San Francisco Film Festival: Gillian Robespierre ‘s Comedy 'Landline' to Open Event

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Gillian Robespierre's sophomore feature “Landline” opens the 60th San Francisco International Film Festival at the Castro Theater, on Wednesday, April 5, at 7 p.m. Starring Jenny Slate, Edy Falco, John Turturro, and Jay Duplass, the film follows the story of one dysfunctional family that is beset by secrets, lies, and infidelity.

Slate, Robespierre and producer and co-writer Elisabeth Holm are expected to attend the event and participate in a post-screening Q&A.

"It is a very special moment for SFFILM to welcome back this talented group of filmmakers, whose debut 'Obvious Child' received a special grant from our artist development program," said SFFILM's Executive Director Noah Cowan. "Their new film 'Landline' builds significantly on the promise of that terrific first feature, yielding impressive wisdom and humor from the painful process of growing up and, sometimes, apart. We are especially grateful to be welcoming members of this impressive ensemble cast to San Francisco for the kickoff of our anniversary program at the beautiful Castro Theater."

Set to take center stage from April 5-19, the festival will screen a slate of 181 films, with 51 countries represented, 6 world premieres, and 57 women directors.

This year’s award recipients include Eleanor Coppola (George Gund III Craft of Cinema Award), Tom Luddy (Mel Novikoff award), and Lynn Hershman Leeson (Persistence of Vision award).

Special Tributes will be presented to Ethan Hawke (including a screening of his new film “Maudie”), James Ivory (with a 30th anniversary screening of “Maurice”), John Ridley (with an early look at his new Showtime series “Guerilla”) and Gordon Gund (profiled in the short documentary “The Illumination”).

Other festival highlights include a special screening of Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane,” featuring an unprecedented onstage conversation with William Randolph Hearst III (whose grandfather inspired the title character) and film historian David Thomson about the film’s legacy.

In addition, the 2017 festival will mark the launch of Creativity Summit where influential figures in the vanguard of art, film and tech will participate in in-depth discussions about how their work intersects. Pixar and Disney Animation Studio President Edwin Catmull will be on hand to kick off the inaugural event, presented by the San Francisco Film society, which has been rebranded as SFFILM.

For more information about the San Francisco International Film Festival, visit its website.

Top Photo Credit: Courtesy of Sundance Institute (Photo by Jojo Whilden)