San Francisco Film Festival Awards Banquet Brings Big Stars to the Bay Area – NBC Bay Area

It was a star-studded night in the Bay Area on Monday, as actors Greta Gerwig, Ryan Gosling and Nicolas Cage were honored in person at the San Francisco Film Festival Awards Gala.

It was held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts where Gerwig, of Northern California, who wrote the screenplay for “Barbie,” received the SFFILM Irving M. Levin Award for directing the film.

She is the first female director of a film to have a $1 billion box office hit.

“It’s so meaningful that the audience received it in the spirit that it was meant to be made, which was a lot of fun,” Gerwig said.

Canadian actor and director Ryan Gosling, who starred in this summer’s blockbuster, presented the award.

“I’m so excited to be here, because I’m so happy that they’re honoring Greta,” he said. “I think she deserves all the awards.”

Prolific big screen actor Nicolas Cage, who has starred in more than 100 films, was also on the red carpet as he won his lifetime achievement in acting.

He has returned to the city where he once lived and where he spent time as a child.

“Some of the best memories of my life were in this city,” he said. “My childhood with my cousins, it was just a great time here.”

Cage also had some advice for any young performer who may think that becoming a professional actor is an impossible goal.

“Don’t think it’s a pipe dream. Give yourself time and develop it,” he said. “Wherever you’re using your skills as an actor — whether it’s on stage or wherever — just keep doing exactly that.”

The San Francisco festival, the oldest of its kind in the country, is a critical fundraiser to keep those dreams alive, he said.

Organizers couldn’t agree more and say the 2023 festival has been a huge success.

“For us, what we saw at the festival was also our documentary story series that we did in November, where people came and also came back multiple times – so they were coming and watching the films day after day – which is exactly what you want,” said Anne Lai, SFFILM’s Executive Director. “This happens at a festival.”

“We still need people to show up. Movies need spectators, and we need audiences,” says Jessie Fairbanks, program director at SFFILM.

Organizers say they’ve averaged about 85% capacity at about 100 events, and are hoping for larger crowds at the 2024 SF International Film Festival next spring.