Features

Now in its 44th year, the San Francisco International Film Festival is among the oldest and more reputable festivals in the world, bringing new work from around the globe to the Bay Area and unearthing historic gems from the century of cinema. It’s fitting that the festival’s only screening venue outside of The City be Berkeley’s Pacific Film Archive, a world-renown institution for the preservation and progression of film. 

The festival has stretched itself in mapping out all the hills and valleys of world cinema, including American popular stars (Clint Eastwood and Stockard Channing will receive the Akira Kurosawa Award and the Peter J. Owens award, respectively), experimental artists (Kenneth Anger will receive the Persistence Of Vision Award), international masters (the SFIFF recognizes Iran as currently one of the world’s vital film communities by presenting a retrospective of the work of Iranian actor Behrouz Vossoughi) and a spread of documentaries, dramas, comedies, and romances as part of its 204 film catalog. 

And every year they toss in a couple of risqué films that would rattle the sensibilities of pristine audiences. Past festivals have entertained controversial, borderline sleazy fare such as the French “Ennui” (SFIFF 1999) and the Korean “Lies” (SFIFF 2000). This year the festival presents the sex/murder crime-spree film "Baise-moi," that has already been banned in France. 

The Pacific Film Archive has, however, built its reputation on a careful pursuit of aesthetic and cultural preservation and exhibition. The sex-and-violence titillation of “Baise-moi” will not be on view at the PFA; however, the films presented here will nonetheless entertain and delight while maintaining the PFA’s noble standards. 

Beginning the East Bay arm of SFIFF is a women-in-prison film “Stranger Inside” (April 20), a story of a young woman caught in the prison cycle who seeks out her mother, a "lifer" in a Federal penitentiary. The film eschews moralizing about crime and recidivism to focus on the relationships and betrayals in the inmate community.  

Also on April 20 will screen “The Big Animal,” a Polish film by Jerzy Stuhr, one of Krystof Keislowski’s actors in his “Decalogue” and “Trois Colours” films (screened last winter at the dearly departed UC Theater). Stuhr’s on-screen presence was marked by his sweet-tempered compassion and a clownish, elastic face -- qualities with which he imbues the fabric of "The Big Animal," written by Kyslowski 28 years ago and rediscovered after his death. 

Set in an indistinct Polish village at an ambiguous time, a camel wanders into the possession of low-key bank clerk named Sawicki (Stuhr). The slow, lopping gait of the animal matches the simple pursuits of Sawicki as he takes his pleasures in twilight walks around town, and playing clarinet. As the other villagers take offense at the exotic beast, the big animal becomes a large, lovable metaphor for human intolerance. 

Although “The Big Animal” is a must-see for Keislowski completists, it will appeal to general audiences for its easy grace, exploration of morality, and slow-simmer humor. Classic Japanese film buffs might be interested in “Dora-Heita,” a story of politics and samurai written in collaboration with Akira Kurosawa. The tale of a samurai magistrate’s efforts to clean up social corruption through debauchery is given a light and buoyant direction by Kon Ichawa. 

Fans of another master of international cinema – Portuguese Manoel de Oliveira – will appreciate “Word and Utopia” (April 21), de Oliveira’s new film about a 17th century Jesuit priest with the gift of gab. 

“Word and Utopia” is based entirely on the sermons, court debates, and general proselytizing of Father Antonio Vieira, a missionary in Brazil fighting against the enslavement of Indians and blacks, who goes to Portugal to argue his way through King Joao IV’s courts. The rigidly austere structure of voiceovers and arguments and sermons – never does anyone say anything informally – would be insufferable were it not for deft articulations of language, and the high-brow zeal of political and religious conviction. 

The love of rhetoric is given a populist twist in “Main-Ocean Express” (April 28), a 1985 film by the little-known but significant director from the Nouvelle Vague era: Jacques Rozier. The plot, such as it is, falls away in the wake of the driving dialogues and the motley crew of characters. A Brazilian dancer rushes to catch a train in Paris, and her limited grasp of the French language leads her into an absurd range of chatty, eccentric people. 

They argue over the validation of a train ticket, propound unrealized ambitions to overthrow all the judges and train conductors in France, and extol romantic foibles as the story shifts its focus around the cast throughout a crazy weekend adventure. 

“Main-Ocean Express” is a part of a mini-retrospective of Rozier’s work, which includes “Orouet’s Way” (April 29) and his landmark 1962 film “Adieu Philippine” (April 22) the story of a young soldier-to-be and two talentless actresses sharing a vacation in Corsica. 

In 1962, “Adieu Philippine” was the shot in the arm the nascent, reactionary New Wave movement needed to propel the popularity of its young and vibrant cinema. It has been said that Rozier’s editing and sly humor out-Godarded Godard. 

“From a strictly narrative viewpoint, ‘Adieu’ was highly imaginative, even if the subject was rather silly," said UC Berkeley Professor Emeritus Bertrand Augst, via email, about Rozier. "There is no doubt that he has been seriously underrated." 

Tickets and descriptions of the 30 other film programs the PFA is offering as part of the 44th SFIFF can be found online at www.sfiff.org, or by calling 415.931.FILM. 

Peter Crimmins is the producer of “Film Close-Ups”on Berkeley’s KALX radio.