Film Talks
Film education for the movie-curious to the true cinema fanatics
Many of the films we screen at SIFF start a conversation, inspire an action, or pose a question. Our two-hour Film Talks span the world of cinema with expert instructors, covering everything from South Korean Cinema to the Safdie brothers' Uncut Gems and more. Want to dig even deeper into the films you love? Try one of our shot-by-shot Cinema Dissection events.
Film Talk - Music/Video: The Magic of Michel Gondry
September 18, 2024
Join local filmmaker Jeremy Cropf for an immersive exploration of Michel Gondry's inventive music videos. Discover how Gondry’s imaginative visuals for artists like Björk, Beck, and The White Stripes influenced an entire generation of filmmakers and paved the way for his own unique cinematic work.
Cinema Dissection
Over six hours, an expert facilitator will share the stage with audience observations as they work scene-by-scene through a great film.
Cinema Dissection: American Graffiti
September 14, 2024
Produced by Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas’s nostalgic coming-of-age drama American Graffiti established him as a major filmmaker within the Hollywood system. Join facilitator and SIFF Programmer Dan Doody for a shot-by-shot examination of this blockbuster hit.
Cinema Dissection: The Blair Witch Project
October 19, 2024
Explore the impact of the 1999 cult classic, The Blair Witch Project, with local filmmaker Jeremy Cropf. Analyze its groundbreaking approach to found footage horror and its revolutionary role in film marketing.
Cinema Dissection: Halloween
October 26, 2024
Join facilitator and SIFF Programmer Dan Doody for a scene-by-scene—or should that be a slash-by-slash—breakdown of John Carpenter’s Halloween, which firmly established the slasher film as a popular and lucrative sub-genre of horror.
Cinema Dissection: Blood Simple
November 2, 2024
Join faciliator and SIFF Programmer Dan Doody on a scene-by-scene investigation of one of the most audacious indie film debuts of the ‘80s: Blood Simple, the hard-boiled, neon-lit, sleazy Texas neo-noir directed by Joel & Ethan Coen.
Cinema Dissection: Children of Men
November 23, 2024
Local filmmaker Jeremy Cropf guides students through an in-depth analysis of Alfonso Cuarón’s 2006 film Children of Men. Explore the film's innovative cinematography, its striking relevance to contemporary issues, and its significant impact on the film industry.
Cinema Dissection: Strange Days
December 7, 2024
Join local filmmaker Jeremy Cropf for an in-depth exploration of Kathryn Bigelow’s 1995 cult sci-fi action film, Strange Days. Delve into the film’s innovative filmmaking, prescient themes, initial box-office failure, and its recent reassessment as a significant work of ‘90s cinema.
Cinema Dissection: The Handmaiden
December 14, 2024
For six hours, take apart Park Chan-wook's 2016 thriller romance with Korean cinema expert Hannah Baek.
Cinema Dissection: It’s a Wonderful Life
December 21, 2024
Join facilitator and SIFF Programmer Dan Doody for a scene-by-scene breakdown of George Bailey’s life in Bedford Falls as he searches for happiness, love, and, of course, Zuzu’s petals.