LA JOLLA — The San Diego International Film Festival will showcase films from around the world as it celebrates its 25th anniversary.
The festival kicks off with a Night of the Stars Tribute on Oct. 13 at the Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, followed by film screenings at AMC Theatres at Westfield UTC through Sunday, Oct. 18.
Tonya Mantooth, the festival’s chief executive officer and artistic director, told The Coast News the expanded six-day schedule will give cinephiles more time to see new films and interact with the people who made them.
“We have so many filmmakers coming from around the world to attend,” Mantooth said. “When you think about it, they spent years working on these projects and then to come to San Diego and to sit in an audience and be able to share that and do a Q&A. I think it’s part of the communal experience that a festival brings and that’s something we really want to elevate this year.”
The Night of the Stars Tribute will celebrate the artistic contributions of Mira Sorvino, who will receive the Virtuoso Award; Iliza Shlesinger, who will receive the Trailblazer Award; and Viola Davis, who will receive the Gregory Peck Award for Cinematic Excellence, according to a news release.
Mantooth said Sorvino’s acclaimed body of work has “stood the test of time,” while Shlesinger has carved her own path in the entertainment industry.
“She’s a stand-up comedian, she’s an actress, but she’s also a writer and a producer,” Mantooth said of Shlesinger. “She takes control of her career and the destination that it’s going to and I think that’s incredible. She is remarkably talented, but also really crafted how her career is going.”
Davis is one of 28 EGOT winners, having earned an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award. Mantooth said that, in addition to recognizing Davis’ prolific body of work, the Gregory Peck Award honors how she has used her platform to “give back to those who are underserved or don’t have a voice.”
Among the films featured at the festival are “Chasing Amy,” starring Shlesinger; “La Bola Negra,” which won awards at the Cannes and Toronto international film festivals; and Martin McDonagh’s latest film, “Wild Horse Nine.”
Mantooth said the festival aims to celebrate films that use narratives and human stories to explore pressing social issues that can often be difficult to discuss in other settings.
“We want to utilize the festival as a platform to raise awareness around these social issues, whether it’s environmental, whether it’s human and sex trafficking,” Mantooth said. “I think it’s also a place where people can have a civil dialogue. I think we’re all a little afraid to voice our opinions, but when you watch a film and then come out, I think there are ways for people to say, ‘you know what, we may not agree on everything, but we can certainly agree on some things.’ And I think it’s that shared humanity that does that.”
In that vein, the festival will feature the first installment of a 10-part documentary series titled “People of the West.”
The series tells the stories of California’s Indigenous communities, with descendants of those communities heavily involved in the research and production. The production team includes producers from the Pechanga and Apache tribes.
Mantooth described the series as a “view from the shore” rather than “the view from the ship.”
“It’s really a look at how history was distorted and maybe we need to take a look at it from a different perspective,” she said. “So that’s one that we’re really proud of.”
