That's it for the SFIFF this year! As SFist Wendy wraps up SFist's coverage with part 2 of her marathon week, congratulations to the San Francisco Film Society for two weeks of great cinema and we're already looking forward to the 51st!
And on to Mezzanine Thursday night for the SFIFF closing night party -- with a surprise performer . . . . but before the final sendoff, we headed over to the Castro Theater for what turned out to be one of the best films that we think we’ve ever seen, French or otherwise – La Vie en Rose, or La Mome (which means “little sparrow”). The “little sparrow” is Edith Piaf, and the film by director Olivier Dahan, is intended to present more of a portrait of Piaf’s life rather than a biography, according to Dahan.
We were a little nervous about the length of the film, which is approximately 140 minutes, but it turned out that we wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Because the film will be out in theaters in a few weeks – June 8, 2007 (take note) – we’ve been asked not to give away too much. Let’s just say that it was tremendously moving, and not in a cheesy, overdone way, and that we cannot overstate the strength and character of Edith Piaf herself, or that of the incredible actress who portrayed Piaf, Marion Cotillard.
After the jump, SFist Wendy hits the SFIFF closing night party -- pictures, desserts, dancers in cages, and a surprise punk pop band to close the fest!
After a not-so-quick Muni trek (and what Muni trip is quick these days?), we found ourselves in the evening’s Parisian-themed Mezzanine, in a crowd thicker than the SF Trader Joe’s on Sunday afternoon.
Unfortunately for us, we weren’t nearly as aggressive as we needed to be at the appetizer line, but we had a lot better luck with the wine and desserts (yummy chocolate caramel finger torts). The place was a combination of fest volunteers, SFIFF fans, and then a rather large number of VIPs (which definitely did not include us).
We were on sensory overload as we moved through the club, stopping momentarily to gaze at a miniature Eiffel tower, cage dancers, and massage chairs and the accompanying list of those eager for an ever-so intimate (not) massage opportunity.
Then we caught word that one of our friend’s fave workout bands, the All-American Rejects, was going to be taking the stage that night. The party got crazier once the Rejects took the stage, and even the VIPs flocked from their perch to the floor downstairs to get their groove on.
We left Mezzanine buzzed, happy and tired, which pretty much describes how we ended the 50th annual SFIFF. What a great trip it’s been.
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Edith Piaf was one of the best. Her original La Vien Rose was a worldwide hit with imitators as diverse as Louis Armstrong. A modern young jazz vocalist in her style is Madeleine Peyroux an Anerican girl who sang in the cafes of Paris and has the best La Vien Rose since Edith.