Sigh. San Francisco Film Society just announced that beloved Executive Director Bingham Ray died today, January 23, while attending the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. In addition to manning the noted SF Film Society, Ray cofounded October Films. October, billed as "one of the foremost independent film companies of the 1990s," snagged two Oscars and scored 13 Oscar nominations and other cinema prizes at the Cannes Film Festival. Some of October Films' credits include Secrets & Lies, The Apostle, Cookie's Fortune, The Celebration, Lost Highway, The Last Seduction, and Breaking the Waves. more ›

Once known a the framework for independent film to reach a wider audience, the Sundance FIlm Festival is now a showcase for the rich and famous to showcase stabs at cinema gold. More or less. Take, for example, Jennifer Siebel-Newsom, whose documentary Miss Representation premiered. more ›

more ›

Here's todays sports news more ›

"Tales of Mere Existence" By Levni R. Yilmaz Esq more ›

Francis Ford Coppola's new Youth Without Youth more ›

When Francis Ford Coppola isn't looking lovingly over his cineaste dynastic family, running a cafe, publishing fiction, or distilling making wine [sorry! we're not a vintner!], we understand that sometimes he makes movies too. Where does that guy find the time?? more ›

Japantown's new Sundance Cinemas Kabuki will offer the more discerning moviegoer (i.e.. people who self-consciously laugh out loud during Shakespeare comedies) something, well, more. Curbed SF has the full rundown on the new movie house that's sure to make you feel even that more self-righteous than you already do while braving the choppy waters of independent film. Check it: more ›

more ›

, a Sundance award-winning documentary about Palestinians incarcerated in Israel for terrorist crimes. It was a stark reminder of the human cost of the subject of the movie (and we are extremely grateful that we live in a place where one security guard is still enough to put people's minds at ease.) more ›

Passes! Passes! We got movie passes! Wanna see , a movie about a high-spirited Asian-Canadian girl whose older sister is going through a Christian religious conversion, and whose family is learning to assimilate in Vancouver? (The "fire horse" part of the title refers to a superstition in Chinese astrology that children born in 1978 are particularly rambunctious.) We have no idea what's going on in that picture above, but it looks awesome! more ›

, a documentary about a pair of (local) identical twins, one of whom is transgender, for the Frameline LGBT film festival. more ›

SFist interviews Alexandra Lipsitz, Director of Air Guitar Nation more ›

After having watched on the very fancy SF Int'l Film Fest screener DVD machines this afternoon, we're thinking the theme of the afternoon was family obligations. (This is as good a reminder as any to get a Mother's Day present for next week, folks!) more ›

A movie about local filmmakers wrangling with local politicians? We are so there! more ›

Sunday night, the SF International screened the world premiere of the film at the Castro Theater. There were shades of Sundance as many of the films featured filmmakers and actors, including George Lucas and Robin Williams, casually red carpeted-their way to the theater, complete with flashbulbs and film cameras documenting the night. more ›

The SF Int'l Film Festival isn't just about great national and international movies -- they've got music events, gala events, talks about the state of cinema, an online presence through SF360.com, and -- what we stopped by to see this afternoon -- a series of panels about the state of cinema today. more ›

Come late January, most national publications are usually too overwhelmed (and understaffed) to even consider covering any film fest outside of Sundance. Even SF publications are hard pressed to see past the flurry of Park City and look over their shoulders into The Mission. It’s a shame, because if they looked, they’d find a really meaty, crafty, saucy festival offering a smattering of hard to find films and some films even harder to miss. more ›

Total number of people pictured in this week's Swells society column: 48. more ›

As the world holds it's breath, teetering precariously on the cusp of the Superbowl (well, at least in America), the wheels of the -ists keep on turning. more ›

Total number of people pictured in this week's Swells society column: 67. more ›

-Protestors march through the street's of San Francisco to throw out the Bush Regime. At last check, Bush Regime not thrown out. more ›

SFist interviews Henry Rosenthal, producer of "The Devil and Daniel Johnston" more ›

This week's big excitement? A tipster tells us TomKat's in town -- and we get in Defamer! And the New York Times! (Okay, the online version -- but hey, we'll take it.) We love you, tipster! Let's hear the money quote from our tipster one more time! "Jesus, he drags her pregnant ass everywhere, doesn't he?" more ›

With January's merger between AMC and Lowes theatres, the company they became, AMC Entertainment Inc, is required by U.S. Department of Justice and the attorneys general of California to sell the Kabuki and 1000 Van Ness theatres. While the Van Ness property remains available, today the long-rumored purchase of the Kabuki by Robert Redford's Sundance Cinemas was officially announced. more ›

Rather than give up the act, the JT Leroy crew clings desperately to the blonde wig and sunglasses look at Sundance. Stephanie Tanner from Full House is recovering from a meth addiction, which Dave Coulier could drive anyone to. Thomas Hawk pens an open letter to the folks who don't want any pictures taken of the On the Road manuscript. And if you've ever wanted a DJ Q-Bert plushie, now's your chance to buy one. more ›

We have to admit, we weren't buying it two weeks ago when the San Francisco Film Society invited us to a pre-Sundance rally at the posh Adagio Hotel. The haute couture, the DJ, the tiny appetizers and free beer -- "surely," we thought, "this must be nothing more than an excuse to have one of those bourgeois parties we're always protesting alongside our Communist friends." But no! No! Just like when we famously predicted that Nixon would ride his troubles out, back in the 70s when SFist was an underground Russian-language zine, we were wrong. Man oh man, the SF Film Society is up to some really cool stuff, you betcha, and we can't wait to tell you what it is. But we promised them we'd wait until they made an official announcement next week. So until then, here's a hint: their announcement does not involve a 32-pound box of hair. OR DOES IT???????? more ›

SFist interviews the director of New York Doll, Greg Whiteley more ›

Our pals at Larsen Associates have come through again, giving us run of engagement passes for , which opens tomorrow at the Lumiere in here in the city, the Act in Berkeley and the Rafael in San Rafael. more ›

is a beautiful piece of film -- it takes you to places that are haunting, joyful, and wistful. Mostly, though, this journey from Odessa, Ukraine to Brighton Beach, N.Y. to Ashdod, Israel imparts the feeling that something's missing -- that the lives the film is showing us are somehow incomplete. more ›