Opening Night: Rebuilding
PROGRAM DETAILS
Thu, Apr 17
7 pm PT—Rebuilding
Premier Theater at One Letterman
9 pm PT—Opening Night Party
Gallery 308 (Fort Mason)
Rebuilding
In Max Walker-Silverman’s achingly personal tale about communal love and resilience, Josh O’Connor stars as a man determined to rebuild his family ranch and recapture his purpose as a cowboy.
Party
After the screening, come celebrate the opening of the 2025 SFFILM Festival during our Opening Night Party at Gallery 308, Fort Mason! Dance the night away while enjoying delicious drinks and bites.
Guests Expected
Director Max Walker-Silverman and Producers Jesse Hope and Dan Janvey are expected to attend for a post-screening Q&A.
Description
Californians are overly familiar with the devastating effects of wildfires. Blazes and destruction captivate headlines, but the totality of loss and years of communal rebuilding quickly recedes into obscurity. In Max Walker-Silverman’s achingly personal tale of one man’s journey to reclaim his identity, the story focuses on what happens after the embers fade. Josh O’Connor (Challengers, La Chimera, The Crown) stars as uncertain, mild-mannered Dusty, a man adrift after losing his family ranch and his purpose as a cowboy. As he clambers to find his footing, Dusty must also reconcile with his daughter Callie-Rose and redefine his place in a blended family. This quiet story of love and resilience unfolds gracefully under Walker-Silverman’s assured direction. O’Conner delivers another nuanced performance, every gesture and expression carefully calibrated. A stellar supporting cast—including Meghann Fahy, Amy Madigan, Lilly LaTour, and Kali Reis—delivers powerful, textured performances. With stunning cinematography of rural landscapes, a visual reminder that openness leads to new beginnings, this moving film is one of inspiration and possibility. —Jessie Fairbanks
Opening Night Film + Party
Join us for our Opening Night Film + Party as we kick off the 68th SFFILM Festival with Rebuilding. Tickets to the 7 pm PT screening at the Premier Theater include admission to both the film and 9 pm party. Tickets to the 8 pm PT screening at the Marina Theatre, which do not include admission to the Opening Night Party, are also available. Click here to get tickets for the 8 pm screening.
A native of Telluride, CO, Max Walker-Silverman studied theater at Stanford and earned his MFA at NYU. Before turning to filmmaking he worked as a cowhand, a community organizer, and a literary editor. His short films include Get Away (2017); Lefty/Righty (2019), winner of a National Board of Review, USA student grant; and Chuj Boys of Summer (2020), winner of a Special Jury Award at SXSW. He made his feature debut with A Love Song (2022), which was nominated for the Film Independent Spirit Awards’ John Cassavetes Award.
Film Details
LanguageEnglish
Year2025
PremiereCalifornia
Runtime95
CountryUSA
DirectorMax Walker-Silverman
ProducerJesse Hope, Dan Janvey, Paul Mezey
Executive ProducerJan McAdoo, Jack McAdoo, Robina Riccitiello, Josh Peters, Sakurako Fisher, Douglas Choi, Alex C. Lo, Philipp Engelhorn, Bill Way, Elliott Whitton, Andrew Goldman, Josh O'Connor
WriterMax Walker-Silverman
EditorJane Rizzo, Ramzi Bashour
CinematographerAlfonso Herrera Salcedo
MusicJake Xerxes Fussell & James Elkington
CastJosh O'Connor, Lily LaTorre, Meghann Fahy
Print SourceDead End Pictures
Closed CaptionsClosed Captions are confirmed for this film
Audio DescriptionAudio Descriptions are available for this film
American Sign Language (ASL) InterpretationAmerican Sign Language Interpretation is not currently scheduled for this film
