MVFF47 - RSVP Guide

The Mind the Gap Summit is a half-day intensive session featuring presentations, discussions, and master classes led by an extraordinary line-up of creatives and thought leaders. Following the summit, attendees are invited to a networking luncheon on site providing an opportunity to connect with each other, share insights, and celebrate the power of community. The Summit & Networking Lunch are a highlight of Mind the Gap Day.

Keynote Conversation with Rachel Morrison. Director, cinematographer and Mind the Gap honoree Rachel Morrison will open this year's Summit in a special keynote address. Rachel Morrison has long been a source of inspiration as one of the rare women to make and maintain a distinguished career as a cinematographer. With iconic films like Fruitvale Station, Mudbound (MVFF40), and Black Panther, she has made a significant contribution to recent cinema. This year, she adds to an already notable career as she makes her directorial debut with The Fire Inside, to be released in December.

Familiar Touch: The Creative Process. Sarah Friedland’s debut feature film, Familiar Touch, is a beautiful, poignant story about a woman who “comes of old age” as she adjusts to her new life in a retirement home. This conversation will explore the film’s creation, Sarah’s artistic process, and filmmaking as a space for community and connection.

Sarah Friedland: Familiar Touch
Moderator: Osinachi Ibe, Programmer + Mind the Gap Manager

Mind the Gap Directors Forum.Creative collaboration can drive the art of filmmaking: but who are key collaborators and allies, especially for a first-time narrative filmmaker? Unpacking this and more, a panel of up and coming filmmakers will share insights, experiences and inspirations from working on their debut features.

INVITED GUESTS:
Liz Cairns: Inedia 
Biliana Grozdanova: Eastern Western
Marina Grozdanova: Eastern Western
Alex Hedison: Alok

Moderator: Zoë Elton, MVFF + Mind the Gap Director of Programming

Images Onscreen.The images we see onscreen can influence our attitudes about each other, can inspire identification and recognition of who we are, can provide role models. A group of creatives look at the way women and non-binary characters are represented on screen, and the importance of those images in our lives.

INVITED GUESTS:
Natalie Morales: My Dead Friend Zoe
Sonequa Martin-Green: My Dead Friend Zoe
(additional Panelists TBA)

Mind the Gap Award Presentation to Rachel Morrison.A celebration of the work of cinematographer and director Rachel Morrison, recipient of the Mind the Gap Award.

Mind the Gap Creation Prize Recipient Announcement. Zoë Elton and Osinachi Ibe will announce the recipient of the 2024 Mind the Gap Creation Prize.

Ticket required.

Who says that watching Saturday morning cartoons with the family ended with the 20th century? Not us! Join us for this fun frenzy of animated wonders for kids of all ages, presented in collaboration with the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival. Films include: Martha Grant’s Llamas at the Laundromat (Canada 2023, 2 min), a delightful musical starring dancing llamas in fashionable attire; Annastacia Henry-Ramos’ Lunar Power (US 2024, 3 min), in which video game nut Miguel has a cheeky chat with his older, wiser Cousin Amaya; Venus Jones’ Lil Red is Riding the Wrong Way in the Hood (US 2023, 8 min), a rap fairytale filled with valuable life lessons; Paperface’s Think Too Much (UK 2023, 4 min), a musical journey through a landscape of broccoli; Peter Gardner’s Adventures with the Caretaker (US 2022, 25 min), featuring Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and the Abominable Snowman; Alex Ross’ The Social Chameleon (US 2022, 9 min), an inspiring story about finding your true colors; and Guillermo Gomes’ The Crow and the Squirrel (US 2018, 4 min), a beautiful lesson in communication and compassion.

Age 7+

Expected In Person Guest

Painter and sculptor Titus Kaphar brings his sense of wonder to the big screen with this affirming debut. The writer-director delivers a wrenching and deeply felt excavation of family, particularly the bonds that exist between fathers and sons.

André Holland delivers a tour de force performance as Tarrell Rodin, a successful painter, husband, and father haunted by nightmares of childhood abuse suffered at the hands of his hard-tasking father La’Ron (John Earl Jelks in a breakthrough performance). While preparing for a new gallery installation, Tarrell encounters a rude awakening when his father suddenly reappears in his life, a development that sends him spiraling. But with the insistence of his long-suffering mother Joyce (Oscar® nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) and support of his wife Aisha (Andra Day), Tarrell confronts buried memories in his path to healing. In observing Tarrell’s complicated journey to self, the film teases out the usefulness of art as a medium for breaking the cycle of generational trauma. Radiating pain and love, tenderness and bitterness, sometimes all in the same scene, Exhibiting Forgiveness confronts the limits of unconditional love while withholding judgment of its characters.

Expected In Person Guest

Outdoor Art Club Front Patio

Following the summit, attendees are invited to a networking luncheon providing an opportunity to connect with each other, share insights, and celebrate the power of community.

In the midst of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, a volunteer team embarks on a mission to evacuate a zoo’s 5,000 creatures from the bombardment zone.

Feldman EcoPark, located in the woods outside Kharkiv, was home to 5,000 creatures cared for by 100 employees. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the inhabitants found themselves behind the front lines and buffeted by bombardment. Oleksander Feldman, the wealthy businessman who created the zoo, realized that a mass evacuation was the only way to save the animals from further physical injury and psychological anguish. The sight of several species settling at his sprawling estate is touchingly surreal, but lions, tigers, and bears prove a bigger challenge. Checkpoint Zoo records the yeoman efforts of volunteers like neophyte veterinarian Tymofii, who returned from abroad when the war began, and recovering addict Andrii, who found a job, a home, and a calling at EcoPark. Their extraordinary endeavor, marked by stunning triumph and shocking tragedy, embodies the noblest characteristics of our species: compassion, cooperation, courage, and a dedication to the preservation of civilization.

Expected In Person Guest

The brutal impact of climate change drives Bay Area filmmaker Natalie Zimmerman's intense documentary. Focused on the Pacific Island nation of Kiribati, the film weaves breathtaking natural footage with the struggles of people navigating an environment that is slipping away.

The brutal impact of climate change drives this beautiful, intense documentary from Bay Area filmmaker Natalie Zimmerman. As sea levels rise, the Pacific Island nation of Kiribati faces predictions that it will be uninhabitable by 2030. Oceania weaves breathtaking natural footage with the struggles of people navigating an environment that is slipping away. Koyaanisqatsi director Godfrey Reggio executive produced this urgent film that takes the devastating measure of change on the island over eight years. We follow along as the population wrestles with indisputable scientific data and struggles with the emotional dimensions of this fast-moving emergency. As the story unfolds, we learn more about the fragmented histories and disparate experiences of the people affected by the calamity. Highlighting the overwhelming truths all around, the film asks serious questions and ponders realistic calls to action as a community struggles to stay afloat.

In the heady days of the 1968 Prague Spring, a group of Czechoslovak Radio journalists risk not just their careers but their lives to distribute independent news amidst national and regional tumult in this thrilling historical drama. Central to the story are two orphaned brothers caught in the struggle for freedom. The elder, Tomáš (Vojtěch Vodochodský), is a radio technician working at the station that is committed to defying the Communist Party’s censorship, overwhelming propaganda, and police harassment. When security forces pressure him to spy for them, Tomáš finds himself in a bind where he has to choose between betraying his colleagues or protecting his teenage sibling. This Karlovy Vary International Film Festival’s Právo Audience Award winner depicts the heroism of ordinary Czechs against the Soviet puppet regime, intertwining personal stories with well-known historical events. Waves is a gripping ode to press freedom and a timely reminder of the dangers of censorship.

Disruptive food allergies and terrible rashes debilitate a young woman. When she finds a secluded, nature-bound commune that believes sunlight’s energy can replace food, she believes she’s found her true home ... if she can survive it.

In Latin, “inedia” is the word for fasting. In our contemporary world, it is the name given to a pseudoscience that asserts that people can survive on energy absorbed from sunlight alone with no need for other nourishment. In writer-director Liz Cairns’ fascinating feature debut, the word is also the name of a commune living the theory that adopts a new member, Cora (Amy Forsyth). When her debilitating allergies—which may be psychological—escalate to the point where she’s unable to hold down most food and rashes pepper her body, she’s ripe for Inedia leader Joanna’s (Susanne Wuest) teachings and drawn to the community’s stable family vibe. But Cora begins to sense darkness at the center of Joanna’s “light feeds us” philosophy in a film that begins with a sense of foreboding and continually ratchets up the tension. In secluded, nature-bound Inedia, Cora believes she’s found her true home … if she can survive it.

Expected In Person Guest

“I had my ups and downs, but I always find the inner strength to pull myself up.” In this shorts program, we present a collection of true-life tales about extraordinary individuals and cultural changemakers from around the world. There hasn’t been a lesbian bar in San Francisco for almost a decade but Bay Area filmmakers Meg Shutzer and Brandon Yadegari Moreno’s Mother (US 2023, 23 min) introduces us to Malia Spanyol, a self-identified dyke who sets out to build one for the next generation of women and femmes. In the thought-provoking Alok (US 2024, 19 min), director Alex Hedison delivers a compelling portrait of Alok Vaid-Menon, the internationally acclaimed nonbinary author, poet, comedian, and public speaker who challenges societal norms and explores the limitless expression of self. Sarah Klein and Tom Mason’s Out of the Dark: Cal Calamia (US 2024, 8 min) provides an intimate look at the journey of professional athlete Cal Calamia, a transgender marathon runner who’s advocating for inclusion in the running world. Part memoir-style reflection and part prayer, Kirhi Nath’s Paramita (2024, 24 min) reveals Prajna Paramita Choudhury’s 25-year coming out process with her traditional Bangladeshi mother employing Buddhist practices and nature as gateways for intergenerational healing.

Expected In Person Guest

In We Live in Time, Florence Pugh (The Wonder, MVFF45) and Andrew Garfield (MVFF Award: Breathe, MVFF40) prove great foils for each other: Their punchy repartee and irresistible connection makes them one of the most memorable of recent cinematic couples. When an accidental encounter brings together up-and-coming, ambitious chef and restaurant owner Almut (Pugh) and recent divorcé (Garfield)—who also happens to be a Weetabix spokesperson—what might seem like an unlikely match evolves into something neither might have imagined for themselves. With humor, warmth, love, romance, and a tad contentiousness, their bonds become deeper with every moment. Moments that range from life-changing (giving birth in a completely unexpected location) to the seemingly mundane (the best way to crack an egg). Director John Crowley’s (Brooklyn, MVFF38) beautifully paced production of Nick Payne’s innovative script spans three distinct chronologies that unfold and inform our understanding of key moments in the couple’s time together. It’s a life-affirming journey that’s both defined by and transcends time.

Outdoor Art Club Redwood Grove.

Join us for an afternoon of connection and conversation with filmmakers and film lovers from across the Bay Area! Whether you’re here to reconnect or make new contacts, this is the place to be. Enjoy a laid-back happy hour, network with fellow creatives, and catch exciting updates from local film organizations. If you’re a filmmaker, part of a film company, or simply passionate about film, don’t miss this chance to be part of the Bay Area’s vibrant film scene!

Filmmaker talk guests TBA

A woman discovers the corpse of her uncle, a man who caused her considerable pain, in this darkly funny portrait of Zambia’s matriarchal society that grippingly explores the younger generation’s desire to break free from the sins of the past.

Death and secrets permeate writer-director Rungano Nyoni’s dazzling second feature, the winner of Best Director in the Un Certain Regard sidebar at the Cannes Film Festival. Driving through the night after a party, Shula (Susan Chardy) happens across the corpse of her Uncle Fred. That she’s learned that he’s dead isn’t shocking—that she doesn’t care at all is. A portrait of Zambia’s matriarchal society and the lingering emotional scars left behind by sexual abuse, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl combines dark comedy and bruising drama—absurdism and stripped-down realism—to investigate lies that have smothered Shula’s family for years. The filmmaker of 2017’s equally stellar I Am Not a Witch continues to demonstrate an ability to craft modern parables that grapple with both history and a younger generation’s desire to break free from the sins of the past. Funerals have rarely been so cathartic. —Tim Grierson

Rungano Nyoni

After not-so-quietly quitting his restaurant job, aspiring rapper Khalid quits NYC for a paid gigolo gig in Bulgaria that he found on Facebook. Arriving in a seaside hamlet to spend some “adult time” with middle-aged Raya, he quickly discovers she’s neither available, nor alive. Undaunted, Khalid finds menial labor at the dock and gradually charms the locals with his charisma, all except for his foul-tempered boss Gyorgi. It doesn’t help that Khalid has taken a shine to Gyorgi’s winsome ex, Ina. With a winning combination of Bay Area bigheartedness, Brooklyn moxie, and a dollop of Eastern European humor, Tam High graduate Crystal Moselle (The Wolfpack) and codirector-breakout star Derrick B. Harden’s joyous fish-out-of-water tale is something to behold. With the sly sensibility of an early Jarmusch film and the ebullience and flow of a Spike Lee joint, The Black Sea is refreshing as a cool drink on a hot summer day.

Expected In Person Guest

While searching on Facebook for her estranged father, a young woman finds a man (John Leguizamo) with the same name, a caring father figure, who also could use a friend.

An accidental connection blossoms into a loving father-daughter-like relationship in writer-director Tracie Laymon’s gentle and deeply personal feature debut. Upbeat Lily (Barbie Ferreira) strives to please everyone around her, including her narcissistic, deeply disinterested father Robert Trevino (French Stewart), a jerk who blames his daughter for everything wrong in his life and ghosts her. In desperate need of a real friend, Lily finds one when she discovers a different Bob Trevino (John Leguizamo) while searching for her estranged dad on Facebook. This Bob is the opposite of her difficult parent: a decent, ethical, and warm married man who could use a new friend himself. Ferreira and Leguizamo are wonderful together; their vulnerable performances touch the heart in a winning film that reminds us that the spontaneous bonds we make can be sometimes far more enriching and loving than the family ties we’ve been assigned.

Expected In Person Guest

A former US Army mechanic with PTSD (Sonequa Martin-Green) has a most unusual “best friend”—her late colleague (Natalie Morales) from a tour in Afghanistan, still a motor-mouthed constant companion despite the inconvenience of death.

Uneasily back in civilian life after an eight-year US Army hitch, Merit (Sonequa Martin-Green) has a BFF who’s maybe a little too “forever”: Fellow mechanic Zoe (Natalie Morales), her inseparable colleague during a tour in Afghanistan, one that Zoe ultimately did not survive. There’s a comedically supernatural—or perhaps just psychological—aspect to Merit’s wisecracking companion, whom no one else can hear or see. Merit has PTSD, which she copes with poorly by running from a veterans’ support group (led by counselor Morgan Freeman), ostensibly to deal with her crusty Vietnam vet grandfather’s (Ed Harris) weakening health. But her demons won’t leave Merit alone until she confronts them. Executive produced by Kansas City Chief Travis Kelce, Kyle Hausman-Stokes’ debut feature was inspired by his own Army experiences in Iraq—and by an ongoing epidemic of US military veteran suicides. Its engagingly singular mix of wit, warmth, and tough issues won the Audience Award at SXSW this year.

Expected In Person Guest

Can a radical transformation change one's destiny? Jacques Audiard’s (Dheepan, MVFF36) narco trans musical explores this question with a unique, wonderful blend: crime thriller-meets-exuberant musical, complete with production numbers. Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, and Adriana Paz star in this story of ruthless cartel boss Manitas Del Monte, who hires lawyer Rita Moro Castro (Saldaña) to manage his sex change to become Emilia Pérez (Gascón) while his family relocates to Switzerland. Awarded Cannes’ best actress jury prize for its ensemble, the film brings women to the forefront of the traditionally male-dominated gangster movie. Audiard enhances the genre's visual and tonal hallmarks with a liberating sense of expression through song and dance, making Emilia Pérez a standout in contemporary cinema with its engaging and compelling narrative and stellar performances. —João Federici

¿Puede una transformación radical cambiar el destino de uno? El musical narco trans de Jacques Audiard (Dheepan, MVFF36) explora esta cuestión con una mezcla única y maravillosa: un thriller fusionado con un exuberante musical, completo con números de producción. Zoé Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gómez y Adriana Paz protagonizan la historia del despiadado jefe de cartel Manitas Del Monte, quien contrata a la abogada Rita Moro Castro (Saldaña) para gestionar su cambio de sexo y convertirse en Emilia Pérez (Gascón) mientras su familia se traslada a Suiza. Galardonada con el premio a la mejor interpretación femenina en Cannes por su excepcional reparto, esta película de gánsteres desafía las convenciones de un género tradicionalmente dominado por hombres al poner a las mujeres en primer plano. Audiard eleva las características visuales y tonales del género, infundiéndolo con un sentido de liberación a través de la canción y el baile. Con "Emilia Pérez", ofrece una narrativa cautivadora y convincente, respaldada por actuaciones estelares que la consolidan como una obra destacada en el cine contemporáneo.

Expected In Person Guest