SF International Film Festival (April 24-May 8)

Film lovers will have a lot of wonderful screenings to explore at the upcoming 51st San Francisco International Film Festival. The 15-day extravaganza will not only present nearly 200 films from 49 countries, but it will also feature the work of 39 women directors. Opening on April 24 with Catherine Breillat's "The Last Mistress," the festival will close May 8 with the West Coast premiere of "Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson." Award honorees include Maria Bello of "The Yellow Handkerchief" (Peter J. Owens Award), Jason Lee, and Rose McGowan (both for Midnight Awards).

Here are a few select reviews from the festival:

"Shadows in the Palace" (Korea) is part lavish historical drama, part murder mystery set during Korea's Chosun era. Totally entertaining with non-stop plot twists (for the squeamish folks, there will be a few gory torture scenes), the film is a solid rendition of Korean palace intrigue and the complex power struggles amongst the court maids, imperial concubine and the empress.

The smell of constant fear permeates the palace in everyone's effort to win the emperor's favor. Rigid court rules strip off the spirit of the maids as they work within the thick confines of the palace. After one of the maids is found dead, female court doctor Chun-ryung suspects foul play and decides to expose the murderer. Risking her position and her life, she soon digs up an ugly mess of deception as the battle for ultimate power unfolds. The acting is well done, as well as the costume research and set design, but the special effects are a bit too dramatic for Western viewers.

"In the City of Sylvia" (Spain) presents the idea of possible romance as a young romantic (Xavier Lafitte) searches for Sylvia, the would-be lover he met from several years before. Beautifully set in Strasbourg with gorgeous-looking stars, Lafitte resembles a version of Gael Garcia Bernal, while gamine Pilar Lopez de Ayala steals the limelight. The film is a simple pleasure to gaze at. Director Jose Luis Guerin encourages the viewer to engage themselves to sound and light, paring down the dialogue significantly. The sense of city life is heightened, with the everyday sound of locals strolling, students chatting, and the sound of a tram ambling around the winding streets.

"Glasses" (Japan) is a zen jewel of a story, about an uptight teacher visiting an idyllic island retreat. Upon arrival at the Hamada Inn, Taeko (Satomo Kobayashi) is subjected to the peculiar business habits of the owner (Ken Mitsuishi) because he doesn't want too many guests. Fellow guest Sakura (Masako Motai) leads the townspeople through daily 'merci exercises' and all the guests practice 'twilighting' in the evenings.

Through the seemingly strange practices of the local inhabitants, Taeko learns to let go literally and figuratively, changing in small degrees with each passing day at the beach. Western audiences might not be used to the quiet pace of Naoko Ogigami's direction, but this is a great example of how in slowing down one's life, one might actually see the gems within.

More film reviews to come - stay tuned!

For tickets and information: go to www.sffs.org or call 925.866.9559