Ten Day Celebration of Films Underway!

Who doesn't like going to the movies? The popcorn, the perfect panoromic picture, the rush of an enthusiastic crowd. Then of course there is the movie itself, unfurling before you on a silver screen with sights and sounds of wonder and intrigue.

If this is your scene, or even if you think it might be then check out the 16th Annual AT&T St. Louis  International Film Festival. Whether your tastes bend towards the mainstream or extend to a particular niche like animation, documentories or contemporary Thai film, the folks at Cinema St. Louis have programmed films for you.

This years festival is a sprawling feast of cinematic intoxication with 271 films, industry workshops, meet and greets, discussions and other programming that will reel you in.to the host venues, Tivoli Theater, Plaza Frontenac Theater, Pulitzer Foundation, Webster University, St. Louis Art Museum,  COCA (Center of Contemporary Arts) and Washington University (Steinberg Hall Auditorium).

Several special events are planned this year including an opening night screening of "The Honeydripper" with SLIFF Lifetime Achievement recipients John Sayles and Maggie Renzi, a  program on the work of Walt Disney by author and film critic Neal Gabler complete with a special program of seldom seen Disney shorts. "Water Films with Peter Greenaway," held in conjunction with the Pulitzer Foundation's "Water" exhibit, features SLIFF Lifetime Achievement recipient Greenaway screening and discussing a mix of his water related films including "Drowning by Numbers." 

There will also be screenings of two silent restored silent film clasics. On November 10th Teinosuke Kinugasa's 1928 expressionistically gorgeous "Crossroads" screens at the St. Louis Art Museum at 7p.m.with musical accompaniment by New Music Circle. At 7 p.m. on November 16^th The Art St. Louis Art Museum hosts a  restored presentation of John Ford's epic silent western masterpeice , "The Iron Horse" with musical accompaniment by organist Stan Kann.  

Because the art of cinema makes our world smaller and helps us understand the uniqueness of other cultures, 40 countries are represented with movies in this years festival. This diversity, combined with the large amount of films being screened makes it impossible for someone to not find something to be interested in.

Everything you possibly need to know about the 16th Annual AT&T St. Louis  International Film Festival is available through the Cinema St. Louis website. www.cinemastlouis.org

Rob Levy