Film buffs from South Valley and Hollister planning for the
annual Cinequest festival
Finding a good movie can be tough, especially in the nether
regions of southern Santa Clara and San Benito counties, where most
independent or foreign films fear to tread. But for two weeks in
March locals can have their fill of movies.
Cinequest Film Festival, the annual cinema extravaganza in
downtown San Jose, opens March 1 and will continue through March
12
– its 16th season.
Film buffs from South Valley and Hollister planning for the annual Cinequest festival
Finding a good movie can be tough, especially in the nether regions of southern Santa Clara and San Benito counties, where most independent or foreign films fear to tread. But for two weeks in March locals can have their fill of movies.
Cinequest Film Festival, the annual cinema extravaganza in downtown San Jose, opens March 1 and will continue through March 12 – its 16th season.
One Gilroy resident has made a point of seeing as many films as he can fit into his schedule during Cinequest.
“I love it. I saw 10 or 12 films last year,” said Grant Richards, a film instructor at Gavilan College and a filmmaker himself who has attended Cinequest for the past five years.
In the past, Richards has hunkered down for the long haul – sometimes watching four to five films in a row – despite teaching a full load, rearing a son and then finding time to make films himself.
A fellow film instructor at Gavilan College, Robert Beede, also attends the festival every year. Both teachers encourage their students to attend at least some of the Cinequest screenings. Richards offers extra credit as extra incentive.
“They say they are glad they’ve gone and even without the extra credit they still would have enjoyed it,” Richards said.
Richards, who teaches a variety of film appreciation classes and film production, said the festival allows students to see cinema that is not mainstream.
“If you watch Hollywood films, they are so predictable. I’ve read so many books on screenwriting and they want everything by a certain page. They are formulaic,” he said. “There is so much more out there. Seeing different things is really good for them.”
Cinequest, one of the top 10 film festivals in the world, according to spokesperson Kristy Wolk, has become an annual trek for cinephiles living in the Bay Area. This year, more than 20 films from around the world will make their world premiere at the festival, with 13 more international films making their North American premiere.
“Every year it continues to grow and it’s great to see that people want to come and have their premiers here,” Wolk said. “We can treat our filmmakers with the utmost respect … we treat every filmmaker like family.”
While festival attendees shouldn’t expect to see Hollywood hangers-on (sorry, no Paris Hiltons) walking around the streets of San Jose, Wolk said, there will be chances to meet intriguing new independent filmmakers.
“Every single film I’ve been to, someone who has been involved, almost always the director – but sometimes actors or cinematographers – they’ve been there to talk about it,” Richards said. “You can find out what cameras they used and where they shot and all that stuff. You can’t even search on [the Internet Movie Database] and get all the real details.”
Cinequest offers an assortment of movies so fans of all sorts are likely to find something they want to watch. The nearly 200 films range from a feature about a Catholic high school teacher who finds herself drawn to a new student (“Loving Annabelle”) to a documentary about a Rwandan man who escapes genocide and returns to his country after September 11 (“Back Home”) to a short comedy about a zombie searching for acceptance (“Zombie-American.”)
Events are scheduled every day of the festival, sometimes from 10 a.m. to after midnight. This year, the festival events will be offered at three downtown San Jose venues – The California Theatre, Camera 12 and the San Jose Repertory Theatre – all within three blocks of each other.
“It’s great because normally if you go to other [festivals], you are shuttled to your event or venue,” Wolk said. “Here you walk across the street and you don’t need to worry about taking a bus to the next event.”
On some days during the festival, film fans have as many as 22 events to choose from. While most of the film screenings are $9 for general admission and $5 for students, a few special events range from $10 to $50.
Each year, the festival planners put on several special events and this year includes the opening and closing night galas, the Maverick Spirit Award Presentation and film and technology forums.
On March 1, “Thank You for Smoking,” will screen at the California Theatre as the opening night film. The movie features Aaron Eckhart as Nick Naylor, a man who makes his living as a spokesperson for Big Tobacco, who comes up against a senator (William H. Macy) who wants to put poison labels on cigarette packs. Directed by Jason Reitman, the satirical film also features Maria Bello, Adam Brody, Sam Elliot, Rob Lowe and Katie Holmes.
The closing night film, “Water” will play on March 12. The film tells the story of a young Indian widow who is taken to live in a “widow house” in 1938. The film will be followed by the awards ceremony, where the 2006 best films will be recognized. After the screenings, guests can mingle with the filmmakers at the opening and closing night galas.
Film buffs, film students or filmmakers also have the opportunity to learn from those working in the industry at the “Day of” series offered at Cinequest. The series of five workshops, Day of Writer, Day of Post, Day of Cinematographer, Day of Distribution and Day of Producer give insight into what it really takes to put a film together from start to finish.
And for those looking for a brush with celebrity, there will be a few opportunities. Each year the Cinequest board of directors selects one filmmaker to honor with the Maverick Spirit Award. Past recipients have included Ian McKellen, Spike Lee and Alec Baldwin. The award presentation is accompanied by a moderated talk before an audience of festival goers. This year’s recipient, Edward James Olmos, will sit down with Mary J. Greenwood, Santa Clara County’s first female public defender, to discuss his life as an actor and filmmaker as well as his dedication to community activism. Olmos started his career working with El Teatro Campesino, starring in a stage production of “Zoot Suit” as El Pachuco. When Luis Valdez adapted the story for the silver screen in 1981, Olmos again played the role of El Pachuco for the film audience.
William H. Macy, the 2003 Maverick Spirit Award honoree, will also return this year to speak after the screening of “Edmond,” a film by David Mamet in which he plays the lead.
Still for dedicated fans such as Richards, Cinequest remains about the films.
“There is so much more out there,” Richards said. “Interesting films and genres and actors, but we tend to see the blockbusters.”
For more information on Cinequest, for events and to purchase tickets, visit www.cinequest.org/2006/.
