Welcome to the 64th San Francisco International Film
Festival! We are delighted to emerge this spring with
our latest edition, as we collectively make our way
forward from a year of separation and introspection,
loss and adaptation. As I mark the start of my second
year as SFFILM’s Executive Director, but my very first
SFFILM Festival, I couldn’t be more thrilled to be here
with you. With feet firmly planted in 2021, we see
hoped-for connections within reach, possibilities
on the horizon, and so many exciting opportunities
coming into focus.
This year’s Festival was built with these hopes and
intentions in mind - to create the space for this moment
to bring everyone together. Through a more tailored
program, two simple access points of streaming and
the drive-in, and a wider funnel to bring audiences from
across the country together for the first time. In that
same spirit of the moment, this Festival’s program
echoes the year we experienced, the stories and
inspirations filmmakers drew upon pre- and during
COVID, and a glimpse into the future. With voices coming
from across the city, the country, and the world, this
year’s films bring that energy of personal storytelling
and perspective to you. These ten days will be a
journey together celebrating these original stories and
connecting with each other - both virtually and in person
- through a shared experience.
We also welcome a new addition to SFFILM with this
Festival – our new Director of Programming, Jessie
Fairbanks. In less than three months on the job, Jessie
hit the ground at a sprint and brought immeasurable
energy, focus, and appetite in leading our Programming
team to produce a beautiful line-up of films, events, and
talks. This is only one of the many reasons that the
2021 Festival is a special one. It reflects our transition
to a new Director of Programming, to a moment where
truly gathering in person may be possible, and to
embracing lessons we have learned from the past year
that will influence future festivals for years to come. I
hope you will welcome Jessie into our tremendous Bay
Area arts community.
Finally, I want to thank the entire SFFILM staff for the
beautiful spirit, innovation, and care that they brought
to every part of creating this Festival. With that in
mind, I encourage you to explore the program, find
something that sparks your curiosity, and emerge from
this Festival by discovering something new. We invite
you to make the most of these ten days dedicated to
the love of film.
On behalf of the SFFILM staff, it is my great pleasure
to introduce you to the 2021 SFFILM Festival program.
Enjoy!
Anne Lai
Executive Director, SFFILM
