Bay Area Embraces Reel Indies

It's almost two weeks of popcorn, interesting people and even more interesting movies as the San Francisco Independent Film Festival premieres new and offbeat films to the Roxie Theater for its thirteenth year through Feb. 17. The festival presents 85 new cutting-edge films and videos over the course of this year's 15-day program. This weekend's celebration of maverick film is highlighted by a tribute to the 'Child's Play' movie series notorious midnight movie maven and drag queen Peaches Christ.

Kaboom

The event at the Victoria Theater on Saturday night -- 'When Chucky Meets Peaches Christ' -- offers up a screening of 'Seed of Chucky,' the outrageously campy most recent film of the series, as well a costume contest where attendees are encouraged to dress up as their favorite characters from the 'Child's Play' series. The big draw will be host Peaches Christ's onstage interview with series creator Don Mancini, who wrote all of the scripts to the Chucky films and directed the entry being screened Saturday, and actress Jennifer Tilly, who portrayed Tiffany Ray, the former lover and accomplice of serial killer whose spirit possessed the Good Guy doll Chucky (Sat/12, 8 p.m. $17-$20, Victoria Theater).

Anticipated films during the second week of Indie Fest include several fascinating music docs. 'Bloodied But Unbowed,' chronicles the late 1970s/early 1980s Vancouver punk rock that produced such influential bands as D.O.A. and the Subhumans. 'Superstonic Sound: The Rebel Dread' profiles Don Letts, the influential British DJ and filmmaker who was the confidante and videographer of The Clash who later became a member of Big Audio Dynamite. 'Toumast: Guitars and Kalashnikovs' looks at the struggle of the nomadic Tuareg people of the Sahara Desert who have moved from fighting with assault rifles to spreading their message of rebellion with music. Other interesting entries include the absurdist skateboard comedy 'Machotaildrop,' the acting and directing debut of The Mars Volta principle Omar Rodriguez Lopez 'The Sentimental Engine Slayer' that has been described as a surreal, fever dream coming-of-age film and a documentary spotlighting Petaluma's annual ugliest dog competition entitled 'Worst in Show' to name just a few.

Indie Fest also presents an array of shorts (both animated and live action), either as part of a feature screening or in group screenings based on category or theme. The Fest also maintains its reputation for putting on unusual events with the Valentine's Day show 'Love Bites: Power Ballad Sing A Long' that will feature a host of teased-hair '80s odes to love by such artists as Guns 'n Roses, REO Speedwagon, Warrant, and Cinderella. For a complete list of films and events, visit the official website.