Written by Chloe Dascoli
It’s the anxious feeling of waiting in a line that snakes past Leopold’s and curves around the corner onto Abercorn. It is the complete abandonment of all common sense to look both ways before darting into the street to capture a shot of that very important person working the red carpet. It is the smell of freshly popped corn kernels and warm butter. It is the eager anticipation for the film about to roll as the lights dim. It’s the Savannah Film Festival hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design.
The 19th annual festival is headlining downtown October 22-29. The week, made up of special presentations, gala screenings, signature series, documentaries, short films, student films, panels and workshops, holds something for everyone.
“Jackie” kicks off this year’s gala screenings (films with upcoming wide releases). Starring Natalie Portman, the film centers on Jackie Kennedy in the days following the death of her husband, John F. Kennedy. Other gala screenings include “La La Land” starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, “Arrival” starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner and “Bleed for This” starring Miles Teller – who will be receiving the Vanguard Award at the Tuesday night screening.
The signature series includes “Trespass Against Us” starring Michael Fassbender and Brendan Gleeson and “Paterson” starring Adam Driver. A Q&A with director, Thea Sherrick, producer, Alison Owen and actor, Sam Claflin, will follow a screening of the summer-released “Me Before You.”
As part of the Docs to Watch series, Scott Feinberg, columnist for The Hollywood Reporter, will moderate a discussion with the directors of ten documentaries. Andrew Rossi (“The First Monday in May”), Oscar nominee Kief Davidson (“The Ivory Game”), Oscar winner Roger Ross Williams (“Life, Animated”), and two-time Oscar winner Barbara Kopple (“Miss Sharon Jones”) are only a few of the directors who will be on the panel.
As always, a competition for student-made films will run throughout the week. Two blocks of short films (one for adults and one kid-friendly), each with two show times, feature work by students from SCAD, the Beijing Film Academy, the American Film Institute, UCLA and more.
Hollywood is returning to Savannah once again to film “Underground.” The show, which follows a group of slaves on their journey on the Underground Railroad, will have it’s season two premiere screening with cast and crew in attendance.
Other events include a SCAD alumni panel and the season three premiere screening of “Salem,” with star Shane West and co-creators/executive producers Brannon Braga and Adam Simon. Panels and lectures on writing, the business of film, music, IMAX and more are scheduled throughout the week.
View a full schedule of events and screenings at filmfest.scad.edu/schedule. Purchase tickets at the Savannah Box Office website or at the Trustees Theatre at 216 East Broughton Street. Be sure to have your SCAD ID for a student discount!
