Natalie Baszile Pivots from Author to Filmmaker with Documentary ‘Harvest’

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By Noma Faingold

In the documentary, “Harvest,” co-directors Natalie Baszile and her daughter, Hyacinth Parker, let the four Nelson brothers tell and show the story of family farm life in rural Louisiana, revealing all the complexities, struggles, tragedy, resilience and togetherness.

From a stunning view, high above the acres of corn, soy and cotton, the uniformed lines of growth look harmonious. At ground level, the reality isn’t so pristine. “Harvest” opens with the four brothers, who are devoted to farming and to each other, hindered by outdated, faulty machinery. Continue reading →

Afterdeath Communication? — “This Bright Light” Opens A Fascinating Dialogue About Possibilities

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An Interview with Director Alex Lexton

by Geneva Anderson                   (October 9, 2026)

Alexandra Lexton, Photo: In Her Image Photography

An interest in the bonds that tie us to one another eternally and in afterdeath communication drives Sebastopol director Alexandra Lexton’s fascinating docudrama, “This Bright Light,” which has its world premiere at the Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF49) on Saturday, October 10th.  Marking Lexton’s fourth film at MVFF, this mostly Bay Area-shot story traces the loving but turbulent sweep of Marin rhythmic gymnast Tamarin Luchessa’s life. Her Olympic dreams were crushed by the onset of increasingly debilitating health issues that plagued her for over two decades until her death at age 42.  Still, she managed to live life with extraordinary intensity.

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San Francisco Plays a Pivotal Role in Beth de Araújo’s Family Drama “Josephine”

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By Noma Faingold.  (October 1, 2026)

Picture Josephine, a sporty eight-year-old girl, without a care in the world, jogging in Golden Gate Park with her father at dawn. Being that it’s a familiar activity, she races ahead to show her athletic dad what she can do. Abruptly, she comes upon a man following a female jogger into a public restroom. The woman screams and frantically tries to get away, but he catches her and forces her to the ground.

Josephine instinctively hides behind a nearby tree and watches it all, a clumsy, violent sexual assault. Josephine, played by newcomer Mason Reeves, is transfixed. She is scared and doesn’t dare move. A variety of subtle expressions roll across her face. Her father, Damien, played by Channing Tatum, comes into view and interrupts the brutal act. After making sure his daughter is out of immediate danger, he chases after the assailant. Damien catches him with the help of police.

Yet Josephine will never be the same.

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‘Yo (Love is a Rebellious Bird)’ directors Anna Fitch and Banker White

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by Claire Wu

(May 18, 2026)

Created over the span of 16 years, “Yo (Love is a Rebellious Bird)” is a stunning patchwork of vérité footage, handmade dioramas and puppets, animation sequences and collages. This is not simply a film about grief, but rather a piece of ritual art that continuously meditates on all the highs and lows of Yo’s vibrant life and the integral role she played throughout the filmmaker’s lives as their dear friend.

Photo by Andy Mitchell

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It’s Time to Meet Michelle Satter, the Sundance Labs’ Resident Angel

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By Geneva Anderson        (April 29, 2026)

Film Schools like to feature the successful alumni who attended their programs. But none have guided so many to success as the Sundance Labs program where new filmmakers are mentored by established cinema artists under the sensitive yet firm direction of one person.

Robert Redford and Michelle Satter at the Director’s Lab (2011). Photo by Fred Hayes.  Courtesy of Sundance.

Michelle Satter, one of the world’s most important and influential champions of independent film is the recipient of SFFILM’s 2026 Mel Novikoff Award and will be honored on Thursday, April 30, at a special evening that includes Satter in conversation with award-winning Oakland filmmaker Peter Nicks, followed by a screening of Benh Zeitlin’s 2012 film “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” a wildly successful project supported by both Sundance Institute and SFFILM. Continue reading →

Filmmaker Andrés Gallegos Steps into the Light with ‘The Darkest Night’

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By Noma Faingold             (April 11, 2026)

Chilean-born filmmaker Andrés Gallegos chose San Francisco in 2014 to continue his education, earning an MFA in Cinema at San Francisco State University. He had visited prestigious film schools in New York and Los Angeles, but the Bay Area instantly felt like home. “I liked the program at State, but I fell in love with what was happening here,” he said. “The richness of the culture and the creative community made me want to stay.”

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24 minutes with “Berlin & Beyond’s” Sophoan Sorn

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An interview by Geneva Anderson.     (March 16, 2026)

Sophoan Sorn. Festival director of Berlin & Beyond at the Castro Theater which screens three German dramas on March 19.   Image: Sophoan Sorn

The Berlin & Beyond film festival (B&B) (March 19-23) will celebrate its 30th anniversary in style, with Opening Night at revamped Castro Theater on March 19.  The evening unfolds with Ido Fluk’s drama, “Köln 75,” the exhilarating back story to Keith Jarrett’s famously improvised 1975 piano concert, along with a special Opening Ceremony and tribute to actor Mala Emde, who stars in the film. Continue reading →

Gerald Peary, A RELUCTANT FILM CRITIC

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A sharp, funny, and deeply engaging memoir, A Reluctant Film Critic traces Gerald Peary’s unlikely journey from a bookish, movie-obsessed boy in small-town America to one of the country’s most distinctive critical voices. Told in vivid, fast-moving vignettes, it’s a story of curiosity, rebellion, and discovery—of a life spent both inside and outside the darkened cinema.  EatDrinkFilms is proud to present an excerpt from the fascinating interview by Bill Marx that concludes the book. Continue reading →

The Fairyland Journey

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By Noma Faingold. (updated October 10, 2025)

Andrew Durham had been reliably wearing several film industry production hats, but he had never much thought about directing a feature film until good friend Sofia Coppola presented the 2013 book, “Fairyland, a Memoir of My Father,” by Alysia Abbott to him.

Award-winning screenwriter/director Coppola had optioned the property and was a committed producer. She knew the unconventional father/daughter coming-of-age story, set in San Francisco, from the 1970s to the early 1990s, would resonate with Durham’s background, having grown up in the Bay Area during those tumultuous decades. Continue reading →

The Life of an Independent Film Producer

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By Noma Faingold  (June 13, 2025)

Prolific, award-winning independent film producer Marc Smolowitz has more than 60 credits in his three-decade career. He’s raised at least $30 million for projects in every genre. At any given time, he is the driving force behind 10 films in various stages of production, including at this very moment.

Photo by Noma Faingold

He doesn’t shy away from declaring why he’s had consistent success and longevity in the ever-changing indie film industry. “I’m fearless and relentless,” Smolowitz said. “I know how to do this job very, very well.”

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