| FEBRUARY 2008
Cowell Theater
This February Fort Mason Center hosts film festivals exploring the oceans of the world and historic Italian cinema.
 The San Francisco Ocean Film Festival is the premier festival of its kind in North America and celebrates its fifth anniversary this year. The festival, which is part of the “In Performance Series” at the Cowell Theater, is driven by volunteers “dedicated to using film to enhance public appreciation for the ocean’s multifaceted importance on our planet.” The films featured explore the beauty and mysteries of the oceans, coastal cultures, and the thrill of ocean sports such as surfing and kayaking.
A special feature this year is the world premier of Judy Irving’s 19 Arrests, No Convictions, a portrait documentary of record-setting open-water swimmer George Farnsworth. A Q&A with filmmakers from around the world follows each program. Awards for best films in Adventures, Environment, Wildlife, and Culture are presented at the Festival’s closing night ceremony. The recent oil spill in the Bay makes the festival and its cause especially relevant this year. Clips captured by local Bay Area professional and amateur filmmakers focus on this catastrophe.
 Also at the Cowell, Cinema Piemonte offers an opportunity to discover the fine films of the first film capital of Italy. Turin, which is located in the northwestern region of Italy known as Piemonte, is the historic home of the Italian film industry. For three days, four celebrated films from Turin are screened with preceding talks given by Dr. Domenico Gargale, President of La Cittá del Cinema of Turin. Opening night includes an introduction to the National Film Museum in Turin, one of the most important film museums in the world. Films featured in the festival include Dopo Mezzanotte (After Midnight), Riso Amaro (Bitter Rice), and I Compagni (The Organizer). Also screening is the silent blockbuster Cabiria which is accompanied by an original score written and performed by Maestro Stefano Maccagno from Turin. A reception follows each film. Cinema Piemonte is produced by the Associazione Piemontesi nel Mondo of Northern California with major support by the Regione Piemonte and other sponsors.
For more information about Cinema Piemonte see February 29 in the calendar and visit www.piemontesinoca.com. For more information about the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival see February 2 in the calendar and visit www.oceanfilmfest.org.
— Bradford Gregory
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