The San Diego Film Festival has announced its full festival line-up, and it definitely aims to please filmgoers. The 13th year of the festival will take place from September 24 through September 28. The kick-off to this independent film festival will be the San Diego premiere of Wild, starring Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern. Capping off SDFF 2014 is You’re Not You, starring Hilary Swank, Emmy Rossum, and Josh Duhamel. Duhamel is expected to be in attendance for a Q&A.
For five days there will be plenty of quality independent films to choose from, and the variety is sure to intrigue a myriad of film fanatics. Lynn Shelton’s Laggies, starring Chloë Grace Moretz, Keira Knightley, and Sam Rockwell will be screened at SDFF. The Good Lie, which stars Reese Witherspoon, will be playing, and Morten Tyldum’s The Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley will be in rotation as well. In addition, Antoine Fuqua’s The Equalizer, starring Denzel Washington and Chloë Grace Moretz, is part of the line up. For a complete list of all the narrative, documentary, and short films playing, check out the San Diego Film Festival website.
For the past couple of years at SDFF there has been a filmmaker tribute event held for a worthy filmmaker. Gus Van Sant and Judd Apatow received this honor over the past couple years, and an undisclosed recipient will be honored this year at the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla. Additionally, there will be surprise screenings, amazing filmmaker panels that allow the audience to delve deep into the process of independent filmmaking, and some lavish parties to get lost in, such as the Almost Famous party, inspired by the Cameron Crowe film starring Kate Hudson.
If you’ve never been to a film festival before and you’re a film enthusiast, SDFF is a festival on the rise that will get you hooked. You may be watching a potential Oscar contender or future Oscar winner. Last year, 12 Years a Slave opened up the festival, with screenwriter John Ridley in attendance. 12 Years a Slave went on to win several Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. Not to mention, there are plenty of talented up-and-coming filmmakers ready to burst onto the scene.
For festival passes, VIP passes, or single film tickets, visit the SDFF site.