Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema was pleased to stage the Fall 2021 season, again inviting audiences to free screenings of locally produced films by seasoned and well-known filmmakers as well as promising new ones. For “Opening Night,” we returned to South Slope Cinema, last year’s popular drive-in theater in Alemany Market Plaza. The following night found us “Under the Stars” in BHOC’s traditional Precita Park venue. Throughout October, pop-up screenings around Bernal Hill provided a variety of opportunities to see provocative local filmmaking. The season closed back at South Slope Cinema for “Best of Bernal,” a happy occasion celebrating five award-winning films and filmmakers.
SOUTH SLOPE CINEMA
OPENING NIGHT
Friday, October 1, 2021
Alemany Market Plaza
100 Alemany Blvd
Line-up: Short films of all genres.
SENTIENCE
Jo Niglio
Animation 2.02
A battle between a peculiar red apple and an oversized fire ant.
EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES Mark West & Barbara Bayne
Animation 3.34
A parable for all times, Hans Christian Andersen’s cautionary tale is about a vain emperor who gets exposed before his subjects.
INTRODUCING COVID MOUTH
Jin Joo
Comedy 1:13
Covid Mouth technology allows people to lead normal lives during pandemic restrictions… just like before COVID… only better.
ANOTHER PLANET
Jose Garrotte
Visual Essay 1:39
Where are we, anyway?
ARTWorks, Part 1
Drea Cooper & Robert Rosenwasser, Lines Ballet
Dance 5:34
Alonzo King, Lines Ballet, directs dancers in preparation for their performance at SFMOMA
LINEAGE
Marjorie Sturm
Documentary 7:08
Entheogenic cultivator Niko Summers discusses how plant medicines and a lineage of herbalists have helped him throughout his life.
INSIDE IN
Ana Arcioni
Experimental 5:00
What is the impact of the pandemic lockdown on our inner essence, inside?
FIRE IN THE MOUNTAIN
Eric Koziol
Dance 12:38
Carrying their ancestors’ rituals on their backs and the places they lived in their bones, at times immigrants are called by Nature to return to their mythic selves.
280 PROJECT
Sophie Constantinou
Documentary 6:00
Christopher Renfro is a young BIPOC entrepreneur, a vintner with a mission — growing grapes in San Francisco.
THE PAINTER
Noah Gavrich
Music video 4:14
In a narrative music video for Harry the Nightgown’s new single “The Painter,” the singer reflects on a past relationship.
CHANGE IS COMING
Sophie Montoya
Documentary 2:15
In the midst of the earth’s destruction, a new generation of activists fights the status quo to save the earth and their own future.
TSURU-ISMS
Emiko Omori
Documentary 2:51
Artist Akemi Ina paints “Tsuru-isms” on giant origami tsuru — paper cranes symbolizing compassion, healing, peace and hope.
GUEST ARTIST
Carl Lischeske
Narrative 4:28
An artist discovers that she is not the only talented person in her home.
INDIVISIBLE
Ryan Javier
Documentary 5:17
Facing an increase in terrifying attacks, the Asian American community begins to speak out, making sure that they are HEARD.
RUBBER TRAMPS RENDEZVOUS IN THE DESERT
Paige Bierma
Documentary 5:11
Bob Wells, the founder of the Rubber Tramp Rendezvous, goes into VanLife kicking and screaming, but comes out a believer in the nomad life.
ACROSS
Mathew Riutta
Drama 12:13
A grieving father’s journey over a bridge goes awry after he picks up a homeless veteran.
MOM’S SECRET LIFE OF TRASHING
Joshua Klipp
Documentary 7:06
A 73-year-old mom explains why picking up trash on San Francisco’s Twin Peaks is much more than just another chore
UNDER THE STARS
PRECITA PARK
Saturday, October 2, 2021
Precita Avenue at Folsom Street.
Line-up: Short films of all genre; full feature length film, LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO
LA VIE DE MINZA
Colette Niglio
Animation 1:54
The story of Minza the Dog.
I WENT ON A DATE WITH A POLAR BEAR
Jenn Guitart
Animation, Music video 4:07
When Jenny goes out for a drink with a polar bear, they hit it off. But can they solve the bigger problems of the world?
ANOTHER PACK George Nelson
Animation 5:56
Rocky the dog learns that unexpected changes can yield new opportunities.
LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING
Drea Cooper & Robert Rosenwasser, Lines Ballet
Live Performance 3:09
Jazz pianist Jason Moran and singer/songwriter Lisa Fischer perform Lift Every Voice and Sing, a hymn often called the Black national anthem.
THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO
Joe Talbot Narrative 2:02:00
Joined by his best friend, Mont, Jimmie Fails dreams of reclaiming the Victorian home his grandfather built in the heart of San Francisco.
Presented at three “pop-up” screenings at Bernal Star.
BEST OF BERNAL
SEASON FINALE at SOUTH SLOPE CINEMA
Friday, October 29, 2021
Alemany Market Plaza
100 Alemany Blvd
Line-up: Awards presentation and five 2021 award-winning films — the Submissions & Selection Committee awarded the “Spirit of Bernal” to two films.
Good Life Audience Award Winner
ACROSS Mathew Riutta
Drama 12:13
A grieving father’s journey over a bridge goes awry after he picks up a homeless veteran.
Bernal Bright Star Emerging Filmmaker
TURFIN Latiece Brown
Dance Documentary 7:56
A brief glimpse into the world of “Turf Dancing” created by street dancers in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Spirit of Bernal (tie)
FROZEN OUT Hao Zhou
Experimental Narrative 5:00
A Chinese émigré retreats to frozen prairies, forests and swamps, trying to escape the anxieties of dislocation and find a meaningful story for his queer self-exile.
Spirit of Bernal (tie)
KNOCKING DOWN THE FENCES
Megan Shutzer
Documentary 11:57
A portrait of AJ Andrews, a professional softball player and the first woman to win a Rawlings Gold Glove, usually given to professional baseball players.
Best of Bernal
RADICAL CARE: THE AUNTIE SEWING SQUAD
Valerie Soe
Documentary 7:57
In response to the U.S. government’s botched response to the COVID-19 crisis, a group of mostly women of color get to work, sewing masks for people in need in the U.S.
Pop-Ups Around the Hill
Thursday, October 7, 2021
7 pm
Co-Presenter BAVC MEDIA, YEMM
Secession Art & Design
3235 Mission Street
Thursday, October 14, 2021
6:30 and 8:10 pm
Co-Presenter: Citizen Film
Bernal Star
410 Cortland Avenue
Thursday, October 21, 2021
6:30 pm
Co:Presenter: Ciné+Mas, SF Latino Film Festival
Bernal Star
410 Cortland Avenue