S.D. Arts and Culture Newsletter: San Diego International Film Fest returns

Filmmakers from more than 25 countries are represented at the 23rd annual San Diego International Film Festival, which opens on Wednesday and runs through Oct. 20. That couldn’t be more gratifying for festival artistic director and CEO Tonya Mantooth.

“To be on the radar of independent filmmakers around the world is incredible,” she said. “They have hundreds and thousands of choices. To see them wanting to be included in our programming is a huge compliment.”

Following an opening night screening of “Conclave” starring Ralph Fiennes at the Museum of Photographic Arts at the San Diego Museum of Art (MOPA@SDMA) on Wednesday and a red carpet “Night of the Stars” at the Conrad in La Jolla, more than 100 films (features, documentaries, shorts) will be screened at AMC UTC 14, which Mantooth called “a hub or village where people can come and watch films and also get a festival experience,” one that includes a lounge and live music. “You’ve get to immerse yourself in a community,” she said of the festival’s mission.

But back to the films at this year’s event, a mixture of social-impact fare and features with familiar stars.

Among the former is “Into the Unknown,” a documentary chronicling the challenges and heroism of paramedics. Its premiere is a collaboration with the San Diego Rescue Fire Foundation, one of the festival’s presenting partners.

The features include “September 5” starring Peter Sarsgaard, about the ABC sports journalists who covered the hostage crisis at the 1972 Munich Olympics, and “Night Bitch,” in which Amy Adams seems to be turning into a dog. No kidding.

Here’s the complete SDIFF schedule: sdfilmfest.com/film-festival-2024.

Storytelling

Luis Valdez of El Teatro Campesino. BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Latino Legacy Foundation is presenting a Storytelling Festival on Sunday afternoon featuring a legend: Chicano playwright/actor/screenwriter Luis Valdez.

Valdez is not only the playwright behind “Zoot Suit” but the co-founder of the Chicano theater company El Teatro Campesino, a major influence on the Bay Area troupe Culture Clash. He also wrote and directed the 1987 bio-flick “La Bamba.”

The festival takes place at the Prado’s Ballroom in Balboa Park, with a reception and lunch followed by the storytellers program. You’re asked to RSVP in advance. https://latinolegacyfoundation.org/events/

Theater

Hip-hop and theater come together beginning next Thursday when SoulKiss Theater opens a two-week run (through Oct. 27) of “2 Rappers 2 Plays.” Kimberly King directs hip-hop artists Miki Vale’s “And We Danced” and Queen Kandi Cole’s “Game Night,” two one-acts that stemmed from SoulKiss’ partnership with the Old Globe’s Arts Engagement CoLab program.

Vale is San Diego-based, Cole from Los Angeles.

“2 Rappers 2 Plays” will be performed at The Chrysalis: Monarch Center for the Arts on Main Street. Tickets are $23.18 and up at soulkisstheater.org.

Cellist Paul Wiancko. (La Jolla Music Society)

Classical music

Another melding of artistic idioms is happening on Tuesday night at the Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park. From local presenter Art of Elan comes “Indigo,” a concert featuring cellists Xavier Foley and Paul Wiancko inspired by the Mingei’s exhibit “Blue Gold: The Art and Science of Indigo.”

Also on the program is Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera’s String Quartet No. 1 performed by Alex Greenbaum, Hanah Stuart, Wes Precourt and Art of Elan co-founder Kate Hatmaker. For tickets visit artofelan.org.

Richard Baird stars in North Coast Repertory Theatre’s “A View From the Bridge.” (Richard Baird)

Last chance

I’m an admirer, as are many others, of the plays of Arthur Miller. I’ve seen his “All My Sons” and “The Crucible” multiple times, and “Death of a Salesman” at least once. But until recently, I’d never attended a performance of his 1955 drama “A View from the Bridge.”

North Coast Rep gave me the chance a few weeks ago, and its production of this searing family tale has lingered with me ever since. Your chance to catch it ends on Sunday, when the theater’s “A View from the Bridge” closes in Solana Beach.

Don’t miss its stirring performances from Richard Baird as the emotionally embattled longshoreman Eddie Carbone, Frank Corrado as the play’s narrator, or Greek chorus, Alfieri, and Margot White as Eddie’s strong but desperate wife Beatrice. For tickets, visit northcoastrep.org.

Here’s Union-Tribune theater critic Pam Kragen’s review of this production: Theater review: North Coast Rep’s ‘View from the Bridge’ a timely tragedy.

U-T arts and entertainment stories you may have missed this week

Tom Deméré,, Curator of Paleontology at the San Diego Natural History Museum, inspects fossils at his desk at the Balboa Park museum, which turns 150 this month. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune) — Tom Deméré, Curator of Paleontology at the San Diego Natural History Museum, inspects fossils at his desk at the Balboa Park museum, which turns 150 this month. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

UCTV

University of California Television invites you to enjoy this special selection of programs from throughout the University of California. Descriptions courtesy of and text written by UCTV staff:

“Black Hollywood: ‘Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes’”

Director Sam Pollard sits down with moderator Wendy Eley Jackson to discuss his acclaimed documentary “Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes.” The film dives deep into the life of Max Roach, the trailblazing jazz drummer whose innovations redefined the genre and influenced generations of musicians. Pollard reflects on his long career in documentary filmmaking, offering insights into his storytelling process and the themes that have defined his work — from civil rights to arts and culture. The conversation also touches on his collaborations with Spike Lee, his exploration of diverse topics like dressage and graffiti, and how his films capture the complexities of American life and history through a powerful lens.

“Is the U-shaped Happiness Trajectory a Human Universal?”

Happiness is often described as being U-shaped over adulthood —starting high, declining to a midlife slump, then improving thereafter despite social losses and declines in health. Though some claim that this U-shape is a fundamental feature of human lives, happiness has mostly been studied in high-income countries. To provide a broader perspective, Michael Gurven, professor of anthropology at UC Santa Barbara, discusses age-profiles of subjective well-being among non-industrialized societies where people lack formal institutions that promote social welfare. Gurven says the average trajectory of happiness over adulthood differs among populations. Learn how these unique cultural contexts offer new perspectives on well-being, challenging the conventional understanding of happiness across different stages of life.

“Social Connection and Healthy Aging”

What impact does social connection have on healthy aging? In this talk, Colin Depp delves into the critical role of social connections in our well-being as we age, exploring the benefits of digital versus in-person interactions, how cultural differences shape social needs, and the potential health advantages of both deep and more casual connections. He discusses the challenges of loneliness, the effects of grief, and offers practical strategies to strengthen your social ties and foster meaningful relationships. With thought-provoking questions and an optimistic approach, Depp encourages viewers to reflect on how they can enhance social connections for healthier aging, sparking fresh perspectives on living well as part of a larger community.

And finally, top weekend events

A scene from the Carlsbad Strawberry Company's haunted corn maze. (Abby Hamblin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) — A scene from the Carlsbad Strawberry Company’s haunted corn maze. (Abby Hamblin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

The best things to do this weekend in San Diego: Oct. 11-13

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