Noir City,
The San Francisco
Film Noir Festival

The San Francisco Film Noir Festival, known as Noir City, is held at the glorious, historic Castro Theater. In 2010, the annual festival will place for ten days, from January 22rd to January 31. This will be Noir City 8, put on by the Film Noir Foundation, whose mission is to scout out and preserve these cinematic gems.

What's really special about the film noir festival in San Francisco is the audience. You'd be hard pressed to find a more appreciative movie audience anywhere. Watching these films with fellow fans adds a layer of enjoyment that's indescribable. Plus, the Film Noir Foundation's Eddie Muller introduces the double features with lots of fascinating back stories about the actors, or the location, or the hurdles overcome just to get a hold of the print.

In the evenings, there is a live performance of the mighty Wurlitzer organ during intermission, while patrons stand in line for the bathroom, popcorn, Peets coffee, chatting with other film noir fans, or browsing the crime fiction paperbacks for sale upstairs in the mezzanine. Film Noir Foundation also has a table upstairs selling souvenirs, including a gorgeous program for the 2010 festival.

This year (2010), special features of the fest include a live appearance onstage January 30th by Harry Belafonte. There will be a new, restored print of Cry Danger (with Dick Powell and Rhonda Fleming), a special "San Francisco Night" with films shot in and around town, and a "Bad Girls Night", featuring a double feature of some of the naughtiest and sassiest femme fatales.

Read Notes From Noir City 2010 by clicking on one of the links below:
Barry Sullivan And Belita
Marilyn Monroe Film Noir double bill
Robert Siodmak Double Bill
Robert Parrish & William Bowers Double Bill


Click here for notes from Noir City San Francisco 2009.

Notes on the 2008 noir film festival in San Francisco.