Description
Each year, SFFILM invites a visionary thinker to discuss the intersecting worlds of contemporary cinema and visual arts, culture and society, images and ideas. We are thrilled to welcome local artist and activist Boots Riley back to the Festival for this special program.
An Oakland native who studied at San Francisco State University, Riley had been known as an activist and front man of the musical group The Coup until his feature film debut Sorry to Bother You (Festival 2018) burst upon the scene. After a year presenting the film at festivals, acquiring a distributor, opening the film in theaters nationally, and bringing home a Spirit Award for Best First Feature in January, Riley has a unique perspective on the current film landscape. In his talk, Riley will discuss the ways in which film is currently answering the call of a variety of social movements and, thus, pushing the boundaries of creativity to reflect the ways these movements are changing the world, including influencing the evolution of a vibrant filmmaking scene in the Bay Area.
