The historic Bay Area festival brings 11 days of global cinema, filmmaker conversations, and high-profile premieres to San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley.

By Gloria Hubbell Corena

Editor-in-Chief

The 69th San Francisco International Film Festival returns April 24 through May 4, bringing 11 days of acclaimed international cinema, filmmaker conversations, and special events to venues across the Bay Area.

Presented by SFFILM, the festival remains the longest-running film festival in the Americas and continues to serve as one of the region’s premier showcases for independent and international filmmaking. This year’s program features 79 screenings and events representing 40 countries, highlighting both emerging voices and established filmmakers from around the world.

Opening night will feature screenings of Olivia Wilde’s The Invite and Kent Jones’ Late Fame, setting the tone for a lineup that blends major names with boundary-pushing independent work. Other festival highlights include the West Coast premiere of Boots Riley’s I Love Boosters and a special closing-night presentation of Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back with actor Anthony Daniels in attendance.

Beyond screenings, the festival will host filmmaker talks, industry panels, educational programming, and community events designed to connect audiences more directly with the creative process behind the films. Those expanded offerings continue to position the festival as more than just a screening series, but as a larger celebration of film culture and artistic exchange.

Held across San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley, the festival transforms the Bay Area into a hub for film lovers each spring, drawing both local audiences and industry professionals for nearly two weeks of premieres, discussions, and cinematic discovery.

As the festival approaches its 70th anniversary, the 69th edition reflects the event’s continued evolution while maintaining its longstanding role as a cornerstone of Bay Area arts and culture