13th Annual San Diego Film Festival Returns with Exciting Line Up of Events and Feature Films | Win 2 Festival Film Passes

September 18, 2014

The San Diego Film Festival, produced by the San Diego Film Foundation, returns for its 13th edition, taking place September 24-28, all over San Diego with an exciting line up of events, panels and special screenings of over 100 films. We have all the information on this year's festival and even a pair of passes (a $500 value!) for one of our readers - keep reading for all the details and be sure to enter our raffle.

“The San Diego Film Festival will celebrate the year’s best independent cinema from emerging and established filmmakers showcasing their latest works to some of Hollywood’s most buzz-worthy award season releases,” said Tonya Mantooth, Vice President and Director of Programming for San Diego Film Festival. “We’ve curated a wide selection of films that we hope movie lovers of all genres will enjoy.”

Leading the program are gala presentation screenings, which include Lynn Shelton’s Laggies starring Chloë Grace Moretz, Keira Knightley and Sam Rockwell, Philippe Falardeau’s The Good Lie starring Reese Witherspoon, Morten Tyldum’s The Imitation Game starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley, and Director Theodore Melfi's St. Vincent with the all-star cast of Naomi Watts, Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy.  

The festival kicks off on Sept. 24 with a screening of Wild starring Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern, followed by an Opening Night Party Hosted by Variety on the rooftop of the Andaz hotel. Enjoy a stunning view of the city featuring music, complimentary hors d'oeuvres, photo booth experience, and signature cocktails at the no-host bar. Get a glimpse of Hollywood at this star-studded gala!

Screen and stage actor Alan Arkin will receive the inaugural Gregory Peck Award at “Variety’s Night of the Stars: A Tribute” event, taking place on Thursday, September 25 at the Museum of Contemporary Arts in La Jolla. Established this year in collaboration with Peck’s daughter Cecelia Peck, the award is presented to an individual who has made a signification contribution to the world of filmmaking and whose work reflects the spirit of the late Gregory Peck. With a career spanning more than 45 years, and a filmography of over 70 titles, Arkin is a very respected artist and the San Diego Film Festival will pay homage to his career. This event will be followed by Q&A with film critic Jeffrey Lyons, and actors Michelle Monaghan, Allison Pill and Saginaw Grant will also be honored at the event.

Alan Arkin
In addition to being the host of the downtown Film Fest Music Lounge, the San Diego Film Festival’s annual Almost Famous Party will take place on Friday, September 26, at Tin Roof, the new music venue/bar-restaurant in the Gaslamp.

The San Diego Film Festival is proud to screen narrative, documentary and short films all in competition and vying for top honors. The Jury awards for the competition films will be presented at the Filmmaker Awards Show on Saturday, September 27. Interact with film lovers and filmmakers at the historic U.S. Grant Hotel and enjoy the awards ceremony, music, and custom cocktails at the no-host bar.

Film screenings will be held at the Reading Theater in Downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter and ArcLight Cinemas in La Jolla. The complete list of 2014 San Diego Film Festival titles are available online at sdfilmfest.com.

Numerous tickets options are being offered for this year's San Diego Film Festival, from single day passes to tickets for individual events. We're raffling off a pair of Festival Passes, which gets you into any screening or panel throughout the Festival, entry into the Opening Night film and After-Party, the Friday night “Almost Famous” party, as well as the Filmmaker Awards Show. Submit your email below to enter our contest.


To keep up to date with the San Diego Film Festival, visit sdfilmfest.com, "Like" on Facebook, "Follow" on Twitter, and join the conversation using the hashtag #SDFilmFest.