2019 Festival Archives

Since 1991, SFFILM’s Schools at the Festival outreach program has created a vital connection between the annual San Francisco International Film Festival and the local educational community, providing students of all ages the opportunity to experience stories from around the world.

The Schools at the Festival program introduces students ages 6 to 18 to international film and the art of filmmaking while promoting media literacy, deepening insights into other cultures, enhancing foreign language aptitude, developing critical thinking skills, and inspiring a lifelong appreciation of cinema.

Throughout the 2019 San Francisco International Film Festival, classes from across the Bay Area will attend weekday matinees of curated Festival film programs at no cost to students or educators. Dozens of filmmaker guests from around the world will also visit local classrooms to discuss their films with students.

Contact Associate Director of Education Keith Zwölfer at 415-561-5040 or kzwolfer@sffilm.org with questions about our SATF program and to find out how to get your kids involved.

2019 Program

The Art & Science of Lucasfilm: Animation *Schools at the Festival Exclusive*
TBA, 12:00pm
Letterman Digital Arts Center at Lucasfilm
Total runtime 120 minutes

Now in its 12^th year of our long-running collaborative educational series, we are pleased to present The Art and Science of Lucasfilm: Animation, to launch the next generation of computer animators and designers. From creatures, to games, and characters, learn more about how animators at Lucasfilm practice their craft and bring things to life. Experienced professionals from Lucasfilm and ILM will share their expertise in a behind-the-scenes, interactive multimedia presentation that demonstrates the intersection of art, science, and technology in the entertainment industry, all while making connections to current STEAM curriculum topics.

Suggested Subjects: Arts/Media, Career Path Training, Math, Peer/Youth Issues, Science

Recommended Grades: 6 – 12

The Biggest Little Farm *Schools at the Festival Exclusive*
Tuesday, April 23, 10:00am
Castro Theater
Directed by John Chester, USA, 2018, 91 min

A testament to the immense complexity of nature, The Biggest Little Farm follows two dreamers and a dog on an odyssey to bring harmony to both their lives and the land. When the barking of their beloved dog Todd leads to an eviction notice from their tiny LA apartment, John and Molly Chester make a choice that takes them out of the city and onto 200 acres in the foothills of Ventura County, naively endeavoring to build one of the most diverse farms of its kind in complete coexistence with nature. The land they’ve chosen, however, is utterly depleted of nutrients and suffering from a brutal drought. The film chronicles eight years of daunting work and outsize idealism as they attempt to create the utopia they seek, planting 10,000 orchard trees and over 200 different crops, and bringing in animals of every kind– including an unforgettable pig named Emma and her best friend, Greasy the rooster. When the farm’s ecosystem finally begins to reawaken, so does the Chesters’ hope – but as their plan to create perfect harmony takes a series of wild turns, they realize that to survive they will have to reach a far greater understanding of the intricacies and wisdom of nature, and of life itself.

Suggested Subjects/Themes: Elementary School, Environmental Science, Journalism, Middle School, Science, Social Studies

Recommended Grades: 4 – 12

Program Note: brief profanity, circle of life depicted

The Elephant Queen
Thursday, April 18, 10:00am
Castro Theater
Directed by Mark Deeble and Victoria Stone, United Kingdom, 2018, 96 min

When a long drought disrupts the fragile ecosystem of Kenya’s Tsavo Region, a herd of African elephants are forced to make a perilous migration seeking a sustainable water source. Their stirring adventure begins as the herd’s powerful leader, a 50-year old matriarch named Athena, takes dramatic action to ensure the future of her cohort. Living and filming in Kenya for over four years, directors Stone and Deeble achieve a level of breathtaking intimacy with their subjects, placing the audience directly into the heart of the family of gentle giants, the largest standing animal on earth.

Suggested Subjects/Themes: African Studies, Elementary School, Environmental Science, Journalism, Middle School, Science, World/Current Affairs

Recommended Grades: 3 – 12

Program Note: circle of life depicted

From Fact to Fiction *Schools at the Festival Exclusive*
Monday, April 22, 10:00am
Castro Theater
Total runtime 70 minutes

Collected from around the world, this compilation of short films explores a variety of storytelling techniques, from documentaries exploring the water crisis in South Africa to animated films using traditional hand-drawn and stop-motion techniques to bring their characters to life. This collection gives students the perfect smorgasbord of all the SFFILM Festival has to offer.

Scenes from a Dry City

A visually stunning documentary illustrating how the water crisis in Cape Town mirrors the lasting racial and class division between white and Black South Africans.

(Simon Wood, François Verster, USA/South Africa 2018, 13 min)

Lost World

As millions of tons of sand from Cambodia are being cultivated and shipped to build new land mass in Singapore, livelihoods and natural surroundings are being slowly impacted in devastating ways. (Kalyanee Mam, USA/Cambodia 2018, 16 min) This is a Cinema by the Bay film.

Enforcement Hours

A San Francisco rapid response hotline tries to help anyone involved in an ICE raid, as calls range from worried individuals who are unsure if they are a target to xenophobic messages that are trying to hold up the process, in the newest film from Paloma Martinez (Crisanto Street, Festival 2018). (Paloma Martinez, USA 2018, 12 min) This is a Cinema by the Bay film.

Rooftop Kiters

Children living in the tough favelas of Brazil find moments of joy and respite in flying beautiful kites from their rooftops. (Daniel Ribeiro de Castro Paiva, Brazil 2018, 5 min) In Portuguese with English subtitles

Slurp

A boy finds a simple solution to help his grandmother slurp her soup. (Florent Hill, France 2018, 4 min) In French with English subtitles.

Don’t You Forget About Me

Artist Lydia Ricci’s amazing miniatures of vintage appliances and discarded objects made from scrap materials are celebrated in this delightful tribute to the mundane. (Lydia Ricci, USA 2018, 4 min)

In Bloom (Fé Bhlàth)

Tending to the last thing his love gave him, a man toils to make a delicate flower flourish and grow. (Ross Stewart, Ireland 2018, 5 min) In Gaelic.

Lost & Found

In this touching short, two stuffed animal pals put it all on the line in the name of friendship. (Andrew Goldsmith and Bradley Slabe, Australia 2018, 8 min)

Poem About All Different Things

Written by a four-year old poet, this hand-crafted animation opens a portal into the real world of the limitless imagination of kids. (Nancy Kangas and Josh Kun, USA 2018, 2 min)

Suggested Subjects/Themes: Arts/Media, English, Environmental Science, History, Journalism, Peer/Youth Issues, Social Science, Social Studies

Recommended Grades: 6 – 12

Program Note: brief profanity

Knock Down the House
Monday, April 15, 12:00pm
SFMOMA
Directed by Rachel Lears, USA, 2019, 86 min

We met a machine with a movement,” says Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY 14^th District), and thank goodness director Rachel Lears was there to capture it. Profiling four women (including AOC) of disparate backgrounds running grassroots political campaigns against established male incumbents, Lears depicts a fundamental moment when these (and other) remarkable women reminded the country that people really do have the power. Unforgettably depicting the candidates’ unflagging energy and commitment, Knock Down the House is an important and ebullient documentary about reclaiming democracy one seat at a time.

Suggested Subjects/Themes: Career Path Training, Ethics, History, Journalism, Peer/Youth Issues, Political Science, Social Science, Student Activism, Women’s Studies, World/Current Affairs

Recommended Grades: 6 – 12

Program Note: brief profanity

Missing Link *Schools at the Festival Exclusive*
Thursday, April 11, 10:00am
SFMOMA
Directed by Chris Butler, USA, 2019, 95 min

Tired of living a solitary life in the Pacific Northwest, Mr. Link (voiced by Zach Galifinakis) — 8 feet tall and covered in fur — recruits fearless explorer Sir Lionel Frost (voiced by Hugh Jackman) to guide him on a journey to find his long-lost relatives in the fabled valley of Shangri-La. Along with adventurer Adelina Fortnight (voiced by Zoe Saldana), the trio encounters their fair share of peril as they travel to the far reaches of the world. Through it all, they learn that sometimes one can find a family in the places one least expects. Bursting with humor, heart, and a profound message of acceptance and finding one’s place, Missing Link is written and directed by Oscar® nominee Chris Butler (ParaNorman).

Suggested Subjects/Themes: Arts/Media, Elementary School, English, Peer/Youth Issues

Recommended Grades: 3 – 8

Program Note: this film is rated PG for action/peril and some mild rude humor

Nothing Fancy: Diana Kennedy
Friday, April 12, 12:30pm
SFMOMA
Directed by Elizabeth Carroll, USA/Mexico, 2019, 85 min

In English and Spanish with English subtitles.

Reflecting on her life’s work as one of the globe’s authorities on Mexican cuisine, 95-year-old Diana Kennedy says, “Always get a recipe.” Whether hosting cooking classes in her Michoacan home (“If anyone says they don’t like cilantro, please don’t invite them”), driving back roads in her weathered Nissan, or providing a noteworthy example of sustainable living, Kennedy and her reminiscences and irascible persona show how passion and appetite made a career. Though the film remains focused indelibly on Kennedy, Bay Area food luminaries Alice Waters and Gabriela Cámara offer penetrating insights of their own.

Suggested Subjects/Themes: Arts/Media, Culinary Arts, Latin American Studies, Spanish, Women’s Studies

Recommended Grades: 6 -12

Program Note: brief profanity

Shorts 6 – Family Films *FOUR SCREENINGS*
Screening #1 – Friday, April 12, 10:00am (Castro Theater)
Screening #2 – Monday, April 15, 10:00am (Castro Theater)
Screening #3 – Tuesday, April 16, 10:00am (Castro Theater)
Screening #4 – Friday, April 19, 11:00am (Grand Lake Oakland)
Total running time 66 min

Sometimes the key to growing up is staying young at heart. These inventive and touching stories imagine unsuspecting friendships and clever innovations, while capturing the joy and sadness universal to all. Travel with the whole family to Brazil, the moon, and even your own backyard in this lively and heartwarming collection of stories. Works range from new student work to Academy Award- and Emmy-nominated shorts, represented by noted studios like Cartoon Saloon and Google Spotlight Stories.

Back to the Moon

A charming illusionist, an adventurous queen of hearts, and an evil green man journey through early cinema, celebrating the artistry and magic of Georges Méliès. (Hélène Leroux, USA/UK 2018, 3 min) This is a Cinema by the Bay film.

Belly Flop

Penny, a fearless young girl learning to dive, is unperturbed by a talented diver who keeps stealing the spotlight. (Jeremy Collins, South Africa 2018, 5 min)

In Bloom (Fé Bhlàth)

Tending to the last thing his love gave him, a man toils to make a delicate flower flourish and grow. (Ross Stewart, Ireland 2018, 5 min) In Gaelic.

Lost & Found

In this touching short, two stuffed animal pals put it all on the line in the name of friendship. (Andrew Goldsmith and Bradley Slabe, Australia 2018, 8 min)

One Small Step

A dream that took seed in Luna’s heart when she was young takes on new meaning with experience and age in this Oscar-nominated short. (Bobby Pontillas and Andrew Chesworth, USA/China 2018, 7 min)

The Pen Licence

Share in this heart-warming journey as Tiana and her classmates struggle to survive a coming-of-age ritual experienced by every Australian child. (Olivia Peniston-Bird, Australia 2018, 9 min)

The Pig on the Hill

When Duck moves in next door to the reclusive Pig, he learns not only how to become friends, but how to build bridges. (Jamy Wheless, USA 2018, 6 min) This is a Cinema by the Bay film.

Pre-School Poets: A Poem About All Different Things

Written by a four-year old poet, this hand-crafted animation opens a portal into the real world of the limitless imagination of kids. (Nancy Kangas and Josh Kun, USA 2018, 2 min)

Right on Tracks – It’s All Family

Exploring timely topics through music, this song broaches all the different types of families, welcoming us all to practice kindness and cheer. (Johnny Kelly, USA 2019, 2 min)

Rooftop Kiters

Sam’s Dream

A small mouse relies on his cleverness and his friends to make his crazy dream of flying with swallows come true. (Nölwenn Roberts, France 2018, 7 min)

Slurp

A boy finds a simple solution to help his grandmother slurp her soup. (Florent Hill, France 2018, 4 min) In French with English subtitles.

Suggested Subjects/Themes: Arts/Media, Elementary School, English, Music, Peer/Youth Issues, Social Studies, World Cultures

Recommended Grades: K – 6

Shorts 7 – Youth Works
Monday, April 22, 12:30pm
Castro Theater
Total running time 74 min

See the world as interpreted by today’s teen filmmakers. From South Korea to Israel, with stops in the Bay Area, take in an exciting collection of ideas, genres, styles, and new voices in this collection of short films made entirely by youth. Sit back and hold tight, you are about to experience the beginning of a cinematic revolution.

All Down the Road

Two runaways grapple with the pangs of missing home and the unbearable burden of total freedom. (Sarah Jones, USA 2018, 12 min) This is a Cinema by the Bay film.

Boba

Slurp! Splat! Squish! A tapioca pearl refuses the fate of its peers and goes on the adventure of a lifetime to save itself from peril. (Kristina ‘Krispy’ Tran, USA 2018, 2 min) This is a Cinema by the Bay film.

Car Thieves

A couple recalls the best apartment they’ve ever lived in, with the worst neighbors next door. (Olive E. Starfas, USA 2018, 3 min) This is a Cinema by the Bay film.

Charley Horse

A young woman faces the tough choice between what tradition expects of her and her punk artist lifestyle. Change, while painful, might ultimately be best.

(Luna Garcia, USA/Israel 2018,10 min) In Hebrew with English subtitles.

Element

A young couple deals with the denial of their love in a world that continues to shut out those who are different. (TaeSeong Choi, South Korea 2018, 10 min) In Korean with English subtitles.

Farewell

A recent high-school graduate recollects simple pleasures from her childhood before she moves away for college. (Tyler Davis, USA/Ireland 2018, 3 min) This is a Cinema by the Bay film.

I Am Alive

A group of young vampires experiments with love, belonging, and coming of age.

(Miles Potter, USA 2018, 6 min) In English and French with English subtitles. This is a Cinema by the Bay film.

The Last Straw

Explore the complex issues behind ocean pollution through the views of both youths and professionals alike, learning about the causes, effects, and harms of oceanic pollution. The film offers a unique perspective from the point of view of today’s teens who will soon inherit this massive problem. (Julian Jordan, USA 2018, 12 min). This is a Cinema by the Bay film.

Meeting at Half Past Five

There is no doubt that the world is cruel and corrupt. One evening Philip gets another proof of this. (Daria Litvichenko, Russian Federation 2018, 4 min)

Mistaken Love

A nonfiction short that takes on the ever-troubling social issue of sexual harassment, the #MeToo movement, and what it means to love and respect each other.

(Jamahl Edwards, USA 2018, 5 min). This is a Cinema by the Bay film.

This House Has Eyes

An eyeball living inside the walls of a house watches over a father and son who anxiously face the end of the world. (Theo Taplitz, USA 2018, 7 min)

Suggested Subjects/Themes: Arts/Media, Drama, English, Journalism, Peer/Youth Issues, Social Science, Social Studies, Women’s Studies

Recommended Grades: 6 – 12

Program Note: brief profanity

Q Ball
Friday, April 12, 10:00am
SFMOMA
Directed by Mike Tolajian, USA, 2019, 97 min

Across the Bay from the NBA champion Golden State Warriors is another Warriors team, one that plays only home games. Felony convictions derailed the lives of the San Quentin Prison squad, some of them promising players. The rocky road to rehabilitation is the point of the game in this eye-opening, inspirational documentary, executive produced by Kevin Durant, who calls his experience playing against San Quentin “unforgettable.” Q Ball’s focus is on determined men grappling indelibly with the gravity of their crimes and reaching for redemption, one three-pointer and defensive screen at a time.

Suggested Subjects/Themes: African American Studies, Health, Journalism, Social Studies, World/Current Affairs

Recommended Grades: 9-12

Program Note: brief profanity

Paper Flags
Monday, April 22, 10:00am
SFMOMA
Directed by Nathan Ambrosioni, France, 2018, 102 min

In French with English subtitles.

Displaying a mature style and sensibility despite his age, Paper Flags director Ambrosioni (at 18, one of cinema’s youngest directors of a full-length feature ever) offers a complex and compelling story of sibling tensions. Vincent (shape-shifting character actor Guillaume Gouix), recently released from prison, immediately heads to his sister Charlie’s (Noémie Merlant) modest home. The film carefully tracks Charlie’s sense of unease around her brother’s return – she pretends he’s just an acquaintance when she’s out with friends – until a visit from their father causes their simmering resentments to boil over.

Suggested Subjects/Themes: French, Peer/Youth Issues, Social Justice, World/Current Affairs

Recommended Grades: 9 – 12

Program Note: mild profanity

Supa Modo *Schools at the Festival Exclusive*
Tuesday, April 9, 10:00am
SFMOMA
Directed by Likarion Wainaina, Kenya, 2018, 74 min

In Swahil, Kikuyu, and English with English subtitles

A moving first-time feature from filmmaker Lakarion Wainaina and co-producer Tom Tykwer shares the inspiring and powerful story about the strength of a young girl’s imagination and the warmth of her community in making her dreams come true. Nine-year-old Jo loves Jackie Chan and action movies, and dreams of becoming a superhero herself, despite her terminal diagnosis. When her family decides to move her out of the hospital and back home in her final few months, Jo’s sister fights her mother’s better judgment to keep Jo inside and resting. Together with the entire village, Jo embraces her superpowers and turns her dreams into a reality. A moving and sweet drama about the power of community and imagination in an unusual means to say farewell to those we love.

Suggested Subjects/Themes: African Studies, Arts/Media, Drama, Ethics, Health, Peer/Youth Issues, Social Studies, Women’s Studies

Recommended Grades: 4 – 12

Program Note: brief profanity; limited instances of inappropriate salutations from a group of males toward a female teenager

Unsettled: Seeking Refuge in America
Wednesday, April 17, 10:00am
Children’s Creativity Theater
Directed by Tom Shepard, USA, 2019, 84 min

Powerfully and heartbreakingly detailing the challenging process that LGBTQ refugees must go through to find safety and security while starting over in the US, Tom Shepard’s (Scout’s Honor, 2001) inspiring new documentary profiles four people who have come to San Francisco to save their lives. Over the course of this unforgettable group portrait, Subhi (from Syria), Junior (from Congo), and Mari and Cheyenne (from Angola) experience roadblocks and triumphs as they reflect on their respective histories and try to create a home for themselves in an environment that is not always welcoming.

Suggested Subjects/Themes: Political Science, Social Science, LGBTQ Studies, Peer/Youth Issues, Women’s Studies, World/Current Affairs

Recommended Grades: 8 – 12

Program Note: brief violence, brief profanity

We Are The Radical Monarchs
Screening #1 – Thursday, April 11, 12:30pm (SFMOMA)
Screening #2 – Thursday, April 18, 11:00am (Grand Lake Theater Oakland)
Directed by Linda Knowlton, USA, 2019, 96 min

The Radical Monarchs are an Oakland-based leadership development troop, specifically for girls of color, that don’t earn badges for cookie sales but rather for social justice, activism, and “allyship.” Following the two moms, Anyavette and Marilyn, who founded the troop and the girls through a season of badges, growing pains, and reactions to the current political climate, We Are the Radical Monarchs shows that with groups like these, the future is indeed female and ready to take action.

Suggested Subjects/Themes: African American Studies, Arts/Media, Journalism, Latin American Studies, Peer/Youth Issues, Political Science, Social Science, Social Studies, Student Activism, Women’s Studies

2019 Festival

Documentary Feature

New Directors Prize

Animated Short

Documentary Short

Family Films

Narrative Shorts

New Visions

Youth Works

2019 Program

Suggested Subjects: Arts/Media, Career Path Training, Math, Peer/Youth Issues, Science

Recommended Grades: 6 – 12

Suggested Subjects/Themes: Elementary School, Environmental Science, Journalism, Middle School, Science, Social Studies

Recommended Grades: 4 – 12

Program Note: brief profanity, circle of life depicted

Suggested Subjects/Themes: African Studies, Elementary School, Environmental Science, Journalism, Middle School, Science, World/Current Affairs

Recommended Grades: 3 – 12

Program Note: circle of life depicted

Suggested Subjects/Themes: Arts/Media, English, Environmental Science, History, Journalism, Peer/Youth Issues, Social Science, Social Studies

Recommended Grades: 6 – 12

Program Note: brief profanity

Suggested Subjects/Themes: Career Path Training, Ethics, History, Journalism, Peer/Youth Issues, Political Science, Social Science, Student Activism, Women’s Studies, World/Current Affairs

Recommended Grades: 6 – 12

Program Note: brief profanity

Suggested Subjects/Themes: Arts/Media, Elementary School, English, Peer/Youth Issues

Recommended Grades: 3 – 8

Program Note: this film is rated PG for action/peril and some mild rude humor

Suggested Subjects/Themes: Arts/Media, Culinary Arts, Latin American Studies, Spanish, Women’s Studies

Recommended Grades: 6 -12

Program Note: brief profanity

Suggested Subjects/Themes: Arts/Media, Elementary School, English, Music, Peer/Youth Issues, Social Studies, World Cultures

Recommended Grades: K – 6

Suggested Subjects/Themes: Arts/Media, Drama, English, Journalism, Peer/Youth Issues, Social Science, Social Studies, Women’s Studies

Recommended Grades: 6 – 12

Program Note: brief profanity

Suggested Subjects/Themes: African American Studies, Health, Journalism, Social Studies, World/Current Affairs

Recommended Grades: 9-12

Program Note: brief profanity

Suggested Subjects/Themes: French, Peer/Youth Issues, Social Justice, World/Current Affairs

Recommended Grades: 9 – 12

Program Note: mild profanity

Suggested Subjects/Themes: African Studies, Arts/Media, Drama, Ethics, Health, Peer/Youth Issues, Social Studies, Women’s Studies

Recommended Grades: 4 – 12

Program Note: brief profanity; limited instances of inappropriate salutations from a group of males toward a female teenager

Suggested Subjects/Themes: Political Science, Social Science, LGBTQ Studies, Peer/Youth Issues, Women’s Studies, World/Current Affairs

Recommended Grades: 8 – 12

Program Note: brief violence, brief profanity

Suggested Subjects/Themes: African American Studies, Arts/Media, Journalism, Latin American Studies, Peer/Youth Issues, Political Science, Social Science, Social Studies, Student Activism, Women’s Studies

Recommended Grades: 5 – 12

Program Note: brief profanity