Edward Norton, from left, director Olivia Wilde, and Seth Rogen attend the premiere of “The Invite” during the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 24, 2026, in Park City, Utah.
Chris Pizzello/Associated Press
Olivia Wilde brings her San Francisco-set film home to open the 69th San Francisco International Film Festival, kicking off programming that spotlights new work while also featuring retro fare that honors its nearly seven-decade history.
It all begins at the newly restored Castro Theatre with a double feature: “The Invite” and “Late Fame.”
Wilde will appear in person to present the former, a comedy-drama partially shot in San Francisco in which she directs and stars alongside Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton. It might be a new movie that earned buzz at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, but its two-couple sexcapades harks back to the days of “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice” (1969).
Article continues below this ad
Olivia Wilde, from left, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton appear in a scene from “The Invite,” directed Wilde.
The Invite/Associated Press
“San Francisco (is) an incredible community for filmmakers,” Wilde told the Chronicle at Sundance in January. “We had the best local crew, we had the most beautiful locations. … It’s the most beautiful city in America.”
69th San Francisco International Film Festival: April 24-May 4. $16-$19 for general admission programs; premium priced programs vary. At various venues in San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley. For a full schedule, tickets and more information, go to sffilm.org.
Her film will be preceded by “Late Fame,” Kent Jones’ movie about an aging poet (Willem Dafoe) whose decades-old work suddenly becomes chic among a group of artists that includes an actress (Greta Lee). Jones, a filmmaker known for his documentary collaborations with Martin Scorsese (“My Voyage to Italy”), is expected to attend with Lee (“Past Lives”).
San Francisco Chronicle Logo
Make us a Preferred Source to get more of our news when you search.
Add Preferred Source
SFFilm, which runs the oldest film festival in the Americas, revealed its full program Wednesday, April 1. The lineup includes 79 programs from 40 countries screening at venues in San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley from April 24-May 4.
Article continues below this ad
Greta Lee, left, and Willem Dafoe in Kent Jones’ “Late Fame,” about an aging poet whose decades-old work suddenly becomes suddenly popular among a group of artists.
Magnolia Pictures
Among the standouts is Stephen Curry’s Sundance prize-winning directorial debut “The Baddest Speechwriter of All,” a 29-minute short by the Golden State Warriors that profiles Cupertino resident Clarence B. Jones, Martin Luther King Jr.’s attorney, adviser and key speechwriter.
Berkeley resident Sara Dosa’s “Time and Water,” a visually sumptuous documentary that contrasts the relationship between the family of Icelandic science fiction writer Andri Snær Magnason and the now-disappearing glaciers that they have lived near for generations, is also on the bill.
Then there is Javid Soriano’s documentary “Figaro Up, Figaro Down,” which follows Juilliard-trained opera baritone Tim Blevins as he overcomes addiction and housing insecurity in San Francisco.
SFFilm Executive Director Anne Lai noted the 2026 program “embraces that spirit of optimism and curiosity.”
Article continues below this ad
“My greatest hope is that audiences not only choose what they already know they’ll enjoy, but also take a chance on something entirely new,” Lai said in a statement. “Filmmakers are audacious and excel at giving us what we didn’t even know we needed.”
Dr. Clarence B. Jones, Martin Luther King Jr.’s attorney, advisor and key speechwriter, is the subject of “The Baddest Speechwriter of All,” a short documentary co-directed by Stephen Curry and Ben Proudfoot.
Unanimous Media
Also new for the SFFilm will be the use of the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco’s newly restored, state-of-the-art Kanbar Hall. The venue will screen a slate of films that include “Tuner,” a thriller starring Dustin Hoffman that is the feature narrative debut of documentarian Daniel Roher (“The AI Doc: How I Became an Apocaloptimist”); and Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff’s documentary about tennis great and social activist Billie Jean King, “Give Me the Ball!”
In anticipation of next year’s 70th anniversary, SFFilm Director of Programming Jessie Fairbanks looks back at films that stood out at previous festivals, including Henri-Georges Clouzot’s “The Wages of Fear” (1953), Agnès Varda’s “Vagabond” (1985), Guillermo del Toro’s debut feature “Cronos” (1992) and Claire Denis’ “Beau Travail” (1999), which is a must-see on the big screen.
Article continues below this ad
The centerpiece film, Boots Riley’s “I Love Boosters” (April 28 at Oakland’s Grand Lake Theatre), and the closing night film, “Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back” with C3PO actor Anthony Daniels in person (May 4 at the Castro), were previously announced and have already sold out.
Tickets for the rest of the program are on sale beginning at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 1, for SFFilm members, and 10 a.m. Friday, April 3, for the general public at sffilm.org.