Cinequest festival unveils ambitious lineup
Cinequest, the jewel of the Silicon Valley cinema scene and one of the Bay Area’s largest film festivals, unveiled an impressive lineup of 229 films and 29 virtual reality experiences on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
“This year, in our 28th season — possibly more than any other Cinequest — our program truly exposes the vital connection between creativity and technology,” said Halfdan Hussey, CEO and co-founder of the festival, which runs from Feb. 27 through March 11 at venues in San Jose and Redwood City. “Not only in our outstanding virtual reality lineup, but the enablement and access that tech brings to the filmed arts.”
The guest list includes John Travolta, Andie MacDowell, Tatiana Maslany and comic book legend Stan Lee, all of whom will receive the festival’s Maverick Spirit Award. A past Maverick award winner, William H. Macy, is also expected to attend Cinequest with the opening night film, “Krystal,” which he directed. The comedy, about a sheltered young man who falls for a stripper, stars Rosario Dawson, Nick Robinson, Kathy Bates and Felicity Huffman (Macy’s wife).
The closing night film will be the documentary “Brothers in Arms,” in which the cast and crew of the Oscar-winning movie “Platoon” recount their adventures in the making of the film.
During the festival, there will be 74 world and 55 U.S. premieres, representing work from 44 countries. The lineup will feature the work of 90 women directors.
“The Cinequest Film & VR Festival is renowned for the exceptional quality and diversity of its program, but also the spirit of connection it cultivates,” said Kathleen Powell, Cinequest’s president and co-founder. “Over our 13-day festival, artists, writers, actors, technologists and, of course, our more than 100,000 attendees, have the opportunity to mix and mingle, discuss and debate, enjoy and celebrate cinema, and most importantly empower each other.”
Notable actors who will appear in Cinequest films include Marion Cotillard (“Ismael’s Ghosts”); Peter Fonda (“You Can’t Say No”); Jon Hamm (“Beirut”); Shia LeBeouf (“Borg McEnroe”); Melissa Leo (“The Ashram”); James McAvoy (“Submergence”); Michelle Pfeiffer (“Where Is Kyra?”); Rosamund Pike (“Beirut”); Hilary Swank (“What They Had”); and Stanley Tucci (“Submission”).
As usual, there will be plenty of films with Bay Area ties, including “Adios Amor,” an investigative documentary about the search for a long-forgotten migrant worker heroine; “From Baghdad to the Bay,” a documentary about an Iraqi gay man and former U.S. military translator who is struggling to rebuild his life in America; and “Pick of the Litter,” which follows a litter of puppies that are being groomed to become Guide Dogs for the Blind.
From March 1 to 4, Cinequest will showcase scores of virtual reality events, including numerous games and films, as part of its commitment to spotlight immersive entertainment.
The festival will also present its Media Legacy Award to author, screenwriter, journalist and innovator Ben Mankiewicz, who is a host on Turner Classic Movies.