The San Francisco International Film Festival began its yearly run last night at the world famous Castro theatre, attracting film lovers from all over the Bay Area. The women wore gorgeous gowns and the men were equally stylish, commencing a two week feast of international cinema that always manages to impress.

Put on by the San Francisco Film Society, the festival is celebrating its 56th birthday with executive director Ted Hope steering the ship into what looks to be a landmark year of films and parties. Last night’s opening night premiere of “What Maisie Knew” brought Bay Area directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel back to the festival and the evening exceeded expectations.

Mr. Hope also took an opportunity before the show to announce another addition to the already packed schedule of festivities: Harrison Ford will be receiving this year’s highly coveted Peter J. Owens Award. Recent recipients include Robert Duvall, Robert Redford and Robin Williams, so he will definitely be in good company. This is in addition to other celebrity talks and awards during the festival with (among others) Steven Soderbergh, William Friedkin and Eric Roth, who will provide a barrage of non-stop entertainment.

Below is an alphabetized sampling of some of the best films the festival has to offer in its first week. This article would be way too long if we listed all the good stuff at once, so we’ll start with the first week and keep things fresh with another article down the line. All tickets to these and all shows can be bought online at www.sffs.org or in person at the Kabuki Cinemas, which also serves as the festival headquarters (1881 Post Street).

‘Afternoon Delight’

A depressed housewife (Kathryn Hahn) is at a crossroads in life and on an impulsive whim decides to take an emotionally scarred stripper (Juno Temple) under her wing. Josh Radnor from TV’s How I Met Your Mother plays her clueless husband. He’s fine in the role, but this film is really a two-hander between Hahn and Temple. Their chemistry together flows naturally and makes for one of the biggest surprises of the festival. (Pictured above)

‘The Artist and the Model’

Set in France during World War II, The Artist and the Model centers on a talented artist (Jean Rochefort) in the middle of a creative slump. Nothing seems to inspire him, not even the boost of his supportive wife, until a beautiful stranger fortuitously enters his life and agrees to be his muse. Even if by doing so she is mostly standing around naked. Fernando Trueba (Belle Epoque, Chico & Rita) directs with a visual flair that is playful and sentimental.

‘Ernest & Celestine’

Ernest & Celestine is the new film from Stephane Aubier and Vincent Patar who previously made the energetic animated comedy A Town Called Panic. This new collaboration is less silly and more heart-warming, centering on the adventures of a playful bear (Ernest) and a very curious mouse (Celestine). At first they make for a mismatched pair, but after their continued travels get them into all kinds of life experiences, things soon begin to change. Ernest & Celestine won last year’s Cesar Award for best animated film, and it’s also my pick for the best thing to see during the first half of the festival.

‘Google and the World Brain’

Conversations will be very lively at screenings of Google and the World Brain, a new documentary from filmmaker Ben Lewis. The film focuses on the controversial Google Book Scanning Project, which is either a valuable resource or a threat to our future, depending on where you stand. A lot of work has been put in by the tech giant to bring this contentious idea to life, and Lewis shines a very curious light at the center of it all.

‘The Kings of Summer’

Three teenage friends impulsively abandon their dull suburban lifestyle to create their own utopia deep in the woods, away from school, parents and other teenage worries. The film takes turns shifting between the “paradise” these boys have created for themselves and the mess they’ve left back home (they didn’t tell their frantic parents where they were going). Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts balances a delicate tone of comedy and loneliness in this Sundance standout.

The San Francisco International Film Festival runs from April 25-May 9. Tickets on sale at www.sffs.org or in person at the Kabuki Cinemas (1881 Post Street).

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