Three high-profile movie festivals spotlight an extra-busy Bay Space film week and weekend. Right here’s a glance.
California Impartial Movie Pageant: For an eclectic array of indie films and classics from across the globe, the California Impartial Movie Pageant in Orinda merely can’t be beat. Movie buff and director of programming Efi Lubliner shares this system operating Thursday by way of Nov. 17 with quite a few enjoyable alternatives, together with such fan favorites as a “Grease” sing-along at 7 p.m. Nov. 14 that may carry to the stage director Randal Kleiser, who’s being offered with CAIFF Golden Slate Award, and actor Barry Pearl, who performed Doody, in particular person; a free 10 a.m. Nov. 12 screening of the animated award-winner “Cats Don’t Dance”; a screening of Stanley Kramer’s comedy basic “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 12, at which the fest’s Lifetime Achievement Award shall be offered to Barrie Chase; and a 4 p.m. Nov. 14 screening of the ghoulish basic that has an eternal chew to it, “Nosferatu,” with a stay musical rating by Patti Leidecker.
The opening and shutting night time movies are engaging as nicely.
India’s raved about submission for the upcoming Academy Awards — “Final Movie Present” — follows a younger boy in a small village discovering and falling in love with the flicks. A gap reception kicks the fest off at 6 p.m., with opening remarks at 7 p.m., adopted by the movie at 7:30 p.m.
And for those who love historic epics, gallop on over to Orinda for the lavish closing night time choice “Wager on Revenge.” It’s set in mid-1800s Hungary and follows a Lothario named Erno (the good-looking Ervin Nagy) who has a change of coronary heart when he comes throughout a horse named Kincsem. A 6 p.m. reception is adopted by a 7 p.m. screening. Director Gabor Herendi shall be on Zoom for a Q&A afterward.
Particulars: All screenings happen at Orinda Theater; most screenings $12, opening reception and screening, $20; pageant cross $150-$250; www.caiff.org.
Arab Movie Pageant: The twenty sixth version of this acclaimed occasion is a film connoisseur’s dream. Over a span of 10 days, the Arab Movie and Media Institute showcases 60 movies, 22 of that are directed by girls.
A welcome latest growth is that this under-recognized gem of a fest branches out into the East Bay — to the cozy New Parkway Theater in Oakland. By no means concern anybody residing in and round San Francisco, screenings shall be held on the Roxie and the Castro.
The opening night time choice is one among my favourite 2022 movies,“The Blue Caftan,” Morocco’s entry for the twenty third Academy Awards is a fantastic, sensitively rendered love story about three good individuals — married couple Halim (Saleh Bakri) and Mina (Lubna Azabal), who personal an old-school caftan store in Morocco, and a brand new apprentice Youssef (Ayoub Missioui) — and a dying particular person’s final want. Youssef and Halim are attracted to one another however mood their impulse to behave on it. Halim as an alternative continues to launch his ardour at a steam bathtub the place he engages in closed-door, random sexual hookups with males. Maryam Touzani’s poignant drama is sensual moderately than express and serves as a parable on Morocco’s suffocating attitudes towards homosexuality. Stirringly shot, compassionately instructed and full of caring characters, “The Blue Caftan” marks the pageant’s dedication this 12 months to spotlight LGBTQ+ tales. It screens at 7 p.m. Nov. 11 on the Castro.
Two different movies — the extremely acclaimed documentary “Miguel’s Struggle” (a few homosexual man’s experiences in a conservative household and the Lebanese civil battle, 2 p.m. Nov. 12 on the New Parkway) and the queer musical “Shall I Evaluate You to a Summer time’s Day?” (8:50 p.m., Nov. 18, the Roxie). The fest’s wonderful Queer Lens shorts program shall be proven at 6:45 p.m. Nov. 12 on the New Parkway.
Particulars: Nov. 11-20; Most screenings $14, pageant cross $60-$200; arabfilminstitute.org.
San Francisco Transgender Movie Pageant: One other occasion that’s deserving of a better profile than it often will get is the San Francisco Transgender Movie Pageant. It marks 25 years and once more finds inventive director Shawna Virago serving to spearhead it. The fest’s in-person expertise is that this Thursday and Friday On the Roxie in San Francisco with this system being made accessible on-line by way of Nov. 20.
The slate options seven applications for a complete of 47 shorts.
The three shorts I watched and totally loved are filmmaker Roberto Deadly’s “Chaac and Yum” the place a meetup at a queer bar in San Francisco harkens again to the connection between two Mayan deities; director Whitney Skauge’s partaking and really well-made documentary “The Magnificence President” – targeted on drag performer Joan Jett Blakk’s (AKA Terence Alan Smith, who now lives in San Francisco) 1992 presidential bid to change into the primary drag president; and Megan Mead’s hilarious and entertaining “Gone Postal,” a comedy whereby a postal employee suspects the particular person on a route would possibly simply be the elusive serial killer featured in a podcast.
Particulars: Tickets, schedule and extra accessible at www.sftff.org
Napa Valley Movie Pageant: Must you need to escape to the Napa Wine Nation this weekend (who doesn’t?) and get some nibbles, sips and films in, try the Napa Valley Movie Pageant. It runs from Nov. 10-13.
The seven-film slate consists of Cooper Raiff’s terrific Apple TV+ dramedy with Dakota Johnson, “Cha Cha Actual Clean;” Marie Keutzer’s edgy historic drama “Corsage” with an awards-worthy efficiency from Vicky Krieps; the Dan Kwan and Daniel Schnerit’s good metaverse extravaganza “All the pieces In all places All At As soon as” with a kickass Michelle Yeoh and a hilarious Jamie Lee Curtis; the pleasant and star-studded comedic thriller “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Thriller;” the skewering of duplicitous religion leaders “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul,” the upcoming “Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend” with Frank Grillo who shall be receiving a Highlight Award and the tearjerker “The Son” with Hugh Jackman and Laura Dern (who shall be receiving a Legend Award).
Particulars: Occasions happen at The Culinary Institute of America at Copia. Different scheduled attendees and award recipients embrace: Luis Guzmán, Regina Corridor, Stephanie Hsu,Janelle Monáe and Raiff.
For particular person tickets and an entire listing of occasions, go to www.napavalleyfilmfest.org.
And at last ….
The East Bay’s Frederick Marx who produced and co-wrote the 1994 documentary “Hoop Goals” brings together with Warrior Movies and the Smith Rafael Movie Heart a three-day collection to indicate the journey of battle veterans and their quest to heal after serving.
“Veterans Journey House” consists of 5 particular person documentaries – “Options” and “On Black Mountain” (7:15 p.m. Friday) “Ben’s Story” and “Kalani’s Story” (4:15 p.m., Saturday) and “Leaving It on the Land” (4:15 p.m., Sunday).
The movies may even characteristic Q&As with Marx, producers, veterans who're featured and representatives who're serving to present companies for veterans. It’s an excellent strategy to mark Veterans Day (Friday) weekend. Notice: Marx does hold the fight footage to a minimal however some scenes could possibly be triggering. The acknowledged function stays to supply therapeutic.
For tickets and extra info, https://rafaelfilm.cafilm.