Preview(s) | Green Film Festival of San Francisco + New Orleans Film Festival - 2025

This is an exciting time at Moviegoing with Bill.

First, I moved the blog/newsletter from Substack to Ghost. It was an easy decision to make, but an anxious thing to do. Thankfully, the folks at Magic Pages made things easy, smooth, and affordable. For members and subscribers, the only thing that has changed is that email newsletters will be going out once a week instead of with every article. For supporting moviegoers, there'll be a bonus email with special links and Movie Club recommendations. Be sure to sign up and subscribe.

Second, it's awards season, and many movies are coming my way - more than during the rest of the year. Expect reviews, listicles, and more.

Finally, I have press passes to two very exceptional film festivals, which begin screenings next week. Below, you'll find my coverage plans. Follow along, and enjoy!

GREEN FILM FESTIVAL OF SAN FRANCISCO

Climate change, environmental issues, and tales of people caught in the middle of chaos and innovation make up the bulk of the documentaries and features being presented at this niche event. Some might get bored by a potentially repetitive series of docu-stories, but I find the whole lot fascinating and imperative to watch.

I'm planning on reviewing:

American Dendrite
Outdoor School
Transamazonia
The Last Dive
The Shepherd and the Bear
Ranger of the North
The Congress

The festival takes place in person and online from October 24th to the 30th.

NEW ORLEANS FILM FESTIVAL

In years past, I've been confounded by the catalog of selections that the New Orleans Film Society put together for their flagship event. Getting all up in my head, I'd struggle to find my own watchlist out of the plethora of independent Louisiana programming, and would stumble in covering anything.

This time, with the help of the fine programmers at the organization, I've completed a list of what I'll be catching and writing about:

In a Good Place
Natchez
Piano Players
Amongst the Disquiet
West of Greatness
We Are Pat
Anywhere I Lay My Head
Bloodline
Last of the Shrimpers
Pharmacy Museum Tour, New Orleans
We Were the Scenery

The festival takes place in person from October 23rd to the 27th, and online until November 1st.

Stay tuned!

In the meantime...

Declaration of Independence: Crispin Hellion Glover on No! You’re Wrong or: Spooky Action at a Distance

On the morning after the world premiere of Crispin Hellion Glover’s third film—long awaited by those of us who have traced the cult stalwart’s wholehearted and wholly self-funded directorial turn—I find myself strolling purposively through Central Park and into Times Square with the auteur himself, weaving our way past joggers, tourists and buskers, and drifting at one point into a bike lane (“I usually bicycle,” explains Glover, “so I didn’t even think about using the sidewalk.”). Our course is set for the IFC Center, where he has business to conduct in advance of the film’s run there.

Screen SlateKeva York

Better the Devil You Know: Joe Wright on Mussolini: Son of the Century

A timely eight-part miniseries, Mussolini: Son of the Century traces the evolution of fascism and a dictator’s rise to power. Matthew Thrift sits down with director Joe Wright to discuss the show’s vast production and its striking allusions to contemporary politics.

MUBIMatthew Thrift

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