Vocal Music-Related Films at The San Francisco International Film Festival

The San Francisco International Film Festival runs from April 22 to May 6 and includes a number of films that might pique the interest of vocal music enthusiasts. Here are the details:


A Conversation with T Bone Burnett: The Academy Award– and Grammy-winning music legend will discuss his acclaimed contributions as a composer, music supervisor and producer to films such as Crazy Heart, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Walk the Line, Cold Mountain and The Big Lebowski. (Live & Onstage, Sat Apr 24 / 6:00 / Kabuki)

Gainsbourg (Je t'aime . . . moi non plus): Actor Eric Elmosnino is a dead ringer for legendary French singer/songwriter Serge Gainsbourg in this offbeat, imaginative biopic of a provocative artist as famous for his storied romances and many scandals as he is for his enduring music. (Tue Apr 27 / 6:00 / Kabuki, Wed Apr 28 / 3:00 / Kabuki, Fri Apr 30 / 3:15 / Kabuki)

Rejoice and Shout: This extensively researched documentary combines archival footage, rare recordings and interviews to trace the fascinating and rousing 200-year history of gospel music, featuring such giants as Mahalia Jackson, the Blind Boys of Alabama and Mavis Staples. (Sat Apr 24 / 2:00 / Kabuki, Thu Apr 29 / 9:00 / Kabuki)

Simonal: No One Knows How Tough It Was: This deft documentary interweaves memorable songs by the onetime king of Brazilian popular music, interviews with contemporaries and masterful photomontage to explore a much beloved popular star’s infamous fall in a time of military dictatorship. (Fri Apr 23 / 6:45 / Kabuki, Sat May 01 / 9:45 / Kabuki, Tue May 04 / 3:15 / Kabuki)