FLOW Spotlight Film
Flow has been selected to represent Latvia in the 2025 Oscars International Feature Film race.
ANIMATED FEATURE A wondrous journey, through realms natural and mystical, Flow follows a courageous cat after his home is devastated by a great flood. Teaming up with a capybara, a lemur, a bird, and a dog to navigate a boat in search of dry land, they must rely on trust, courage, and wits to survive the perils of a newly aquatic planet. From the boundless imagination of the award-winning Gints Zilbalodis (Away) comes a thrilling animated spectacle as well as a profound meditation on the fragility of the environment and the spirit of friendship and community. Steeped in the soaring possibilities of visual storytelling, Flow is a feast for the senses and a treasure for the heart.
Belgium /France/Latvia
100% Rotten Tomatoes "It’s as if Zilbalodis decided to dump an ocean’s worth of water in the Uncanny Valley. Still, animal-loving viewers will bond almost instantly with the cat and its motley companions." ---Peter Deburge Variety
Closing Night Film | San Diego Premiere
Selected as Germany's Official International film contender for Oscars 2025
CIFF is honored to present a special screening of The Seed of the Sacred Fig, a searing drama by acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof. Known for his fearless criticism of authoritarian regimes, Rasoulof has long been a target of Iran’s hardline conservative government. Facing persecution for his work, Rasoulof was forced to flee Iran to avoid an eight-year prison sentence—yet even in exile, his commitment to storytelling remained unshaken.
Shot entirely in secret, Mohammad Rasoulof’s award-winning thriller, THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG, centers on a family thrust into the public eye when Iman is appointed as an investigating judge in Tehran. As political unrest erupts in the streets, Iman realizes that his job is even more dangerous than expected, making him increasingly paranoid and distrustful, even of his own wife Najmeh and daughters Sana and Rezvan.
OPENING NIGHT FILM + AFTER PARTY
Red Carpet Screening - Cocktail Attire
Enjoy a pre-screening glass of champagne and photos on the red carpet.
Tickets for Opening Night include both the screening and the after-party / they are not sold separately
UNSTOPPABLE (San Diego Debut Screening)
SYNOPSIS: Anthony Robles, despite being born without a right leg and growing up in an abusive household, rises to become a NCAA Division 1 Champion wrestler ultimately winning a national championship against the school that rejected him, national powerhouse Iowa. (Based on the book Unstoppable: From Underdog to Undefeated: How I Became a Champion, by Anthony Robles and Austin Murphy.)
CAST: Jharrel Jerome, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña, Anthony Robles with Don Cheadle and Jennifer Lopez
DIRECTOR: William Goldenberg
SCREENPLAY BY: Eric Champnella and Alex Harris and John Hindman
PRODUCERS: Ben Affleck, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Anthony Robles, Andrew Fraser, Gary Lewis, David Crocket
The Opening Night continues at The Tavern. A Coronado hotspot with a rustic elegant vibe that will serve up hosted classic cocktails, and comfort-food bites. Additional no-host menu items will be available.
AFTER PARTY AT THE TAVERN
1310 Orange Avenue
8:30 pm - 11:30 pm
Immediately following the 7pm showing of the Opening Night feature, head over to the Red Carpet After Party - 4pm attendees can head over at 8:30pm and get the party started!
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
Jordan/ 1hr 44m Arabic, English, Greek
In Sir Thomas More, Shakespeare wrote a speech in which More makes a passionate defence for refugees, pleading for empathy from his fellow countrymen and culminating in a poignant description of the plight of refugees - “The Strangers’ Case” - which persists today.
Tragedy strikes a Syrian family in Aleppo, starting a chain reaction of events involving five different families in four different countries.
A doctor and her daughter come home following a chaotic shift at an Aleppo hospital. In the midst of a birthday celebration the two women are forced to make a difficult decision that will forever change their lives and their relationship. A soldier witnesses heinous crimes towards men, women and children in service of the Syrian regime. As the violence and corruption escalate, he finds himself reevaluating his own humanity. A smuggler in Turkey tries desperately to make ends meet for his young son. In an effort to save enough money to afford their own escape, he arranges for passage to Greece on inflatable life rafts to refugees in a nearby camp for a steep price. A poet who has made it to the safety of a Turkish refugee camp with his young family barters for space on an overcrowded boat, which is pushed out into rough seas, bound for Greece. A Greek coastguard captain spends his days and nights rescuing sinking lifeboats full of migrants off the coast of Lesvos, constantly haunted by those he wasn't able to save.
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
The first collaborative film between the US and Moldova
A middle-aged woman decides to overthrow the powerful oligarch who controls her country. Armed with only her wit and a stolen government stamp, she must outsmart the oligarch’s henchmen, evade the secret police, and trick her countrymen into sparking a revolution. Facing off against armed riot police, water cannons, and deep fakes, she must stop the oligarch from stealing the people’s money and making her country the poorest in Europe. Along the way she’ll need to face her past and uncover the secret weakness of the system that keeps oligarchs in power
Q+A to follow with Screenwriters, Tommy Dickie and Neil Irwin
90 min /Moldova
Berta, a mature woman from the upper class, has been hiring the services of Alberto, a professional escort, for some time. One day, Alberto can't make it, so he sends another escort, Hugo, a much younger and inexperienced guy from his neighborhood. Berta distrusts Hugo and insists him to leave, but Hugo wants to finish the job because he needs the money. From this point, Berta and Hugo embark on an emotional journey where, despite their differences, mistrust, and prejudices, they discover they have more in common than they thought.
This epic feature, Queen of the Ring is inspired by Jeff Leen's book, chronicling the true story of Mildred Burke, the first million-dollar female athlete in history. The film follows Millie, a young single mother who defies societal norms by becoming a professional wrestler during a time when female wrestling was illegal in most of the U.S.
Starting her career by competing against men at carnivals, she builds an impressive record and paves the way for women's wrestling to gain acceptance. Despite her success, Millie's journey is marked by personal struggles, including raising her son on the road, the tragic death of her wrestling protege, and a tumultuous relationship with her manager and ex-husband, Billy Wolfe. Her story highlights her triumphs, such as headlining main events, bringing women of color into the sport, and participating in the first female "shoot match" for a title fight. "Queen of the Ring" captures the golden age of female pro wrestling and celebrates Millie's role in changing the culture and achieving unprecedented success.
Q+A to follow with Writer & Director, Ash Avildsen
USA / 120 minutes
A young Emirati boy with Autism ventures with his new friend Barakah, an Arabian Saluki to find acceptance, family, and redemption.
This is a story about adventure. This is a story about family. This is a story about friendship. This is Suhail’s story, told Suhail’s way, from Suhail’s eyes. This is Mountain Boy.
As storytellers we are more than just directors or producers or writers or editors. As storytellers we are honoured with an opportunity to share a glimpse into the world and the worlds within it. Suhail’s world has been told many ways – with scientific names, diagnosis and research. But to Suhail, the world is a place of wonder. It’s a place where he learns that his unique powers can bring to light both challenges and triumphs, and that he can teach others how to live and thrive.
United Arab Emirates
"UAE film "Mountain Boy" shines light on neurodiversity"
CNN https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2024/02/09/exp-anderson-mountain-boy-pkg-020910aseg3-cnni-world.cnn
When a Greek diner owner is diagnosed with dementia, he imagines himself as a late-night talk show host, putting his wife’s love to the ultimate test. Synopsis: Yianni and Plousia (Joe Cortese and Julia Ormond) own a charming family diner by the beach, where Yianni is a convivial host. Lately, Plousia has noticed that her husband of 40 years is not quite himself and is often wistfully distracted. One day, Yianni slips into a parallel realm, a world of his fractured mind, imagining himself as the host of a late-night talk show. The show features beloved diner staff and customers as guest stars. Plousia learns that Yianni is facing dementia but hides his illness from coworkers and best friends (Kevin Pollak and Rosanna Arquette). As his condition worsens, Plousia becomes Yianni’s full-time caregiver and lifeline. When a woman and her seven-year-old son move in across the street, long-suppressed grief and a heartbreaking delusion comes over Yianni. With Plousia’s determination and her whimsical inventiveness, they discover how to smile through the sadness, and celebrate every moment they have together.
Q+A with Actress Colleen Camp
PRESCREENING RECEPTION: Enjoy wine, champagne and no-host cocktails on the Vista Terrace as the sun sets on the final night of the film festival, then head off to your Closing Night feature.
FILM: 1939 Classic Wizard of Oz Celebrate the 85th Anniversary of this classic film, just in time to relive the nostalgia of the original before the new release of Wicked hits the big screen on November 22. Frank Baum wrote this series and more while staying at the Hotel Del Cronado and later at a home located just down the road. We like to think he was inspired by the magic, sea, island life, and graduer of the turn-of-the-century hotel. Vista Terrace - Outdoor Terrace Sceening, please bundle up with a jacket or sweater for a cozy evening under the stars and the iconic red turret.
Vista Terrace Hotel del Coronado
Film Intro: Leonard Maltin and the Hotel del Coronado Historian
The Coronado Island Film Festival (CIFF) welcomes makers and lovers of film from all over the world to the storied seaside village of Coronado, California to celebrate the magical art of visual storytelling. Coronado’s enduring love affair with Hollywood began more than a century ago.