9th annual Film Fest at Lake Tahoe runs from November 30 to December 10

The 2023 Tahoe Film Fest opens this Thursday, November 30 with films being shown on the North Shore through December 10. All ticket purchases for the Tahoe Film Fest support science education with the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center.

Tahoe Film Fest opens its ninth year with a biopic about the late great Leonard Bernstein directed by and starring Bradley Cooper. MAESTRO has only been screened in a select group of important film festivals and we thank Netflix for granting us this opportunity. Also from Netflix, Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore star in the new romantic drama MAY DECEMBER. Other feature films include EILEEN starring Anne Hathaway. Plus three films that their countries have submitted as official entries for Best International Feature Film including THE TASTE OF THINGS from France, THE SHADOW OF THE SUN from Venezuela, and PERFECT DAYS from Japan, directed by Wim Wenders.

In the documentary section, there are two important environmental films. Who knew that the key to saving the earth was right under our feet? COMMON GROUND is an eye-opening film that is a must-watch for people who care about healing our planet and features a renowned cast including Ian Somerhalder, Jason Mamoa, and Laura Dern. DEEP RISING is about the fate of the planet's last untouched wilderness, the deep ocean, and narrated by Jason Momoa.

RATHER takes an intimate look at the astonishing career and brilliance of Dan Rather. THE SPACE RACE from National Geographic is an educational exploration of the experiences of the first Black astronauts. Also from National Geographic comes THE MISSION about John Chau, the young American missionary who went missing while attempting to contact one of the world’s most isolated indigenous peoples on the remote North Sentinel Island. LAKOTA NATION VS. UNITED STATES is a lyrical and provocative testament to a land and a people who have survived removal, exploitation, and genocide – and whose best days are yet to come. THE GREAT DIVIDE is perhaps the most polarizing subject in American politics on how to resolve our issues of gun violence and gun control throughout the country.

In the selection of music documentary films shown at Crystal Bay Casino Crown Room, organizers are pleased to screen LET THE CANARY SING, a powerful new film about the life and career of Cyndi Lauper. CARLOS explores Carlos Santana, a music industry legend for 50 years and a 10-time Grammy-winning global sensation as well as a recipient of a Kennedy Center Honor. JOAN BAEZ: I AM A NOISE gives an account of not just her singular life of art and activism but also spins a complicated family story. SAN FRANCISCO SOUNDS: A PLACE IN TIME features several artists of the time and tells the story of the scene between 1966 and 1976, framed by Monterey Pop, Altamont, Woodstock, and The Last Waltz. LOUIS ARMSTRONG’S BLACK & BLUES shows his best-known songs and performances brings Louis to life and shows him as a barrier-breaking Black entertainer who navigated the times he lived in to keep at his craft over a 50+-year career.

The visual arts inspire people to think differently about the world around them. This year's festival promises a profound call to action for both locals and visitors to uphold the pristine beauty of Lake Tahoe, a mission at the heart of the festival and its presenting partner, Travel North Tahoe Nevada (TNTNV). As a presenting and founding partner of the 2023 Tahoe Film Fest, TNTNV is proud to align itself with an event that goes beyond entertainment.

Films will be screened at Incline Village Cinema, Northstar Village Cinema, and the Crystal Bay Club Crown Room. Visit https://tahoefilmfest.com/ for film descriptions, trailers, schedules, and tickets. All ticket sale proceeds support science education at Lake Tahoe through the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center.

A limited number of All-Access passes will be sold. The Blue Pass costs $75 and admits one person to all films. The Green Pass is $165 and admits one person to all films throughout the festival. In addition, this pass entitles the pass holder to attend our special events each evening at the Crystal Bay Casino VIP lounge located next to the Crown Room. At each event, complimentary cocktails, wine, and beer will be available as well as food and appetizers from the following North Tahoe establishments: Big Water Grille, Crystal Bay Steak & Lobster House, Gus' BBQ, Happy Tiers, Las Panchitas, Lupita’s, Raley’s, Rosewood, Sage Leaf, and T's Rotisserie. This also gives pass holders a chance to mingle with our special invited guests.

Special Guests to the 2023 Tahoe Film Fest:
Director Scott Z. Burns Presents Extrapolations on December 9 & 10

Extrapolations is a bracing drama from writer, director, and executive producer Scott Z. Burns that introduces a near future where the chaotic effects of climate change have become embedded into our everyday lives. Eight interwoven stories about love, work, faith, and family from across the globe will explore the intimate, life-altering choices that must be made when the planet is changing faster than the population. Every story is different, but the fight for our future is universal. And when the fate of humanity is up against a ticking clock, the battle between courage and complacency has never been more urgent. Are we brave enough to become the solution to our own undoing before it’s too late?

Director Scott Z. Burns will be present to introduce the episodes of Extrapolations as well as participate with a Question-and-Answer session after each screening. Episodes of Extrapolations will be screened at Incline Cinema on December 9 from 2 – 4 p.m. and December 10 from 2 – 4 p.m.

Scott Z. Burns is a screenwriter, director, producer, and playwright. His work in film includes producing An Inconvenient Truth, as well as An Inconvenient Sequel and Sea of Shadows. Burns’ writing credits include The Bourne Ultimatum, The Informant, Contagion, Side Effects and The Laundromat. Burns’ credits as a director include PU-239 and The Report. On stage, Burns’ play The Library was produced at The Public Theater and was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best New American Play.

In addition to Scott Burns, there will also be about twenty filmmakers attending the 2023 Tahoe Film Fest.