Bravemaker's first feature has hometown premiere.  A full house of popcorn-eating friends and film buffs turned out for the April 5 VIP showing of “Last Chance Charlene”

13-day Cinequest film festival to begin Feb. 27

in A&E/Featured/Headline and

Want a chance to see famed director William H. Macy in person? He’ll be one of the Hollywood stars attending the 13-day 2018 Cinequest Film & VR (Virtual Reality) Festival, which takes place at theaters in both San Jose and Redwood City.

The international festival, which couples movie making with Silicon Valley innovation, begins Tuesday, Feb. 27, with the opening night screening of “Krystal” starring Nick Robinson and Rosario Dawson at California Theatre in San Jose, with director Macy scheduled to be in attendance.

The festival continues through Sunday, March 11. Click here to view the list of 113 festival events, with many featured at Century 20 in downtown Redwood City, 825 Middlefield Rd.

Film goers can easily access the theaters in both Redwood City and San Jose via Caltrain. It’s a short walk from the Redwood City Caltrain Station to the Century Downtown 20. From the San Jose Diridon Caltrain Station, passengers can transfer to VTA buses and light rail to the three downtown venues: California Theatre, Hammer Theatre Center and 3 Below (formerly Camera 3).

Cinequest was founded in 1990, when the festival showed 60 films at the Camera 3 theater in front of 3,000 attendees. Last year, the festival featured over 800 artists and innovators presenting 132 world and U.S. premieres and cutting-edge media technologies on multiple days and in several local theaters. In 2014, the festival featured a film produced using an iPhone.

This year will include 29 virtual reality and augmented reality films, experiences and games, along with the Maverick Spirit Awards, which has been won in the past by stars including Nicolas Cage, Tatiana Maslany and Andie MacDowell.