The film festival turns 25 tonight in La Jolla, and Viola Davis takes the Gregory Peck Award
The San Diego International Film Festival opens Tuesday at The Conrad with its Night of the Stars Tribute, then runs six days of premieres through Sunday, with films from 22 countries chosen from a record 3,500 submissions.
LA JOLLA: The San Diego International Film Festival opens its 25th anniversary edition tonight, Tuesday, at the Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, where its annual Night of the Stars Tribute will present the Gregory Peck Award for Cinematic Excellence to actress Viola Davis.
The award will be presented by Cecilia Peck, the filmmaker daughter of Gregory Peck. "It has always been our dream that Viola Davis would receive this award," she said in the festival's announcement. Previous recipients of the honor include Laurence Fishburne, Annette Bening, Adrien Brody, Patrick Stewart and Geena Davis.
The red carpet tribute kicks off six days of studio premieres, independent films and related events running through Sunday, Oct. 18. The opening night film follows tomorrow, Oct. 14, at THE LOT La Jolla: Jesse Eisenberg's "The Debut," starring Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti, Halle Bailey and Bernadette Peters and produced by Emma Stone, the festival said.
Ninety films, 22 countries, one record stack of submissions
This year's slate runs to about 90 films from 22 countries, including eight world premieres, selected from a record 3,500 submissions. Among the gala titles is Martin McDonagh's "Wild Horse Nine," starring John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Mariana Di Girolamo, Ailin Salas, Tom Waits and Parker Posey. Of the 90 selections, 61 are shorts competing across the festival's shorts tracks.
Festival chief executive and artistic director Tonya Mantooth said the lineup's films "showcase diverse voices and bold perspectives that inspire empathy and conversation," and noted that the milestone year also honors the heritage of the Kumeyaay people, on whose ancestral lands the festival gathers.
How the week ends
The festival closes on Sunday, Oct. 18, with Culinary Cinema, its long-running finale pairing a cuisine-themed film with dishes from San Diego chefs, hosted this year by Shawn Styles of CBS 8. Screenings and events through the week are spread across La Jolla venues and Westfield UTC, the festival said.
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