Festival takes place April 12-19, passes and tickets now on sale on website

Photo courtesy PJIFF
Starring British actor Timothy Spall “Bolan’s Shoes” tells the story of a tumultuous journey from the height of T. Rex mania to the present-day.

By Staff Report

Get ready for cinematic excellence! Filmmakers will journey to the South Valley from around the world to show off their movie magic at the 17th annual Poppy Jasper International Film Festival.

“We are honored that this year we can continue to bring the best of global cinema to our community to shine a light and celebrate these talented filmmakers,” said Festival Director Mattie Scariot. “From drama, horror, animation to comedy, we have a program that has something for everyone.”

This year’s festival will take place from Wednesday, April 12 to Wednesday, April 19 in Morgan Hill, San Martin, Gilroy, Hollister and San Juan Bautista. The various venues will show 260 films from 30 countries.

With its annual Icon awards ceremony, the event will also highlight people in the region who make a difference.

“Each year our film festival acknowledges local and regional community members, as well as distinguished artists, actors, and writers for their contributions,” Scariot said. “By giving out Icon awards we identify leaders in the film community with the hope that they will continue to inspire others.”

The festival’s feature films are:

  • “Antarctica” about two life-long friends whose lives get flipped upside down as they hit senior year
  • “Bolan’s Shoes” starring BAFTA-nominated British actor Timothy Spall telling the story of a tumultuous journey from the height of T. Rex mania in 1970s Liverpool to the present-day poignancy of what would have been Marc Bolan’s 75th birthday
  • “Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game” about Roger Sharpe, the GQ journalist and real-life pinball wizard who in 1976 single-handedly overturned New York City’s 35-year ban on pinball machines.

The festival’s variety of short films from around the globe include cinematic artistry from Brazil, Iran, Germany, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

The Poppy Jasper features specially themed days throughout its run to focus on various aspects of the South Valley community. It will open with its Youth and Student Festival Day on April 12 showcasing student films from across the world. It will show cinema art made in the region at its local filmmaker showcase on April 13.

The festival will host its Mexico Day on Monday, April 17, to celebrate through films the language and culture of Mexico. At this event, it will be presenting its Icon Award to producer, actor, screenwriter and costume designer Lupe Valdez, the wife of noted director Luis Valdez. As founding members of the El Teatro Campesino theater group based in San Juan Bautista, the couple have been a key participant in the evolution of Chicano film and theater.

The festival organizers invite the South Valley community to its LGBTQ+ Day Tuesday, April 19, to showcase various short films.

The Poppy Bash will be held the night of Friday, April 14, at Capos Event Center in downtown Gilroy. The evening will include a musical presentation by Randy Spendlove, the Grammy Award winner and president of Paramount Worldwide Publishing and Music who grew up in Gilroy.

Kat Dyson, an award-winning guitarist and composer, will be awarded with PJIFF Icon Award during the evening as well.

To commemorate PJIFF spirit of creativity, five local breweries, representing each of the hosting cities, are working together to craft a special beer to mark the occasion. The breweries participating include Brewery Twenty-Five (San Juan Bautista), Kelly Brewing Co. (Morgan Hill), Settle Down Beer (Gilroy), Promised Land Brewing Co. (Gilroy), and Mad Pursuit Brewing Co (Hollister).

Award-winning British actor Ian Puleston-Davies who stars in “Bolan’s Shoes” will be attending the festival and will participate in the Q&A after the screening on Saturday, April 15.

Tickets and passes are now available on PJIFF’s website at www.pjiff.org.