice Guy Johnny,' into the world.

Ed Burns Looks to Future by Getting Back to Basics

Andrew Provost
Oct 31, 2010

Ed Burns offers ideas about art and marketing as he releases his new film, 'Nice Guy Johnny,' into the world.

Ed Burns Looks to Future by Getting Back to Basics

Andrew Provost
Oct 31, 2010

Ed Burns offers ideas about art and marketing as he releases his new film, 'Nice Guy Johnny,' into the world.

Ed Burns Looks to Future by Getting Back to Basics

Andrew Provost
Oct 31, 2010

Ed Burns offers ideas about art and marketing as he releases his new film, 'Nice Guy Johnny,' into the world.

Ed Burns Looks to Future by Getting Back to Basics

Andrew Provost
Oct 31, 2010

Ed Burns offers ideas about art and marketing as he releases his new film, 'Nice Guy Johnny,' into the world.

French Cinema Now

Oct 28, 2010

SFFS’s annual showcase of modern French filmmaking includes some of the country’s most important work from the past year, from Éléonore Faucher's 'Sisters' to Katell Quillévéré's 'Love Like Poison.' Mark Fitoussi's ‘Copacabana,’ starring Isabelle Huppert, opens the festival; it's followed by a reception at the Bubble Lounge, 714 Montgomery Street. All films play at Landmark’s Embarcadero Center Cinema. More at sffs.org.

Mike Ott on the Guileless Filmmaking of 'Littlerock'

Jessica Sapick
Oct 25, 2010

Mike Ott, now up for a Gotham Award, speaks on filmmaking process and his indie film 'Littlerock.'

Mike Ott on the Guileless Filmmaking of 'Littlerock'

Jessica Sapick
Oct 25, 2010

Mike Ott, now up for a Gotham Award, speaks on filmmaking process and his indie film 'Littlerock.'

Mike Ott on the Guileless Filmmaking of 'Littlerock'

Jessica Sapick
Oct 25, 2010

Mike Ott, now up for a Gotham Award, speaks on filmmaking process and his indie film 'Littlerock.'

Taiwan Film Days Returns

Adam Hartzell
Oct 21, 2010

New stories emerge from a storied cinema nation in the second year of the Taiwan Film Days showcase.

Taiwan Film Days Returns

Adam Hartzell
Oct 21, 2010

New stories emerge from a storied cinema nation in the second year of the Taiwan Film Days showcase.

Taiwan Film Days Returns

Adam Hartzell
Oct 21, 2010

New stories emerge from a storied cinema nation in the second year of the Taiwan Film Days showcase.

Charles Ferguson Solves ‘Inside Job’

Michael Fox
Oct 18, 2010

Charles Ferguson offers intel on the world financial crisis with 'Inside Job.'

Charles Ferguson Solves ‘Inside Job’

Michael Fox
Oct 18, 2010

Charles Ferguson offers intel on the world financial crisis with 'Inside Job.'

Charles Ferguson Solves ‘Inside Job’

Michael Fox
Oct 18, 2010

Charles Ferguson offers intel on the world financial crisis with 'Inside Job.'

Are You Expecting Your Producer to Save You?

Fernanda Rossi
Oct 12, 2010

What to consider when you're considering hiring a producer.

Are You Expecting Your Producer to Save You?

Fernanda Rossi
Oct 12, 2010

What to consider when you're considering hiring a producer.

Are You Expecting Your Producer to Save You?

Fernanda Rossi
Oct 12, 2010

What to consider when you're considering hiring a producer.

Essential SF: 'Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter,' 'Paulina,' 'First Person Plural'

Michael Fox
Oct 6, 2010

The Bay Area's best first-person documentaries take us through a lens, darkly.

Essential SF: 'Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter,' 'Paulina,' 'First Person Plural'

Michael Fox
Oct 6, 2010

The Bay Area's best first-person documentaries take us through a lens, darkly.

Essential SF: 'Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter,' 'Paulina,' 'First Person Plural'

Michael Fox
Oct 6, 2010

The Bay Area's best first-person documentaries take us through a lens, darkly.

Essential SF: 'Chan Is Missing,' 'Thousand Pieces of Gold,' 'Heat and Sunlight'

Michael Fox
Sep 28, 2010

San Francisco narrative filmmakers offer nuanced visions of their city.

Essential SF: 'Chan Is Missing,' 'Thousand Pieces of Gold,' 'Heat and Sunlight'

Michael Fox
Sep 28, 2010

San Francisco narrative filmmakers offer nuanced visions of their city.

Essential SF: 'Chan Is Missing,' 'Thousand Pieces of Gold,' 'Heat and Sunlight'

Michael Fox
Sep 28, 2010

San Francisco narrative filmmakers offer nuanced visions of their city.

Tushinski Brings San Francisco into 'Dirty Poole'

Michael Fox
Sep 15, 2010

A filmmaker revisits '70s gay erotic life in the work of Wakefield Poole.

Tushinski Brings San Francisco into 'Dirty Poole'

Michael Fox
Sep 15, 2010

A filmmaker revisits '70s gay erotic life in the work of Wakefield Poole.

Tushinski Brings San Francisco into 'Dirty Poole'

Michael Fox
Sep 15, 2010

A filmmaker revisits '70s gay erotic life in the work of Wakefield Poole.

Innovative Characters, Concepts Inform New California Website

Adam Hartzell
Sep 13, 2010

A new film/photography website offers compelling characters, bold artistry and innovative storylines.

Innovative Characters, Concepts Inform New California Website

Adam Hartzell
Sep 13, 2010

A new film/photography website offers compelling characters, bold artistry and innovative storylines.

Innovative Characters, Concepts Inform New California Website

Adam Hartzell
Sep 13, 2010

A new film/photography website offers compelling characters, bold artistry and innovative storylines.

'Them Greeks' Tests Independent Digital Production Model

Jessica Sapick
Sep 7, 2010

An animator collaborates over the ether to bring 'Them Greeks....!' to life.

'Them Greeks' Tests Independent Digital Production Model

Jessica Sapick
Sep 7, 2010

An animator collaborates over the ether to bring 'Them Greeks....!' to life.

'Them Greeks' Tests Independent Digital Production Model

Jessica Sapick
Sep 7, 2010

An animator collaborates over the ether to bring 'Them Greeks....!' to life.

'Sweet' Beat Drives Fruchtmans’ Rwanda Doc

Michael Fox
Sep 1, 2010

Lisa Fruchtman moves from feature-film editing to documentary film directing with a hopeful story out of Rwanda.

'Sweet' Beat Drives Fruchtmans’ Rwanda Doc

Michael Fox
Sep 1, 2010

Lisa Fruchtman moves from feature-film editing to documentary film directing with a hopeful story out of Rwanda.

'Sweet' Beat Drives Fruchtmans’ Rwanda Doc

Michael Fox
Sep 1, 2010

Lisa Fruchtman moves from feature-film editing to documentary film directing with a hopeful story out of Rwanda.

Maoz Speaks of the Limits of Language in 'Lebanon'

Jessica Sapick
Aug 16, 2010

The Lebanon War of 1982 informs Samuel Maoz's 'Lebanon.'

Maoz Speaks of the Limits of Language in 'Lebanon'

Jessica Sapick
Aug 16, 2010

The Lebanon War of 1982 informs Samuel Maoz's 'Lebanon.'

Maoz Speaks of the Limits of Language in 'Lebanon'

Jessica Sapick
Aug 16, 2010

The Lebanon War of 1982 informs Samuel Maoz's 'Lebanon.'

Overcoming Your Fear of Fundraising

Holly Million
Aug 10, 2010

A few simple ideas can help nervous fundraisers take the leap.

Overcoming Your Fear of Fundraising

Holly Million
Aug 10, 2010

A few simple ideas can help nervous fundraisers take the leap.

Media Pulse: The Closed Net Threat

Sara Dosa
Aug 4, 2010

The looming prospect of a two-tiered internet may compromise the ability of independent filmmakers to fund, exhibit and distribute their films.

Media Pulse: The Closed Net Threat

Sara Dosa
Aug 4, 2010

The looming prospect of a two-tiered internet may compromise the ability of independent filmmakers to fund, exhibit and distribute their films.

Media Pulse: The Closed Net Threat

Sara Dosa
Aug 4, 2010

The looming prospect of a two-tiered internet may compromise the ability of independent filmmakers to fund, exhibit and distribute their films.

Subtext: Catching the Drift Beneath the Dialogue

Lisa Rosenberg
Aug 3, 2010

Memorable lines of dialogue are like the tips of icebergs, floating above vast, submerged mountains of character history, and more.

Subtext: Catching the Drift Beneath the Dialogue

Lisa Rosenberg
Aug 3, 2010

Memorable lines of dialogue are like the tips of icebergs, floating above vast, submerged mountains of character history, and more.

Subtext: Catching the Drift Beneath the Dialogue

Lisa Rosenberg
Aug 3, 2010

Memorable lines of dialogue are like the tips of icebergs, floating above vast, submerged mountains of character history, and more.

Essential SF: 'Berkeley in the Sixties,' 'Brother Outsider,' 'Weather Underground'

Michael Fox
Jul 28, 2010

Three Bay Area documentaries correct the historical record.

Essential SF: 'Berkeley in the Sixties,' 'Brother Outsider,' 'Weather Underground'

Michael Fox
Jul 28, 2010

Three Bay Area documentaries correct the historical record.

Essential SF: 'Times of Harvey Milk,' 'Crumb,' 'Cockettes'

Michael Fox
Jul 23, 2010

Three films document essential chunks of San Francisco's tragic and mythic past, told in empathetic but non-hagiographic testimony.

Essential SF: 'Times of Harvey Milk,' 'Crumb,' 'Cockettes'

Michael Fox
Jul 23, 2010

Three films document essential chunks of San Francisco's tragic and mythic past, told in empathetic but non-hagiographic testimony.

Polk Street Lures Boswell's 'Stranger'

Michael Fox
Jun 23, 2010

Scott Boswell’s marvelous debut feature, The Stranger In Us, plays out on Polk Street and in the Tenderloin, far from the oft-photographed glamour spots of San Francisco.

On the Road with 'Joan,' Stern and Sundberg Talk Big Picture

Michael Fox
Jun 14, 2010

The makers of Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work speak about their latest, as well as the state of documentary filmmaking.

Fast-Track Filmmaking with the 48 Hour Film Project

Ryan Riddle
Jun 14, 2010

Making a film called Stagecoach in the Sky as part of the 48 Hour Film Project requires planning, as well as a flying boat.

A Digital Glossary

Hannah Eaves
Jun 8, 2010

What s the difference between streaming and download rights? Here s a glossary of terms filmmakers should know before signing a contract or hiring a web developer.

Festivals from Cannes to Marfa, San Francisco Filmmakers Reporting

Emile Bokaer, Cynthia Mitchell
May 21, 2010

Bay Area filmmakers report back from film festivals far (Cannes) and wide (Marfa).

Poitras's Unexpected Path to 'The Oath'

Jessica Sapick
May 16, 2010

Laura Poitras speaks during SFIFF53 about the process of creating The Oath from the stories of Osama Bin Laden's former bodyguard and driver.

A Short Guide to Funding Short Narratives

Holly Million
May 11, 2010

If you re making a short narrative, foundations give you no respect. Financiers turn a cold shoulder. Government grantors snort. And festivals slot your film Sunday at midnight.

SFIFF53: Golden Gate Awards and Juried Prizes/Grants Announced

Susan Gerhard
May 5, 2010

Cash prizes totaling nearly $300,000 for filmmakers highlighted the San Francisco International Film Festival s Golden Gate Awards Wednesday night.

Do You Pass the Test?

George Rush
Apr 26, 2010

You are awesome. Spectacular, incredible, interesting, accomplished and generally just way awesome. Everyone wants to hear every possible thing there is to know about you.

SFIFF s Porchlight On For Guests

Michael Fox
Apr 24, 2010

Ch‚ Sandoval of Chile, Kaspar Astrup Schroder of Denmark, Pedro Gonzal‚z-Rubio of Mexico, John Herschend and Claudia Gonson don t have much in common except stories to tell.

SFIFF53 Reports: The Butcher Block; Opening Night

SF360
Apr 24, 2010

To be from the Bay Area and called The Butcher Brothers might mean you get mixed up with purveyors of grass fed meats.

Streetfilms' Two-Wheeled Revolution

Adam Hartzell
Mar 31, 2010

Pedestrians have always propelled cinema narratives, but the bicycle has rarely had a starring role.

San Francisco International Film Festival's 53rd Edition

Susan Gerhard
Mar 30, 2010

Director of Programming Rachel Rosen and programmers Rod Armstrong, Audrey Chang and Sean Uyehara shared thoughts on 177 films from 46 countries.

Green by Design: Purebred Productions

Michael Behrens
Mar 28, 2010

San Francisco has a variety of excellent soundstages, but one is trying to save the earth.

Sights and Sounds of South by Southwest

Hannah Eaves
Mar 24, 2010

Tens of thousands of artists, aficionados and businesspeople flock to Austin for a festival that is part online conference, part film festival, and more than part music.

Karim Ahmad on ITVS's Forward-Thinking FUTURESTATES

Adam Hartzell
Mar 21, 2010

Think of U.S. public television and science fiction or any type of fiction doesn't spring to mind. ITVS aims to change that perception with a series of mini-features.

West with 'Sweetgrass'

Dennis Harvey
Mar 9, 2010

There will probably never be a theatrical release for James Benning's landscape movies. Amazingly, Ilisa Barbash and Lucien Castaing-Taylor have scored distribution and made a splash.

Reed's Promise of Prodigal Sons

Michael Fox
Mar 3, 2010

If Kimberly Reed took a not particularly unique path into filmmaking, she certainly took an interesting road out of it.

Laotian Tourists Focus Murray's Camera

Michael Fox
Mar 2, 2010

When Laos revised its visa structure to allow visitors to stay for more than one week, Westerners with digital cameras surged over the border.

Best Length for Documentary Films

Karen Everett
Feb 9, 2010

How long should your documentary be? If your audience begins to glaze over or feel restless, you've lost the opportunity to leave them wanting more.

Pacific Film Archive's Young Filmmakers on Big Screen

Jane Riccobono
Feb 3, 2010

In the YouTube-Facebook-viral video era, it's hard to remember the time when youth-made media was rare.

Chat It Up: Livestream, UStream and Justin.tv

Hannah Eaves
Feb 1, 2010

When President Obama took office, CNN brought it online, allowing viewers to chat with friends and strangers, their conversation appearing next to the video.

Butchers Chop Shop at Sundance

Glen Helfand
Jan 21, 2010

The Butcher Brothers The Violent Kind is a nightmare-with-bikers-in-the-woods fantasy shot in Petaluma and Cotati, and it fits their collaborative moniker.

Connie Field's Magnum Opus on Anti-Apartheid Movement

Michael Fox
Jan 12, 2010

By any measure, the long-awaited release of Have You Heard from Johannesburg? shapes up to be one of the major documentary events of 2010.

Animal-Rescue Mine In Katrina's Emotional Aftermath

Michael Fox
Jan 7, 2010

Geralyn Pezanoski s doc about the separation and occasional reunion of pets and owners in post-Katrina New Orleans beat the shelf-life odds.

Thoughts On the Aughts: Best/Worst Trends

Susan Gerard
Dec 31, 2009

While the U.S. moved from rebuilding decimated skyscrapers to the rebuilding of an entire economy, film moved from the multiplex to the mailbox to the mobile.

Best Practices For Naming Sequences

Karen Everett
Dec 30, 2009

For handy access to your most valuable footage, here s a method of organizing sequences.

After Sept. 11, 2001, A Decade Found Its Way

B. Ruby Rich
Dec 23, 2009

On Sept. 13, 2001, I stood in a Toronto park and spoke to Canadian television: Movies wouldn't be the same. I was wrong.

Bay Area Narrative Filmmakers Thriving in Doc Capital

Michael Fox
Dec 23, 2009

Michael Fox shows independent filmmakers who are thriving in the Bay Area.

Bay Area Narrative Filmmakers Thriving in Doc Capital

Michael Fox
Dec 23, 2009

Michael Fox shows independent filmmakers who are thriving in the Bay Area.

Legal Eagle Eye Kristine Enea Zooms 'Off the Grid'

Michael Fox
Dec 8, 2009

Kristine Enea's documentary shows The EcoCenter, a San Francisco environmental educational facility that treats and recycles wastewater and generates its own solar power.

Legal Eagle Eye Kristine Enea Zooms 'Off the Grid'

Michael Fox
Dec 8, 2009

Kristine Enea's documentary shows The EcoCenter, a San Francisco environmental educational facility that treats and recycles wastewater and generates its own solar power.

Coming Around to 'Convergence'

Hannah Eaves
Dec 7, 2009

The 6th Screen: Hannah Eaves compiles some questions about "convergence", the increasingly popular practice of combining television and computer usage. 

Sequence Names

Karen Everett
Dec 1, 2009

The Edit Room: Karen Everett shares tips on how to track multiple versions of Final Cut Pro projects and sequences.

Antonelli's 'Crossing Over' and Cooke's Soulful Genius

Michael Fox
Dec 1, 2009

Marin County filmmaker John Antonelli talks about his documentary on influential late singer-songwriter Sam Cooke for PBS's "American Masters" series.

New Social Issue Dramas from Rainin Grant-Winners

Michael Fox
Nov 24, 2009

The scoop on the projects of the inaugural class for the SFFS/Kenneth Rainin Foundation Filmmaking Grants, which support lively, intelligent social-issue narrative films.

Shamir's 'Defamation' a Vintage Documentary Dust-up

Michael Fox
Nov 19, 2009

Reminiscent of Marcel Ophuls' fearless provocations in Hotel Terminus (1988), Yoav Shamir breaks every rule of polite documentary filmmaking in Defamation.

On the Road Before 'The Recess Ends'

Michael Fox
Nov 10, 2009

Shot in depressed burgs and 'burbs across the country, this documentary looks at the U.S. at its lowest economic ebb in generations.

Marissa Aroy Unearths Forgotten California history

Michael Fox
Nov 3, 2009

Aroy's film excavates the history and contributions of Filipino farmworkers in the Golden State since the 1920s.

A Challenge to Filmmakers

George Rush
Nov 3, 2009

George Rush skips legal concerns and instead speaks to a larger issue: the lack of quality independent filmmaking today.

Robert Mailer Anderson on Mendo Madness of 'Pig Hunt'

Dennis Harvey
Oct 26, 2009

After ripping it up at various genre fests, the Bay Area indie horror flick settles in for a theatrical run at the Red Vic.

'Sorry, Thanks' Lavishes Love on the Mission

Michael Fox
Oct 24, 2009

From the steep slope of 22nd Street down to La Taqueria, from the Attic to Boogaloos, this droll feature showcases the Mission to glowing advantage.

SFFS's Debut Cinema by the Bay

Robert Avila
Oct 22, 2009

A new, four-day showcase of local filmmaking doubles as a forum for the region's influence as subject and setting for filmmakers beyond the bay.

SFFS's Debut Cinema by the Bay

Robert Avila
Oct 22, 2009

A new, four-day showcase of local filmmaking doubles as a forum for the region's influence as subject and setting for filmmakers beyond the bay.

Organizing your bins effectively

Karen Everett
Sep 22, 2009

The Edit Room: Learning how to organize saves you time and money in the editing process; a walk-through just how to do it.

William Klein's Restless Mind

Dennis Harvey
Sep 9, 2009

The movies of William Klein are suffused with the same impudence, social commentary and aesthetic surprise found in his photos.

How Scary Cow co-op is making indie filmmaking in SF a little less frightening

Elizabeth Rader
Aug 2, 2009

Jager McConnell speaks about Scary Cow, a filmmakers' co-op that offers experience, people, money and equipment to aspiring filmmakers with ideas to burn.

Free and Open: Video's Cambrian Explosion

Hannah Eaves
Jul 27, 2009

The Sixth Screen: Veteran journalists and filmmakers alike are polishing up their resumes, contemplating the hospitality industry, and wondering: Who stole my career?

'Why Isn't Chris von Sneidern Famous?'

Michael Fox
Jul 21, 2009

A revealing portrait of veteran local singer-songwriter-guitarist with a cult following investigates existential questions about fame with respect, empathy and self-reflection.

The Real Deal

Fernanda Rossi
Jul 21, 2009

Ask the Documentary Doctor: How do I choose the right crew for my story?

Kutner and Goldstein on 'The Snake'

Michael Fox
Jul 6, 2009

Adam Goldstein and Eric Kutner discuss their debut, The Snake, an unapologetically impertinent, made-in-S.F, comedy that marks its creators as resourceful wiseguys.

Richard Levien, from 'Immersion' to 'La Migra'

Jennifer Preissel
Jun 29, 2009

New Zealand transplant Richard Levien, a longstanding fixture of the San Francisco indie film community, breaks out of the editing room with Immersion.

Richard Levien, from 'Immersion' to 'La Migra'

Jennifer Preissel
Jun 29, 2009

New Zealand transplant Richard Levien, a longstanding fixture of the San Francisco indie film community, breaks out of the editing room with Immersion.

Marco Ferreri's Anarchic Filmmaking

Dennis Harvey
Jun 12, 2009

Wild man of Italian cinema, Marco Ferreri left many films in need of rediscovery (or simply discovery) since his death in 1997.

"Just Make Them Love It"

Holly Million
Jun 8, 2009

Make them love it. Make? Oh, words of dread! How do you MAKE somebody love your film?

Weimberg/Ryan on Conflict and Conscience

Sura Wood
Jun 7, 2009

Berkeley-based filmmaking team Gary Weimberg and Catherine Ryan speak about social justice as a career and their film Soldiers of Conscience.

Lawrence Jordan: to Infinity and Beyond

Sean Uyehara
Jun 1, 2009

Leading light of avant-garde cinema Lawrence Jordan speaks on the occasion of his Gallery Extraña show and his 75th birthday.

SFIFF52: Golden Gate Awards Uncorked, SFFS/KRF Grant Winner Announced

Susan Gerhard
May 7, 2009

SFIFF handed out approximately $100,000 and announced the winner San Francisco Film Society/Kenneth Rainin Foundation Filmmaking Grant during its Golden Gate Awards.

Crafting an Elegant Essay Documentary

Karen Everett
May 4, 2009

The Edit Room: How do you keep your audience engaged rather than putting them to sleep?

Local Makers Line Up Next Shot after SFIFF

Michael Fox
May 4, 2009

The 2009 SFIFF has been a launching pad for the numerous Bay Area filmmaker

Film Society Awards: Ballard, Coppola, Redford and Toback

Susan Gerhard
May 1, 2009

The San Francisco Film Society honored Francis Ford Coppola, Carroll Ballard, Robert Redford and James Toback. Coppola surprised the audience by turning over the Founder's Directing Award he received to longtime colleague Carroll Ballard.

SFIFF52: 'The Professionals' Unites Filmmakers

Michael Fox
Apr 28, 2009

The Professionals an ambitious array of panels, case studies and discussions, makes its debut as a forum for encouraging Bay Area moviemakers to engage with guests and colleagues.

Repeating Yourself?

Fernanda Rossi
Apr 28, 2009

Ask the Documentary Doctor: Fernanda Rossi advises on the distinction between repetition and reinforcement in documentary filmmaking.

SFIFF52: 'The Professionals' Unites Filmmakers

Michael Fox
Apr 28, 2009

The Professionals an ambitious array of panels, case studies and discussions, makes its debut as a forum for encouraging Bay Area moviemakers to engage with guests and colleagues.

SFIFF52: Jennifer Maytorena Taylor and a 'New Muslim Cool'

Sura Wood
Apr 6, 2009

Jennifer Maytorena Taylor's documentary, New Muslim Cool, focuses on Hamza Perez, a Catholic hip hop artist, who converted to Islam; whose life is now a crucible of disparate urban influences.

SF International Film Festival Lineup

Susan Gerhard
Mar 31, 2009

The two weeks of programs offers 151 films from 55 countries, awards and prices, and a wide array of San Francisco talent, from legendary names to the fledgling artists.

Back to Nature with Ben Rivers

Dennis Harvey
Mar 27, 2009

Ben Rivers makes his Bay Area debut this week presenting in person two programs, both providing a slightly dislocative experience at once tranquil and sinister.

Politics Get Personal in 'Project Kashmir'

Jonathan Kiefer
Mar 19, 2009

Co-directors Senain Kheshgi and Geeta V. Patel, two American friends with family ties to opposite sides of the conflict, went to Kashmir together to see what they could learn–and what the rest of us could.

SXSW: From the Producer's Chair

Holly Million
Mar 17, 2009

Holly Million reviews some of the documentaries shown at this year's festival: It Came >From Kuchar, MIne and Motherland.

Sound Advice

Fernanda Rossi
Mar 10, 2009

Sound design: in a documentary can be a great ally in bringing real life to the screen, and the dilemma is not whether to use this wonderful story device but rather how and in what context.

'Medicine for Melancholy' and the Art of DIY Legal Agreements

George Rush
Mar 3, 2009

For many narrative filmmakers, hiring a lawyer is either an afterthought or not a financial reality, but moving forward with a film without considering legal is a huge mistake.

'Silent Light' and Shattered Landscapes

Max Goldberg
Feb 27, 2009

Carlos Reygadas' third film is an unmistakably serious work, emblematic of the kind of brooding, large-canvas filmmaking which has become a rarity.

Strand Releasing Turns 20

Dennis Harvey
Feb 26, 2009

Twenty years after its founding, Strand Releasing remains an active, irreplaceable and distinctive presence on the U.S. distribution scene.

Ten Commandments Before Diving into Digital Delivery

Larry Daressa
Feb 24, 2009

First-Person: Larry Daressa provides helpful hints on distribution strategy.

Peled's Globalization Trilogy in India's Cotton Fields

Michael Fox
Feb 24, 2009

The throughline of Micha Peled's film is a farmer in a village in Vibharba, in central India's cotton belt, over a farming season.

Leban and Szajko's Gay Marriage Doc

Michael Fox
Feb 18, 2009

The tentatively titled Winter of Love uses Prop. 8 as a framework for a look at the increasing acceptance of gay marriage.

Ellen Lake's Miniatures Fit Right In

Michael Fox
Feb 11, 2009

When we're finally all watching movies on the most expedient of platforms–our mobile phone–Ellen Lake will be at the head of the parade.

Essay Films at the Pacific Film Archive

David Winks Gray
Jan 30, 2009

The PFA's series of "essay films," a collection of diverse work, offers the viewer an opportunity to adapt to the peculiar tone of these films.

Social Justice Filmmaking Grants Announced

Susan Gerhard
Jan 28, 2009

Grants totaling $3 million for narrative feature films made in the Bay Area will be distributed by the SFFS and the Kenneth Rainin Foundation.

Funder as Supplicant

John R. Killacky
Jan 20, 2009

First-Person: A program officer at the San Francisco Foundation has a sobering experience making a documentary.

Casting: Names and Numbers

George Rush
Jan 16, 2009

Avoiding Disaster: George Rush writes on the conundrum of not getting money for a project without a known cast, and not getting a cast without a bunch of money.

'Tongues' Cracks the Language Barrier

Michael Fox
Jan 13, 2009

The forthcoming film Speaking in Tongues follows four diverse local public-school students enrolled in language-immersion programs.

Wendy Levy on the Politics of Participation

Susan Gerhard
Jan 12, 2009

Levy offers thoughts on the program she's presenting at Sundance and what's being called the "New Documentary Movement."

Unresolutions of 2009

Hannah Eaves
Jan 9, 2009

Certain questions in 2008 endlessly plagued the film world, leading to outlandish predictions, flame-war mayhem and an outbreak of opinionated public speaking.

Elizabeth Pepin's 'Wasted!'

Michael Fox
Jan 6, 2009

If you've been waiting for a punk-rock doc about sewage and wastewater treatment–admit it–it's in the pipeline and heading your way by year's end.

Pamela Harris, GFEM, and Filmmaker Funding

Michael Fox
Dec 22, 2008

Oakland's Pamela Harris and Grantmakers in Film + Electronic Media are connecting media makers with financial resources.

Québec Film Week's Unprovincial Pleasures

Dennis Harvey
Dec 10, 2008

Québec's thriving regional cinema is showcased in San Francisco Film Society's latest mini-festival addition to the annual Bay Area movie calendar.

Greenscreen Envy

Hannah Eaves
Dec 5, 2008

The Sixth Screen: Senior Director of Marketing and Product Management and iFanboy producer and co-host Ron Richards talks about Revision3, the next generation of TV.

What Crisis? Fundraising During an Economic Meltdown

Holly Million
Dec 3, 2008

Fear-Free Fundraising: Holly Million advises filmmakers on where to get funding when the going gets tough.

Perfect Pitch

Fernanda Rossi
Nov 21, 2008

Ask the Documentary Doctor: Fernanda Rossi weighs in on how many different pitches you really need for your documentary.

Perfect Pitch

Fernanda Rossi
Nov 21, 2008

Ask the Documentary Doctor: Fernanda Rossi weighs in on how many different pitches you really need for your documentary.

Global Lens on Link TV

Judy Stone
Nov 20, 2008

Global Film Initiative's Global Lens series offers a regular spot in your home theater for edgy world-cinema narratives don't often get a place at local multiplexes.

Sean Uyehara On the S.F. International Animation Festival

Michael Guillen
Nov 10, 2008

If, in the ol' days, they were called "'toons," these days, some heavy-duty words are required to express the strength and breadth of contemporary animation.

Basics of Web 3.0?

Hannah Eaves
Oct 31, 2008

The Sixth Screen: If you're interested in the future of online technology, 'jaguar' is the evergreen example used to explain what's called The Semantic Web.

Carnival of Nonfiction Filmmaking

Dennis Harvey
Oct 16, 2008

The extreme, the strange, the silly and surreal all have big seats at the SF DocFest table.

Carnival of Nonfiction Filmmaking

Dennis Harvey
Oct 16, 2008

The extreme, the strange, the silly and surreal all have big seats at the SF DocFest table.

Making 'Howl' and 'Babnik'

Michael Fox
Oct 14, 2008

Epstein and Friedman bring a poem to the screen, while a South Bay director goes Russian.

MVFF: Mulford and Cruz On Chile's Dark Past

Michael Fox
Oct 8, 2008

Marilyn Mulford collaborated with Quique Cruz on the pensive, humanistic, and inspiring Archaeology of Memory: Villa Grimaldi.

Jack Stevenson on 'The Superstars Next Door'

Matt Sussman
Oct 6, 2008

Freelance curator and film fanatic Jack Stevenson brings grainy reels documenting live, nude girls to the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

Straight and Not So Narrow 'Crooked Beauty' In Production

Michael Fox
Oct 1, 2008

In 'Crooked Beauty,' mental health is re-imagined and redefined.

SWAG: Free Feature Films On the Web

Hannah Eaves
Sep 26, 2008

The Sixth Screen: Here are some browser-based legal zones for free online feature film viewing pleasure. No installation required.

7th SF DocFest Program

Susan Gerhard
Sep 25, 2008

The seventh San Francisco International Documentary Film Festival has the potential to be every bit as raucous as the other festivals under the organization's umbrella.

Mill Valley's 31st Program

Susan Gerhard
Sep 10, 2008

This year's Mill Valley Film Festival shows healthy signs of life for the independent film business.

Mill Valley's 31st Program

Susan Gerhard
Sep 10, 2008

This year's Mill Valley Film Festival shows healthy signs of life for the independent film business.

Scott Crocker's 'Ghost Bird' Phenomenon

Michael Fox
Sep 2, 2008

Scott Crocker's documentary brings the truth behind the "Lord God" bird phenomenon out of the bushes.

Second Stage of Film Arts Foundation's Legacy of Advocacy

Michael Fox
Aug 20, 2008

Film Arts Foundation, a nonprofit organization formed by 15 independent filmmakers in 1976, joins forces with SFFS.

Second Stage of Film Arts Foundation's Legacy of Advocacy

Michael Fox
Aug 20, 2008

Film Arts Foundation, a nonprofit organization formed by 15 independent filmmakers in 1976, joins forces with SFFS.

Stephen Olsson and Link TV

Michael Fox
Aug 17, 2008

SF360.org talks to the senior director of original programming at Link TV, which provides an antidote to the standard television news mix.

Exhuming History with "The Judge and the General"

Susan Gerhard
Aug 11, 2008

SF360.org asked Bay Area filmmaker Elizabeth Farnsworth about her film, which follows Judge Juan Guzmán as he investigates General Pinochet's crimes.

What's Fair is not Foul

Hannah Eaves
Jul 24, 2008

The Sixth Screen: The first installment of a new, monthly column by filmmaker and journalist Hannah Eaves looks at just how "fair use" is being utilized.

Beard world and Swenson's Salton Sea

Michael Fox
Jul 22, 2008

The first of SF360.org's In Production columns looks at two works-in-progress: Laura Lukitsch's film about beards and Lise Swenson's Salton Sea pic.

Screen Test, San Jose

Sean Uyehara
Jun 11, 2008

Exhibitions in San Jose feature art drawn from and inspired by online social networking sites, Youtube, video games and blogs.

San Francisco Black Film Festival's 10th

Dennis Harvey
Jun 4, 2008

In 2008 the San Francisco Black Film Festival marks its 10th anniversary with the most expansive program yet, flagging the theme "10 Years, 10 Days, 100 Films."

SFIAF: 'Mordake' and Week Two -- Reviewed, Previewed

Robert Avila
May 28, 2008

Composer Erling Wold's solo chamber opera enjoys a thrillingly intimate world premiere this week under the banner of the San Francisco International Arts Festival.

Nights on the Towne: Film Society Awards Night

Susan Gerhard
May 4, 2008

You know a festival is working its way into your brain when, in a landscape of intersecting ideas, you begin to witness the collisions.

Thomas Beard exposes "Live Cinema"

Michael Fox
Apr 7, 2008

Bodies of work have emerged from the intersections of performance, film and electronic art. Cinematograph 7ÑLive Cinema: A Contemporary Reader, edited by Thomas Beard's provides thoughtful writing on the subject.

SF Indiefest at 10

Michael Fox
Feb 7, 2008

Way back in 1998, Jeff Ross founded the San Francisco Independent Film Festival to showcase iconoclastic, grassroots moviemakers locked out of the standard channels of distribution. As the 10th SF Indiefest kicks off tonight, Ross and his rotating cast of programmers remain as idealistic as ever, but the indie landscape has largely changed for the worse.

Amanda Micheli Going for La Corona

Sean Uyehara
Jan 23, 2008

A reprinting of an interview with Amanda Micheli because her film, now playing Sundance, has just made the final cut for an Academy Award.

Christopher Coppola Wants You

Robert Avila
Dec 6, 2007

Somewhere between iPhone and YouTube there’s a wee festival known as miniPAH. A more slender version of PAH-FEST, the touring weeklong digital film festival founded a year and a half ago by filmmaker Christopher Coppola, “miniPAH: San Francisco” happens this weekend at Coppola’s alma mater, San Francisco Art Institute, ahead of a full-fledged Bay Area PAH sometime next year.

Q&A with "Holly" Filmmakers

Jennifer Young
Dec 5, 2007

"I suddenly found myself surrounded by a group of 15 little [Cambodian] girls aggressively soliciting me for prostitution," Guy Jacobson told a MVFF audience.

Phil Chambliss, Arkansas Auteur

Dennis Harvey
Nov 15, 2007

Meet Phil Chambliss, a 54-year-old, recently retired gravel pit nightwatchman who makes what might be termed cinematic folk art.

Herzog, Docs, and Truth at AFI Fest

Eugene Hernandez/indieWIRE
Nov 12, 2007

Herzog's remarks challenged the audience to reconsider its views on non-fiction film at AFI Fest.

Sean Uyehara Talks S.F. International Animation Festival

Eve O'Neil
Nov 7, 2007

SFFS programmer Sean Uyehara gives some perspective on the shifting dimensions of animated filmmaking.

Connie Field, from Berkeley to Johannesburg

Robert Avila
Nov 5, 2007

The filmmaker talks about her recent projects, including Salud!, which looks at Cuba's world-class health system.

SOFA, so good? "Straight outta Film Arts" (SOFA) shines a light on youth filmmaking

Matt Sussman
Sep 6, 2007

Matt Sussman looks at the final products of the talented young directors in TILT's Summer Film Camp showcase (screening as part of of Straight Outta Film Arts program at YBCA).

Abbas Kiarostami: "Image Maker"

Robert Avila
Aug 2, 2007

An impressive PFA series runs alongside an exhibition at the Berkeley Art Museum of Kiarostami's striking photographic work.

'Joshua's' George Ratliff

indieWIRE
Jul 11, 2007

George Ratliff talks about his first feature narrative Joshua, described by Sundance as a "horror story disguised as a sophisticated family drama."

'Joshua's' George Ratliff

indieWIRE
Jul 11, 2007

George Ratliff talks about his first feature narrative Joshua, described by Sundance as a "horror story disguised as a sophisticated family drama."

Liane Yasumoto and Superfest International Disability Film Festival

Susan Gerhard
May 27, 2007

A week before the 27th festival, SF360.org spoke with the executive director on what Superfest gets about disability that the rest of the filmmaking world doesn't.

Digital Festival

Michael Fox
May 2, 2007

Movies are shifting at mach speed from the theater to the home. The future is at hand.

A Rob Nilsson 10

Staff
Apr 27, 2007

The List: An Amerindie helmer well before the term was invented, Nilsson names 10 films which deeply affected him.

A Rob Nilsson 10

Staff
Apr 27, 2007

The List: An Amerindie helmer well before the term was invented, Nilsson names 10 films which deeply affected him.

Jon Else On Acts of Creation

Michael Fox
Apr 23, 2007

Wonders Are Many: The Making of Doctor Atomic blends World War II history with composer John Adams and director Peter Sellars’ staging of a new opera on the subject.

Remembering Jim Lyons: 1960 - 2007

Staff
Apr 18, 2007

The editor and actor, known for his frequent work with Todd Haynes, died in New York. His friends share their thoughts.

Mike White's Alter Egos

Michael Fox
Apr 14, 2007

White's heroes and heroines are content with their mundane lives until some uninvited intruder or unforeseen event exposes their frustration and complacency.

SFIFF50-philes

Susan Gerhard
Apr 11, 2007



Just a week out of the SFIFF50 press conference at the Westin St. Francis, and the buzz has already had a chance to build. SF360.org checked in with a few friends in the San Francisco filmmaking scene to see what they’re looking forward to in the 50th edition of the SF International Film Festival. Big winners: Guy Maddin’s “Brand Upon the Brain!” and, of course, the live and in-person tribute to Spike Lee, who — as Strand Releasing’s Marcus Hu reminds us — returns to the Bay Area to receive his Film Society Directing Award in spite of the fact the projector broke during the premiere of “She’s Gotta Have It” at the SFIFF more than 20 years ago.



I’m eager to see Camila Guzman Urzula’s documentary “The Sugar Curtain” for perspectives on life in Cuba from those in their twenties and thirties. I’m curious about how a savvy film critic like Wesley Morris will interview Spike Lee. It will be a welcome occurrence to see two Black men talking on a US festival stage about film.
Cornelius Moore
California Newsreel



“Audience of One:” I know this year the festival is honoring Lucas and Coppola and those guys as local heroes, but really. Hollywood North? What happened? Now here is a group of makers, Pentacostals no less, working on a gargantuan bible epic right down on Ocean Avenue in the old El Rey Theatre. Now that’s hot!
Christian Bruno
Strand, A Natural History of Cinema



Although I’ve already seen it, I look forward to attending the one-off screening of Guy Maddin’s “Brand Upon the Brain!” since each live performance, by design, differs somewhat from the last. No self-respecting (or, for that matter, self-deprecating) cineaste should miss it. Beyond that, I’m particularly interested in Alain Resnais’ latest, “Coeurs” (i.e., “Private Fears in Public Places,” which, due to timing conflicts, I missed in Toronto), reuniting the director with the exceptional playwright Alan Ayckbourn. I remain quite fond of his recent films even if most folks in this country seem to disregard his work after “Mon oncle d’Amerique,” released over a quarter-century ago.
Jonathan Marlow
GreenCine



I love that SFIFF is honoring Spike Lee, I saw “She’s Gotta Have It” when it had its world premiere at SFIFF and remembered what an amazing experience that was when the projector broke!
Marcus Hu
Strand Releasing



I first started attending SFIFF in 1964 while still in high school. I saw the independent “The Luck of Ginger Coffey,” directed by Irvin Kershner and starring Robert Shaw, a fascinating documentary look at a country

Weerasethakul Talks Hospitals, Aerobics, and a Boy From Mars

Johnny Ray Huston
Apr 9, 2007

One of Apichatpong Weerasethakul Ôs goals as a filmmaker is to simply show what he likes, and what he likes to see.

Reviews: "Police Beat"; "The Page Turner"

Dennis Harvey
Apr 3, 2007

It's taken over two years for Police Beat to go from one of the most praised films at Sundance to a theatre near you.

Amanda Micheli's Wonder Women

Sean Uyehara
Apr 2, 2007

When Bay Area filmmaker Amanda Micheli approaches, you can see that she is an athlete. She's sure of herself.

Phillip Haas on "The Situation"

Michael Fox
Mar 26, 2007

An interview with documentary and narrative filmmaker Philip Haas upon the release of his latest film, The Situation.

Michael Arndt, Little Mr. Sunshine

Michael Guillen
Feb 23, 2007

The Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Little Miss Sunshine made a Cody's San Francisco bookstore appearance promoting the publication of the shooting script.

Von Donnersmarck's Oscar-nominated "The Lives of Others"

Miljenko Skoknic
Feb 12, 2007

Von Donnersmarck talks about his Lola-winning and Oscar-nominated debut during a visit to San Francisco.

The Eye Candy of 'Tears of the Black Tiger'

Dennis Harvey
Feb 6, 2007

Tears of the Black Tiger is Thai eye candy, an exercise pastiche where color just about leaps off the screen, and a star-crossed love story.

15 Minutes of YouTube

Justin Juul
Feb 2, 2007

The List: A collection of individuals who caught my eye in an intense week of YouTube scouring. Most have gotten upwards of one million views.

"Radical Closure" at the PFA

Robert Avila
Dec 7, 2006

This series of cinematic responses to war, curated by Lebanese video artist Akram Zaatari, opens up possibilities for re-imagining the dehumanized landscape of violence.

"Man Push Cart" Director's New York-by-Way-of-Pakistan Story

Brian Brooks/indieWIRE
Dec 4, 2006

Ramin Bahrani's debut feature follows a solitary, quiet immigrant struggling to make a go of it in New York City.

A Word From Our Sponsored Films

Max Goldberg
Nov 28, 2006

Collector and archivist Rick Prelinger puts on a show at the Other Cinema to celebrate his new book, A Field Guide to Sponsored Films.

Teshigahara at The Castro

Dennis Harvey
Nov 23, 2006

Filmmaking was just one among many creative outlets for Japanese multimedia artist Hiroshi Teshigahara.

A Cinequest 35

Susan Gerhard
Nov 17, 2006

Cinequest announces a plan to distribute indie films via DVD, the Internet, TV, and some traditional theatrical sales.

Found: 'Marie Antoinette' in Paris

Max Goldberg
Oct 18, 2006

After weeks of Western Europe, what better way for the young cineaste to crash the City of Light than a trip to the silver screen?

John Cameron Mitchell's long "Shortbus" ride

Susan Gerhard
Oct 2, 2006

John Cameron Mitchell's latest film: A bright, sexually explicit ensemble piece featuring American friends and acquaintances who might have made good primetime TV.

Opening "Red Doors" in Asian American Family

Susan Gerhard
Sep 19, 2006

Filmmaker Georgia Lee discusses her narrative feature with family member Frances Chang.

David Thomson on Nicole Kidman

Michael Fox
Sep 4, 2006

The renowned local critic and historian talks about his book about the iconic Hollywood beauty.

Morpho Power at SIGGRAPH

Sean Uyehara
Aug 16, 2006

The Association for Computing Machinery Ôs 2006 conference and exhibition offered animation, new media art exhibits and the latest techniques in interactivity.

Sweet "Quinceañera" vs. MTV's greedy "My Super Sweet 16"

Johnny Ray Huston
Aug 15, 2006

Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland's exploration of a teen's rite of passage is the warmhearted opposite of MTV's glorification of wasteful and selfish spending. 

Night Listening with Patrick Stettner

indieWIRE
Aug 14, 2006

The director of The Business of Strangers talks about his second feature, starring Robin Williams.

Keith Fulton and "Brothers of the Head"

indieWIRE
Aug 8, 2006

The co-director talks about his provocative fictional documentary about conjoined twins groomed for rock Ôn' roll stardom.

ZeroOne Through Ten

Susan Gerhard
Aug 4, 2006

The List: ZeroOne San Jose Global Festival of Art on the Edge presents an array of = augmented realities, artificial intelligences, and interactive pieces.

Francois Ozon, Mortal

B. Ruby Rich
Aug 2, 2006

Ozon's Time to Leave demonstrates how central he's become to European cinema, and reminds us that he's among gay world cinema's most accomplished writer/directors.

Amos Gitai's Reality

Michael Fox
Aug 1, 2006

The veteran Israeli filmmaker, in town for the Jewish Film Festival, talks about radical art and Free Zone.

Adrian Belic and Just Think Youth Media Educators

Susan Gerhard
Jul 26, 2006

Belic helped a group of youths learn about documentary filmmaking in a program designed to offer media skills to under-served Bay Area high schoolers.

Filmmaking in 48 Hours

Susan Gerhard
Jul 19, 2006

Leena Prasad talks about making a sci-fi comedy featuring a pillow and a character named Mark Pantagenet, Foreign Ambassador in just 48 hours.

The Outsiders

Susan Gerhard
Jun 14, 2006

Sheerly Avni talks about his book, Cinema by the Bay, a rich, visual history of San Francisco Bay Area filmmaking. 

Marc Huestis and a Wrinkle in Time

Susan Gerhard
Jun 13, 2006

Marc Huestis talks about his latest film, , and the pros and cons of getting old.

Creative Offerings at the Icelandic Film Festival

Dennis Harvey
May 21, 2006

The third annual Icelandic Film Festival offers just two features and one short, but it's all very, very good.

Kidlat Tahimik's "Perfumed Nightmare" Remains an Unlikely Masterpiece

Max Goldberg
May 18, 2006

Perfumed Nightmare, a Filipino art film in which process is ultimately indivisible from form, is largely forgotten today but created a minor sensation upon its release.

San Francisco International Film Festival's Award Winners

Susan Gerhard
May 5, 2006

A complete list of the winners of the Golden Gate Awards show, which was all about celebrating the city, with filmmakers of all genres saying a kind word or two about it.

Addictive TV's VJ-style "Eye of the Pilot" at the Kabuki

Michael Fox
May 3, 2006

An intimate group caught Addictive TV's VJ-style show of ÔEye of the Pilot' at the Kabuki, and stayed late for an enthusiastic Q&A.

International REMIX

Susan Gerhard
Apr 19, 2006

If you haven't yet found your repurpose in life, SFIFF's International Remix site might be of use.

"Full Grown Men" On the Road

Michael Fox
Apr 17, 2006

David Munro and Xandra Castleton speak about making their indie Full Grown Men and taking it to the Tribeca Film Festival.

'Hot Fuzz' a Cheeky Riposte to H-wood

Dennis Harvey
Apr 17, 2006

This English comedy, the second feature made by the guys behind that genius horror spoof, 'Shaun of the Dead,' satirizes fake cinematic testosterone.

A Talk with SFIAAFF Directors Chi-hui Yang and Taro Goto

Susan Gerhard
Mar 14, 2006

Asian America everywhere: A talk with San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival directors Chi-hui Yang and Taro Goto.

Leacock-Pennebaker Tribute at SF State's Documentary Film Institute

Susan Gerhard
Feb 27, 2006

With a Leacock-Pennebaker tribute, SF State's Documentary Film Institute proves there's no reason to "revive" cinema verite; it never died.

SFFS and Kenneth Rainin Foundation Announce Fall 2010 Grant Finalists

SFFS Press Release: "The San Francisco Film Society and the Kenneth Rainin Foundation announced the ten finalists for the fourth round of SFFS/KRF Filmmaking Grants of up to a total of $225,000, to be given to one or more feature films that through plot, character, theme or setting significantly explore human and civil rights, discrimination, gender and sexual identity and other urgent social justice issues of our time." More at sffs.org

Delicious 'All About Evil' In Production

Michael Fox goes behind the scenes on Peaches Christs' slice-'em-up.