Chris Felver’s doc about Lawrence Ferlinghetti is a little rough around the edges, with jumpy editing and a tendency to wander away from the subject of the moment without adequate explanation, but it’s an engaging film all the same, featuring a wealth of archival footage, home videos, and photos. Sometimes these riches come at the expense of context, but the doc hits all of the main points of Ferlinghetti’s life and career, taking us from his childhood in France through his stint in the Navy, and finally his founding of City Lights Bookstore and Publishers in 1951, and the Howl trial, a decisive moment in his career in letters. Ferlinghetti is also a wonderful portrait of the man himself, and you can’t leave the screening without a sense of the man’s wit, warmth, and committment to the idea that politics and literature are inseparable — a proposition that has had enduring influence in San Francisco. Featuring interviews with a wide range of literary luminaries.

The doc premieres at 6:00 PM on Tuesday night, April 28^th at the Sundance Kabuki Theatre, as part of the 52nd San Francisco International Film Festival. Ferlinghetti himself is expected to attend the premiere along with director Felver, and several of Ferlinghetti’s political and literary colleagues. There will be one additional screening at the Kabuki on April 30th at 4:00, and one at PFA on May 6^th at 6:30. Trailer here. Tickets here.

Today is Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s 90th birthday. Give City Lights some love and buy a book from them today! In person or online, it’s a gift for him that you get to receive.

Streetsblog has this great article about Ferlinghetti’s proposal to create an Italian-style piazza on Vallejo Street (near Trieste).

By the way, a film about Ferlinghetti’s life and works is going to premiere at the upcoming San Francisco International Film Festival on April 28. Film site here. Tickets are available now to SFFS members!

Incidentally, SFist reports that it’s also Frank Chu’s birthday. Well, how about that?