SFFS Presents: Fear(s) of the Dark October 21, 2008

The San Francisco Film Society will present the premiere of the spine-tingling French feature Fear(s) of the Dark (Peur(s) du noir, France 2007), with codirector Charles Burns on hand for a post-screening Q&A, at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, October 21 at Landmark’s Embarcadero Center Cinema.

“Spiders’ legs brushing against naked skin. Unexplained noises in the dark. A hypodermic needle getting closer and closer. A dead thing trapped in a bottle of formaldehyde. A growling dog running and on the hunt. A big empty house creaking . . . . Six amazing graphic artists and cartoonists lend their distinctive hands to stylize these dark nightmares with no color, only black, white and gray. With ultrarealistic techniques now possible, it is important to remember that animation is first and foremost art. Whether slick or rough, paint or pencil, or even originating from a computer, an image is carefully hand-designed for every single frame of film. It is the ultimate work of a creator, personally using the drawn frame, chiaroscuro contrast, the angle of the light and the line movement to tell a story. But it is also the duration of a shot, and what is and isn’t heard. It is the style of the art and the art of the storytelling that make Fear(s) of the Dark so wonderful. Since they come from the artists’ own phobias, you can trust a loving exploration into the surreal atmosphere of your creepiest dreams. As your emotions get worked over, you won’t jump up; you will sink in.” – Mike Plante, Sundance Film Festival.
Featuring works by Blutch, Charles Burns, Marie Caillou, Pierre di Sciullo, Lorenzo Mattotti, Richard McGuire. Written by Blutch, Charles Burns, Pierre di Sciullo, Jerry Kramsky, Richard McGuire, Michel Pirus, Romain Slocombe. Voices by Guillaume Depardieu, Nicole Garcia. Artistic direction by Etienne Robial. In French with English subtitles. 78 min. Distributed by IFC Films. Fear(s) of the Dark will have its theatrical opening in San Francisco on October 31.

Fear(s) of the Dark tickets: $10 for year-round SFFS members; $12.50 general; $11 seniors, students and persons with disabilities. Buy tickets online at www.sffs.org or by calling 925.866.9559.
For more information visit www.sffs.org.

Official Website: http://www.sffs.org/events/films/film_fears_of_the_dark.html