Ode to Joy: First European Film Festival Hosted in San Francisco
On the weekend of 7–9 November 2025, the EU Office in San Francisco, together with EU Member States Consulates, Cultural Institutes, and associations, proudly presented the city’s first European Film Festival, Ode to Joy. Over 1,000 guests joined us at INNOVIT – Italian Cultural Institute, Alliance Française, and the Delancey Street Screening Room to celebrate the richness and diversity of European cinema. Nine EU Member States participated, showcasing films from France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Ireland, and Finland. The strong audience turnout and enthusiastic engagement throughout the festival highlighted the growing interest in European storytelling in the Bay Area.
Thank you to all partners, filmmakers, and contributors who made this first edition possible. We look forward to welcoming audiences again next year and continuing to strengthen the presence of European cinema in San Francisco.
EU
The artistic programme of the festival consisted of the following films:
Friday, 7 November – INNOVIT
Diamanti (Italy) at 5:30 PM
Director: Gianluca Matarrese
Italy opened the festival with Diamanti, a visually striking and emotionally intimate portrait exploring personal identity and transformation. The screening set the tone for the festival’s focus on artistic depth and cultural diversity.
Saturday, 8 November – Alliance Française de San Francisco & INNOVIT
Becoming Astrid (Sweden) at 11:30 AM
Director: Pernille Fischer Christensen
This Swedish production chronicles the early life of Astrid Lindgren, offering audiences a warm, character-driven narrative on creativity, independence and womanhood.
Les Choristes (France) at 2:00 PM
Director: Christophe Barratier
A beloved French classic, Les Choristes drew one of the largest audiences of the festival, captivating viewers with its timeless story of music, mentorship and resilience.
The Southern Chronicles (Lithuania) at 6:30 PM
Director: Ignas Jonynas
Lithuania’s entry presented a contemporary and stylistically bold exploration of social tension and moral ambiguity, resonating strongly with cinephiles in attendance.
Sunday, 9 November – Delancey Street Screening Room
Flow (Latvia) at 12:00 PM
Director: Gints Zilbalodis
This award-winning Latvian animated film showcased Europe’s innovation in non-verbal storytelling through a visually rich and meditative journey that captivated family audiences and animation enthusiasts alike.
Tove (Finland) at 2:00 PM
Director: Zaida Bergroth
Tove, portraying the life of Finnish-Swedish artist Tove Jansson, was accompanied by a Moomins art exhibition, drawing significant interest and offering an immersive cultural experience before and after the screening.
Listen to the Land Speak (Ireland) at 4:00 PM
Director: Seán Ó Riada
Ireland’s poetic documentary blended landscape, mythology and memory, offering a unique reflection on national heritage and identity.
Two to One (Germany) at 5:30 PM
Director: Natja Brunckhorst
Germany’s contribution brought a contemporary comedic lens to personal and social transformation, appealing to a wide range of viewers.
I’m Not Everything I Want to Be (Czech Republic) at 7:45 PM
Director: Klára Tasovská
The festival concluded with this acclaimed Czech documentary, a probing and intimate exploration of self-image, femininity and artistic expression.
See more highlights from the festival on our LinkedIn page!