Local cinephiles, get on the edge of your fold-down seats! The 53rd Annual San Francisco International Film Festival is set to flicker onto city screens on April 22, and it won't quit until May 6.

The opening night kicks off at the glorious Castro Theatre with a screening of Micmacs, the newest, much-buzzed-about film from Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the brains behind gems like Amélie and A Very Long Engagement, followed by dancing, cocktails and fabulous food at the Regency Center. Don't miss the Midnight Awards on April 24 at the W Hotel downtown, the star-studded Film Society Awards Night on April 29 at the Westin St. Francis, and the film festival's Centerpiece night on May 1 which screens the edgy film Happythankyoumoreplease at the Sundance Kabuki, followed by an all-out celebration at Manor West. Closing night promises to be very San Francisco-flavored with a screening of Joan Rivers--A Piece of Work (sure to bring out some real characters!) followed by a party at 1015 Folsom.

For details on everything in between, look for a full-blown run down of the film festival by Rossiter Drake of our Screen Shots blog coming next week.