Oct 11, 2011
Artist Development
The San Francisco Film Society announces that Uruguayan director Federico Veiroj will be in San Francisco for the Film Society’s second Artist in Residence program, November 10-23. Veiroj’s schedule will include programs in each of the Film Society’s core areas-education, exhibition and filmmaker services-including visits to Bay Area high school and college classrooms, a screening of his recent feature A Useful Life (SFIFF 2011), a master class and networking events with the local film community. The residency is funded by a grant from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
“We had a great experience with our first artist in residence, Israeli documentarian Ido Haar, in February and are excited to welcome a narrative filmmaker from a different part of the world to be our next visiting artist,” said Joanne Parsont, SFFS director of education. “This continuing program is such a great way for a wide variety of audiences and community members to engage with and learn about this talented young Latin American filmmaker.”
For complete Artist in Residence information visit sffs.org/Screenings-and-Events/Artist-in-Residence.
Veiroj received a degree in social communication from the Catholic University of Uruguay and began making short films in 1996. His first feature film, Acne (2008), was awarded the Films in Progress TVE Award at the 2007 San Sebastian International Film Festival, premiered at the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes and went on to receive the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 AFI Festival in Los Angeles. His second feature film, A Useful Life, was Uruguay’s official submission to the 2010 Academy Awards, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and traveled to 80 other festivals around the world, including the 2011 San Francisco International Film Festival.
Veiroj’s ode to cinephiles A Useful Life (La vida útil, Uruguay 2010, 67 min.) plays Tuesday, November 15 at 7:00 pm at San Francisco Film Society | New People Cinema (1746 Post Street). Forty-five-year-old Jorge has worked his entire adult life at Montevideo’s Cinemateca Uruguaya. His routine has remained the same for years: projecting films, greeting the same six or seven audience members in line for every show, chatting with colleagues over possible series and deciding what to repair next. But his days devoted to cinema might be coming to a sudden and life-changing end with the threatened closure of the economically unviable institution. A deadpan comedy of cinema and obsolescence, A Useful Life is preceded by As Follows (Bregman, el siguiente, Uruguay 2004, 13 min), a wry, charming story of a rich Latin American subculture and a boy set on the uncertain, ambiguous cusp of manhood. In Spanish with subtitles. Following the screening there will be a Q&A with the director moderated by Santhosh Daniel, director of programs at Global Film Initiative.
On Saturday, November 19, 11:00 am-2:00 pm, Veiroj will teach a master class titled From Short to Feature at the Film Society’s new theatrical home, San Francisco Film Society | New People Cinema. Veiroj will explore the evolution of his short film As Follows, a promising calling-card film, into his first feature, Acne. The class will include a screening of As Follows and selected clips from Acne. The class will be preceded at 10:30 am by a complimentary coffee and pastry reception for Veiroj and all enrolled students.
Visiting artists are selected based on their filmmaking experience, compelling body of work and desire to share their knowledge with emerging filmmakers and film students. Under the auspices of the Film Society’s education department, Veiroj is scheduled to visit several middle school, high school and college classes during his residency. In collaboration with the filmmaker services department, Veiroj will also have the opportunity to meet and network with Bay Area filmmakers.
For screeners and interviews contact hilary@sffs.org.
For photos and press materials visit: sffs.org/pressdownloads.
Tickets for Master Class $15 SFFS members, $25 general; A Useful Life $9 for SFFS members, $11 general, $10 senior/student/disabled. Box office online at sffs.org/Screenings-and-Events/Artist-in-Residence and in person at San Francisco Film Society | New People Cinema.
The Fall 2011 Artist in Residence is presented with the support of a grant from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.