The San Diego Intl. Film Fest kicks off Oct. 15 with Luca Guadagnino’s “After the Hunt,” starring Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri and Andrew Garfield. The festival, which runs through Oct. 19, features films from 29 countries and 24 world premieres selected from a record-breaking 3,500 submissions.
The festival, strategically positioned in mid-October as awards season revs up, includes, in the Gala and Narrative Competition, Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet,” starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, Hikari’s “Rental Family,” with Brendan Fraser, Cole Webley’s “Omaha,” starring John Magaro, Marie-Elsa Sgualdo’s “Silent Rebellion,” toplining Lila Gueneau and Grégoire Colin, Max Walker-Silverman’s “Rebuilding,” with Josh O’Connor, Matthew Shear’s “Fantasy Life,” starring Amanda Peet and Alessandro Nivola, Elena Oxman’s “Outerland,” with Asia Kate Dillon, Dean Imperial’s “Caper,” starring Dean Imperial, Kevin Kane and Sam Gilroy (SXSW) and Amy Landecker’s “For Worse,” with Landecker and Bradley Whitford.
The SDIFF’s Foreign Film track recognizes the best in international film, and this year, the fest has partnered with the House of Pacific Relations, a landmark of cottages housing celebrating 35 cultures in San Diego’s Balboa Park that is celebrating its 90th birthday this year. Culinary Cinema takes place Oct. 19. Shawn Styles from CBS8’s “Cooking With Styles” hosts a gourmet buffet at the Capital One Cafe, followed by a cuisine-themed film, Mads K. Baekkevold’s “The Chef & the Daruma.”
“The Chef & the Daruma”/ photo courtesy of SDIFF
This year, Variety has joined the festival as the official media partner for the Night of the Stars Tribute, presenting the Gregory Peck Award for Excellence in Cinema.
“The San Diego International Film Festival is more than just a film festival — it’s a cultural experience. From international cinema that sparks global dialogue to local stories that reflect the heart of our community, the festival is pleased to present the best in cinematic storytelling, creativity and human connection in our beautiful San Diego,” said Tonya Mantooth, CEO/artistic director of the SDIFF in a statement. “They will see international standouts, features, thought- provoking documentaries, Award-winning shorts and high-profile studio premieres that will give audiences a first look at some of the year’s most acclaimed films.”
The festival’s robust lineup includes documentaries, shorts and animation.
Other standouts in the Gala and Narrative Competition are “100 Liters of Gold,” from Teemu Nikki, “Case 137,” from Dominik Moll, “Hello Mother,” by Byambasuren Ganbat, “Lost in Territories,” from Nadav Shlomo Giladi, “Magic Hour,” by Jacqueline Christy, “Obraz,” from Nikola Vukčević, “Sunphlowers” from Dave Byrne and “The Party’s Over,” from Antony Cordier.
Docs screening include “A Quiet Love,” from Garry Keane, “Lights, Camera, Friendship on the Spectrum — Amelia Island,” by Joey Travolta and “Ugo: An Artist at War,” from Steve Nemsick.
The San Diego Scene sidebar will unspool “Code Red,” from Jessica McGaugh, “Coulrophobia,” from Christopher White, “Crane,” by Aiden Keltner, “Disconnected,” from Will Jones, “One Handed Fighter,” from Matthew Meredith, “The Last Ones Out,” by Joshua Timpany, “The Truth About Susie,” from Ty Mabrey and “Tides of Tradition: A Brief History of San Diego Commercial Fishing,” from Lindsay Bauman.
For more information about all the titles at the festival, screening venues, tickets and more, visit sdfilmfest.com.
