A Letter from Our Executive Director: Gratitude for Film in 2021

As we close out 2021 I am filled with immense optimism and much gratitude for the resiliency of the power of film. This faith comes from seeing our wonderful audiences returning to theaters; it comes in the form of filmmakers creating new work; it comes in the gathering of community to celebrate, advocate for, and champion our artists and their work. If last year was about being knocked off our feet, 2021 was a year where we got back up and leaned into the blustery crosswinds of figuring out a new normal together.

First, this meant continuing and improving the online iterations of how we gather throughout the first half of the year — our SFFILM Festival drive-in, live online events and talks, the streamed films, and a robust online Education series for students and teachers.

Next, it meant providing resources in the form of residencies, granting, and fellowships all from a distance. This year brought new cohorts of supported filmmakers through our SFFILM Rainin Grants and SFFILM Rainin Filmmakers with Disabilities Grants, Dolby Institute Fellowships, our New American Fellowship, Sloan Science in Cinema Fellowships and Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund recipients , and soon-to-be announced Documentary Film Fund recipients and upcoming class of FilmHouse Residents.

We also got to pilot a new initiative. Inspired by our FilmHouse residency for working filmmakers, we launched a Youth FilmHouse Residency focusing on students who identify as Black, Indigenous, or as a person of color in grades 9–12 intent on exploring a career in film.

Most recently, after 18 months of distancing, we set forth a campaign to bring people back into theaters this fall. We were thrilled to find many audience members entrusting their first back-in-theater experiences with us and embracing the community that we all missed being around. These first forays back to in-person gave us hope and a bit of confidence starting with our SF Honors event with Siân Heder’s CODA to our fall documentary showcase Doc Stories. We held our annual fundraiser Awards Night in person to celebrate the wonderfully talented directors Jane Campion, Reinaldo Marcus Green, and Maggie Gyllenhaal along with brilliant actor Oscar Isaac.

And just last weekend, we celebrated our Education’s 30th Anniversary with free access to families and audiences to see three special screenings at the Castro, capped by West Side Story and the irrepressible Rita Moreno.

I say all this not to prove how much we did, but to remind us that we are not alone in this year of navigating the new normal. It is through the ingenuity, passion, and tenacity of our staff, our board, and our community of filmmakers sharing new work and audiences eager to receive it, that we are able to accomplish any one of these things. We love nothing less than to roll up our sleeves and solve the unique challenges presented at every turn, and help each other stay standing in the year that 2021 has been.

If there is any silver lining to the past year, we have gotten much better at not taking anything for granted. This includes you as part of our community. We can’t wait to see you in the new year.

Warmly,

Anne