Posted by editor@vimooz.com on September 2, 2009 under California International Documentary Film Festival | 
The San Joaquin Film Society (SJFS), the benchmark cinema organization of California’s 400-mile Central Valley, announce the powerful and captivating “William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe” (Dir. by sisters Emily and Sarah Kunstler) as the Opening Night Film of the Society’s inaugural California International Documentary Film Festival (Oct. 2-4), making its Central Valley Premiere. Showtime is Friday, October 2, 2009 at 7:00PM at the Stockton Empire Theatre (1825 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, 95202).
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Posted by editor@vimooz.com on April 22, 2009 under San Joaquin International Film Festival |
The San Joaquin Film Society announced that Academy Award-nominated, “Indie Animation King” Bill Plympton will receive the inaugural El Dorado Award at the 2nd San Joaquin International Film Festival (SJIFF2, May 14-23). The El Dorado Award honors an exceptional artist whose artistry, creativity, and originality has made a tremendous impact on independent cinema. The award will be presented to Mr. Plympton at the Central Valley Premiere screening of his latest animated feature “Idiots and Angels,” on Saturday, May 16, 2009, 6:30PM, at the Stockton Empire Theatre (1825 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA 95202).
The next morning, Mr. Plympton will present a Master Class at the festival’s annual Filmmakers and VIP Brunch on Sunday, May 17, 2009, 10:00AM at the Matinée Movie Lounge. At the in-depth seminar, Mr. Plympton will share his artistic and business experiences in animated cinema, demonstrate with live drawings, screen exclusive short films from his repertoire, and interact in a Q&A session with the audience.
ABOUT “IDIOTS AND ANGELS”
Synopsis: Angel is a selfish, abusive, morally bankrupt man who hangs out as his local bar, berating the other patrons. One day, Angel mysteriously wakes up with a pair of wings on his back. The wings make him do good deeds, contrary to his nature. He desperately tries to rid himself of the good wings, but eventually finds himself fighting those who view the wings as their ticket to fame and fortune. (USA, 2008, 78 minutes)
Screening at major festivals around the world - “Idiots and Angels” had its World Premiere at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. It was honored with a Special Distinction Award at the prestigious 2008 Annecy International Animation Festival in France. In Porto, Portugal in March 2009, the film was awarded the Grand Prize at FantasPorto, one of the biggest film festivals in Europe. The El Dorado Award screening of “Idiots and Angels” at SJIFF2 in Stockton will be the film’s first presentation to an audience in California’s 400-mile Central Valley.
ABOUT DIRECTOR BILL PLYMPTON
Bill Plympton was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He moved to New York City, upon graduation from Portland State University in Graphic Design. He began his career creating cartoons for publications such as New York Times, National Lampoon, Playboy and Screw. In 1987 he was nominated for an Oscar® for his short Your Face. After producing many shorts which appeared on MTV and Spike and Mike’s, he turned his talent to features. Since 1991 he’s made 9 feature films, 6 of them, The Tune, Mondo Plympton, I Married A Strange Person, Mutant Aliens, Hair High and Idiots and Angels. In 2005, Bill’s received another Oscar® nomination, this time for a short film Guard Dog.
ABOUT THE SAN JOAQUIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The 2nd San Joaquin International Film Festival (SJIFF2) runs May 14 to 23, 2009 in various venues across the city of Stockton, California, and will feature over 120 films from 40 countries.
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on December 23, 2008 under San Joaquin International Film Festival |
The San Joaquin Film Society announces the 2009 SJFS Spring Gala and the Official Selection of Cinema Italia series, to take place February 21 to 23, 2009 at the Stockton Empire Theatre.
SJFS Spring Gala will be held on the Opening Night of Cinema Italia, on February 21, 2009, and will be an exquisite celebration featuring the highly-anticipated announcement of The Official Selection of the first 100 films of May 2009’s San Joaquin International Film Festival, the California Central Valley’s premier celebration of global cinema. Guests at the Gala will be treated to complimentary Italian-American appetizers and fine wine.
Experience three nights of Cinema Italia, from February 21 to 23, 2009: Opening with Silvio Soldini’s “Days and Clouds,” (pictured above) the 5-time, David di Donatello Award-nominated (Italian Oscar®) drama about a well-to-do Italian family in a time of economic hardships after the breadwinning husband is fired from his high-paying job; a retrospective screening of Ferzan Ozpetek’s “Facing Windows,” about a married bookkeeper’s constant desire for her handsome neighbor and a friendship with a Jewish Holocaust survivor who changed her life; Agostino Ferrente’s keepsake of the heart-warming, cross-cultural creation of “The Orchestra of Piazza Vittorio;” and Il Film Corto, a rare and riveting, discovery collection of six short films from rising and new Italian directors making USA and California premieres, including Andrea Lodovichetti’s “Under My Garden” - winner of Spike Lee’s 2008 Babelgum Online Film Festival Looking For Genius Award, about a boy’s passion for insects and desire to solve a local murder mystery.
The eclectic collection share the themes of family, immigration, romance, friendship, cultural exchange, globalization, the economy, history, coming-of-age, sports, and ethical issues.
Feature Films
1. “Giorni e nuvole / Days and Clouds” by Silvio Soldini (Italy, Switzerland - 2008) Spring Gala - Opening Night
2. “La Finestra di fronte / Facing Windows” by Ferzan Ozpetek (Italy, Turkey, Portugal, UK - 2003)
3. “L’Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio / The Orchestra of Piazza Vittorio” by Agostino Ferrente (Italy - 2006)
Il Film Corto - Italian Short Films Discovery Programme
4. “Il Malato / Sick of It” by Antonello Schioppa (Italy - 2007) USA Premiere
5. “Lo Zio / The Uncle” by Duccio Chiarini (Italy, 2008)
6. “Oggi ho altro da fare / Today I Have Something Else to Do” by Antonello Schioppa (Italy - 2007) USA Premiere
7. “Sotto il mio giardino / Under My Garden” by Andrea Lodovichetti (Italy, 2007) California Premiere
8. “Voci di donne Native e Migranti / Voices of Native Italian and Migrant Women” by Rossella Piccinnio (Italy, 2008) USA Premiere
9. “Wanted in Rome” by Rossella De Venuto and Ji Un Choi (Italy, 2008) USA Premiere
Tags: Agostino Ferrente, Andrea Lodovichetti, Babelgum Online Film Festival, Cinema Italia, Days and Clouds, Facing Windows, Ferzan Ozpetek, Holocaust, Il Film Corto, Jewish, Looking For Genius Award, San Joaquin Film Society, San Joaquin International Film Festival, Silvio Soldini, Spike Lee, The Orchestra of Piazza Vittorio, Under My Garden, v