The Sun Valley Film Festival kicked off with Day 1 and Day 2 of its Festival events, a blend of lively screenings, fabulous filmmaker get-togethers, and snowy parties. 

Day one of the Festival opened with a screening of the film ”Ezra,” followed by the Patron Party. Two short films, “Unega” and “Tales of the Guardians,” also played with filmmakers in attendance.

Day two of the Festival continued with screenings of Nat Geo’s “Photographer,” “Bastards of Soul,” “Maestra,” the Imagined Futures shorts program, and much more. Filmmakers amassed at two of the Festival’s premiere events: Apres at the Festival HQ and the Filmmaker Roundup at the Casino.

The week continued with day three of the Festival events, brought together by insightful cinematic conversation, awe-inspiring screenings, and breathtaking parties. 

The day began with the first of the Festival’s premiere Coffee Talks, a discussion shared between Vision Award honoree Annette Bening and Boise State Public Radio personality George Prentice. The conversation traced through Bening’s illustrious career, a special moment between her and screenwriter Julia Cox regarding Bening’s Oscar-nominated role in “Nyad”, her dog Scout, and recollection of her role in “Love Affair” aside husband Warren Beatty. 

Thereafter, dialogue ran throughout the day with the AI in Service of Storytelling panel and multiple screenings. The evening culminated with the Vision Dinner at Roundhouse, celebrating Vision Award honorees Bening and David O. Russell. Additional attendees included Bobby Cannavale (“Ezra”), Julia Cox (“Nyad”), Andrew Lazar (“Nyad”), Chuck Roven (“Oppenheimer”), and more.

The festival came to a close on days four and five, which included a cultivated combination of discerning industry tête-à-tête, perceptive film programming, and joyous gatherings.

Day four of the Festival opened with the second of the Festival’s premiere Coffee Talks, a discussion shared between Vision Award honoree, David O. Russell, and Deadline’s Co-Editor-in-Chief, Mike Fleming Jr.. The conversation took the audience through stories across Russell’s acclaimed oeuvre, including the director’s love for Ice Cube’s acting in Three Kings, the incredible cast experiences of both American Hustle and Silver Linings Playbook, as well as a brief interlude with front row guest and actor, Bobby Cannavale.

The day continued with the High Scribe Award presentation to Nyad screenwriter, Julia Cox. This presentation was followed by a conversation between Cox, Nyad producer Andrew Lazar and Variety’s Executive Editor Film & Media, Tatiana Siegel. After this, a special Patron screening of “Ezra” played, followed by a conversation with star Bobby Cannavale, director Tony Goldwyn and moderator Tatiana Siegel. Another special screening took place with the classic film, American Hustle, followed by an exploration of deleted scenes in a Q&A with Russell and Chuck Roven moderated by Mike Fleming Jr.. Mariana van Zeller also took part in a Q&A following a screening of “Trafficked With Mariana van Zeller.” Later in the evening, Cannavale was also presented with the Festival’s Best Performance in a Film award at the Awards Bash party.

Day five began with the third and final premiere Coffee Talk of the Festival, a discussion shared between Pioneer Award honoree, Ted Hope, and Variety’s Tatiana Siegel. The conversation covered a wide range of topics, from the changes of streamers in the indie-film system, how the regulations of tech companies affect Hollywood productions, and the new, breakthrough models of financing films. The Festival then came to a close with its Bloody Mary Wrap Party.

Since 2012, the Sun Valley Film Festival has invited fans and filmmakers to connect through the power of cinema in Hollywood’s original ski Shangri-la. Annually, SVFF celebrates with a slate of cutting-edge film and television premieres, engaging Coffee Talks with entertainment luminaries, thought-provoking discussions and unforgettable parties. Outside of the Festival, SVFF enhances the cultural fabric of the community through its Monthly Movies, filmmaker discussions and educational programs.

Photo credit: Shutterstock for Sun Valley Film Festival