Oct 27, 2025
SFFILM
Del Toro will be joined by key creative effects teams, and the country’s leading biochemist for an exclusive post-screening discussion exploring the art and science behind FRANKENSTEIN.
San Francisco, CA – October 27, 2025 – Today, in partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, SFFILM announced it will present the prestigious Sloan Science in Cinema Prize to Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro’s latest cinematic epic, FRANKENSTEIN. The award celebrates the compelling depiction of scientific themes or characters in a narrative feature film and is accompanied by a $20,000 cash prize. In this latest adaptation, del Toro reimagines Mary Shelley’s classic tale of a brilliant scientist and the creature his monstrous ambition brings to life. From Netflix, the film stars Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, and Christoph Waltz. The special screening and event will take place at the AMC Kabuki 8 on Wednesday, November 12 at 7:30 pm.
The Sloan Science in Cinema Prize program will feature an onstage conversation with screenwriter and director Guillermo del Toro, the film’s sound designer Nathan Robitaille, VFX supervisor Dennis Berardi, and head of concept design Guy Davis alongside Dr. Jennifer Doudna, Nobel Laureate and co-inventor of CRISPR gene editing technology, a profoundly powerful tool to edit DNA and reshape the human condition and our world. Jessie Fairbanks, SFFILM’s Director of Programming said, “The story of Frankenstein has endured for over two centuries because science and humanity are so deeply interconnected, encouraging us to ponder the ethics of scientific advancements. Del Toro’s empathy for outsiders and perceived monsters is on full display in this film, as are his curiosity and visual flair, bringing Shelley’s work to life like never before. Our audience will be in for a real treat as we discuss this exhilarating film with the cast, crew, and Dr. Doudna.”
“We’re delighted to award the Sloan Science in Cinema Prize to Guillermo del Toro’s FRANKENSTEIN, a brilliant and original reimagining of Mary Shelley’s classic novel,” said Doron Weber, Vice President and Program Director at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. “del Toro uses his exceptional filmmaking talents to both dramatize and humanize the cautionary tale of a scientist and his experimental creation of life through unorthodox methods, exploring the consequences of scientific hubris. The prescient 200-year-old story touches on contemporary scientific fields such as genetic and tissue engineering and transplantation as well as emerging technologies such as biotechnology, nanotechnology, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence. FRANKENSTEIN joins over 900 science and film projects supported by the Sloan Foundation, including SFFILM’s honors of outstanding films like OPPENHEIMER, TWISTERS, DON’T LOOK UP, and HIDDEN FIGURES.”
Anne Lai, the Executive Director of SFFILM said, “Films can have a profound effect on a viewer, opening a door to a possibility of your future that you didn’t know was there. With the Sloan Foundation’s support, we hope to encourage and empower artists to create films that might have that kind of impact of understanding and possibility in science. Guillermo del Toro’s body of work, especially FRANKENSTEIN, epitomizes that kind of inspiration.”
ABOUT THE FILM
Coming Soon from Netflix: Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist, brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation. A retelling of the classic novel about what it means to be human, to crave love, and seek understanding. Starring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, David Bradley, Lars Mikkelsen, Christian Convery, with Charles Dance, and Christoph Waltz.
TICKETS + MEMBER BENEFITS
Tickets will go on sale for SFFILM Members on Monday, October 27 at 10 am at sffilm.org. The online box office will open to the general public on Tuesday, October 28 at 10 am. Ticket prices for General Admission are $35, and $30 for SFFILM Members. Senior, student, and ADA are $32.
VENUE
This special presentation of FRANKENSTEIN and the Sloan Science in Cinema Prize takes place at the AMC Kabuki 8 at 1881 Post Street in San Francisco.
Visit www.amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/san-francisco/amc-kabuki-8 to learn more.
ACCESSIBILITY
SFFILM is committed to providing accessible experiences at all events whether in-person or online. Event pages will be updated with accessibility information as it becomes available, which may be after tickets go on sale. sffilm.org/accessibility
All venues are ADA accessible. The AMC Kabuki 8 is equipped with individual closed captioning, audio description, and assisted listening devices. To request a closed caption or assisted listening device, contact ada@sffilm.org.
For more information about accessibility at specific venues or programs, please visit sffilm.org/accessibility or contact ada@sffilm.org.
SPONSORS + PARTNERS
Support for this program is made possible through partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Netflix.
With deep appreciation to SFFILM’s Board of Directors, whose leadership and generosity empower artists, audiences, and the future of independent film.
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a New York based, philanthropic institution that makes grants for research in science, technology, and economics; quality and diversity of scientific institutions; and public engagement with science. Sloan’s program in Public Understanding of Science and Technology, directed by Doron Weber, supports books, radio, film, television, theater, and new media to bridge the two cultures of science and the humanities. The program also supports special initiatives that strengthen science as a social good. The Foundation works with about 20 film school and film festival partners and has supported over 900 film projects, including over 30 feature films. For more information visit sloan.org or follow @SloanPublic on Twitter or Facebook.
SFFILM Sloan Science in Cinema Prize
The Sloan Science in Cinema Prize celebrates the compelling depiction of scientific themes or characters in a narrative feature film. Presented through a partnership between SFFILM and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, this annual honor carries a cash prize and celebrates cinema that unites the expertise of science and technology with the art of storytelling. To inspire deeper understanding and spark curiosity in the audience, the celebration includes a conversation featuring the film’s creators and members of the scientific community to discuss the inclusion of science in storytelling. Past recipients of the Prize include Ridley Scott’s The Martian (2015);Theodore Melfi’s Hidden Figures (2016); Damien Chazelle’s First Man (2018); Tom Harper’s The Aeronauts (2019); Francis Lee’s Ammonite (2020); Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up (2021); Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer (2023); and Lee Isaac Chung’s Twisters (2025).
ABOUT SFFILM
For nearly 70 years, SFFILM has been transforming the world through the creativity and inspiration of film. As the Bay Area’s premier film institution since 1957, SFFILM cultivates an enduring and vibrant film culture, expertly connecting singular storytellers with passionate audiences. With world-class festivals, accessible youth programs, and robust filmmaker support, SFFILM champions cinema as a force for connection, creativity, and change. Our annual film festivals include the San Francisco International Film Festival and Doc Stories. The SFFILM Presents series and Family programming give Bay Area audiences early, exclusive access to film events all year. SFFILM’s youth Education program empowers over 15,000 local students and educators with learning opportunities that foster media literacy, global citizenship, and a lifelong love of movies. And, SFFILM propels the careers of independent filmmakers from the Bay Area and beyond through vital grants, residencies, and diverse creative development services in our Artist Development initiative.
For more information visit sffilm.org
This press release is available online at sffilm.org/press/releases
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