San Francisco Film Society (SFFS) is gearing up to host the 58th San Francisco International Film Festival (April 23 – May 7, 2015). This is the longest running film festival in the Americas points out Noah Cowan, Executive Director of SFFS.

What is different about this year’s festival I asked Cowan. The actual festival itself won’t feel different to long time film festival audience he points out. What is different is they have reorganized the programming to reflects the tastes of the audience. “You can find your own tribe,” is how he puts it. If you like bigger movies, you may prefer the Marquee section. Or, if you like beautiful films from around the world, you may like the World Visions section he adds.

What is the long term strategic direction of the festival? “There is no other place like San Franciso Bay area in the world,” he says. In the past they ignored San Francisco Bay area values and are acknowledging it this year’s festival. These bay area values include an interest and curiosity in technology and innovation, lifestyle, environment and food among other things. So, this year they look at film styles that reflect San Francisco bay area values on technology, innovation and lifestyle he adds.

This video is a highlight of our upcoming extended interview with Cowan.

Here is a trailer from Stanley Nelson’s “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution.”