Jeri Jacquin

In the middle of a pandemic, the San Diego International Film Festival didn’t hesitate to try and find a way to make one of everyone’s favorite festival continue to take place from October 15-18, 2020.

Creating a Festival Virtual Village platform, it allows us all to enjoy the offerings from the comfort of our own homes. However, if you want to get out for a bit of fresh air, the SDIFF has brought the under the stars feeling of the Drive-In Movies to UTC.

In the Festival Virtual Village – Virtual Pass brings 116 films and 53 San Diego local films. Inside the virtual village there is The Cuervo Theater streaming 48 films, The Cove Theater with On Demand Films, The San Diego Local Theater bringing the best and brightest from San Diego, the BONV!V Café with Q&A’s, panels and special events and The Perspectives Center.

Day One: Starting the spiritual world as Satoru decides to fulfill a life mission. There is also the QUARANTINE FILM CHALLENGE LOCAL PANEL for attending.

Later, this evening brings MS. WHITE LIGHT is about the young Lex who has a unique connection to people who are dying yet struggles to help client Valerie, DRUNK BUS tells of three unusual friends who are trying to get a little excitement into their lives, ONE OF THESE DAYS , and THROUGH THE GLASS DARKLY.

At the Drive-In (UTC Mall) beginning at 6:30 is the highly anticipated film NOMADLAND starring Frances McDormand. She plans Fern, a woman out to explore the world as a modern nomad.

Day two at the SDIFF will continue with its line up of films including FAREWELL AMOR is the journey of Walter who was forced to leave his home of Angola as a young man and now he is bringing his family to Brooklyn to discover one another. Also playing is ACTIVISM IN FILM, DETERMINED, and THE MISEDUCATION OF BINDU.

STARDUST is the feature of a man behind many faced, including that of the iconic Ziggy Stardust – David Bowie, and BEFORE/DURING/AFTER from the US telling the take of Jennie Lonergan dealing with her career and a cheating husband.

The Drive-In brings HARRY CHAPIN: When in Doubt, Do Something beginning at 6:30 follows the journey of singer/songwriter of “Cats in the Cradle” with a dream to end world hunger and poverty.

On Day three, the line up begins to grow as day three brings THE MUSTANGS: An American Story, HONEYMOOD has a bride and groom dealing with a ring, the person who sent it and learning more about each other than ever, LET’S WORK is a documentary about adults with developmental and intellectual disability and how they find employment, THE OTHER, and SURVIVING THE SILENCE are also showing.

150 MAGICAL SPARROWS is a film from India telling the story of Jhalki, a young girl looking for her brother after he disappears. The evening wraps with the drive in and BLITHE SPIRIT about a medium who holds a séance for a man with writers block. In the process of the event, she brings back the writers deceased first wife and things are about to get interesting.

On day four, the day brings the DOCUDRAMA SHORT TRACK, MLK/FBI is a documentary on newly declassified files about the government and MLK, and THE REMEMBERER tells the story of Matias De Stefano in this documentary of a man who takes us on a journey through lost humanity. The evening’s film LOVE SARAH begins at 6:30 at the Drive-In and tells the story of a woman who wants to fulfill her dream of opening a baker in Notting Hill, London.

This is only a small sample of what the San Diego International Film Festival is bringing this year virtually making the experience one that the whole family can enjoy together. From feature films, documentaries, short films, comedies and everything in between means that our festival experience this year is still amazing and full of stories we all need to see.

Please see what else the SDIFF has in store and how you can attend at www.sandiegofilmfestival.com.

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