Cinequest, San Jose’s annual independent film festival, is nearing its closing date of Saturday, March 6, but there are still several action-packed days of events and films left. Check www.cinequest.org for details and ticket sales.

Thursday, March 4 at 7pm, Benjamin Bratt will be receiving a Maverick Spirit Award at a presentation including a screening of his new film, “La Mission,” and a 30-minute conversation between Bratt and his writer/director/co-producer brother, Peter Bratt.
Friday, March 5 is the Day of the Writer, focusing on comedy and including the presentation of a Maverick Spirit Award to Terry Zweigoff, writer of the “Ghost World” screenplay, among others. The event will include a moderated discussion with Zweigoff. After the event Terry Zwigoff will sign DVDs, Posters, CDs and Books for charity, benefitting People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). In the evening, Friday Night Silent Films continues with Ernst Lubitsch’s “The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg,” presented at the California Theater with Dennis James at the Wurlitzer organ.
Saturday, March 6 is packed with Maverick Artist and Innovator Forums, covering distribution, 3D Cinema, and the art of maverick filmmaking. At 11 AM, there’s the Adobe Youth Voices event, presenting films made by young people from around the Bay and around the world. In the evening, of course, is the Closing Night gala, with a screening of “Mother,” a South Korean film about a mother determined to prove her son’s innocence. After the screening, join filmmakers and film lovers at South First Billiards for pool, drinks, and music.
The excitement continues after closing night with encore screenings of the Cinequest award-winning films announced at the closing ceremonies. All day March 7 at Camera 12 the films will be screened one more time so you can catch them. Films and Times will be announced on March 6.
There are over thirty-five film screenings at the festival on Friday and Saturday, of everything from short film compilations to feature-length dramas, documentaries, and comedies. There’s something here for just about any taste, particularly those who tire of the same-old, same-old comfort food movies churned out by Hollywood the rest of the year. Cinequest makes it easy to see films that otherwise might never grace our local cinemas, so don’t miss this opportunity to check them out. See www.cinequest.org for the full schedule of films and events as well as summaries, and www.ealasaid.com/cineblog/ for Ealasaid Haas and Fred Crow’s reviews of the films they’ve seen so far.