18th SF Independent Film Festival Announced!
2016 FESTIVAL CATALOG HERE
Wow, IndieFest is 18 this year. Back when I started the festival, I never thought we’d make it this far. And now it’s all grown up! (Me, maybe not so much.) In keeping with this dubious maturity, we have some adult programs, sure, but lots and lots of the fun stuff you know and love. This year our crack film team includes new programmer Bears Fonte, who put together an amazing program of Fantastic and Far Out Films to show at the brand new Alamo Drafthouse; Chris Metzler, who curated some outstanding music docs we’re presenting with old friends Noise Pop; Jennifer ‘Junkyard’ Morris (SF DocFests’s Director of Programming) and Jeff M. Giordano who continue to pull in great films from around the world; and Jay Wertzler, who sifted through 1,000 short films to get the very best nuggets for 5 shorts programs this year. So plan to set aside some time in mid-February to check out your faves, most with filmmakers in attendance.
KQED returns as our short film sponsor, plus they are hosting a free, open bar reception/party at the triumphant return of our Bad Art Gallery on Feb 12 at 518 Valencia. Come have a beer and enjoy bad art, good short films, and groovy tunes DJ’d by the IndieFest staffers. Our annual Super Bowl: Men in Tights comedy show is back, as is our Anti-Valentine’s Day Power Ballad Sing-A-Long Show hosted by our musical pals LIVE EVIL. The 12th Annual Big Lebowski Party gets a makeover this year with the guys and gals from BAWDY CASTE (who do Rocky Horror every month at the Clay) performing the film live! on stage! while the movie plays on screen at the Brava Theater. And if there’s a “Bad Movie Night”-shaped hole in your schedule since The Dark Room closed, get excited for our kickoff of Movie Roast on Feb 20, featuring a 20th anniversary screening of SPACE JAM.
If you don’t already know, we at SF IndieFest LOVE music. And the fun folks over at Noise Pop LOVE film. As irreverent twins in the Bay Area arts and culture scene, this year we have decided to meet at the intersection of our goings on and present a spotlight of MUSIC IN FILM during the second weekend of the film festival. We take all comers, whether it be a remake of PURPLE RAIN in the Saharan Desert, Hip-Hop history lessons, a story of an eccentric Metal musician or punk rock mosh pits. If you are musically inclined, like to dance in your seat, shout at the screen, or just like plain old weird stories, we have something for you as we turn it up to 11!
