Writer/director James Gray’s Armageddon Time will open the 2022 San Diego International Film Festival on October 19th and writer/director Sam Mendes’ Empire of Light has been selected as the festival’s closing night film. The 21st annual SDiFF’s lineup will also include the San Diego premiere of Taurus as well as screenings of Close, Good Night Oppy, and The Banshees of Inisherin.
This year’s festival will honor Taurus star Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly) with the Spotlight Award. Baker, who made his acting debut in the Showtime series Roadies, will be presented with the honor following a special Spotlight Screening of Taurus from writer/director Tim Sutton on October 23rd.
“This year, our slate has been curated from over 3000 film submissions from 82 countries with compelling Social Impact Films and Q&As including Refugee, Environmental Sustainability, Social Inequities, LGBTQAI+ Rights and other topics affecting our world and our communities. We have also broadened the scope of our examination of the issue of human trafficking. We as a festival and community have sought to shine a light on the issue of human trafficking for many years through our curation of films that highlight this heartbreaking topic. This year we continue the conversation with new films that examine stories of human trafficking,” stated Tonya Mantooth, CEO/Artistic Director of the San Diego International Film Festival.
The 21st Annual San Diego International Film Festival will take place in person – and virtually – from October 19, 2022 through October 23rd. For more details or to purchase passes, visit www.sdfilmfest.com.
2022 SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL LINE-UP
Narrative Competition (22)
American Murderer, Dir. Matthew Gentile, USA, San Diego Premiere
Armageddon Time, Dir. James Gray, USA & Brazil, West Coast Premiere
Baby Pyramid, Dir. Cecilie McNair, Denmark, North American Premiere
The Banshees of Inisherin, Dir. Martin McDonagh, Ireland, UK & USA, Southern California Premiere
BLACK SHEEP, Dir. Aleksander Pietrzak, Poland, San Diego Premiere
BLEECKER, Dir. Edith Hagigi, USA, World Premiere
CLOSE, Dir. Lukas Dhont, Belgium, San Diego Premiere
Dear Zoe, Dir. Gren Wells, USA, San Diego Premiere
Dotty & Soul, Dir. Adam Saunders, USA, World Premiere
Empire of Light, Dir. Sam Mendes, USA & UK, Southern California Premiere
Freedom’s Path, Dir. Brett Smith, USA, Southern California Premiere
In Her Name, Dir. Sarah Carter, USA, San Diego Premiere
It’s Spring…, Dir. Roman Musheghyan, Armenia, San Diego Premiere
JILL – LIFE WILL FIND YOU, Dir. Steven Michael Hayes, Switzerland, North American Premiere
Mending the Line, Dir. Joshua Caldwell, USA, West Coast Premiere
Pie in the Sky, Dir. Maria Gobetti, USA, San Diego Premiere
RED SHOES, Dir. Carlos Eichelmann Kaiser, Mexico & Italy, North American Premiere
Róise & Frank, Dir. Rachael Moriarty & Peter Murphy, Ireland, San Diego Premiere
Taurus, Dir. Tim Sutton, USA, West Coast Premiere
The Big Bend, Dir. Brett Wagner, USA, San Diego Premiere
The Justice of Bunny King, Dir. Gaysorn Thavat, New Zealand, San Diego Premiere
The Lost King, Dir. Stephen Frears, UK, Southern California Premiere
The Moon & Back, Dir. Leah Bleich, USA, San Diego Premiere
THE WIND & THE RECKONING, Dir. David L. Cunningham, USA, West Coast Premiere
The Woman in the White Car, Dir. Christine Ko, South Korea, North American Premiere
WHAT WE DO NEXT, Dir. Stephen Belber, USA, Southern California Premiere
Documentary Competition (13)
Be Our Guest, Dir. Diane Tsai, USA, West Coast Premiere
EXIT, Dir. Alison Jayne Wilson, Spain, West Coast Premiere
Good Night Oppy, Dir. Ryan White, USA, San Diego Premiere
Love, Charlie: The Rise and Fall of Chef Charlie Trotter, Dir. Rebecca Halpem, USA, Southern California Premiere
Lovely Jackson, Dir. Matt Waldeck, USA, San Diego Premiere
Of Medicine and Miracles, Dir. Ross Kauffman, USA, California Premiere
P.O.W.: Passing On Wisdom, Dir. Jess Atkinson, USA, West Coast Premiere
Retrograde, Dir. Matthew Heineman, USA, Afghanistan, California Premiere
Savage Waters, Dir. Mikey Corker, France, Southern California Premiere
SCREAM OF THE SOUL, Dir. Dominique Othenin-Girard, Switzerland, World Premiere
The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks, Dir. Yoruba Richen & Johanna Hamilton, USA, Southern California Premiere
The Yin & Yang of Gerry Lopez, Dir. Stacy Peralta, USA, San Diego Premiereb
With This Breath I Fly, Dir. Clementine Malpas & Sam French, USA, UK, Afghanistan, San Diego Premiere
Shorts Tracks Competition (77)
American Indian Stories:
• Diiyeghan naii Taii Tr’eedaa (We Will Walk the Trail of our Ancestors), Dir. Princess Daazhraii Johnson, USA, San Diego Premiere
• ᎤᏕᏲᏅ (What They’ve Been Taught), Dir. Brit Hensel, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Ma’s House, Dir. Jeremy Dennis, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Tecata, Dir. Mario Theodosio Gallegos, USA, San Diego Premiere
• We Are Our Totem: A Native American Tale, Mivon Prince-Leyva, Australia, World Premiere
Animation Filmmaking:
• 7LBS 8OZ, Dir. Yoo Lee, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Davey’s Lullaby, Dir. Adam Deyoe, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Friendship, Lin Tam, USA, Australia, San Diego Premiere
• Liv&Bell ” Bell’s long thin friend “, Dir. Natsuki Kida, Japan, West Coast Premiere
• Molly’s Light, Dir. Noah Pollack & Marius Markevicius, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Picchu, Dir. Amaru Zeas-Sigüenza, USA, World Premiere
• Put It Back, Dir. Diane Catsburrow Linnet, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Tehura, Dir. Wei Li, Canada, Tahiti, San Diego Premiere
• Weight, Dir. Jairus Williams, USA, San Diego Premiere
Docudrama:
• Battle of the Titans: 24 Hours of Spa, Dir. Gray Pham, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Eco-Hack!, Dir. Brett Marty & Josh Izenberg, USA, California Premiere
• For the Bees, Dir. Chloë Fitzmaurice, USA, Southern California Premiere
• Heart Valley, Dir. Christian Cargill, UK, West Coast Premiere
• Iron Sharpens Iron, Dir. John Gallen, USA, San Diego Premiere
• The Common Thread, Dir. Braden Dragomir, Canada, United States Premiere
Dramedy
• Cruise, Dir. Sam Rudykoff, Canada, San Diego Premiere
• Hatchback, Dir. Riley Sugars, Australia, North American Premiere
• Heiki on the Other Side, Dir. Katariina Aule, Estonia, North American Premiere
• Operation Carcajou, Dir. Nicolas Krief, Canada, West Coast Premiere
• The Chromakey Man, Dir. William Samaha, Belgium, World Premiere
FOCUS on Impact:
• MINK!, Dir. Ben Proudfoot, USA, San Diego Premiere
For Shorts & Giggles:
• Boomerang, Dir. Rylee Jean Ebsen, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Cherry, Dir. Kate Stanley Brennan, Ireland, San Diego Premiere
• In Sickness & in Health, Dir. Sarah Smick, USA, San Diego Premiere
• On Your Behalf, Dir. Ana Garcia Rico, UK, California Premiere
• Save The Bees, Dir. Charlie Schwan, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Sliced Bread, Dir. Oliver Clubb & Gulliver Moore, UK, United States Premiere
• The Hostage, Dir. Natalie Prisco, USA, San Diego Premiere
Global Consciousness:
• A Little Vacation, Dir. Eva Tavares, Canada, World Premiere
• AYSHA, Dir. Cengiz Akaygün, Germany, San Diego Premiere
• Choices, Dir. Erica Rose, USA, California Premiere
• Entering Pornland: Darren, Dir. Benjamin Nolot, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Find The Light, Dir. Abdullah Khan, UK, San Diego Premiere
• In The Shade of Rhinos, Dir. Antoine Janssens, Switzerland, World Premiere
• Kambana, Dir. Samuel Pastor, Spain, West Coast Premiere
Heart Strings:
• Canelones, Dir. Nicolas Mayer, Argentina, San Diego Premiere
• Her Majesty, Dir. Rebekah Fortune, UK, San Diego Premiere
• Shower Boys, Dir. Christian Zetterberg, Sweden, Southern California Premiere
• Spotless, Dir. Emma Branderhorst, Netherlands, United States Premiere
• the red suitcase, Dir. Cyrus Neshvad, Luxembourg, West Coast Premiere
• War of Colors, Dir. Emir Kumova, USA, San Diego Premiere
LGBTQIA+:
• DIVR, Dir. Zoey Martinson, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Gender Outlaw, a bodysurfing story, Dir. Peter Williams, USA, San Diego Premiere
• QUEER PARIVAAR, Dir. Shiva Raichandani, UK, San Diego Premiere
• Roads Not Taken, Dir. Kat Rohrer, Austria, World Premiere
• SWIM, Dir. Michael Gamarano Singleton, UK, West Coast Premiere
On Pins & Needles:
• A Nursery Rhyme, Dir. Luke McCain & Ryan Knight, USA, World Premiere
• BOWLHEAD, Dir. Thomas Simon, USA, France, San Diego Premiere
• Process, Dir. Patrick Gather, UK, World Premiere
• The Lone Wolf, Dir. Filipe Melo, Portugal, Southern California Premiere
• WHO? HOW? AND WHERE?, Dir. Victoria Garza, Mexico, San Diego Premiere
San Diego Scene:
• Convergence, Dir. Zechariah Thormodsgaard, USA, West Coast Premiere
• Don’t Do It, Dir. Patrick Guera, USA, World Premiere
• Moon, Dir. Noah Freeman Hecht, USA, California Premiere
• Sonder, Dir. Joey Szalkiewicz, USA, San Diego Premiere
• The Price of Air, Dir. Virginia Michel, USA, World Premiere
• Watch My Stuff, Dir. Tess Paras, USA, California Premiere
Short & Sweet:
• Booksmart, Dir. Côme Ferré, France, Southern California Premiere
• How to Avoid a Sappy Goodbye, Dir. Doug Rogers, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Minwoo and Rie, Dir. Jinrung Chun, South Korea, North American Premiere
• School Nights, Dir. John Killoran, USA, San Diego Premiere
• The Code of Family, Dir. Kayla Sun, USA, San Diego Premiere
• Yokelan, 66, Dir. TANG Yi, USA, San Diego Premiere
Student Showcase:
• Black Whole, Dir. Brett Alan Calkins, USA, California Premiere
• CHORUS, Dir. Daniel J. Egbert, USA, Southern California Premiere
• Places I Go, Dir. Shahar Katzenstein, Israel, World Premiere
• REQUIEM, Dir. Emma J. Gilbertson, UK, North American Premiere
• Thank You For Your Service, Dir. Nic Kuklinski, UK, World Premiere
When Worlds Collide:
• A Ghost Story, Dir. Melissa Bruning, US, San Diego Premiere
• A Pink Moon Comes, Dir. Yannick de Waal, The Netherlands, United States Premiere
• BRASIER, Dir. Emilie Mannering, Canada, West Coast Premiere
• FREE FALL, Dir. Emmanuel Tenenbaum, France, World Premiere
• Out Of This World, Dir. Elia Petridis, USA, San Diego Premiere
• When She Was Good, Dir. Emma Hanson, UK, San Diego Premiere
