San Diego International Film Festival, Loaded With Oscar Winners, Kicks Off At Balboa Park

By Editor, Times of San Diego

October 11, 2021

The San Diego International Film Festival, beginning Thursday, celebrates its 20th anniversary with films starring Oscar winners Olivia Colman and Joaquin Phoenix, and a screening aboard the USS Midway.

The hybrid festival, with in-person and virtual events and screenings, will take place in multiple locations, including the downtown Midway Museum, Museum of Photographic Arts and San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park and the Catamaran Resort on Mission Bay.

The festival runs through Oct. 24.

Last year’s festival fans got a chance to see future Oscar-winner Nomadland before its wide release. This year’s feature highlights include:

In addition, the Midway screening, on Oct. 23, features The Hornet’s Nest, a 2014 documentary about the long U.S. war in Afghanistan.

Patrons also can access more than 150 films On Demand in the festival’s “Virtual Village,” along with Q&As with filmmakers from around the world.

Tonya Mantooth, the festival’s CEO and artistic director, called the slate “one of the strongest film line-ups in our 20-year history.” She also noted changes in the industry, including more filmmakers who are female and/or people of color, and the increase in movies that examine social topics.

“We are thrilled to provide a platform to showcase that change,” Mantooth said.

The festival received more than 3,000 film submissions representing over 65 countries for the 2021 edition.

Full festival passes start at $159, while virtual passes are $49. Individual screenings cost $16.

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