This year’s Syracuse International Film Festival is chock full of thematic, independent work, from short films to local and international ones that aren’t typically seen at local cinemas.
Now in its 14th season, the film festival is a viewer’s ticket to a plethora of ideas, locations and perspectives.
Festival highlights include an original score by composer Donald Sosin for the 1920 silent film “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” as well as a film by Giancarlo Esposito who is best known for his portrayal of “Gus” on AMC’s “Breaking Bad.”
Artistic Director Owen Shapiro says he wants people to see the variety of perspectives independent and international films explore.
“There are films being made that have a different point of view of filmmaking, different point of view on the world than what we typically see in our mall cinemas.”
The festival is also a homecoming for filmmakers who attended Syracuse University or lived in the Central New York area.
Ted Schaefer, an SU alum whose film “The Zeno Question” was selected for “New Directions in Short Form Film” says his film has many roots to Syracuse.
Based partly on writer Patrick Lawler’s own experiences, Schaefer says the film chronicles the struggles of a sophomore at Le Moyne College struggling to find his place.
“There’s just sort of a universality to Patrick’s writing and this story in particular. I think people in that age range in college often struggle with finding their identity.”
The festival also includes new filmmakers.
Cameron Hill, a graduate student at the Newhouse School, will have his film “Luddite” shown at the festival as part of the New Filmmakers showcase.
His film focuses on technology and the challenges it poses in having meaningful relationships.
“The main character is addicted to his phone and that prevents him from having this relationship with someone who he thinks he loves because he loves her through the social media online world and not the real world.”
Hill directed the movie while he was a student at Le Moyne College. He says he’s wanted to be a filmmaker since he was 13 and ultimately hopes to work as a cinematographer.
Hill says the festival allows other student filmmakers to see that it’s possible to have their films shown to wider audiences as well.
“People will watch it and say, ‘I can do that too’ so it gives them I think an encouragement and an uplifting feel that it’s possible to get into this industry.”
Shapiro hopes festival goers will enjoy films they wouldn’t normally see.
“We hope people will leave the theaters saying ‘gee that’s something I never thought I’d see before’ and it was exciting to see that I learned something and had fun.”
The festival runs from Wednesday, October 18 through Saturday, October 22 at the Palace Theater and in Shemin Auditorium in the Shaffer Art Building on the SU campus. Tickets can be purchased at the festival website. The festival is free with an ID for SU and Le Moyne college students.
The five-day festival is packed with screenings, events, and Q & As. Here’s a rundown of what to expect.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19TH
“The Show” The Palace Theater, 6:30 pm
Directed by “Breaking Bad” star Giancarlo Esposito, “The Show” provides a satirical look at the world of game shows. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Esposito.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
Silent Movie - Live Music: “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” The Palace Theater, 6:30 pm
Presented with live accompaniment to an original score by composer Donald Sosin, the first Friday screening at the festival presents audiences with one of the earliest and most influential films ever made. “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” which tells the story of a murder that features several surreal twists, was one of the biggest films in the German expressionist movement of the 1920s.
“Dabka,” The Palace Theater, 8:45 pm
Featuring an all-star cast, “Dabka” might make for a strangely modern companion to the almost hundred-year-old “Dr. Caligari,” but it tells a compelling story in its own right. Following an up-and-coming journalist (“X-Men’s” Evan Peters) as he moves to Somalia after an encounter with his idol (cinema history’s Al Pacino), the film is based on the true story of one journalist’s attempt to embed with Somali pirates.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21ST
Filmmakers Forum, Palace Theater, 10:00 am
A seminar featuring several directors from the festival alongside Jerry Stoefhaas, the deputy director of the New York State Governor’s Office of Motion Picture and Television Development, and Owen Shapiro, the co-founder of the festival. The discussion will focus on the state of independent filmmaking, financing, and distribution.
“Starless Dreams,” The Palace Theater, 1:00 pm
This Iranian documentary examines life inside of a juvenile detention center outside of Tehran. "Starless Dreams" tells the story of seven girls inside the facility, we learn how they came to be there, and how oppressed they are by the men in their lives.
“American Veteran,” Shemin Auditorium, Shaffer Art Building, 1:00 pm
Examining the cost of war on the soldiers who fight it, “American Veteran” is a documentary that follows Nick Mendes, a soldier who was injured in Afghanistan in 2011. Now paralyzed from the neck down, Nick has a resilience that make his struggles well worth watching. “American Veteran” shines a light on a new population of veterans, ones that probably wouldn’t have made it through America’s previous wars.
“Hotel Salvation,” The Palace Theater, 3:00 pm
A sensitive story about a father and son, “Hotel Salvation” has been well-reviewed since its initial release in India. The film follows Daya, a 77-year-old man who becomes convinced of his impending death after dreaming about it. Daya calls upon his son, and together the pair of them travel to a guesthouse designed for the dying.
David and Carol North Schmuckler New Filmmakers Showcase, Shemin Auditorium, Shaffer Art Building 3:00 pm
This slate of short films offers audiences a chance to view some of the best films from students at Syracuse University’s Visual and Performing Arts Department, as well a new film from Le Moyne College film students.
Dan Silver Program, The Palace Theater, 4:30 pm
A two-hour presentation from Dan Silver, an SU alum and active member of the Producer’s Guild of America. Currently, Silver is the VP in charge of platforms, content, and new media for Marvel Entertainment.
Doug Bilken: Imaging Disability in Film Showcase, 121 Shaffer Art Building, Shemin Auditorium, 5:00 pm
A series of short films focused on the struggles of disabled people around the world.
Sleight, The Palace Theater, 7:00 pm
Superheroes and street crime mix in Sleight, from J.D. Dillard and Alex Theurur. Following Bo, a street magician who is forced to care for his little sister after his parents die, Sleight defies genre conventions as it explores the kind of supernatural power that its central character really has.
New Directions in Short Film, 121 Shaffer Art Building, Shemin Auditorium, 7:00 pm
A slate of short films presented by the Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts and Paul and Georgina Roth.
Sylvio, The Palace Theater, 8:45 pm
Telling the surreal story of a small-town gorilla, Sylvio promises to be one of the festival’s stranger entries. https://vimeo.com/206486838">Sylvio is stuck in his job as a debt collector, but wants to break free and express himself. Ultimately, the film takes him on a wacky, weird, hilarious journey of self-discovery. Directed and starring SU alum Albert Birney, Sylvio is an expansion of a popular character created for Vine.
New Russian Experimental Films, 121 Shaffer Art Building, Shemin Auditorium, 9:00 pm
Three films of varying length that give an impression of what the Russian experimental films of today look and feel like.
Freak Talks About Sex, The Palace Theater, 10:45 pm
One of the older films playing at the festival, this 1999 film has a Syracuse angle that’s hard to ignore. Following Dave (Josh Hamilton), a Syracuse native who moved to Arizona only to return to Syracuse, Freak Talks About Sex explores a character in stasis, and interrogates the reasons for his inability to move forward in his life.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22ND
20 Years of Siobhan Fallon Hogan Program, The Palace Theater, 2:00 pm
A retrospective on the career of Siobhan Fallon, a Syracuse native and graduate of Le Moyne College. Fallon has appeared in episodes of “Saturday Night Live,” “Seinfeld,” “The Golden Girls,” and more. During this talk, she’ll reflect on her career in the industry thus far.
“Song of the Sea,” The Palace Theater, 4:00 pm
An Academy Award nominee for Best Animated Feature, “Song of the Sea” will close out the five day festival on a high note. The critically acclaimed film follows a brother and sister who fight to keep the world of magic from disappearing forever. With beautiful images and a magnificent story, the film is likely to delight audiences of all ages.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of tickets for this film and several others during the festival will be used to benefit Meals on Wheels.
