The Bay Area's home for the world's finest films and filmmakers.
Press Release > SFFILM Celebrates Scientific Excellence in Lee Isaac Chung’s TWISTERS with $20,000 Sloan Science in Cinema Prize
SFFILM Celebrates Scientific Excellence in Lee Isaac Chung’s TWISTERS with $20,000 Sloan Science in Cinema Prize
Apr 16, 2025
Festival
Cyprien Vial’s volcano thriller MAGMA will be honored with the $5,000 Sloan Science on Screen Award; Cristina Costantini’s documentary SALLY named as the 2025 SFFILM Festival Sloan Science on Screen Selection.
From L to R. Marina Foïs in Magma, Anthony Ramos, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Glen Powell in Twisters, Dr. Sally Ride in Sally.
San Francisco, CA – April 16, 2025 – Today, SFFILM announced the program slate of the Sloan Science in Cinema Initiative at the 68th San Francisco International Film Festival (SFFILM Festival), which runs April 17–27. Presented in partnership between the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and SFFILM, this year’s program includes three public events. Screening as part of the Festival lineup are Cyprien Vial’s volcano thriller Magma, recipient of the Sloan Science on Screen Award, and Cristina Costantini’s documentary Sally, which is the Sloan Science on Screen Selection. A Festival Talk, free to the public, will feature director Lee Isaac Chung accepting the Sloan Science in Cinema Prize for his latest film, Twisters, followed by a special onstage conversation on the integration of science and cinematic tools to depict extreme weather. Lee Isaac Chung (Minari, The Mandalorian) will be joined onstage by Director of the Global Systems Laboratory (GSL), Kevin Kelleher, who spent 26 years at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and served as technical consultant on both Twister (1996) and Twisters (2024); Tapio Schneider, Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at Caltech Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences; Twisters’ supervising sound editor and sound designer Al Nelson (Jurassic World, Top Gun: Maverick) and Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) visual effects supervisor Florian Witzel (Avengers, The Mandalorian).
“We are thrilled to award this year’s Sloan Science in Cinema Prize to Lee Isaac Chung’s hit film Twisters and this year’s Sloan Science on Screen Award to Cyprien Vial’s thought-provoking film Magma,” said Doron Weber, Vice President and Program Director at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. “While taking some liberties with the science, these two disaster films feature credible scientists as major protagonists and are based on the latest scientific research. They join a nationwide program that has supported over 850 science and film projects with 20 partners and, in addition to supporting screenwriters at SFFILM, has honored outstanding films such as Oppenheimer, Don’t Look Up, and Hidden Figures.”
“This year’s slate of Sloan supported titles highlights a diverse set of stories that explore the intersection of scientific achievement and the human experience. We are proud to present this timely and powerful group of films with our partners,” stated SFFILM’s Director of Programming Jessie Fairbanks. “From high-stakes challenges to personal triumphs, these films explore complex scientific themes while offering fresh, emotional insights into the human condition.”
SFFILM will honor the film Twisters, starring Glen Powell (Hit Man, Top Gun: Maverick), Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People, War of the Worlds) and Anthony Ramos (Hamilton, Blindspotting), with the prestigious Sloan Science in Cinema Prize, which celebrates the compelling depiction of scientific themes or characters in a narrative feature film, accompanied by a $20,000 cash prize. Along with the award presentation, the special event will include an onstage panel discussion featuring director Lee Isaac Chung (Minari, The Mandalorian) in conversation with highly-regarded science and film craft experts who will delve into the technology and science behind the extreme storms depicted on screen. Panel participants include Kevin Kelleher, Director of the Global Systems Laboratory (GSL), who was also a technical consultant on the film; Tapio Schneider, Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at Caltech Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences; Twister’s supervising sound editor and sound designer Al Nelson (Jurassic World, Top Gun: Maverick) and the film’s Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) visual effects supervisor Florian Witzel (Avengers, The Mandalorian). This event is free and open to the public with RSVP.
As part of the initiative, which supports the compelling depiction of science on screen, the Sloan Science on Screen Award—a recognition that celebrates narrative feature films—will be presented to Cyprien Vial for his dramatic thriller Magma. The award also includes a $5,000 cash prize. The SFFILM Festival will host the film’s international premiere with a post-screening Q&A and conversation between the director and Michael Manga, Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Science at the University of California Berkeley. In the film, starring Marina Foïs (Polisse, The Beasts) and Théo Christine (Gran Turismo, How I Became a Super Hero), the struggles between scientists, community members, and local politicians spill over like the titular substance that threatens the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.
Also highlighted as part of the initiative, the Sloan Science on Screen Selection for the 2025 SFFILM Festival is Cristina Costantini’s documentary Sally, about the extraordinary life of Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman in space in 1983. In Sally, Costantini (Science Fair, Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado) crafts an exhilarating, full-bodied portrait of a trailblazer and hero. The director, joined by producer Alfie Koetter (The Originals), will participate in the post-screening Q&A.
“We are so inspired by and proud of our ongoing collaboration with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, providing critical support to film artists working at the intersection of science and storytelling,” said SFFILM Executive Director Anne Lai. “Science and film share a core practice of deepening human understanding across complexities and differences, and this comprehensive initiative allows us to meaningfully support filmmakers’ efforts to bring their visions to life and connect their stories to a global audience. Never was there a more urgent time to invest in and amplify artists and scientists to keep our cultures flourishing.”
The SFFILM Sloan Science in Cinema Initiative also encompasses two comprehensive screenwriting grant programs. The SFFILM Sloan Science in Cinema Fellowship and the SFFILM Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund provide additional opportunities for SFFILM to offer tailored resources to filmmakers in earlier stages of developing screenplays that explore science through the cinematic language of storytelling. The 2024 Sloan Science in Cinema Fellows were Sara Crow and David Rafailedes for Satoshi and Lara Palmqvist for The Garden. In addition to receiving $35,000 each, for a total of $70,000 in cash grants, the 2024 fellows are provided with advisory feedback from scientists matched to their films’ topics, as well as dedicated professional support from SFFILM’s artist development team, which is led by Masashi Niwano, the organization’s Director of Artist Development. Both grants are now open for applications through May 30, 2025 at sffilm.org/makers.
68TH SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL: SLOAN SCIENCE ON SCREEN PROGRAMS
SLOAN SCIENCE IN CINEMA PRIZE
Festival Talk: SFFILM Sloan Science in Cinema Prize: Talking About Twisters
Lee Isaac Chung (USA 2024, 60)
Sunday, April 20 at 3:30 PM at Walt Disney Family Museum
Talks + Workshops
Event Description
In partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, SFFILM is thrilled to award the Sloan Science in Cinema Prize to last summer’s blockbuster Twisters. Join director Lee Isaac Chung, for a special onstage conversation with Director of the Global Systems Laboratory (GSL), Kevin Kelleher, who spent 26 years at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and was also a technical consultant on the film; Tapio Schneider, Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at Caltech Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences; Twister’s supervising sound editor and sound designer Al Nelson (Jurassic World, Top Gun: Maverick) and the film’s Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) visual effects supervisor Florian Witzel (Avengers, The Mandalorian). The discussion will explore whether a tornado can actually be “tamed,” the world of tornado chasers, and how the team embraced science to depict the awesome power of nature through cinematic craft and create the vastly entertaining world of Twisters. This talk is free and open to the public, RSVP is required.
Program
The Sloan Science in Cinema Prize celebrates the compelling depiction of scientific themes or characters in a narrative feature film. The program celebrates and highlights cinema that brings together science and the art of storytelling, showing how these two seemingly disparate areas can combine to enhance the power of one another. The selections are meant to immerse a broad public audience in the challenges and rewards of scientific discovery, as well as to engage members of the scientific community. The 2025 prize of $20,000 is awarded to Lee Isaac Chung’s Twisters.
About Lee Isaac Chung (Director)
Lee Isaac Chung grew up in rural Arkansas, the son of Korean immigrants. His first feature, Munyurangabo (2007), the first film made in Rwanda’s Kinyarwanda language, won AFI Fest’s Grand Jury Award and Chung received a Film Independent Spirit Awards Someone to Watch nomination. He received Best Director and Original Screenplay Oscar® nominations for Minari (2020), which also counts the Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Dramatic and Audience Awards among its many accolades. His latest film, Twisters, was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Action/Adventure Film.
About Kevin Kelleher (Director of the Global Systems Laboratory)
Kevin Kelleher was the Technical Consultant on Twister (1996) and the Tornado Consultant on Twisters (2024). He holds graduate degrees from the University of Oklahoma in meteorology and computer science and was a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Senior Executive Fellow Program. Kevin spent 13 years at the University of Oklahoma and 26 years at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in various capacities at the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) in Norman, OK, before becoming the Director of the Global Systems Laboratory (GSL) in Boulder, CO.
About Al Nelson (Supervising Sound Editor, Sound Designer)
After graduating with a degree in music composition and film music studies from Florida State University, Al Nelson moved to Northern California to pursue a career in “New Media.” Shortly after his arrival to San Francisco, Al was holding the original source recordings for Star Wars and working amongst legends of sound design. This unexpected journey has taken him from machine rooms and mag to aircraft carriers and wild animal preserves in an almost 30-year career at Skywalker Sound.
About Tapio Schneider (Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at Caltech, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences)
Tapio Schneider’s research focuses on understanding climate formation and potential changes in the Earth and other planets. To improve climate predictions, he leads the Climate Modeling Alliance (CliMA), developing a next-generation climate model that uses AI to integrate observations with Earth system models. He is the Theodore Y. Wu Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at Caltech and Principal Scientist at Google. Recognized for his significant contributions, he is a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and is the recipient of an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship, among many other honors.
About Florian Witzel (Industrial Light & Magic Visual Effects Supervisor)
Florian Witzel is a two-time VES Awards winner who recently served as the ILM Visual Effects Supervisor on Twisters, overseeing the entire visual effects effort. In addition, Witzel designed and created the water and effects work for season three of The Mandalorian, earning him a VES Award for Outstanding Effects Simulations. Witzel played a pivotal role as a creative innovator and supervisor on some of the most iconic film franchises, including Marvel’s Avengers, Doctor Strange, and Ant-Man. His work on five of these features garnered Academy Award® nominations.
SLOAN SCIENCE ON SCREEN AWARD
Magma
Director: Cyprien Vial, Producer: Isabelle Madelaine (France 2024, 103) — International Premiere
Monday, April 21 at 8:30 PM at Marina Theatre
Narratives: International
Film Note
The struggles between scientists, community members, and local politicians spill over like the titular substance that threatens the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe in Cyprien Vial’s dramatic thriller. When a team of scientists led by Katia (Marina Foïs) records the biggest magmatic surge in 50 years on the small island, a struggle ensues among politicians who want to evacuate, locals who can’t afford to stop working or shut down their businesses, and the researchers themselves who are forced to admit the inexactitude of volcanology. Particularly torn is Katia’s assistant Aimé (Théo Christine) who grew up on the island and is well aware of the frustrations stemming from the fact that the mostly Black populace is dictated to by white European officials. Vial keeps a keen eye on all three personal elements of the story while never losing sight of the island’s grand volcano, known as La Soufrière, whose majestic power will always have the last word.
Event Description
Preceding the International Premiere screening of Magma, director Cyprien Vial will be presented with the Sloan Science on Screen Award. The director will be joined by Michael Manga, Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Science at the University of California Berkeley for a special onstage conversation.
Program
Presented through a partnership between SFFILM and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Sloan Science on Screen Award is a recognition that celebrates the compelling depiction of science in a narrative feature film. The 2025 award, which includes a $5,000 prize honors Cyprien Vial’s Magma.
About Cyprien Vial
Cyprien Vial was born in Tulle, France, and studied directing at La Fémis. Among his short films is Dans le rang (2006), winner of the SACD Short Film Award at the Cannes Film Festival. His debut feature, Young Tiger (2014), was nominated for a Lumiere Award for Best First Feature. That was followed by Kiss Me! (2017). Magma is his third feature.
About Michael Manga (Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Science at the University of California Berkeley)
Michael Manga studies the geological processes that shape Earth’s surface. This includes understanding the reasons why planets have volcanoes, why volcanoes erupt in so many different ways, and how volcanic eruptions affect climate and other Earth systems. He also studies similar processes on other planets, including the eruption of water on icy satellites in the outer solar system, and deciphering the coupled history of water and volcanism on Mars. Michael Manga is a Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Science at the University of California Berkeley, serving as the Gary and Donna Freedman Chair in Undergraduate Education, and Garniss H. Curtis Endowed Chair in Earth and Planetary Science. He graduated from McGill University with a degree in solid Earth geophysics followed by a PhD from Harvard in Earth and Planetary Sciences. He is a Macarthur Fellow, a Sloan Fellow, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
SLOAN SCIENCE ON SCREEN SELECTION
Sally
Director: Cristina Costantini, Producers: Cristina Costantini, Lauren Cioffi, Dan Cogan, Jon Bardin (USA 2025, 103)
Sunday, April 20 at 5:15 PM at Premier Theater at One Letterman
Documentaries: USA
Film Note
For astronaut Sally Ride, stepping into the space shuttle Challenger for her first flight in 1983 was, to paraphrase Neil Armstrong, one small step for women, one giant leap for womankind. Becoming the first American woman in space fulfilled not just Ride’s personal ambition but also symbolized limitless possibilities for girls and women. This intimate, exhilarating documentary offers an evocative portrait of this extraordinary trailblazer. Her professional life was a triumph, even if she was beset by silly questions from a condescending media and resentment from male peers who did not believe women “earned” their shot at space flight. Her personal life was more complicated as she remained closeted even in the midst of a 27-year-long relationship with partner Tam O’Shaughnessy. With the voice of Ride (who died in 2012), archival footage, reenactments, and reminiscences from O’Shaughnessy and Ride’s family and NASA associates, this involving film honors the brilliance and humanity of an American hero.
About Cristina Costantini (Director)
When Cristina Costantini was a little girl in Milwaukee, WI, her contribution to a school mural depicting heroes was a representation of astronaut Sally Ride. Costantini grew up to make Sally, winner of the Sundance Film Festival’s Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize. After beginning her career as an investigative journalist, she made her documentary feature debut with Science Fair (2018), winner of audience awards at Sundance and SXSW. Her other features include Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado (2020) and Own the Room (2021).
SLOAN SCIENCE IN CINEMA FELLOWSHIP
The SFFILM Sloan Science in Cinema Fellowship and the SFFILM Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund provide additional opportunities for SFFILM to offer tailored resources to filmmakers in earlier stages of developing screenplays that explore science through the cinematic language of storytelling. These programs are designed to ensure that compelling narrative feature films about the worlds of science and technology continue to be made and shared with ever-expanding audiences The Fellowship specifically supports the development of original narrative feature screenplays, while the Development Fund offers screenwriters source material from which to begin. Through this program, SFFILM and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation aim to advance the understanding of science and technology through the artform of film.
The 2024 Sloan Science in Cinema Fellows were Sara Crow and David Rafailedes for Satoshi and Lara Palmqvist for The Garden. In addition to receiving $35,000 each, for a total of $70,000 in cash grants, the 2024 fellows are receiving advisory feedback from scientists matched to their films’ topics, as well as dedicated professional support from SFFILM’s artist development team, which is led by Masashi Niwano, the organization’s Director of Artist Development. Both grants are now open for applications through May 30, 2025, at sffilm.org/makers.
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a New York based, philanthropic institution that makes grants for research in science, technology, and economics; quality and diversity of scientific institutions; and public engagement with science. Sloan’s program in Public Understanding of Science and Technology, directed by Doron Weber, supports books, radio, film, television, theater, and new media to bridge the two cultures of science and the humanities. The program also supports special initiatives that strengthen science as a social good. The Foundation works with about 20 film school and film festival partners and has supported over 800 film projects, including over 30 feature films. For more information visit sloan.org or follow @SloanPublic on Twitter or Facebook.
SFFILM
SFFILM is a nonprofit organization whose mission ensures independent voices in film are welcomed, heard, and given the resources to thrive. SFFILM inspires and connects audiences, students and teachers, and filmmakers through film exhibition, youth education, and artist development programs. Annual public film programs presented by SFFILM include the San Francisco International Film Festival (SFFILM Festival) which is the longest running film festival in the Americas, Doc Stories documentary series, special events with the best and brightest in contemporary film, and family programming. SFFILM Education serves more than 15,000 students and educators with learning opportunities designed to cultivate media literacy, global citizenship, and a lifelong love of movies. SFFILM Makers supports the careers of independent filmmakers from the Bay Area and beyond with grants, residencies, and other creative development services.
68th San Francisco International Film Festival (SFFILM Festival)
The San Francisco International Film Festival presented by SFFILM runs April 17–27 at venues in San Francisco and Berkeley. The official program—curated from nearly 4,500 submissions and invitations—includes premieres, eagerly anticipated award titles, debut work from emerging storytellers, international narrative and documentary films, mid-lengths, shorts, and the Golden Gate Award juried competition. Filmmakers will be networking at industry meetings and talks, and everyone will get to celebrate the magic of cinema with SFFILM’s prestigious Persistence of Vision, Mel Novikoff, Sloan Science in Cinema initiative honors, and tributes to special honorees.
The SFFILM Festival always centers the Bay Area with selections by local creators and crews, and serves students, teachers, and families with Youth Works, family friendly workshops, and educational screenings through Schools at the Festival that reaches thousands of students each year.
TICKETS + MEMBER BENEFITS
Tickets will go on sale for SFFILM members on Wednesday, March 26 at 10 am at sffilm.org. The online box office will open to the general public on Friday, March 28 at 10 am. Ticket prices for General Admission programs are $20, and $16 for SFFILM Members. Senior, student, and ADA are $19. For select programs, tickets for Children 14 and under are $11. See specific program listings for premium priced programs and events.
Ticket Packs are the most flexible way to see SFFILM events at a discount, and may be redeemed for any regular, non-rush screening or event priced up to $25. 6-Packs are $120 for General, and $100 for SFFILM Members. 10-Packs are $180 for General, and $150 for SFFILM Members.
An all access Cinevisa is the best way to support SFFILM, and it includes entry to the priority line at all film screenings and access to the Festival Lounge. Cinevisas are $2,300.
VENUES
The 2025 SFFILM Festival is exclusively in theaters and event spaces in San Francisco and Berkeley including the Premier Theater at One Letterman, the Marina Theatre, the Presidio Theatre, The Walt Disney Family Museum, the Roxie Theater, the Phyllis Wattis Theater at SFMOMA (Schools at the Festival), Fort Mason Center Gallery 308 (Opening Night Party), and the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA).
To learn more about their accessibility resources, parking, and transit go to https://sffilm.org/accessibility/
ACCESSIBILITY
SFFILM is committed to providing accessible experiences at all events whether in-person or online. Event pages will be updated with accessibility information as it becomes available, which may be after tickets go on sale.
All venues are ADA accessible. All public screening venues are equipped with individual closed captioning, audio description, and assisted listening devices. To request a closed caption or assisted listening device, contact ada@sffilm.org.
For more information about accessibility at specific venues or programs, please visit sffilm.org/accessibility or contact ada@sffilm.org.
SPONSORS + PARTNERS
The 2025 SFFILM Festival is made possible with generous support from our corporate and media sponsors and partners.
Our Presenting Sponsor is One Letterman. Our Major Sponsors are Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and Lucasfilm. Our Signature Sponsors are Citizens Private Bank, Dolby Laboratories, Prime Group, and the Walt Disney Family Museum.
Our media sponsors are The Hollywood Reporter, KQED, and 48 Hills.
Special thanks to our programs and venue partners at the Premier Theater at One Letterman, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA), Lee Neighborhood Theatres, San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM), the San Francisco Parks Alliance (SF Parks Alliance), and the Walt Disney Family Museum.
For more information visit sffilm.org
This press release is available online at sffilm.org/press/releases
