SFFILM returns to big screens with its 69th annual San Francisco International Film Festival.
Running from April 24 to May 4, the festival features over 100+ films from 40 countries in seven different theaters across the Bay Area. Since receiving over 5,000 film submissions in June 2025, a screening committee with 135 members watched each submission twice for ample review.
Anne Lai, executive director of SFFILM, expressed her excitement for the common celebration of cinematic passions in San Francisco during the festival.
“I’m an introvert, and movies were my invaluable companion to my growing up and helped me find a way to connect people in real life,” Lai said. “The festival, for me, is the ultimate connection moment, where that can happen.”
Kicking off this year’s festivities on April 24 are Olivia Wilde’s “The Invite” and Kent Jones’ “Late Fame” in a dual screening at the newly re-opened Castro Theatre. The opening program is as equally anticipated in Boots Riley’s centerpiece film “I Love Boosters” and a celebratory sold-out closing screening of “The Empire Strikes Back.”
As anticipation has been stirring for SFFILM Festival all year, the people behind the silver screen look forward to getting their flowers in a series of awards and special events accompanying the 11-day programming.
While SFFILM champions all filmmakers, Director of Programming Jessie Fairbanks pays special attention to those who paved the way. Michelle Satter, founding senior director of the Sundance Institute’s artist programs, claims this year’s Mel Novikoff award in celebration of the relationship between Sundance and SFFILM.
“She has been championing independent filmmakers since 1981. The woman does not turn off,” Fairbanks said. “I’ve learned that no one sends an email faster than Michelle, no matter how busy she is.”
Satter’s voracious attitude towards the film industry is only a slice of the ambition showcased in SFFILM’s extensive programming. Fairbanks rattled off an extensive list of countries included in this year’s programming, pausing to stop and admire the difficulty of producing a film in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The film that Fairbanks revered was “Enough is Enough” by Elise Sawasawa.
“He is filming firsthand what it is to be caught between rebel groups and warring factions and his own art. It is very powerful. My mouth was on the floor the entire time that I watched it,” Fairbanks said. “It’s deeply impressive that Elisé was able to make such a cogent and beautiful film considering the pressures that he was facing.”
Fairbanks’ admiration and passion for each individual filmmaker reflects the meticulous love of cinema that makes SFFILM Festival possible. Rod Armstrong, associate director of programming, additionally sees the programs as a meaty commentary on current issues. Members of the press chuckled at Armstrong’s anti-AI comments at SFFILM’s intimate press conference.
“I don’t know about all of you, but I’m getting a little tired of hearing about AI. Memory of Princess Mumbi’s dive into Afro futurism and addictive technology does wonders with a limited budget,” Armstrong said. “It is set in a fictional African country where addictive technologies have been outlawed, so I applaud that.”
As the programming team proudly reflected on their hard work, they recognized the diverse categories that comprise the festival’s 79 programs. Beyond film, attendees will be thrilled to find narratives, documentaries, shorts and mid-lengths on the docket for viewing.
Supporting local venues has always been a central theme of the festival, going hand in hand with local talent. Among the local talent is the Bay Area’s own basketball champion, Steph Curry, in his directorial debut, “The Baddest Speechwriter of All.”
SFFILM Director of Artist Development Masashi Niwano commits attention to the legacy of success among independent filmmakers coming out of SFFILM.
“We’ve done this for many years now. We’ve seen some success stories,” Niwano said. “It’s our mission, that we continue that legacy, and that’s it.”
Niwano is not alone in his aspirations for the future of SFFILM’s legacy as the organization looks forward to the future of the festival as it approaches its 70th anniversary, or “platinum jubilee,” in 2027. SFFILM Director of Education Keith Zwölfer celebrates the festival’s renewal of opportunity for filmmakers year after year.
“I’ve been doing this long enough that I’ve seen some of these filmmakers go on to careers where they’ve been at Sundance and they come back to the festival and show it in our regular program,” Zwölfer said. “This is a chance for you to catch a filmmaker at the very beginning, and the start of their career.”
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Kent Jones’ name, Rod Armstrong’s name, the length of SFFILM Festival’s programming and remove incorrect information regarding SFFILM’s artist development programs.
