“The mission of the Israel Film Festival is to spotlight Israel’s thriving film and television industry, to enrich the American vision of Israel’s social and cultural diversity, and to advance tolerance and understanding. In the last two decades, more than 600 films have been enjoyed by over 650,000 film enthusiasts in Los Angeles, Miami, New York.”

“The mission of the Israel Film Festival is to spotlight Israel’s thriving film and television industry, to enrich the American vision of Israel’s social and cultural diversity, and to advance tolerance and understanding. In the last two decades, more than 600 films have been enjoyed by over 650,000 film enthusiasts in Los Angeles, Miami, New York.”

From December 4, 1957, when San Francisco International Film Festival founder Irving Levin kicked off the first International Film Festival, to the upcoming 50th anniversary, numerous people have contributed to the yearly endeavor of planning, producing, and staging what is the annual SFIFF. And this year is no different. Graham Leggat, the executive director of the San Francisco Film Society gives us his take on the thriving and pioneering festival this time around.