SAN FRANCISCO FILM COMMUNITY RALLIES FOR SUNDANCE 2006

From the Office of San Francisco Film Society

January 6, 2006

Reception Provides Exclusive Preview of SF360 and Location:SF

San Francisco, CA - On Thursday, January 5 the San Francisco Film Society, the San Francisco Film Commission and many of San Francisco's premier companies and organizations joined forces to provide an exclusive VIP preview of two exciting San Francisco-centric initiatives set to premiere later this month at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. One hundred eighty of San Francisco's most prominent supporters of the film industry gathered in the Sienna Penthouse Suite of the Adagio Hotel to hear advance word on two projects designed to celebrate, elevate and support the City's film industry.

SF360 is a multipart project of the San Francisco Film Society and its partners, the goal of which is to strengthen and promote the San Francisco film and media scene in all its various and exciting forms. "The Bay Area film and media scene is unlike that of any other city in the country," said Graham Leggat, executive director of the Film Society. "The various citywide initiatives under the Film Society's SF360 banner are designed to showcase the depth, breadth and singularity of this vibrant film and media community." SF360 will be announced in full on Sunday, January 22, 4:30-7 pm, at the VW Lounge, 301 Main Street, Park City, Utah.

Location:SF is a dazzling showcase of San Francisco-based companies and organizations uniting to support the local film industry. Actor Peter Coyote voiced his support of the project saying, "I think Location:SF, as a grassroots adjunct to the San Francisco Film Commission, is practical, useful and overdue. There is much in the way of outreach and support that can only be accomplished by such a partnership between informed citizens and interested local businesses. I'm pleased to be a part of San Francisco's efforts to capture today's spotlight on the business of filmmaking." Location:SF premieres on opening night of the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.

January 5 event sponsors included San Francisco Magazine, Bientot Magazine, Cabo Wabo Tequila, Distillery 209 Gin, Hangar 1 Vodka, International Short Film Association, Joie de Vivre Hotel Group, Otis Lounge, Planet° Magazine, San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau, Splendora.com, Stella Artois beer, TIMBUK2, Cortez, Sparkie Brown "Hollywood", Universal Records and the Law Offices of Christopher Nunes.

The San Francisco Film Society embraces the art and innovation of the world's most imaginative storytellers, who use the moving image to educate, entertain and enrich the audiences of the world. The flagship program of the Film Society is the San Francisco International Film Festival, the first and longest-running film festival in the Americas, founded in 1957.

Since 1957 the San Francisco International Film Festival has brought the finest in world cinema to Bay Area audiences and played a leading role in enriching and expanding Northern California's film culture. The Festival sprung from and compliments the uniquely diverse and open-minded cultural climate of San Francisco, making it an exemplary milieu for the premieres of international films. In 2005 some 250 filmmakers, talent, producers, and industry representatives presented their work to 77,000 film fans, distributors and industry professionals; in all 185 films, including 47 world, international, North American and U.S. premieres, debuted to SFIFF audiences.

Guests who have recently attended the San Francisco International Film Festival include Abbas Kiarostami, Agnès Varda, Aidan Quinn, Alan Rudolph, Annette Bening, Arnaud Desplechin, Benjamin Bratt, Charlotte Rampling, Chris Cooper, Claire Denis, Clint Eastwood, Costa-Gavras, Courteney Cox, Cyd Charisse, Daniel Craig, Danny DeVito, Delroy Lindo, Dermot Mulroney, Dustin Hoffman, Esther Williams, Ethan Hawke, Faith Hubley, Fernando Birri, Francis Ford Coppola, Gary Ross, George Lucas, Hanif Kureishi, Helen Mirren, Jacques Rozier, Jeff Bridges, Jim Jarmusch, Joan Allen, Jon Else, Kenneth Anger, Kevin Spacey, Kim Ki-Duk, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Lily Tomlin, Lucrecia Martel, Manny Farber, Mario Van Peebles, Melvin Van Peebles, Metallica, Milos Forman, Miranda July, Morgan Spurlock, Paolo Cherchi Usai, Pat O'Neill, Patrice Chereau, Patricia Clarkson, Paul Haggis, Peter Coyote, Peter Sarsgaard, Rita Moreno, Robert Altman, Robin Williams, Robin Wright Penn, Roger Michell, Sally Potter, Saul Zaentz, Sean Penn, Stockard Channing, Susan Sontag, the Talking Heads, Taylor Hackford, The RZA, Todd Solondz, Tom Waits, Treat Williams, Warren Beatty, Wayne Wang, Winona Ryder, Zhang Yimou and numerous others.

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