SF Film Festival
50 Years & Rolling!
by Sandra Swanson
(Imagine a bare theatre stage. Suddenly a group of men and women, each looking like a famous movie star, wheels out a huge birthday cake. We see Clark Gable in a Civil War suit, Humphrey Bogart in a white dinner jacket, Judy Garland as Dorothy, and many more.
From the top of the cake burst 50 gorgeous chorus girls in gold lame gowns scooped down to there and slit up to there. As the backdrop unfolds from above, it reads: San Francisco International Film Festival — Fifty Years and Rolling! Cameras pan to animated, black tie audience giving a standing ovation.)
Well, something like that will happen on April 26 when the San Francisco Film Festival celebrates its half-century anniversary with a grand and glittery gala.
Doesn’t it make you wonder what was going on in show biz 50 years ago? At the Oscars that year, The Bridge on the River Kwai won best picture. It was the first time that all the Oscar- nominated movies were in color.
Fifty years ago, another show biz event made its debut — The SF Film Festival started its long reign on a rainy night. Hardy San Franciscans and international celebrities in damp gowns and tuxedos jammed into the Metro Theatre on Union Street for a night of film and festivities.
Hollywood leading man Franchot Tone was the urbane master of ceremonies as he introduced members of the audience that included Harold Zellerbach, president of the SF Arts Commission and Festival director Irving M. “Bud” Levin, tireless founder and prime mover for this premier film event.
After introductions, Tone read a telegram from Vice President Richard M. Nixon, the lights dimmed and the first movie to be shown at the Festival hit the screen, The Captain from Köpenick by Helmut Kautner.
Herb Caen, of course, was in the audience and summed up the event in the Chronicle:
“The first SF International Film Festival, opening today at the Metro, is definitely international. America’s only entry is Uncle Vanya, based on the Russian classic by Anton Chekov. Britain’s big one is a performance in London by the Soviets, Bolshoi Ballet. And Japan’s hottest contender is Throne of Blood, a Far Eastern version of Sweet Will’s Macbeth.”
That movie was, in fact, the great film by Akira Kurosawa, now recognized as one of the all-time top films from Japan. Also on the first program was Michelangelo Antonioni’s Il Grido.
Levin came from a “movie family.” His father, Samuel H. Levin, was a noted builder of movie theatres in San Francisco — the Balboa, Coronet, Galaxy, Stonestown, Coliseum, Alexandria, Vogue and El Ray — that his son later inherited. Bud’s wife Irma worked at Paramount Studios as a hat designer, so the biz also was in her blood.
The first Festival screened 14 movies from 12 different countries, including Nigeria, France, Germany, India, England and Poland. The press got behind it and so did the various consulates. Money was tight, but the Festival did get off to a fine start, and over 11,000 people attended, paying $1.50 to see these exotic films.
(It must have made an impression because Hollywood execs began bitching that San Francisco was trying to steal the spotlight from the Oscars!)
On closing night, Mayor George Christopher, Zellerbach and Levin gave out the Golden Gate awards, chosen by the five Bay Area drama critics. Shirley Temple Black presented the best picture prize to the Indian movie, Pather Panchali. Satyajit Ray won for best director. Dolores Dom-Heft won Best Actress for her performance in Uncle Vanya, and Heinz Ruhmann won Best Actor for his role in The Captain from Köpenick.
According to Miguel Pendás, creative director and historian of the Film Society, which runs the Festival, many fine hands have helped shape the important event it is today.
One was Claude Jarman, Jr., former movie star and Oscar winner, who was a chief contributor from 1967 to 1969. Jarman drew many famous stars to the Festival, including Bette Davis, Fred Astaire, John Ford, Burt Lancaster and Jack Lemmon. Important movers included Albert Johnson, George Gund, and Peter Scarlet, in charge from 1986 to 1996, who was able to find top films from all corners of the world.
Graham Leggat, current executive director of the Film Society, says the secret of the Film Festival is that each director made the Festival stronger. “Their creative abilities caused this ‘beautiful amalgamation’ process, born of heart and ingenuity. We have films from new filmmakers and many new countries and new technologies. Over the years, we seem to have developed a ‘nose’ for what’s new, exciting and transformative that adds up to excitement and discoveries for our growing audience.”
Growth, for sure. This year there will be 120 unique programs, films from 50 countries, more than 100 filmmakers in attendance, and more money for awards with six major venues. “We’ll be honoring George Lucas, Peter Morgan and Spike Lee and many other deserving artists,” says Leggat.
Pendás adds, “Just imagine, we’ve shown almost 6,000 films during our 50 years and we have a trove of screen history in posters, programs and catalogues. Many of these fine films would never have been seen by the general public.”
There are exciting highlights for this year’s Festival. One will be the world premiere of Fog City Mavericks, directed by Gary Leva. Leggat adds, “This film explores and applauds the cinematic achievements of Bay Area filmmakers, noting the way their lives and work mirror the spirit of innovation that makes the Bay Area such a great cultural community.”
Opening the Festival will be Emanuele Crialesa’s Golden Door (Nuovomundo), a sweeping tale about Sicilian emigration to the United States at the beginning of the 20th Century.
Be a part of this inspiring Festival which runs from April 26 to May 10. Details at www.sffs.org.
That’s a wrap.
Ed Schwartz has been involved in many aspects of fine wine for 30 years and has worked with top wineries in California, Italy and France. His writings on wine, food and travel have appeared in the SF Chronicle, LA Times and Image magazine
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