Cinema St. Louis (CSL) is excited to present the 31st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF), running November 3-13. The festival will showcase a wide variety of films across multiple venues throughout the St. Louis area, in addition to two new locations in St. Charles and Edwardsville. A small selection of films will also be available online.
CSL’s new executive director, Bree Maniscalco, shared: “We are excited to welcome back members of our community, in whatever way they choose to experience SLIFF. We still wish for our patrons to feel safe at the fest this year so we will continue to monitor new covid variants but we also believe film is most impactful when we experience it together. All of us have a memory in a movie theater, whether it be our first time in front of the big screen, sharing popcorn with a date, or laughing with a packed house. And SLIFF offers local film lovers a chance to travel around the world, experiencing untold stories that inspire and transform.”
The festival is proud to offer 256 films, including more than 100 documentary and narrative features and 21 short film programs from the widest possible range of storytellers, representing 42 countries featuring more than 35 native languages. In addition to offering a variety of centrally located venues, SLIFF strives to maintain accessibility by offering 29 film programs for free and all virtual programming at a discounted rate of $5 per program.
Star-filled highlights include the opening night film, “Empire of Light,” starring Olivia Colman and Colin Firth, and the closing night film, “Women Talking,” starring Claire Foy, Rooney Mara, and Frances McDormand. The SLIFF Centerpiece Spotlight is the powerful journalism film, “She Said” starring Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan. St. Louis’ favorite son Jon Hamm stars in “Corner Office” while writer/director Elegance Bratton’s “The Inspection” features Jeremy Pope, Gabrielle Union, and Bokeem Woodbine.
SLIFF guests will explore documentary topics across a variety of thought-provoking films including the story of Lavar Burton and Reading Rainbow in “Butterfly in the Sky,” gastronomic revolutionary chef, Charlie Trotter in “Love, Charlie: The Rise and Fall of Chef Charlie Trotter,” the journey of the veteran interplanetary Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity in “Good Night Oppy,” and “All That Breathes,” winner of the World Documentary Grand Jury Prize at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.
All short film programs will be available for streaming through Eventive during the festival at a discounted price of $5. In addition, there will be 11 narrative features and 7 documentary features that will also be available for streaming. Films available online will be restricted to viewers in Missouri and Illinois only.
