Opening Night Film: Edward Berger’s “CONCLAVE”
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini
Closing Night Film: Jacques Audiard’s “EMILIA PÉREZ”
Starring: Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gómez, Adriana Paz
and Edgar Ramírez
Friday Centerpiece Screening: Tim Fehlbaum’s “SEPTEMBER 5”
Starring: Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, and Leonie Benesch
SAN DIEGO/LOS ANGELES, CA (September 24, 2024): The 23rd Annual San Diego International
Film Festival (Oct 16-20) is ‘Celebrating the Power of Film’ with curated screenings that inform, inspire
and entertain. Today the festival announced an additional Gala film and the selections for Opening
and Closing night films. The 2024 Opening Night film is Edward Berger’s “CONCLAVE” and the
Closing Night film is Jacques Audiard’s EMILIA PÉREZ (Jury Prize at Cannes, Best Actress Award at
Cannes: Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Adriana Paz). The Friday night
Centerpiece Screening will be Tim Fehlbaum’s SEPTEMBER 5. www.sdfilmfest.com
According to Tonya Mantooth, CEO and Artistic Director of the San Diego International Film Festival,
“As studio films make their way through the festival circuit—Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Telluride—we
begin to hear which ones are truly making an impact. There has been considerable excitement
surrounding Conclave, Emilia Pérez, September 5, and we are thrilled to showcase these films to our
festival audience before their official releases. San Diego will be among the first audiences to
experience and discuss these remarkable stories, and we can’t wait!”
The Opening Night Film, Edward Berger’s CONCLAVE, stars Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John
Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini. From director Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front)
CONCLAVE follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting the new Pope.
Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected
death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from
around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence uncovers a trail of deep
secrets left in the dead Pope’s wake, secrets which could shake the foundations of the Church. The
Opening Night film and party will be held at The Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park on
Wednesday, October 16th.
The Closing Night Film, EMILIA PÉREZ, comes from renegade auteur Jacques Audiard and is an
audacious fever dream that defies genres and expectations. Through liberating song and dance and
bold visuals, this odyssey follows the journey of four remarkable women in Mexico, each pursuing
their own happiness. The fearsome cartel leader Emilia (Karla Sofía Gascón) enlists Rita (Zoe
Saldaña), an unappreciated lawyer stuck in a dead-end job, to help fake her death so that Emilia can
finally live authentically as her true self. Written and directed by Audiard (Rust and Bone, A Prophet),
the double Cannes-winning film also stars Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, and Edgar Ramírez. EMILIA
PÉREZ will screen at AMC UTC 14 @ Westfield UTC on Sunday, October 20th.
The festival’s Friday Centerpiece Screening is Tim Fehlbaum’s SEPTEMBER 5 starring Peter
Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin and Leonie Benesch. SEPTEMBER 5 unveils the decisive
moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news today. Set during the
1972 Munich Summer Olympics, the film follows an American Sports broadcasting team that quickly
adapted from sports reporting to live coverage of the Israeli athletes taken hostage. Through this lens,
SEPTEMBER 5 provides a fresh perspective on the live broadcast seen globally by an estimated one
billion people at the time.
At the heart of the story is Geoff, a young and ambitious producer striving to prove himself to his boss,
the legendary TV executive Roone Arledge. Together with German interpreter Marianne and his
mentor Marvin Bader, Geoff unexpectedly takes the helm of the live coverage. As narratives shift, time
ticks away, and conflicting rumors spread, with the hostages’ lives hanging in the balance, Geoff
grapples with tough decisions while confronting his own moral compass.
About The San Diego International Film Festival:
The San Diego International Film Festival is the region’s premier film event and one of the leading
stops on the independent festival circuit. The Festival offers a totally unique film experience; including
world premieres, never before seen studio releases and the best in independent filmmaking. We
believe cinema is a catalyst for positive change. The festival programming is diverse – however
everyone has a genre that speaks to their heart – including us. With a passion for social impact topics,
we’ve focused the lens on curated independent films that explore the issues affecting our world
including homelessness, prejudice, pollution of the world’s rivers, animal and environmental extinction,
sustainability, sex-trafficking, military stories and more
About the San Diego Film Foundation:
CREATING EMPATHY IN A COMPLEX WORLD….
Our mission is to use the experience of film to explore issues of global impact, to create dialog, and
ultimately to develop empathy and understanding in an increasingly diverse and complex world. We
leverage these important conversations via our partnership with the San Diego County Office of
Education, the San Diego Unified School District and the San Diego Community College District to
use cinematic storytelling to help educate future leaders on key issues affecting our communities and
world
A 501c.3. The San Diego Film Foundation brings the finest independent cinematic storytelling from
around the world to San Diego each year. We present films that make a difference through a variety of
events and programs year round including:
● FOCUS on Impact Film Series in partnership with the San Diego County Office of Education,
San Diego Unified School District and San Diego Community College District (Fall and Spring
2024/2025)
● Film Insider Series (May – August 2024)
● 2024 San Diego International Film Festival (October 16-20, 2024)
FESTIVAL FOOTPRINT
The Opening Night film premiere and party will be held at The Museum of Photographic Arts in
Balboa Park on Wednesday, October 16th. The Night of the Stars Tribute red carpet event will take
place at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center in La Jolla on Thursday, October 17th. The San
Diego International Film Festival honors some of the film industry’s most accomplished actors,
directors and filmmakers. Each year we are proud to present the Gregory Peck Award of Excellence
in Cinema with the support of the Peck family. Partial list of past honorees include Laurence
Fishburne, Sir Patrick Stewart, Annette Bening, Andy Garcia, Kenny Loggins, Kate Beckinsale, Geena
Davis, Judd Apatow, Adrian Brody, Regina Hall, Kumail Nanjiani, Heather Graham. Culinary Cinema
takes place on Sunday, October 20th and is a perfect recipe for Sunday fun and a dream come true
for foodies! Hosted by Shawn Styles from CBS8’s ‘Cooking with Styles’, the ingredients begin with an
extravagant nosh at the Capital One Cafe, followed by a cuisine-themed film, Susan Feniger.
FORKED. The Festival will then continue from October 18th through October 20th at the AMC14@
UTC Westfield, La Jolla, CA. The most up to date festival information is available at
www.sdfilmfest.com.
PASS PACKAGES:
The Festival’s signature events (Opening Night Film and Pre-Reception and Culinary Cinema)
typically sell out. The best way to guarantee reservations at these events is to purchase a pass
and reserve your spot in the films and events
The VIP Pass Package includes: Opening Night Film and Pre-Reception, Culinary Cinema, first
access to all film screenings, panels, special events and VIP Lounge
The Fest Pass Package includes all screenings on Thursday – Sunday as well as Culinary Cinema
The Weekend Pass Package includes all screenings on Saturday and Sunday only. Culinary Cinema
not included
Individual event tickets to the signature events will go on Sept 9th on a space available basis.
There are a variety of Festival Packages available to suit every budget. Individual screenings can be
purchased for $20 all the way up to the VIP PASS PACKAGE for $550. Learn more about Festival
ticketing options https://sdfilmfest.com/buy-passes/