Mar 23, 2021
Festival
Festival Runs April April 9–18
106 Films
25 Narrative Features
20 Documentary Features
5 Mid-Length Films
56 Shorts
41 Countries Represented
28 Languages
15 World Premieres
15 North American Premieres
5 US Premieres
57% Festival Films Directed by Female Filmmakers
57% Festival Films Directed by BIPOC Filmmakers
AWARDS / PRIZES
George Gund III Craft of Cinema Award – Peter Nicks – Homeroom
Golden Gate Persistence of Vision Award – Dash Shaw – Cryptozoo
Golden Gate Awards (Over $15,000 total):
New Directors Award – Arie Esiri/Chuko Esiri – This Is My Desire
McBaine Documentary Feature Award – Rintu Thomas/Sushmit Ghosh – Writing With Fire
McBaine Bay Area Documentary Feature Award – Tasha Van Zandt – After Antarctica
Mid-Length Award – Topaz Jones/Jason Sondock/Simon Davis – Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma
Narrative Short Award – Abdenoure Ziane – Summer Fasting
Documentary Short Award – César Martínez Barba – Dial Home
Animated Short Award – Anne Koizumi – In the Shadow of the Pines
New Visions Short Award – Joanne Cesario – Here, Here
Bay Area Short Award 1st Prize – Erin Semine Kökdil – Since you arrived, my heart stopped belonging to me
Bay Area Short Award 2nd Prize – Jessie Zinn – Wavelengths
Family Film Award – Taylor Meacham – To: Gerard
Youth Works Award – Alisha Heng – Through Their Eyes
Critics Jury Award ($2,000) – Ángeles Cruz – Nudo Mixteco
Audience Awards:
Best Narrative Feature – Chase Palmer – Naked Singularity
Best Documentary Feature (tie) – Robert Salinas – Cuban Dancer
Jeremy Workman – Lily Topples the World
Best Mid-Length Film – Topaz Jones/Jason Sondock/Simon Davis – Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma
Best Short Film – Sarah Rattay-Maloney – Freezerburn
WORLD PREMIERES
After Antarctica, Tasha Van Zandt, USA/Canada
American Wildlife, Elizabeth Lo, USA
Cruz, Teresa Camou Guerrero, Mexico
Dial Home, César Martínez Barba, USA/Mexico
I hate winters., Shivesh Pandey, India
If You Hum at the Right Frequency, Daniel Freeman, USA
Lost Landscapes of Oakland, alex cruse, USA
Naked Singularity, Chase Palmer, USA
Since you arrived, my heart stopped belonging to me, Erin Semine Kökdil, USA
STRANGER STRINGS, Ava Saloman, USA
Supercool, Teppo Airaksinen, USA
Tales of the Accidental City, Maïmouna Jallow, Kenya
Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug, Galen Fott, USA
Unseen Skies, Yaara Bou Melhem, Australia/USA
What’s That Sound, Tanya Cyster, USA
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERES
Captains of Zaatari, Ali El Arabi, Egypt
Cloudscape, Sofia Gallisá Muriente, Puerto Rico
Here, Here, Joanne Cesario, Philippines
Home, Franka Potente, Germany/Netherlands
Just as I am, Arianna Azzaro, Italy
Kozan, İlayda İşeri, Turkey
A Leave, Lee Ran-hee, South Korea
Mum Is Pouring Rain, Hugo de Faucompret, France
Overclockers, Michal Wnuk, Poland
Radiograph of a Family, Firouzeh Khosrovani, Iran/Norway/Switzerland
Seyran Ateş: Sex, Revolution and Islam, Nefise Özkal Lorentzen, Norway
Skies of Lebanon, Chloé Mazlo, France
Socks on Fire, Bo McGuire, USA
Wavelengths, Jesse Zinn, USA
The Whaler Boy, Phillipp Yuryev, Russia/Belgium/Poland
US PREMIERES
Dance of the 41, David Pablos, Mexico/Brazil
Holler, Nicole Riegel, USA
The Last Autumn, Yrsa Roca Fannberg, Iceland
Music for the End of the World, Emmanuel Li, UK
Tehachapi, JR/Tasha Van Zandt, USA
SCREENING / EVENT VENUES
Online through sffilm.org
Fort Mason Flix drive-in / 2 Marina Blvd
Box office is now open online at sffilm.org
For general information visit sffilm.org
To request interviews or screeners, contact press@sffilm.org.
For photos and press materials visit sffilm.org/press
Hashtags: #SFFILM and #SFFILMFestival
Twitter: @SFFILM
Instagram: @sffilm
Facebook: facebook.com/SFFILM
2021 San Francisco International Film Festival
The longest-running film festival in the Americas, the San Francisco International Film Festival (SFFILM Festival) is an extraordinary showcase of cinematic discovery and innovation in one of the country’s most beautiful cities. The 64th edition runs April 9–18 with both Live Events and Streaming Programs, and features a drive-in, juried awards with cash prizes, and an exciting roster of filmmaker guests.
SFFILM
SFFILM is a nonprofit organization with a mission to champion the world’s finest films and filmmakers through programs anchored in and inspired by the spirit and values of the San Francisco Bay Area. Presenter of the San Francisco International Film Festival, SFFILM is a year-round organization delivering screenings and events to more than 75,000 film lovers and media education programs to more than 15,000 students, teachers, and families annually. In addition to its public programs, SFFILM supports the careers of independent filmmakers from the Bay Area and beyond with grants, residencies, and other creative development services.
For more information visit sffilm.org
This press release is available online at sffilm.org/press/releases