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14 MINUTES FROM EARTH
On October 24th, 2014, 57-year-old Google Executive Alan Eustace stepped into a spacesuit, attached himself to a football stadium sized balloon, and began a fourteen minute descent back to earth, breaking not only the sound barrier but also the world record for the highest flight and free fall of any human in history. Filmed under a cloak of secrecy and at times 135,000 feet in the stratosphere, this fantastic film is a roller coaster of ride of scientific innovations and humanity.-Jennifer Morris
Fri, Jun 10, 2016 6:45 PM Thu, Jun 16, 2016 9:16 PM
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ABORTION: STORIES WOMEN TELL
The US Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade gave every woman the right to have an abortion, but today abortion remains one of the most divisive issues, with each year seeing more restrictions. This powerful film sheds new light on the contentious issue, with a focus not on the debate, but rather on the women themselves: those struggling with unplanned pregnancies, the providers who show up at clinics to give medical care, as well as the activists on the sidewalks hoping to sway decisions and lives. -Chris Metzler
Sun, Jun 12, 2016 4:30 PM Mon, Jun 13, 2016 7:00 PM Thu, Jun 16, 2016 6:45 PM
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ART OF THE PRANK
An emotional and humorous journey following the evolution of artist Joey Skaggs, a fierce proponent of independent thinking and the man who has turned the media hoax into an art form. Famed for such media fictions as the Celebrity Sperm Bank, the Cathouse for Dogs, and Portofess (a mobile Catholic confessional booth), he’s one of America’s most notorious sociopolitical satirists and media activists. This fascinating film interweaves fascinating archival footage with a singular and unforgettable moment, when Skaggs decides to pull off the most demanding hoax of his career—setting his sights on film festivals to do it.
Fri, Jun 3, 2016 9:16 PM Wed, Jun 8, 2016 7:01 PM
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BAD ART GALLERY/NON-FICTION VANGUARD AWARD RECEPTION
Please join us at 518 Valencia for another edition of SF IndieFest’s BAD ART GALLERY. We hang the gallery with paintings carefully curated from Bay Area thrift stores, flea markets and dumpeters and give each one a Proper Catalog Note. This edition of BAG also serves as a reception in honor of this year’s Vanguard Award recipient Sean Dunne. Please join us for complimentary beverages, groovy music and bad art! All are welcome.
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BECOMING MORE VISIBLE
Four fearless young adults, Katherine, Morgin, Sean and Olivia, defy societal norms to be their true selves and become more visible. Rejected by their families and lured to New York City with the hope of finding connection and love, many of these trans teens instead find themselves again rejected and homeless. For trans people, the difference between visibility and invisibility can be the difference between life and death. Becoming More Visible helps to bring these kids out from the shadows by giving them a voice and a safe space to express their individuality.-Jennifer Morris
Fri, Jun 10, 2016 7:01 PM Sat, Jun 11, 2016 6:45 PM
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BETWEEN THE BEATS
Slip between the beats with us and discover how the Bay Area rave scene, of the late 80’s and early 90’s, was a vibrant revolution of culture along the lines of the beat generation, hippies, punk, and disco. This fascinating story illustrates the way this musical movement exploded rave onto the San Francisco Bay Area. Told through the personal experiences of 40 different DJs, musicians, promoters and ravers, it traces the birth of this new scene and how it quickly became a major influence in the lives of many who discovered it.
From DJ Harvey’s Tonka UK influence, to Doc Martin dropping SF’s first house tracks, this film follows the growth of the scene from 1989 to 1999. Through the pre rave club parties, to the early renegade break in warehouse parties, to “massives” to the legendary Sunset parties. This amazing film is a healthy reminder of the impact that musical subculture can have in all of us. -Jeff Ross
DJ DANCE PARTY TO FOLLOW FEATURING SOME OF THE HOTTEST DJS OF
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BREAKING DUMB: The Movie Roast Shines a Light on The Principle
Does the Sun revolve around the Earth? The notorious 2014 documentary The Principle thinks it does, so Sherilyn Connelly, Jim Fourniadis, and Mike Spiegelman from The Movie Roast will be on mic to riff the film with help from you, the smartest audience on this mote of dust! Noted local astronomer Peter Goldie, Ph.D will also give a short presentation before the film. #TeachTheControversy
Sat, Jun 11, 2016 9:15 PM
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CAM GIRLZ
From director Sean Dunne (American Juggalo, Oxyana, Florida Man) comes Cam Girlz a documentary film that enters the world of internet sex workers who find economic freedom, empowerment, intimacy, and creative self expression from the comfort of their own homes. Sean Dunne is the 2016 DocFest Vanguard Award Winner.
Sat, Jun 4, 2016 12:01 PM
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THE CURSE OF THE MAN WHO SEES UFOS
Christo Roppolo claims to have been videotaping and communicating with UFOs around Monterey, CA for several years. He contacted filmmaker, Justin Gaar, in 2013 to begin creating a film about his sightings. Skeptical of the footage but intrigued by Christo's eccentricities and wild stories, Justin begins spending time with Christo hunting UFOs along California's beautiful central coast. When a crop circle appears in Monterey County and becomes international news, Christo is validated in his belief of alien contact and Justin, shocked, begins investigating the source of the crop circle and how Christo knows beyond a doubt that he's being contacted by his "brother's from space". -Jennifer Morris
Fri, Jun 3, 2016 7:00 PM Thu, Jun 9, 2016 7:00 PM
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DAUGHTERS OF THE FOREST
Enter the lives of a group of girls attending The Mbaracayú Forest Girls’ School in Paraguay, which is surrounded by land where 95 percent of the forest has been burned and cleared. Here the girls learn both their academics and how to run a business. Will this unique education give them the courage and skills they need to resist the intense pressure to leave school so they can fill the only role for which many in their community think teenage girls are suited? -Chris Metzler
Sat, Jun 4, 2016 4:30 PM Wed, Jun 15, 2016 6:45 PM
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THE DWARVENAUT
A glimpse into the visionary mind of artist and entrepreneur Stefan Pokorny. Weaving together memories of a tumultuous childhood with modern day escapades, the film paints a mesmerizing portrait of an art prodigy obsessed from a young age with Dungeons & Dragons. Stefan navigates absurd adventures--- from Midwestern game conventions to the canals of Venice to Brooklyn dive bars. It is all part of a quest to bring his most ambitious miniature sculpture project to life. Part philosopher, part jester, he preaches the virtues of fantasy gaming as a vehicle for uniting the human race. -Chris Metzler
Sun, Jun 5, 2016 7:00 PM Mon, Jun 6, 2016 9:15 PM
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EAR BUDS: The Podcasting Documentary
This is a story about the podcaster, but more importantly about the fans, and the relationships that build over time between these people they listen to on a daily basis. Comedian/filmmakers Chris Mancini and Graham Elwood of The Comedy Film Nerds Podcast have captured a lot of amazing footage and interviews with podcasters such as Marc Maron, Aisha Tyler, Jimmy Pardo, Scott Aukerman, Doug Benson, and Welcome to Night Vale. Podcasting breaks down the barriers. There are no filters. No studio notes. No editing unless the podcaster wants to creating an intensely personal connection that brings the fans and the talent, or in this case podcaster, together in a way that's never been done before by most kinds of media. -Jennifer Morris
Sat, Jun 4, 2016 4:31 PM Tue, Jun 7, 2016 9:15 PM
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EAST LA INTERCHANGE
East LA Interchange tells the poignant and powerful story of working-class, immigrant Boyle Heights. Filmmaker Betsy Kalin interviews Boyle Heights residents including will.i.am, Father Greg Boyle of Homeboy Industries, and Josefina López of Casa 0101 while actor Danny Trejo narrates. It tells of a place and time in which Latinos, Jews, African-Americans, Asian-Americans and self-described “rednecks” found a way to live with one another and persevere in the face of decades of social upheaval and gentrification, exacerbated by unchecked freeway development.
Sun, Jun 5, 2016 7:01 PM Thu, Jun 9, 2016 9:15 PM
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EL CHIVO
When runner Will Harlan won Mexico’s infamous Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon, the indigenous Tarahumara dubbed him El Chivo (the goat). Since then, he’s changed his life and his family’s lifestyle acutely. While he prepares to return to the canyons to race again, El Chivo chronicles Harlan’s motivations to live deliberately, while illustrating the toll it takes on his body and family. -Chris Metzler
Sun, Jun 5, 2016 9:15 PM Mon, Jun 6, 2016 7:00 PM
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A FAT WRECK
San Francisco's Fat Wreck Chords is the influential music label proud to say they've spent the past 25 years "ruining punk rock."A Fat Wreck tells the story of founders Fat Mike (of the legendary punk band NOFX) and his ex-wife Erin Kelly-Burkett, spanning the birth, growth, struggles, and survival of the Fat Wreck Chords label. A (mostly) inspirational story of chosen family and community, A Fat Wreck blazes exciting new ground in the cinematic genre of puppet-driven punk rock music documentary filmmaking. - Jeff Ross
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FRANK AND THE WONDERCAT
80-year-old eccentric Frank is pretty much retired and has turned his attentions to playing the accordion. However, the focus of this revealing film is his celebrity, which derives from a deeply felt friendship with Pudgie Wudgie, his 20-pound performing house cat. The soon-to-be-famous feline’s distinguishing trait is its Buddha-like patience with the costumes that Frank imposes on him. Frank and Pudgie start out humbly but soon their growing fame takes them from elementary-school assemblies to the dizzying heights of national television. Strange, oddly beautiful and hilarious. -Chris Metzler
Sat, Jun 11, 2016 4:31 PM Mon, Jun 13, 2016 6:45 PM
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THE FUTURE OF WORK AND DEATH
With the growth of technological innovations increasing exponentially, what effect is it having on the two major features of the human experience, work and death? Influenced by both Ray Kurzweil and Guy Debord, our two directors seek out 17 international scientists, engineers and academic to share their thoughts on whether advanced automation, AI, and a technological singularity could be achievable in the next 30 years. How job obsolescence and technological unemployment could consequently occur and how digital immortality may not be a thing of science fiction. -Jennifer Mor
Sun, Jun 5, 2016 9:16 PM Mon, Jun 6, 2016 9:15 PM
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GOING FURTHUR
Fifty years ago, Ken Kesey took his iconic bus,“Further,” across the country to Woodstock, and inspired a generation. His son Zane decides to fire up the old bus and get back out on the road. Armed with a new band of Merry Pranksters, the Further bus travels over 15,000 miles in 75 days, riding into music festivals, community events, tribal gatherings, and national landmarks. Never-before-seen archive footage from the first trip are combined with over 300 hours from this new exploration to explore the roots of a culture birthed in the early sixties and how it has influenced today's generations.-Jennifer Morris
Sat, Jun 4, 2016 9:16 PM Thu, Jun 9, 2016 9:15 PM Fri, Jun 10, 2016 9:00 PM
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THE GREAT WALL
As Franz Kafka’s chilling relevant story of “The Great Wall of China” is spoken, traditional narrative and talking heads make way for a powerful visual poem and study of borders, literal and virtual, across contemporary Europe. Cramped camps are shockingly contrasted with the squeaky clean major European cities in the stunning cinematography of Feargal Ward, who finds spaces that are both beautiful and alienating. Tadhg O’Sullivan’s The Great Wall is startlingly timely with all the talk in the US of building “great, great walls” to keep out the masses of immigrants. -Jennifer Morris
Fri, Jun 10, 2016 9:15 PM Mon, Jun 13, 2016 9:15 PM
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THE HOLLYWOOD SHORTIES
The Hollywood Shorties were a basketball team formed from a group of recognizable-but-typecast actors from the dwarf community. It began as a rare outlet for these little people to gather publicly, but by the early 1980s the Shorties were enjoying a niche in entertainment akin to the Harlem Globetrotters. They found themselves at the vanguard of a revolution to represent little people as something other than objects of curiosity. In a bittersweet turn, the very popularity they created would phase the team out of the sport they pioneered. -Chris Metzler
Sun, Jun 12, 2016 7:00 PM Tue, Jun 14, 2016 9:15 PM Thu, Jun 16, 2016 9:00 PM
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HOW TO BUILD A TIME MACHINE
From filmmaking to physics, controlling mortality has long been a creative and scientific pursuit. Fixated on the possibility of conquering time, two men find inspiration by bringing facets of H.G. Wells' 1895 novel The Time Machine to life. Animator Rob Niosi has devoted years to obsessively replicating the time machine prop from the 1960 feature film adaptation. Meanwhile, theoretical physicist Ron Mallett has dedicated his lifetime of research to better understanding black holes and their time portal potential. Both are driven by personal tragedies that time won't heal. Quirky and fun, this is an entertaining exploration of the power of film to act as a gateway to the fourth dimension while making a compelling explanation of how science fiction might not be that far-fetched after all. -Chris Metzler
Sun, Jun 12, 2016 7:00 PM Wed, Jun 15, 2016 9:15 PM
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IN CALIFORNIA
A tribute to a tormented love story as a husband immerses himself in his wife’s environment, the ballet, and starts documenting it. At first he is fascinated by her discipline until he finds out that she is abusing her body. This changes the way he sees her as she is transformed from an admirable dancer into a dance-obsessed person with no mercy for her own body. Made up of private recordings, the film concentrates on the couple’s move to the Bay Area and her pursuit of a career as prima ballerina with the San Francisco Ballet. -Metzler Co-Presented by the SF Dance Film Festival
Sun, Jun 5, 2016 4:31 PM Tue, Jun 7, 2016 7:00 PM Sun, Jun 12, 2016 6:45 PM
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Opening Night Film: IT AIN'T PRETTY
A vital, independent document of a thriving American subculture. We're talking surfing here, specifically the maverick female big wave surfers of Northern California. Through the lens of filmmaker Dayla Soul we dive in with them into the icy waters as they pursue waves to be ridden and mastered.
Surfing in the Bay Area is not the skinny, bikini-babe lifestyle that is normally portrayed in the media. It is cold, foggy, and heavy in the Red Triangle, the natural habitat of the great white shark. On any given day, a female surfer at Ocean Beach will usually find that she is the only woman in sight. We meet a variety of surfers, from the driven beginner to the professional big wave surfer and discover what it is that draws these women to surf these unforgiving waters.
Fueled by a driving soundtrack, It Ain't Pretty is a loving portrait of rebellion, embodied by these powerful women and the passion that drives them to paddle out. -Chris Metzler
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JACKSON
Do you know how many Abortion Clinics they have in the entire state of Mississippi? One. That’s right: one. Maisie Crow’s powerful film takes us inside that clinic to see up close their fight to stay open. The camera doesn’t stop there, however; she also follows April Jackson, a young mother of four children who is facing an unplanned pregnancy; and Barbara Beavers, who runs the Center for Pregnancy Choices and is a leader of the anti-abortion movement in Mississippi. The film intimately weaves these stories together for a first-of-its-kind look inside the issues surrounding abortion. -Jennifer Morris
Wed, Jun 8, 2016 7:00 PM Sun, Jun 12, 2016 9:15 PM
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Centerpiece Film: KATE PLAYS CHRISTINE
In 1974, a Florida newscaster Christine Chubbuck shocked morning viewers and coworkers by pulling out a gun and shooting herself in the head live on the air. This is considered the first televised suicide in history, and though it was the inspiration for the 1976 Academy Award Best Picture nominee NETWORK, the story and facts behind the event remain mostly unknown.
Forty years later, rising film star Kate Lyn Sheil agrees to be cast in a “stylized cheap ‘70s soap opera” version of Christine’s story, and to prepare for the role, the actress travels to Chubbuck's hometown. Gumshoe-style, she conducts interviews with a variety of subjects, from a gun store employee to a fellow news anchor to a family friend.
Filmmaker Robert Greene (SF DocFest Non-Fiction Award recipient - 2013) cleverly forgoes your standard talking-head-and-sound-bite approach to nonfiction storytelling, instead choosing to employ Kate as a conduit to understanding an impossibly complex issue. Committed to
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LIVE ANOTHER DAY
In the fall of 2008, at the dawn of the Great Recession, General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler--- three of the most famous and powerful American industrial companies--- found themselves on the verge of total collapse. Live Another Day, based on the book Crash Course, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Paul Ingrassia, reveals the inside story of the fall and rescue of Detroit’s big three automakers. Full of twists and turns, betrayal, political intrigue, and back room backstabbing. -Jennifer Morris
Sun, Jun 5, 2016 2:15 PM Sun, Jun 12, 2016 4:15 PM
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LOA
From experimental non-fiction filmmaker Georg Koszulinski comes a visual chronicle of the Vodou religion as practiced in the rural mountains of Haiti. The Vodou religion continues to be a central aspect of Haitian cultural identity, yet rural Vodou practices remain virtually un-documented. Loa presents Koszulinski’s expressive account of rural Vodou via a portrait of the houngan Etanta Aoleé, who has served the loa, the sacred spirits of Haiti, for over a half century. -Jennifer Morris
Sat, Jun 4, 2016 7:00 PM Mon, Jun 13, 2016 7:01 PM
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LOS PUNKS: WE ARE ALL WE HAVE
Punk rock is thriving in the backyards of South Central and East Los Angeles, made up of a cobbled-together family of Hispanic teens and young adults in the mosh pit. It is all about the bands, fans, production, marketing, and security, interwoven in a sub-culture of thrash and noise. The sense of belonging is palpable; emotional bonds fostered among good families and those broken, poverty and wealth, adolescence and maturity, with the music emanating a magnetic chorus for all to sing together. A documentary that honestly and sincerely portrays this vibrant ‘DIY’ community. -Chris Metzler
Sat, Jun 11, 2016 9:16 PM Wed, Jun 15, 2016 9:16 PM
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LOST LANDSCAPES OF LOS ANGELES - Live!
Archivist Rick Prelinger is back with a beguiling new film made up of old home movies and studio outtakes that take a journey through the dreamscape of 20th-century Los Angeles. Revealing the hidden histories of the many places made familiar by Hollywood, this poetic film is more about mood than in telling a literal story of a city as it no longer exists. As always, the audience makes the soundtrack! Come prepared to identify places, people and events, to ask questions, and to engage in spirited real-time repartee with fellow audience members. -Chris Metzler
Tue, Jun 14, 2016 7:01 PM
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MIDSUMMER IN NEWTOWN
In the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy, a theater production seeks to cast local children in a rock version of A Midsummer Night's Dream, which they hope will heal a community devastated by the school shooting. From auditions to dress rehearsals, we witness the children find their voices and ultimately shine on opening night. It is a powerful testament to the transformative force of artistic expression and to the resilience of a community that is fighting to not be defined by tragedy. -Chris Metzler
Sat, Jun 11, 2016 2:15 PM Tue, Jun 14, 2016 6:45 PM Thu, Jun 16, 2016 9:15 PM
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THE MILLION DOLLAR DUCK
Dive into the strange and wonderful world of the Federal Duck Stamp Contest – the only juried art competition run by the U.S. government. The Duck Stamp is among the most successful conservation tools ever created. It has also spawned a uniquely American subculture of talent, ego, art, controversy, big money, and migratory waterfowl. The film explores the history and challenges facing this successful conservation program, while delving into the eccentric nature of six wildlife artists as they competitively paint waterfowl in their obsessive quests to win the “Olympics of wildlife art.” -Chris Metzler
Sat, Jun 4, 2016 2:16 PM Wed, Jun 8, 2016 9:15 PM Sat, Jun 11, 2016 2:00 PM
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MISSING PEOPLE
Martina Batan is an eccentric NY gallery director who is haunted by the brutal murder of her brother in 1978. Martina obsessively collects the work of Roy Ferdinand, a controversial outsider artist from New Orleans whose graphic art chronicles African-American cultural identity of pre-Katrina New Orleans. The film follows Martina as she hires a private detective to solve her brother’s murder and goes on a fact-finding mission to New Orleans to meet the people and neighborhoods found in Roy’s paintings.
Sun, Jun 5, 2016 4:30 PM Sun, Jun 12, 2016 9:00 PM
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OFF THE RAILS
New York’s infamous transit thief, 50-year-old Darius McCollum, has been impersonating transit staff and stealing trains and buses for over 35 years. He has been arrested no less than 30 times and has spent much of his life behind bars. Diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome (an autism disorder), as well as depression and anxiety stemming from a childhood school attack, the courts have never understood his obsession with transit. The subway was his sanctuary as child and he soon had memorized every trains schedule and all their stops. So much so that a driver once asked him to drive the train to the next station while he got it on with a ticket collector. He was 14 and drove the train perfectly and on time. He promised the judge he would never to do it again, but somehow he always ends up back on the rails or behind the wheel of a bus, and, inevitably, back in front of a judge and then in jail. -Jennifer Morris
Sun, Jun 12, 2016 4:31 PM Tue, Jun 14, 2016 9:00 PM
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ORANGE SUNSHINE
The never-before-told story of the Brotherhood of Eternal Love – a spiritual group of surfers and hippies that became the largest suppliers of psychedelic drugs in the world during the 1960s. Bonded by their dreams to fight social injustice, this unlikely band of free-spirited idealists quickly transformed into a drug-smuggling empire and at the same time inadvertently invented the modern illegal drug trade. At the heart of this story is the anti-capitalistic husband and wife team who made it their mission to change the world through LSD. -Chris Metzler
Sun, Jun 12, 2016 9:16 PM Mon, Jun 13, 2016 9:00 PM Wed, Jun 15, 2016 7:01 PM
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THE OTHER SIDE
This Cannes-favorite documentary by award-winning filmmaker Roberto Minervini is an indelible, surprising, and often unnerving portrait of bayou nihilism, tactfully portraying Louisianian junkies and a militia in all their contradictions, and immersing us in their daily routines with an eye and ear for unexpected comedy and poetry, as well as for the political ramifications of their downtrodden, hedonistic libertarianism and their deeply twisted love of family, nature and country.
Sun, Jun 5, 2016 12:01 PM Tue, Jun 7, 2016 9:16 PM
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PISTOL SHRIMPS
Brent Hodge and Morgan Spurlock (A Brony Tale, TFF 2014) spin a variation on the classic underdog story told in fun-loving and free-wheeling style. Their focus: an eclectic group of actresses, musicians, writers, comedians, and moms who compete in the Los Angeles women’s recreational basketball league. With team names guaranteed to make you smile (Shecago Bulls, Traveling Pants, Space Glam, Ba Dunka Dunks, LA Nail Clippers), this documentary shows that girls not only wanna have fun, they wanna ball too. The team that started it all is the Pistol Shrimps, whose lineup includes Aubrey Plaza (Parks & Recreation). From inspiring a podcast to creating their own merchandise, this group of exceptional women proves that organized sports can be enjoyed at any age and any skill level. Talented both on and off the court, they prove all the haters wrong as they full-court press their way to glory. Haters beware!
Sat, Jun 11, 2016 12:01 PM
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THE PROMISED BAND
Fresh off a Best Documentary win at Cinequest, The Promised Band shines a powerful light on the huge distances that a group of Israeli queer women must go to, hence the band, in order to cross a border and build bridges between Israel and Palestine. All director Jen Heck wants to do is introduce her friends to Lina, a mother of two who lives in Nablus, which lies in Area A, a region of Palestine off-limit to Israeli citizens. -Jennifer Morris
Fri, Jun 3, 2016 9:16 PM Sat, Jun 11, 2016 9:00 PM
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THE PURSUIT OF HIPPO-NESS
We all know there are millions of cat lovers who collect anything to do with cats and dog lovers who love their dogs. But it was joy to learn that there are also some amazing lovers of hippos out there. The Pursuit of Hippo-ness features an ensemble of people whose lives are tied to the hippopotamus in some manner, the film explores their relationships with the animal and with each other and raises the larger questions about how we conceptualize, represent, and interact with nature. -Jennifer Morris
Sat, Jun 11, 2016 2:15 PM Wed, Jun 15, 2016 9:00 PM
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ROCKY HORROR SAVED MY LIFE
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the longest-running theatrical release in film history. Since its debut in 1975, it has become the very definition of "cult movie." However, if you’ve ever been to a live performance of Rocky Horror, you know that the film is only one part of a very unique midnight movie experience. Rocky Horror Saved My Life is not a documentary about the people who made this legendary movie, though. It's about the fans who have devoted their lives to preserving it. - Jeff Ross -SING A LONG TO THE MUSIC OF RHPS AT THE AFTER PARTY, HOSTED BY THE BAWDY CASTE
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SEED: THE UNTOLD STORY
In the last century, 94% of vegetable seed varieties have disappeared, leaving our food supply dangerously vulnerable to blight and famine. While biotech chemical companies control the majority of our seeds, thankfully, an inspiring ensemble of farmers, scientists, and seed savers are fighting a David and Goliath battle to defend the future of our food and protect our 12,000 year-old food legacy. SEED tells their harrowing and heartening story – and the larger history of human agriculture – with equal parts whimsy and rage. -Chris Metzler
Sat, Jun 4, 2016 7:01 PM Sat, Jun 11, 2016 4:15 PM
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SHORTS 1: COOL OLD GUYS
Find out what makes these old guys tick including a bee keeper, a black panther, a boxer and a bondsman, a model with MS and SF’s legendary “Godfather of Skating.
Sat, Jun 4, 2016 2:15 PM Mon, Jun 6, 2016 7:01 PM
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SHORTS 2: LOCAL YOKELS
The Bay Area is well represented with film students from Stanford, SF State and SOTA High School and stories that remind us of the San Bruno explosion, the struggle to save the Hand of Peace, the drought and the power of Cumbia.
Sun, Jun 5, 2016 2:16 PM Tue, Jun 7, 2016 7:01 PM
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SHORTS 3: BAD ASS WOMEN
Artists, nuns, actors and fat activists are all capable of being bad asses and make up some of the amazing women in these shorts.
Sun, Jun 12, 2016 2:16 PM Wed, Jun 15, 2016 7:00 PM
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Closing Night Film: SILICON COWBOYS
Launched in 1982 by three friends at a Houston diner, Compaq Computer set out to build a portable personal computer. Standing in their way? IBM, the world’s most powerful tech company whose dominance of the computing sector was unrivaled. Many had tried cloning the industry leader’s code, only to be trounced by IBM and its high-priced lawyers. SILICON COWBOYS explores the remarkable David vs. Goliath story, and eventual demise, of Compaq, an unlikely upstart who altered the future and whose revolutionary ideas paved the way for the modern-day ubiquity of digital technology. Directed by Oscar®-nominated director Jason Cohen, this evocative film offers a fresh look at the explosive rise of the 1980’s PC industry, Compaq's three maverick founders, and is a refreshing alternative to the familiar hagiographic narratives of Jobs, Gates, and Zuckerberg. -Chris Metzler
Thu, Jun 16, 2016 7:01 PM
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SKIPS STONES FOR FUDGE
SF DocFest alums Ryan Seitz and Daniel Skaggs ("Freeload") brings us another gaze into the life of group you never thought you’d get to know or even knew existed. For over a decade, Russ “Rock Bottom” Byars and Kurt “Mountain Man” Steiner have endured a rivalry that lifted competitive stone skipping to unthinkable heights. Tested by physical ailments, emotional hardships and the rise of young talent, these obscure legends fight to cement their place in the record books of Stone Skipping. -Jennifer Morris
Sat, Jun 11, 2016 7:00 PM Sun, Jun 12, 2016 12:00 PM
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SMART
Shot over the course of three years, SMART follows the Los Angeles Specialized Mobile Animal Rescue Team, the only rescue team of it’s kind in the country. They are a group of highly trained, adrenaline-fueled professionals who risk life and limb to rescue animals! Lead by Armando Navarrete, they save anything and everything, wild or domestic, from an array of dangerous situations. But the rescues come at great cost, both on personal and professional levels. You will find them lifting a horse from a river by helicopter, tranquilizing a deer in Pee-Wee Herman's back yard and even falling five stories from the top of a tree. -Jennifer Morris
Sun, Jun 12, 2016 2:15 PM Thu, Jun 16, 2016 7:00 PM
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SOUTH BUREAU HOMICIDE
Set in LAPD’s South the film explores the unsung bond created by the homicide detectives of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Criminal Gang Homicide Division and the local community’s anti-violent crime activists including Southern California Ceasefire Committee, Gang Talk Radio, and Justice for Murdered Children. Going against the grain of commonly perceived police & community relations, they traffic in the aftermath of murder, stepping into the breach of loss for next of kin, investigating the crimes, and forging relationships with residents left to live amidst persistent violence. -Jennifer Morris
Sat, Jun 4, 2016 9:15 PM Wed, Jun 8, 2016 9:15 PM
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THE SUMMER HELP
At their university in Eastern Europe, they are future bankers, journalists and politicians. In America, they are just “the help.” From Martha’s Vineyard to Myrtle Beach, thousands of international students descend upon summer resorts and tourist towns in the U.S. to clean hotel rooms, wash dishes, and make pizza for Americans on vacation. Filmmaker Melody Gilbert (SF DocFest Non-Fiction Vanguard Award recipient - 2008) looks beyond the nametags to the young and impressionable individuals who come to the U.S. to chase a dream. -Chris Mettzler
Sat, Jun 11, 2016 4:30 PM Sun, Jun 12, 2016 2:00 PM Tue, Jun 14, 2016 9:15 PM
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TEAR THE ROOF OFF: THE UNTOLD STORY OF PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC
The roof is definitely torn off the Mothership in Bobby J. Brown’s revealing documentary. The film follows the group from their doo-wop era in the 1950's to the pinnacle of stardom in the late 1970's with the Mothership Connection tour. During this tour, a space ship would land on stage and cause total crowd pandemonium. The film journeys to their dissolution of the group and then the reunion for the induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. -Jennifer Morris
Sat, Jun 11, 2016 7:01 PM Mon, Jun 13, 2016 9:16 PM
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THE TWO DOLLAR BILL DOCUMENTARY
While some believe that $2 bills are no longer made, they are alive and well. Learn all about 'the deuce' from its history to its many superstitions, the way it's perceived and used in society, and incredible stories about the ways it connects people. This comprehensive film will open your eyes about a truly unique piece of currency and guarantees you that you may soon be checking your wallets, purses or other hiding spots to look at your $2 bills once you've seen the film. -Jennifer Morris
Fri, Jun 10, 2016 7:00 PM Tue, Jun 14, 2016 7:00 PM
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NON-FICTION VANGUARD AWARD - SHORTS OF SEAN DUNNE
Join us at Friday, June 3rd, 7pm at the Roxie for a screening and moderated discussion, followed by a hosted reception, showcasing a retrospective of Sean Dunne’s short films, including his newest short documentary TRUMP RALLY.
TRUMP RALLY - Go inside the strange world of Donald Trump supporters with this examination of the most divisive of all of the candidates.
FLORIDA MAN - You can learn a lot about life from the man on the street, especially if that street resides within one of the countless small towns that populate the quirky state of Florida.
THE ARCHIVE - A brief look at the world's largest vinyl record collection and the current state of the American record industry.
THE BOWLER - Rocky is a hustler. A story about booze, broads and bowling.
THE MAN IN A VAN - What happens when you don't like to pay rent, but still want to live in Manhattan
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