The San Francisco International Film Festival will be celebrating the cinema at the Castro Theatre, SFMOMA, SF Film Society Cinema, Sundance Kabuki Cinemas, and at Berkeley’s Pacific Film Archive.

Held for 15 days every spring for the last 55 years, the SF International is an phenomenal celebration of cinematic majesty in one of the most stunning cities in the country, showcasing 200 films and events, 14 juried awards, over 100 contributing filmmakers, with over $70,000 in cash prizes and over 70,000 guests are expected. Since this is a popular event with a high attendance rate, anyone planning on attending will want to book one of the cheap hotels in San Francisco sooner rather than later.

The festival opens with a world class cinematic event which includes an exciting celebration with special guests, food drinks, live entertainment and dancing. Guests can also stop by the Castro Theatre for an exclusive screening followed by going to an extravagant party to dine on hors díoeuvres from community restaurants, enjoy cocktails and more dancing.

Film Society Awards night is a star studded event commemorating this year’s acting, directing and screenwriting award recipients with a sophisticated black tie event with celebrity appearances as well as gourmet dining.

One of the most popular programs at the festival is the “Schools at the Festival” which is an outreach education program held every year that provides over 4,000 students between elementary and high school along with their teachers the opportunity to attend matinee festival screenings during the week. In addition, several filmmakers from all over the world, and local visit San Francisco area classrooms to discuss their work and socialise with students.