Santa Fe Reporter

Santa Fe International Film Festival turns 18 with biggest program yet

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“We got more than 7,000 entries for this one, and that’s as many as any of the top film fests in the United States with the exception of a couple, like maybe Sundance and one or two others,” Santa Fe International Film Festival co-founder and Artistic Director Jacques Pasiner tells SFR.

Indeed, after 18 years—an entire human who can vote—and no small amount of growth, SFIFF has become one of the most hotly-anticipated film programs on the planet, and Paisner says this year’s programming proves that verily.

“65 new feature films; more than 100 short films; the festival is now six days; and we have some of the most sought-after films. Plus, chances to see things you won’t see anywhere else” he tells SFR. “There’s a really exciting local film program this year, as well as 14 New Mexico-made shorts.”

That’s not even getting into the glut of major films slated to screen, including Call Me Rocky from Peter Farrelly, Wild Horse Nine from Martin McDonagh, Ink from Danny Boyle, The Liberation from Guy Nattiv and far too many other big and small films than we could ever hope to fit in print. To state it plainly, this is the most packed the fest has ever been, though it maintains a focus on the little guy and the indies.

By Alex De Vore