3rd i’s 16th Annual San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival: Bollywood and Beyond (SFISAFF) launches at the New People and Castro Theaters in San Francisco from November 1st-4th, moving to Palo Alto two weeks later on November 17th. The five-day Festival will screen over a dozen programs of narrative and documentary features and shorts by independent filmmakers from South Asia and the South Asian Diaspora, including stories from India, Sri Lanka, Canada, and the USA. Staking claim to two-thirds of our program, women filmmakers dominate this year’s line-up, training their lens on issues ranging from homelessness and domestic violence, to comic book and real-life superheroes.

Premiering at the Toronto Film Festival last year, Rima Das’ VILLAGE ROCKSTARS (India, 2017) is a labor of love to Assam (where Das grew up), every frame brimming with affection. A feel-good indie favorite and India’s entry to the 2019 Oscars, it follows the feisty young Dhunu and her frolicking band of friends, who rock out to their styrofoam instruments and dream of becoming real musicians. When the village elders complain about Dhunu’s tomboyish ways, her mother stands up for her, in the film’s subtle yet radical feminist gesture. A part of our continuing focus on women in South Asian cinema, this not-to-be-missed offering is as visually stunning as it is delightful, and a perfect anti-dote to “poverty porn”.

Another stellar narrative is Rohena Gera’s SIR (2018), which premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. A nuanced and sensual film, it explores the forbidden attraction between Ratna, a maid, and her employer Ashwin, a wealthy Mumbai bachelor, with each character quietly yearning to break free from the narrow bounds of their class and gender-based expectations. Gera achieves a particular delicacy in her directing, combining an appealing, understated sweetness with an edge, and thwarting all expectations and stereotypes of a typical Indian love story.

Sarita Khurana and Smriti Mundhra similarly put women’s issues at the center of their doc A SUITABLE GIRL (India/USA, 2017). Winner of the prestigious Albert Maysles Award for Best New Documentary Director at the Tribeca International Film Festival in 2017, the doc is a rarely-seen portrait of India’s urban middle class. Following three young women, it documents their arranged marriage and matchmaking process in vérité over four years, and examines the many nuanced ways that these women negotiate social expectations with their own dreams.

This year, we explore the theme of healing, of confronting the fears that haunt our memories – personal and collective, and how important it is to dialogue, to meet and speak with the enemy, in order to find a way through. For Attiya Khan, this happens 20 years after her abusive relationship with her then boyfriend Steve. Working with Toronto-based filmmaker Lawrence Jackson, she invites Steve to have a conversation with her about that relationship, in the hopes of putting those ghosts to rest. A BETTER MAN (Canada, 2017) – which received rave reviews at HotDocs – is a brave and compassionate film, showing us how we can change the conversation on domestic abuse, especially when men take responsibility for their actions.

For Jude Ratnam, director of DEMONS IN PARADISE (Sri Lanka/France, 2017) this journey takes him back to northern Sri Lanka, from where he fled as a 5 year old. Released to critical acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival, Ratnam’s revealing documentary digs deep to unearth the traces of civil war hidden in the country’s psyche – reuniting with old friends, reliving past traumas, discovering the legacy of the Tamil Tigers, and leaving open the possibility of finding peace once again.

Local talent is showcased in our opening film, GOOD GUY BAD GUY (USA, 2017), by San Francisco based filmmaker Indu Krishnan. Deftly composed, smart, and socially-engaged, this doc chronicles five years in the tumultuous life of Zakhir, a gentle soul who lives on the streets of Bangalore (India’s Silicon Valley), with an ill-fitting murder-charge to his name. He feeds the monkeys and performs odd jobs by day, and drinks himself to sleep at night, to escape the violence of the streets. Following Zakhir’s filmi dreams, his court case, and the mad color of urban life in India, Indu reveals a hidden city that thrives on the margins of conspicuous consumption.

Harleen Singh (also from San Francisco) gathers together three comic book artists (SF-based Keith Knight and Eileen Alden, and NY-based Vishvajit Singh aka “Sikh Captain America”) to examine issues of diversity, representation, and racism, in her stereo-type busting doc about comic book superheroes, DRAWN TOGETHER: COMICS, DIVERSITY, AND STEREOTYPES (USA, 2017). The film will screen alongside Berkeley-based Rucha Chitnis’ short IN THE LAND OF MY ANCESTORS (USA, 2018) which celebrates the living legacy of Ohlone elder Ann Marie Sayers, and MACHER JHOL (India, 2017), Abhishek Verma’s animation that captures the trials and tribulations of coming out in India.

Documentaries abound in this year’s line up, including the mesmerizing  UP, DOWN & SIDEWAYS  (India, 2017) by Anushka Meenakshi and Iswar Srikumar. Hypnotic rhythms and complex polyphonic music reverberate through the hills of Nagaland in this portrait of an indigenous community and their remarkable musical traditions, set in the alluring northeast of India. The villagers of Phek sing Lis – “call and response” style work songs – as they labor over their rice paddies, echoing timeless themes of love and the land. Along with VILLAGE ROCKSTARS, this doc offers a mini-focus on the Northeast of India (which has come under recent scrutiny due to the current Indian government’s xenophobic attempts to restrict citizenship in the region), celebrating the bewildering diversity of the country and its many regions.

Vaishali Sinha’s ASK THE SEXPERT  (USA/India, 2017) provides a decidedly different kind of portrait, one rooted in the teeming metropolis of Bombay, where Dr. Mahinder Watsa works as a highly popular 93-year-old sex advice columnist for a daily newspaper in Mumbai. The conversations in this film revolve less around metaphorical love, but focus instead on its physical expressions. The coy, entertaining, and insightful Dr. Watsa addresses topics like masturbation, gender equality, and sexual pleasure in non-moralistic terms, making him a willing combatant against the conservative elements of Indian society. Sinha (whose previous films include Made in India) will skype in for a post-screening Q&A from New York City.

Sabiha Sumar (Dinner with the President) directly confronts the expanding specter of fundamentalism in both both India and Pakistan in her probing documentary AZMAISH: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE SUBCONTINENT (Pakistan, 2017). Traveling the two nations, Sumar and Indian actress Kalki Koechlin (Margarita with a Straw), witness radically changing political landscapes, their encounters giving rise to a personal and poetic search to uncover the voices of the silent majority, particularly those of women. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion, contextualizing the film in relation to the rise of political nationalism in the US today.

Bollywood comes two ways again this year. As always, we bring you Bollywood at the Castro – this time on Friday night, and not our typical Saturday – with BEFIKRE (India, 2016). An exuberant, fun, romantic comedy, directed by the legendary Aditya Chopra (DDLJ), this sexy film is set in the picturesque city of love — Paris. Bollywood’s hottest stars, Ranveer Singh and Vaani Kapoor, star as two commitment-phobic friends whose sparkling on-screen chemistry is enhanced with passionate kisses, rumpled bed sheets, musical showstoppers and a narrative that wonderfully stretches credulity and entertains at all times. SHALOM BOLLYWOOD: THE UNTOLD STORY OF INDIAN CINEMA (Australia, 2017), on the other hand, reveals the forgotten history of early Indian cinema, when Jewish stars reigned supreme on the desi screen. Ben-Moshe’s entertaining and eye-opening doc follows the stories of four nice Jewish girls who ruled the Indian screen for over four decades. What began with Ruby Myers – aka Sulochana, the first lady of Indian cinema in the 1920s – was cemented with Nadira, the quintessential vamp in the 1960s.

3rd i also offers a perfect post-Halloween treat featuring sumptuous cinematography this year, with TUMBBAD  (India/Sweden, 2018). This Tim Burton-esque light horror transcends its genre barriers, opening International Critics Week at this year’s Venice Film Festival. Sohum Shah’s and Anand Gandhi’s (Ship of Theseus) gothic fantasy spans India’s colonial past through independence and beyond, leading to a jaw-dropping denouement that is as spectacular as it is sobering. The Fantastic Fest describes it thus, “Mad creature-feature designs, Academy-worthy blends of color and pristine optical packaging… Tumbbad is a full genre package seasoned with a pungent foreign kick. A welcoming breed of horror that transcends barrier, creeds, and beliefs.”

Passes ($130) and Castro 2-for-1 tix ($11) are only available online. Tickets to individual films are $11/online and $13/at the door. More information about the festival, including expanded program, guest and ticketing information, is available on our website at: www.thirdi.org

San Francisco Transgender Film Festival was the first festival of its kind in North America. This landmark festival—which promotes transgender and gender-variant visibility, culture and community through its quality films—has been educating and engaging audiences for two decades. Recently, the San Francisco Bay Times sat down with San Francisco Transgender Film Festival (SFTFF) Artistic Director Shawna Virago, to discuss the upcoming 20^thAnniversary 2017 SFTFF, November 10–12 at the Roxie Theater.

ABS-CBN is proud to announce the complete lineup of the 2018 second edition of the Cinematografo International Film Festival. Events will return to San Francisco NOVEMBER 8 – 11 at the AMC Kabuki 8 in San Francisco’s Japantown.

Opening Night:  SIGNAL ROCK
San Francisco Bay Area Premiere

The second edition of the festival will kick off Renowned Filipino auteur Chito Roño’s SIGNAL ROCK, the official submission from The Philippines for Best Foreign Language Film at the upcoming Academy Awards®. The film tells the story of Intoy (Christian Bables) who is left to care for his parents when his sister moved out to work overseas. He calls the remote island of Biri his home, wherein the only way he could contact his sister and the outside world is by taking his cellular phone and going up the strange rock formation known as “signal rock”. Roño and Bables are expected to be in attendance for the U.S. premiere of the film.

Following the screening, guests will toast to the festival at the Opening Night Party at the Omni Hotel in Downtown San Francisco.

Centerpiece: THE DEBUT Turns 18!
Special Anniversary Edition

Cinematografo is proud to launch the 18th anniversary screening of THE DEBUT, the first known Filipino American feature drama produced in the U.S., as the Centerpiece presentation. Gene Cajayon’s seminal film tells the story of teenager Ben Mercado (Dante Basco) who rejects his Filipino heritage. His contentious relationship with his immigrant father Roland comes to a head at his sister Rose’s 18th birthday party. In the span of one night, he comes to terms with his identity, heritage and what being a Filipino-American is all about.

Director Gene Cajayon and the cast are expected to attend. Preceding the program is a bonus screening of THE LITTLE FILM THAT COULD, a short documentary shot in 2001 that tracked the life of THE DEBUT as it toured on-the-road around the U.S. The film was opening night presentation at both CAAMFest (known as SF International Asian American Film Festival) and Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 18 years ago. Both CAAM and Visual Communications (being honored this year in a tribute; please see below) are co-presenters of the return of THE DEBUT.

Closing Night: A LAND IMAGINED

Cinematografo, true to its theme, is breaking down its programming walls to expand its reach beyond the borders of the Philippines and the U.S. As the second edition of the festival comes to a close, Cinematografo will look to expand its borders with films from outside the Philippines and from emerging filmmakers from across the world. As such, the festival will close with A LAND IMAGINED, winner of the top prize at the 2018 Locarno International Film Festival. The Singaporean drama, examines the flight of migrant workers in a foreign land.

After a construction accident, a lonely worker from China goes missing at a Singapore land reclamation site. An insomniac police investigator tracks down the mystery of the missing migrant only to uncover more than he bargained for.

A LAND IMAGINED is preceded by the new documentary from New Zealand OBRERO by Norman Zafra.

Tribute to Visual Communications

As the Los Angeles-based media arts organization prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary in just over a year, Cinematografo is thrilled to honor VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS for its significant, lasting contributions to Filipino-American and Filipino culture and communities everywhere.

Visual Communications’ mission is to develop and support the voices of Asian American and Pacific Islander filmmakers and media artists who empower communities and challenge perspectives.  Founded in 1970 with the understanding that media and the arts are powerful forms of storytelling, Visual Communications creates cross cultural connections between peoples and generations. VC’s programming includes: the annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and year‐round screenings and exhibitions; the Armed With a Camera Fellowship for Emerging Media Artists; the Digital Histories media production and storytelling project for older adults; and C3: Conference for Creative Content. The organization is also home to the VC Vault, one of the largest photographic and moving image archives of Asian Pacific experiences in America.

Visual Communications amplifies the stories of AAPI communities, including championing Filipino and Filipino-American films and media.  In five decades, VC has produced classic works such as Linda Mabalot’s Manong (1978), Planting Roots (1984), Ugat Pilipino: Filipino Roots (1994).  Through its annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, VC has created a space to showcase films such as Lino Brocka’s Bayan Ko, Gene Cajayon’s THE DEBUT, Ramona Diaz’ Motherland, and recently, PJ Raval’s CALL HER GANDA.

This FREE PROGRAM honoring VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS includes a surprise SHORT FILM PROGRAM and HIGHLIGHTS of the media organization’s past five decades.

Cinematografo Originals
COMPLETED FILMS Special Programming
Feature and Short Film Co-Production Initiative
Presenting three feature films that were developed and co-produced through the inaugural initiative of Cinematografo Originals will be presented at this year’s 2018 festival:

BITTER MELON
H.P. Mendoza, 2018, USA, narrative

MIRADOR (Sneak Preview)
Loy Arcenas, 2018, USA, narrative

THE TRADE (Sneak Preview)
Francis dela Torre, 2018, USA, narrative

Cinematografo Originals
CURRENTLY IN PRODUCTION Special Presentations
(by invitation; not open to the public)

Feature and Short Film Co-Production Initiative
Cinematografo Originals is the festival’s initiative to discover, develop, nurture, co-finance, co-produce and showcase original films by emerging filmmakers.

Cinematografo Originals Pitch & Presentation Panel
Presenting new film projects currently in production, three co-produced by Cinematografo Originals; additional surprise projects will be announced at the beginning of the program during which industry and potential distributors will have an opportunity to discover new films coming down the pipeline.

Additional Panels & Conversations

New panels for 2018 include: impact that Filipino-American films and makers continue to have on the political and social landscape of the world — including discourse on women filmmakers of color, leadership, colonial and economic powers, climate change and ties between Asia-Pacific Island nations and cultures.

Forum Discussions
(open to the public FREE of charge, but ticket required)

Storytellers, Engagement, Global Impact
The screening of CALL HER GANDA will be followed immediately by a topical, dynamic PANEL DISCUSSION with its filmmakers (PJ Raval, Marty Syjuco), and joined in a conversation by the makers of other films that have recently ignited political and social storms: GIVE UP TOMORROW (Syjuco, Michael Collins) the Emmy-nominated 2011 film about the explosive trial of accused murderer Paco Larrañaga in the Philippines that has recently surged on several million social media circuits, creating renewed political interest in the case; DISINTEGRATION 93-96 (Miko Revereza), the cinematic, intimate visual essay about the filmmaker’s life as an ‘illegal alien’ observing his own personal disintegrating traditional family model. The filmmakers will shine some light on their recent Filipino and Filipino American films that have made considerable impact on the socio-economic and geopolitical landscapes of the world. Whose voices are shouted from rooftops – who listens, who takes action – and whose lives are impacted?

Panel: Rewriting (Her)Story
Join us for a conversation on women of color in film and how the industry has changed in the past year. We move past gender politics and listen to personal stories of women on the ground whose struggles, until recently, have largely gone unnoticed. Diane Paragas, Zorinah Juan, Jess dela Merced and other women filmmakers will share their their views, challenges and accomplishments.
Shorts Programs

The festival will present the following short programs that showcase a full, dynamic diverse range of stories from the Filipino diaspora around the world.

• FILIPINX: LGBT/Queer Shorts (Total Program 107 min.) Showcasing diverse, tender, painful stories within the Filipinx and Filipinx American communities around the world, these films provide intimate looks into Queer Filipino life and love at all stages.

• BY WAY OF AMERICA (Total Program 84 min.) Seven films from a variety of genres explore the daily lives of Filipino Americans and their personal experiences across evolving, modern, and often conflicted societies. Often hilarious, irreverent and occasionally heartbreaking, these gems hail from promising young storytellers, an emerging generation of Filipino-American talent not to be missed.

• FROM THE MOTHERLAND (Total Program 87 min.) A diverse cross section of resilience, strength, compassion set in the Philippines showcase the lives and struggles of Filipinos living in a country grappling with change. This collection of work gives a rich voice to filmmakers confronting these issues in ways both touching and meaningful.

Additional Highlights

YIELD, a stunning, new ethnographic documentary by Victor Tagaro, Toshihiko Uryu, Philippines and Japan co-production.

Mikhail Red’s neo-noir thriller NEOMANILA, set in the in underbelly of Manila along the backdrop of President Duterte’s war on drugs.

RESPETO, a politically charged hip-hop mashup, filled with dazzling musical scenes and astute social commentary.

CALL HER GANDA PJ Raval’s latest award-winning documentary that galvanzies a political uprising through the story of a trans-woman murdered by a U.S. Marine just beyond the walls of an American military base in The Philippines.

THE CLEANERS, Hans Block and Moritz Riesewieck riveting portrait of the anonymous men and women in Manila who scrub the internet of obscene content.

CHEDENG & APPLE by Fatrick Tabada, a sold out hit at Frameline42 LGBTQ Film Festival – about two elderly, wise, willful women who take control of their lives and go on a poignant, hilarious road trip.

Building on Cinematografo’s First Edition 2017

Its successful inaugural year exceeded organizers and public expectations, showcasing more than two dozen independent and international films, feature-length and short-subject docs and narratives from the U.S. and The Philippines, hosting more than 40 filmmaker and industry guests from N. America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region –  and turning the spotlight on Filipino-American filmmakers through its co-production initiative, Cinematografo Originals.

A dynamic model of original film content developed and produced as a ‘Cinematografo Original,’ H.P. Mendoza’s newest feature BITTER MELON was platformed at one of several industry-focused workshops, pitch sessions and work-in-progress previews during the festival’s first edition, and recently premiered at CAAMFest 2018, followed by OutFest in July. CInematografo 2018 is pleased to bring the film back to SF for an encore screening in this year’s edition.

Other highlights from the festival’s first year included the U.S. Premiere of Loy Arcenas’s grand musical ANG LARAWAN (The Portrait) and acclaimed documentary filmmaker Ramona Diaz being honored with a tribute and retrospective of her work including her latest award-winning doc MOTHERLAND.

A who’s who of Filipino, Filipino-American and Asian-American industry and filmmaker guests attended last year’s edition for screenings, industry panels, parties and pitch-presentations, and many are expected to return for the 2018 edition. They include: publicist and awards consultant David Magdael, Executive Director of Visual Communications Francis Cullado, producer and Sundance Film Festival programmer Ernesto Foronda, American Reframed series producer Carmen Vicencio, and film execs Malou Santos, Olivia Lamasan and Olivia de Jesus. Invited guests for 2018 include US and international filmmakers, industry tastemakers, distributors, film programmers and broadcasters.

About Cinematografo
The festival is named after ‘Cinematografo’ — the first movie theater in the Philippines, that opened in August of 1897. From this grand establishment was born a rich heritage of celebrating films and the venue introduced Filipinos to the custom of going to the movies. The new film festival in San Francisco aims to continue this tradition wherever Filipinos may be, and intends to draw in a wider audience of Asian American and independent cinephiles and movie lovers across the San Francisco Bay Area and internationally.

Cinematografo Originals
Delivering on its unique vision of ‘elevating talent’ to the international stage, the new banner was created to discover, develop, nurture, co-finance, co-produce and showcase original films in all genres. What started as a platform to discover Filipino-American filmmaking talent has now evolved into supporting all emerging filmmakers regardless of race, belief or ethnic background.

ABS-CBN International
ABS-CBN International was founded in the U.S. in April 1994. Based in Daly City, California (San Francisco Bay Area), its flagship product, The Filipino Channel (TFC), made it the first and most successful Filipino content distribution company in the U.S. The company offers original Filipino content on cable, satellite, online audio and video streaming, IPTV, On Demand, live events, theatricals, retail, money remittance and cargo services, along with philanthropic support for Filipinos and the communities they now call home.

For Publicity and Press Inquiries, please contact: Larsen Assoc. in San Francisco who is handling international, national and SF/Bay Area publicity and public relations.

DADDYHUNT: THE SERIAL is back with Season 3 continuing the saga of two men who connect on the social network Daddyhunt.  Season 2 of the Serial took on the issue of PrEP and Season 3 builds on that with an emphasis on STD testing and partner notification (telling sexual partners they may need to get tested).Premiering Oct. 24th, Season 3 of the series picks up where season 2 left off with the romance between the two men (BJ Gruber and Jim Newman) having grown closer and more intimate, but they also face some significant communication challenges. Additionally, Season 2’s Michael Snipe Jr. has a new love interest – but they too face some struggles from early on.The series is a partnership between Daddyhunt and Building Healthy Online Communities (BHOC), a public-private partnership between dating sites and apps and HIV and STD prevention organizations.Season 2, which won numerous awards including “Winner: Top Shorts Online Film Festival”, and the accompanying public service announcements have been viewed more than 5.7 million times since they were launched in April 2017. For the third season, Daddyhunt again partnered with Building Healthy Online Communities (BHOC), to weave in storylines relating to STD testing, and the challenge of telling partners that they might have inadvertently given them an STD.  Through six accompanying PSAs, the actors delve into these issues more, and encourage gay men to seek out information on getting tested, PrEP, maintaining an undetectable viral load, and advice on writing a good online profile. “We were thrilled to work with Daddyhunt again on Season 3 of the series,” said Dan Wohlfeiler, Director of BHOC.  “This partnership enabled us to go viral with a message about how our community confronts – and beats – viruses.” “We continue to be blown away by the reaction to the series,” said Casey Crawford, at Daddyhunt.  “It proves there remains a deep desire for stories about gay men that are true to real life.  And we were excited to work with BHOC to weave in topics that remain relevant to gay men today including the importance of routine testing, partner notification and fighting stigma online.”Daddyhunt: The Serial – Season 3 debuts on Oct 24th and can be viewed and shared on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Daddyhunt or on the Daddyhunt YouTube Channel.See below for Synopsis and “Origin Story” of the unique collaboration between Daddyhunt and BHOC.
DADDYHUNT: THE SERIAL Season 3 – Oct. 24th Check out Trailer

DADDYHUNT: THE SERIAL – SEASON 3 debuts on Oct. 24th and can be viewed and shared on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Daddyhunt or on the Daddyhunt YouTube Channel.

SEASON 3 SYNOPSIS:

DADDYHUNT: THE SERIAL Season 3 continues the saga of two men who connect on the social network Daddyhunt.  As Season 2 took on the issue of PrEP, Season 3 builds on that with an emphasis on STD testing and partner notification (telling sexual partners they may need to get tested)….3 months later.

The DADDY and BOY’s happy romance is tested when a past love brings to the surface some insecurities and doubts that have profound consequences on the couple.

Meanwhile, the BFF meets his romantic match in a self-depreciating dork, but things take a turn for the worse once his HIV status is discovered.

And the EX’s hopes of a reconciliation with the DADDY may be within reach, with a little help…

Two months later, all their lives converge and each needs to decide whether to let history hold them back or to take a second chance on love.

BHOC’S PARTNERSHIP WITH DADDYHUNT: ORIGIN STORY 

Dan Wohlfeiler, Director of Building Healthy Online Communities, points to an early lesson in public health as a spark that led to working with dating site owners. “A friend told me, ‘You all in HIV and STD prevention are trying to do the hardest thing in the world – changing people’s behavior. We in injury prevention put banks in the curves of freeways to make sure no one gets hurt.’ This became the mission of BHOC: to look for the banked curves for HIV and STD prevention along the information highway – especially dating and hook up sites.”

Wohlfeiler had been talking to a number of app owners about the different ways they could work together to support their users’ health. Some of those strategies are just like those banked curves on freeways. For example, BHOC encouraged them to make their profile options much more specific than they used to be. Years ago, most dating site profiles just had one box to check: “safe sex” – yes or no. Now, thanks to all the advances in prevention, there are many more options. There are still condoms. There’s PrEP. There’s reaching and maintaining an undetectable viral load, so one can’t transmit the virus to anyone else. Now, nearly all the apps offer all those options.

BHOC also worked with apps to promote regular HIV and STD testing through reminders. BHOC does a lot of research with users and public health experts to find out which strategies will be the most acceptable to users and what will have the greatest impact. And of course, BHOC also works closely with owners to find out which strategies they’ll support.

Wohlfeiler had been talking for some time with Carl Sandler, the CEO of Daddyhunt, about how Daddyhunt could incorporate these strategies. “He sent me the first season of the DADDYHUNT: THE SERIAL, and I was hooked,” shares Wohlfeiler. “It had incredibly talented actors, terrific production values and a really compelling script. We started talking about how we could do a second series with a story line about some of the big issues that gay men are facing when it comes to HIV…PrEP or condoms? Or both?”

“I’d previously met Dan Wohlfeiler at an AIDS Conference,” said Carl Sandler, CEO and Co- Founder of Daddyhunt. “After watching the first season of the DADDYHUNT: THE SERIAL, Dan contacted me and asked if there was a way we could work together on a Season 2 of the Serial and maybe include a public health component to the storyline. I immediately thought that this was a great idea because we want to educate our users about condoms, PrEP, the importance of routine testing and other safe sex practices. By working together with BHOC, we have managed to reach not only Daddyhunt users but millions of viewers, entertaining and educating them about these important topics.”

Wohlfeiler adds, “It was a challenge to write it in such a way that it raised all the issues and gave enough information without turning into something that feels like a sex ed class.  Though wouldn’t it be nice if sex ed did deal with condoms and PrEP?  We wanted to get just enough information in there to raise the issues and make it clear that there are a lot of options – and that the important thing is to have a sexual health strategy. Since we had all these great actors in one place, we filmed five PSAs that had much more specific information. Some are about very specific issues. It’s safe to say that the one called, ever- so-poetically, “Butt and Throat,” is the first one to tell viewers that they need to get checked for STDs wherever they might have been exposed. Other PSAs in the series aim at helping people make the choice that’s right for them about PrEP, condoms, and being undetectable.”

As of now, DADDYHUNT: THE SERIAL Seasons 1 & 2 have cumulatively received an incredible 5.7 million views. Season 2 won numerous awards including “Winner: Top Shorts Online Film Festival.” The positive feedback online has confirmed that gay men are hungry for this kind of show and information.

“When BHOC and Daddyhunt started talking about doing a Season 3 of the Daddyhunt Serial, we realized immediately that we needed to reach more minorities to promote our safer sex practice message. We are seeing an attack on HIV-testing and fund cuts (thereof) in the Southern U.S. under the current administration,” explains Casey Crawford, Daddyhunt’s GM and Executive Producer. “As a gay black man, having been raised in the South, and working for Daddyhunt, I feel like I’m in a position to change that via our public- private partnerships with organizations such as BHOC. The stigma faced by men of color causes some to forgo testing and treatment, and we’re hoping to change that via the Serial and PSAs. Being HIV-positive isn’t a death sentence. Avoiding any type of HIV and STI testing or treatment is counterproductive. Get-tested. And if needed, get treatment.”

The team then decided to create the Season 3 with two goals. The first was to have a much more diverse cast, since HIV disproportionately affects African-American men. The second was to go deeper into other important issues that so many gay men face, such as what it means to have an undetectable viral load, and how to tell a partner that you may have inadvertently exposed them to an STD.  They also filmed a new set of PSAs, on these same themes, as well as some different ones. There’s one on writing a profile that helps you make informed decisions about your own health and the importance of keeping it friendly rather than the kind of “no femmes, no fats” language that so many people use.

STDs are going up – they’re at their highest level in decades. And HIV is far from being over. As many are looking for the reason why, a lot of people point fingers at the dating apps. Wohlfeiler states, “What this project has shown is that apps also are ready, willing, and dedicate resources to helping prevent new HIV and STD infections. It’s been the most gratifying part of my career – to build those partnerships that result in lasting change and also deliver important information to people in a way that they can hear it.”

ABOUT BUILDING HEALTHY ONLINE COMMUNITIES (BHOC)

Building Healthy Online Communities is a public-private partnership between dating sites and apps and HIV and STD prevention organizations including the National Coalition of STD Directors, NASTAD, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Project Inform, and AIDS United.

ABOUT DADDYHUNT

Responding to a surge in those who subscribe to the Daddy label, the Daddyhunt app and website has become one of the largest and fastest growing social networks for men seeking a more authentic approach to meeting guys. On Daddyhunt, members never need to lie about their age — or anything else — just to meet other men.  Daddyhunt celebrates older men and their admirers.

The San Francisco Greek Film Festival celebrates its 15th year presenting 24 feature-length films and shorts by Greek and Cypriot filmmakers from around the world. From October 12-20, 2018, screenings run nightly at 7 p.m. at venues around San Francisco. All movies will have English subtitles. Manoussos Manoussakis, one of Greece’s preeminent filmmakers, will serve as this year’s artist-in-residence, facilitating Q&As, giving lectures, and providing context for the films throughout the week. The San Francisco Greek Film Festival is the longest-running film festival in the United States to feature contemporary Greek and Cypriot cinema.

Opening night will take place at Lucasfilm’s Premier Theater at the Letterman Digital Arts Center in the Presidio on Friday, Oct. 12. The evening includes a screening of THE LAST NOTE by Greek film master Pantelis Voulgaris about the execution of Greek resistance fighters during the Nazi occupation of WWII.

Closing night on Saturday, Oct. 20 at Dolby Cinema, the festival is pleased to present the first-ever Spyros P. Skouras Lifetime Achievement Award to Paramount CEO Jim Gianopulos. The award was created and sponsored by Tom Skouras, festival Advisory Board member and nephew of the late Skouras, to honor outstanding film industry professionals of Greek descent. The award’s namesake, Spyros Skouras, was a giant in the movie industry, an international cultural ambassador, and a humanitarian. At the helm of Twentieth Century Fox (1942-1962), he introduced widescreen movies with the CinemaScope lens, reinvigorating the movie-going experience in the advent of television. He also led the Greek War Relief Association during WWII, lifting a British naval blockade so that food and medicine could make it to a starving, war-torn nation. Skouras is considered one of the most prominent Americans of Greek descent.

SUMMARY OF EVENTS

Friday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. // Premier Theater, Lucasfilm, Letterman Digital Arts Center, Presidio // 1 Letterman Drive, San Francisco // Opening night and screening of THE LAST NOTE.

Oct. 13-19 at 7 p.m. // Delancey Street Screening Room // 600 Embarcadero Street, San Francisco // Nightly film screenings by Greek and Cypriot directors. Each evening features two shorts and one feature-length film. Special guests will include filmmakers, cast and crew from several of the films. Full schedule below.

Saturday, Oct. 20 at 5:30 p.m. // Dolby Cinema at 1275 Market // Dolby Laboratories, 1275 Market Street, San Francisco // Closing night reception in the atrium. The Spyros P. Skouras Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Jim Gianopulos. Screening of Polyxeni, to follow at 7 p.m. with director Dora Masklavanou expected to be in attendance to conduct a Q&A.

BONUS: Sunday, Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. // Delancey Street Screening Room // 600 Embarcadero Street, San Francisco // Back by popular demand, the festival presents a special screening of Cloudy Sunday, a tale of two star-crossed lovers against the backdrop of German-occupied Thessaloniki. Director Manoussos Manoussakis is expected to attend this screening.

Tickets are available at grfilm.com and at the door. Single tickets are $15-40; weekly passes $150; $10 student tickets available on select nights with valid ID.

The San Francisco Greek Film Festival is a program of the Modern Greek Studies Foundation and proceeds benefit the educational initiatives and cultural presentations of the Foundation. The SFGFF is the longest-running film festival in the U.S. showcasing contemporary Greek and Cypriot films. The festival’s Advisory Board includes a roster of leading film industry pros including: Mario Diaz, Sid Ganis, Christina Kounelias, Peter Poulos, Tom Skouras and Todd Traina.

Screeners of all films can be made available upon request. Film festival directors and artist-in-residence Manoussos Manoussakis are available for interview. To attend a screening or to request an interview or screener, please contact Ellie Falaris Ganelin at 415-610-4717 or press@grfilm.com. Press packet can be downloaded here

* SCHEDULE *

Friday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. // Opening Night at Premier Theater, Lucasfilm, Letterman Digital Arts Center // 1 Letterman Drive, San Francisco // Tickets: $20

THE LAST NOTE
Greece, 2017, 117 min
Directed by Pantelis Voulgaris

Four years after the success of award-winning Little England (Μικρά Αγγλία), director Pantelis Voulgaris returns to the big screen with The Last Note. In his new film, Voulgaris deals with one of the most important chapters of modern Greek history: the execution of 200 Greek resistance fighters by the German occupiers on May 1st, 1944 in Kaisariani, as reprisal for the Greek Resistance ambush against the Nazis.

* 2018 Hellenic Film Academy – Iris Award for Makeup, Sound, Costumes, Best Actor

Saturday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. // Delancey Street Screening Room // 600 Embarcadero Street, San Francisco // Tickets: $15, Student tickets: $10

ARIA
Cyprus, 2017, 13min35
Directed by Myrsini Aristidou

Athens, today. Seventeen-year-old Aria, who is working at Jimmy’s local kebab place is waiting for a driving lesson with her father. When he finally arrives, it is not to go for a drive. Instead, he entrusts in her the care of a young Chinese immigrant who speaks neither Greek nor English.

* 2018 Sundance Film Festival
* 2017 Venice International Film Festival

REARRANGEMENT 
Cyprus, 2018, 8min55
Directed by Emilios Avraam

When Leonidas pursues a home renovation contract from wealthy homeowner Martha, he quickly comes to find that his potential new client is very insistent that everything must be done her way.

Producer Ioannis Hansen is expected to attend this screening.

DJAM 
France, 2017, 1h37
Directed by Tony Gatlif

Djam, a young Greek woman, is sent to Istanbul by her uncle Kakourgos, a former sailor and passionate fan of Rebetiko, on a mission to find a rare engine part for their boat. There she meets 19-year-old Avril, who came from France to volunteer with refugees, ran out of money, and knows no one in Turkey. Generous, sassy, unpredictable and free, Djam takes Avril under her wing on the way to Mytilene — a journey full of music, new encounters, friendship and hope.

*2017 Cannes Film Festival

Sunday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. // Delancey Street Screening Room // 600 Embarcadero Street, San Francisco // Tickets: $15, Student tickets: $10

FREEZER
Greece, 2017, 16min15
Directed by Dimitris Nakos

Tassos, a man in his 50s with a career in the corporate world, has been unemployed for three years now. Too old for a new beginning, but also too young to retire. His closest relationships are being tested, and his psychological state is questionable. His number-one goal: to get out of the “freezer.”

*2017 Drama Short Film Festival – Silver Dionysus Award and Best Script

THE GROCERY STORE
Greece, 2017, 13min21
Directed by Michalis Mathioudakis

Achilles works at his father’s grocery store, still living with his parents. Today, a day just like any other, he has one more problem: he has the evil eye. Mrs. Voula will need Achilles’ help carrying the groceries. On the way to her kitchen, Achilles comes face-to-face with his two problems and will try to solve them both.

Actress Fotini Baxevani is expected to attend this screening.

DOLPHIN MAN
Greece, 2017, 1h22
Directed by Lefteris Charitos

DOLPHIN MAN tells the real-life story of Jacques Mayol, the greatest free-diver in recorded history, whose life became the inspiration for Luc Besson’s cult-movie Le Grand Bleu. The documentary draws us into Mayol’s world, capturing his compelling journey, while immersing viewers into the sensory and transformative experience of the sea. Mayol was the first diver to reach 100 meters below the sea, revolutionizing freediving and promoting an urgent vision of our need to reconnect with nature.

* 2018 Hellenic Film Academy – Iris Award for First Time Director, Best Documentary

Director of Photography Stelios Apostolopoulos is expected to attend this screening.

Monday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. // Delancey Street Screening Room // 600 Embarcadero Street, San Francisco // Tickets: $15, Student tickets: $10

BRAZUCA
Greece, 2017, 19min
Directed by Faidon Gkretsikos

During the World Cup, 11-year old Boyko will do anything to obtain “Brazuca,” the Official World Cup ball, to get out of always being the goalkeeper in matches with his friends.

* 2017 Drama Short Film Festival – Special Jury Mention

MUM, I’M BACK
Greece, 2017, 4min40
Directed by Dimitris Katsimiris

A woman returns after 40 years to the village of her birthplace. The cause is the death of her mother. She keeps an old photograph in her hands: a mother with her two sons. Arriving at the cemetery, she encounters the faces of all those she left behind.

ROSEMARIE 
Cyprus, 2017, 1h52
Directed by Adonis Florides

A burned-out soap opera writer, under pressure to deliver new episodes, turns his gaze upon his dysfunctional neighbors. Transforming their tragic everyday encounters into a lighthearted serial, he gets more than the inspiration he bargained for.

*2017 Thessaloniki International Film Festival – Greek Film Critics Association Award

Tuesday, Oct. 16 // Delancey Street Screening Room // 600 Embarcadero Street, San Francisco // Tickets: $15, Student tickets: $10

ANCHORWOMAN
Greece, 2018, 20min
Directed by Ioannis Monastiropoulos

An ambitious reporter follows a dark path towards success. Unbeknownst to her, this path leads her to a life-changing confrontation with her grandmother. As told through the eyes of these women who have served and nurtured the system, Anchorwoman explores the mass media system and how it affects our lives.

COWBOY
Greece, 2017, 23min16
Directed by Giannis Haritidis

In a few days, Minas is going to participate in a TV show called “Talent of the Year.” A TV crew follows him through his everyday life interviewing him and his closest people, until the big day of the show. Minas must win to fulfill his dream. What is his talent? He is a cowboy. In Athens.

* 2017 Athens International Film Festival – Best Male Actor in Short Film

THE BULLET WITHIN
Cyprus, 2018, 1h2
Directed by Petros Charalambous

A 35-year-old son buries his 27-year-old father. This true story about Andreas takes place the day before his wedding in today’s divided Cyprus. He struggles with the absence of his father, missing since the war — but his father might be closer than he thinks.

Wednesday, Oct. 17 // Delancey Street Screening Room // 600 Embarcadero Street, San Francisco // Tickets: $15, Student tickets: $10

THE AFTERLIFE 
Greece, 2017, 17min12
Directed by Christos Sagias

Michalis, unable to accept his wife’s loss, cooks every day and places two dishes on the table, trying to keep her memory alive. Despite efforts by his friend Vassilis, he remains locked in the house, only with his cooking routine. One day, life catches up with him in the most unexpected way.

* 2017 Drama Short Film Festival – Best Actor

PROFITEROLE
Greece, 2017, 12min
Directed by Chrysanthi Karfi Koi

A middle-class Greek family meets for the usual Sunday meal. Among various conversations about the food, the weather and everyday gossip, family members start behaving violently but nobody seems to notice.

* 2017 Drama Short Film Festival – Best Student Film

1968
Greece, 2018, 1h34
Directed by Tassos Boulmetis

April 4th, 1968. The Kallimarmaro Stadium is abuzz, with thousands of people gathered and millions listening through their radios. The AEK vs. SLAVIA of Prague basketball game has just begun. A girl in love is dreaming of her wedding day, while the future husband becomes more desperate with every Greek ball going through the hoop. An elderly husband and wife remember the home they left behind. A young communist prisoner cheers from his jail cell and a PROPO betting shop becomes the place where old and new wounds resurface. Years before this night, three Constantinopolitans decided to create an athletic union that will tell their story. At the end of this night, Greek history will have changed forever.

Thursday, Oct. 18 // Delancey Street Screening Room // 600 Embarcadero Street, San Francisco // Tickets: $15, Student tickets: $10

TUESDAY CROWD 
USA, 2017, 19min35
Directed by William Kioultzopoulos

Cole is a fry-cook at a greasy burger joint who finds himself stuck at work late into the night. Across town, Jim and his employee Billy finish wrapping up an under-the-table gig when their van is hijacked by a masked robber.

Director William Kioultzopoulos is expected to attend this screening.

CALLING
USA, 2017, 15min45
Directed by Artemis Anastasiadou

Valeria, a Mexican-American seamstress and mother of a mentally challenged man is sexually assaulted one night by her employer. The film explores the next few hours after the event and the struggles of Valeria to take care of her son till she makes the final call.

*2017 Austin Film Society Grant Recipient

XAMOU 
Greece, 2016, 1h27
Directed by Clio Fanouraki

When Johnny suddenly loses his job as a hotel manager amid Greece’s economic crisis, his response is to retreat into his own cave. Coaxed out by his wife and children, and carried away throughout Crete by circumstance and fellow travelers, Johnny finds himself in unfamiliar, unpredictable and often invigorating experiences, bringing him face to face with his own willpower and with all the things that surround us that we’ve stopped being able to see.

Friday, Oct. 19 // Delancey Street Screening Room // 600 Embarcadero Street, San Francisco // Tickets: $15, Student tickets: $10

OURANIA 
Greece, 2017, 16min
Directed by Despoina Kourti

Ourania is a middle-aged woman who has neglected herself. An unknown young man who suddenly appears in her life will help her rediscover her feminine nature.

* 2017 Drama Short Film Festival – Best Female Director, Actress in a Leading Role, Greek Film Center Award, Best Movie Award from the Greek Association of Film Critics.

Actress Fotini Baxevani is expected to attend this screening.

THE TICKET
Greece, 2017, 17min
Directed by Haris Stathopoulos

We follow the course of a public transportation ticket as it passes from hand to hand. Each person that holds the ticket carries his own story and set of problems: a tale of the Greek crisis.

* 2017 Drama Short Film Festival – Best Sound and Best Film by the Organization of Greek Cinema Clubs

JAMAICA
Greece, 2017, 1h35
Directed by Andreas Morfonios

A redemptive story full of humor and love for life, Akis and Timos are two siblings who were close during their childhood but ended up growing apart. They are the main heroes of a film that explains the sweeping power of life and the sibling love that overcomes all misunderstandings of the past.

Saturday, Oct. 20 // 5:30 p.m. Reception, 7 p.m. Screening // Dolby Cinema at 1275 Market // Dolby Laboratories, 1275 Market Street, San Francisco // Tickets: $40

Join us before the screening for a reception in the atrium. The festival is pleased to present the first-ever Spyros P. Skouras Lifetime Achievement Award to Paramount CEO Jim Gianopulos. The award was created to honor outstanding film industry professionals of Greek descent.

GOLDFISH
Greece, 2017, 14min21
Directed by Yorgos Angelopoulos

A young boy thinks his new goldfish is gay, much to the horror of his conservative father.

* 2017 Olympia International Film Festival – Best Short Film (Children’s Jury)

* 2018 BFI Flare

POLYXENI
Greece, 2017, 1h40
Directed by Dora Masklavanou

In 1955 a couple of prominent Greek Istanbulites adopt an orphan Greek girl from the town of their origin. They offer her a powerful family name and ensure her devotion. Twelve-year-old Polyxeni is separated from her younger brother. She embarks on a new life and a future that looks bright. She receives an education, comes of age and falls in love. She has a lust for life, while unsuspicious of the devious plan of annihilation that others are weaving behind her back, targeting her large inheritance.

* 2018 Hellenic Film Academy – Iris Award for Cinematography, Original Music, Best Actress, Supporting Actress

* 2017 Thessaloniki International Film Festival – Youth Award for Best Film

Director Dora Masklavanou is expected to attend this screening.

BONUS: Sunday, Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. // Delancey Street Screening Room // 600 Embarcadero Street, San Francisco // Tickets: $20

CLOUDY SUNDAY
Greece, 2015, 1h56
Directed by Manoussos Manoussakis

Back by popular demand, the festival presents a special screening of Cloudy Sunday. During the tumultuous 1943, against the backdrop of a German-occupied Thessaloniki, two star-crossed lovers struggle to surmount prejudice and fear, as the brutalities against the town’s persecuted Jewish community escalate.

* 2016 Hellenic Film Academy – Iris Award for Best Supporting Actress, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup

Director Manoussos Manoussakis is expected to attend this screening. Co-sponsored by the Jewish Studies Department at San Francisco State University.

WHAT: Five classic Stephen King films, featuring THE SHINING on Halloween.
WHEN: One film every Wednesday in October – Oct. 3-31 at 7 p.m.
WHERE: Reading Cinemas Rohnert Park
555 Rohnert Park Expressway West
Rohnert Park, California 94928
DETAILS: Reading Cinemas gets into the spirit of October with “Horror-Fest” —
showcasing a Stephen King film every Wednesday night including THE SHINING on Halloween. All tickets are $11.00, shows start at 7 p.m.
Tickets are available at the box office, or guests may conveniently reserve seats in
advance online, or download the Reading Cinemas app. For more information please visit ReadingCinemasUs.com, or follow us on Facebook @RohnertPark16,

HORROR-FEST SCHEDULE
Reading Cinemas Rohnert Park
Every Wednesday in October
CARRIE (1976)
OCTOBER 3 @ 7PM
A true classic from the teen horror genre, filmmaker Brian De Palma’s adaptation of Stephen King’s
first novel is a horrifying look at supernatural powers, high school cruelty, and teen angst. Sissy Spacek
stars as a shy teenager who is the butt of practical jokes at her small-town high school. Taunted by her
classmates, one of them takes pity on her and gets the class hunk to invite her to the senior prom.
Meanwhile, Carrie’s biggest bully is not as forgiving, and plans a trick to embarrass her in front of the
whole school. (98min, R)
MISERY (1990)
OCTOBER 10 @ 7PM
Rob Reiner’s thrilling adaptation of Stephen King’s horrifying novel follows the story of a famous
author who is rescued from a car crash by a fan of his novels. Under the terrifying care of his “number
one fan” (Kathy Bates), the author realizes that the care he is receiving is only the beginning of a
nightmare of captivity and abuse. (107min, R)
PET SEMATARY (1989)
OCTOBER 17 @ 7PM
Stephen King’s best-selling novel comes to life (and death) in the backyard of a young family’s home in
Maine that sits next door to a pet cemetery. This hauntingly mysterious story takes a tragic turn
digging up a family secret and resurrecting unthinkable evil. Experience this eerie masterpiece of
horror on the big screen…if you dare. (103min, R)
THE DEAD ZONE (1983)
OCTOBER 24 @ 7PM
Ranked as one of the best Stephen King Adaptations, THE DEAD ZONE follows a man who awakens
from a coma with newfound psychic abilities. Featuring stupendous acting from Christopher Walken,
this vividly directed psychological thriller suspends its audience on the edge of their seats. (93min, R)
THE SHINING (1980)
OCTOBER 31 @ 7PM
THE SHINING is Stanley Kubrick’s psychological horror masterpiece, a stylized classic, which continues
to influence the entire genre. Inspired by Stephen King’s bestselling novel, the film stars Jack Nicholson
in one of his most iconic roles – Jack Torrance, an aspiring writer and winter caretaker of the Overlook
Hotel. Kubrick’s signature visuals turn the cavernous, empty hotel into one of the most terrifying
settings of all time, while classic horror moments from REDRUM to “Heeeeere’s Johnny” to the creepy
twins continue to draw rabid fans to this enduring horror favorite. (144min, R)