By Mario A. Cortez
Rolling into its 15th year of showcasing outstanding independent cinema, the San Diego International Film Festival begins its five-day run this Wednesday, September 28.
The festival, which is organized by the San Diego Film Foundation, will be screening over 100 films from over 65 nations at festival villages located in Downtown San Diego and La Jolla. Venues within these festival villages include the historic Balboa Theater in Downtown and the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla.
Tonya Mantooth, Executive and Artistic Director of the San Diego International Film Festival, spoke to La Prensa San Diego about the upcoming showcase.
“This year we have an amazing lineup of film. This is definitely one of the strongest gathering of film we have ever had at our festival including features, documentaries, and shorts,” said Mantooth. “This is the perfect chance to watch many of these titles before they enter theatres or maybe the only chance people will get to watch these films.”
Despite the wide number of countries represented at the festival, there will only be three Spanish-language films, all from Spain, at the 2016 festival.
Critically acclaimed film “The Cliff” follows an investigator through the Canary Islands to find the whereabouts of his sister, who has taken part in a collective suicide ritual. Featuring a young cast and put together by an ambitious and young production crew, “The Cliff” has been gathering much critical praise. This thriller will be screening at La Jolla’s Arclight Cinema on Friday, September 30 at 1 p.m. and at Geoffrey Off Broadway in downtown San Diego on Saturday, October 1 at 10:30 a.m.
“Ma Ma” is another Spanish-speaking title at the festival. Starring Penelope Cruz and directed by Julio Medem, this film follows Magda, portrayed by Cruz, who is a woman with breast cancer. The narrative centers around the bonds that form and break as she lives on through her ordeal. “Ma Ma” will be showing at La Jolla’s Arclight 4 Cinema on October 1 at 1 p.m.
Pedro Almodova’s “Julieta” will be celebrating its U.S. premiere at the festival on Saturday, October 1. “Julieta” is described as a powerful drama about motherhood and loss in which loss drives people to seek to know their loved ones. This feature has also been selected by Spanish filmmakers as their sole submission into the Academy Awards for best foreign film. “Julieta” will debut at 4:30 p.m. at United Artists in Horton Plaza on October 1.
In addition to these Spanish titles, the festival will feature studio premieres as well as independent films from all genres. There will also be film tracks based on topics such as social justice issues, the plight of returning military veterans, Native American life, women in film, and environmental sustainability.
“I invite everybody to come and see films that they normally wouldn’t see and expose yourselves to thoughts that you normally wouldn’t be exposed to in terms of what these documentaries cover,” Mantooth added.
Opening night festivities will be held at the newly renovated Balboa Theater in Downtown San Diego on Wednesday, October 28 at 5 p.m.
Tickets and more information are available at http://www.sdfilmfest.com/