Ari Foleman’s THE CONGRESS

The San Francisco Independent Film Festival (SF IndieFest) returns for its Sweet 16th year from February 6 to 20, 2014 at the Roxie and Brava Theaters in San Francisco and at Oakland’s New Parkway Theater. The festival launches its 2 weeks of film programs on Thursday, February 6th at the Brava Theater in San Francisco with director Ari Foleman’s THE CONGRESS, based on Stanislaw Lem’s classic sci-fi novel. This futuristic blend of animation and live action stars Robin Wright, Harvey Keitel, Jon Hamm and Paul Giamatti. 

Matt Wolf’s TEENAGE

Matt Wolf’s latest film TEENAGE will screen as the festival’s Centerpiece film on Sunday, February 9th at the Roxie Theater. Based on the book by Jon Savage and narrated by actors Jena Malone, Ben Whishaw, Julia Hummer and Jessie Usher, TEENAGE looks at the birth of the iconic figure of the teenager using archival material, Super 8 recreations and diaries of actual mid-century teenagers, resulting in an unconventional pop historical film.

BLUE RUIN

After two weeks and 78 films, SF IndieFest will close the Sweet 16 edition with a screening of the Cannes Film Festival award-winning film BLUE RUIN on Sunday, February 16th at the Roxie Theater. Director Jeremy Saulnier (SF IndieFest Alum, MURDER PARTY) is expected to be on hand for his dark comedy about revenge.

Focus on Animated Films

In addition to the Opening Night Film THE CONGRESS, SF IndieFest features some of the best independent animation films from around the globe. Canadian co-directors Shayne Ehman and Seth Scriver will be in attendance for a screening of their Toronto International Film Festival award winning, psychedelic animated road movie ASPHALT WATCHES; Bill Plympton’s new feature CHEATIN‘ offers a unique look at romance and jealousy; and AN ANIMATED WORLD, a shorts program of animated films featuring a wide range of styles and innovated new ideas, rounds out the diverse animated programming.

Local Flavor

Taping into the vast array of Bay Area filmmakers, SF IndieFest presents two local films.REMEMBER YOU’RE SPECIAL follows an aspiring rapper in Oakland and his best friend; a PhD student as they face adulthood with student debt, complicated relationships, and adjusted ambitions. Featuring a cast and crew of all local, first time filmmakers, REMEMBER YOU’RE SPECIAL make its World Premiere at the festival. Additionally, the latest short film from San Francisco based filmmaker Vincent Gargiulo, DELUTH IS HORRIBLE, a series of vignettes chronicling a few lonely people in Duluth, Minnesota, searching for a connection in a bleak winter,will also be making its World Premier.

World Class Independent Cinema

Year after year, SF IndieFest premiers some of the best independent foreign cinema from around the globe and the 2014 edition is no exception. This years selection features: the lively Chinese romantic comedy set in China during the 60’s and 70’s, THE LOVE SONGS FROM TIEDAN; Chad’s Foreign Language Oscar Entry GRIGRIS, an uplifting story of young man with dreams of becoming a dancer; and the Mexican film REZETA, about a carefree, young woman who’s lifestyle changes when she meets a young man cleaning her trailer during a commercial shoot.

Additional Highlights

Other can’t miss films in this year’s SF IndieFest include: DOOMSDAYS, a self-proclaimed “pre-apocalyptic comedy,” with director Eddie Mullens expected to be in attendance; Joe Begos debut feature ALMOST HUMAN, about a man who returns to wreak havoc upon a small town; the West Coast Premiere of HANK: 5 YEARS FROM THE BRINK, the latest from Academy Award winning director Joe Berlinger, a riveting portrait of former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson; Kestrin Pantera’s LETS RUIN IT WITH BABIES, a exploration of relationships when they reach ‘That Point’; two adolescent brothers confront changing relationships, nature and their own mortality in Daniel Patrick Carbone’s HIDE YOUR SMILING FACES; and THE WAIT, from writer/director M. Blash, starring Jena Malone and Chloë Sevigny as two sisters who contemplate their mother’s resurrection following a mysterious phone call.