MVFF47 - RSVP Guide

Outdoor Art Club Redwood Grove.

An intimate brunch and conversation between 5 established female & nonbinary film professionals, and 5 emerging, Bay Area based, female & nonbinary filmmakers at a critical stage in their career. The brunch will be followed by two 30-minute one-on-one mentorship sessions between mentors and emerging filmmakers, where filmmakers will get advice about how to move their projects and careers forward. This is a safe space for participants to make authentic connections, share experiences and advice, and build community.

Catering: Dee's Organic Catering

Thelma is a penguin who lives in the Land of Ice. She’s four years old and she’ll turn five in five days—or at least she hopes she will. Will her birthday ever come? And what if she’s not there when the Birthday arrives—will she be forever stuck at age four? But Thelma is an adventurer and a mischief-maker, too. With her parents distracted by their computer screens, she sneaks away to find her friends Wilhelm the flying cat and Sofija the dancing mouse in the Great Forest, far from home. She hopes to meet the Birthday in person, with her magical candles in hand. Director Reinis Kalnaellis’ stunning watercolor palette and captivating animation bring to life a universal story of self-acceptance, friendship, courage, and the true meaning of growing up in a film that won the prestigious Special Jury/Best Animation Award at Annecy. An ageless story, perfect for all ages.

It’s 10pm on October 11th, 1975, and the Not Ready for Prime Time Players are definitely not ready. Gilda Radner, Chevy Chase, Garrett Morris, Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman, and John Belushi (has anyone seen Belushi?) are in alternating states of confusion, excitement, rage, disbelief, and blissfully buzzed. If SNL producer Lorne Michaels can’t pull these impossibly loose ends together within 90 minutes, his career is over before it’s begun, and NBC’s risk-averse execs will be proven right: Live sketch comedy on TV can never beat old Johnny Carson reruns. Jason Reitman (MVFF Award Recipient 2009) delivers a deliciously dizzying behind-the-scenes panoptic view of the lights (some toppling onto the stage), cameras (like producer Dick Ebersol’s beloved Polaroids), and action (loads of it) leading up to the moment Chevy Chase broke late-night television’s fourth wall and proclaimed to the world, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”

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

This beautifully understated Western is the story of a son raised by two fathers, one from the European East and one from the American West. On the cusp of the 20th century, somewhere on the American frontier, Igor, an immigrant and recent widower, struggles to raise his two-year-old son Ivo on his own. When his American friend and mentor Duncan decides to move his horse-breeding business and young family to California, Igor and Ivo join the wagon train headed West. Co-directors Biliana and Marina Grozdanova command the mise-en-scene with effortless elegance, and their mostly non-professional actors offer astonishing performances rich with verisimilitude and depth. The cast includes Igor Galijasevic, a Bosnian refugee, and his real-life young son Leo, as well as professional horse wrangler Duncan Vezain and his family, also playing versions of themselves transported in time. A tender and resonant tale of friendship, faith, and resolve.

Expected In Person Guest

Iranian writer-director Mohammad Rasoulof won the FIPRESCI Prize and a special jury award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival for this gripping drama about the paranoia that slowly eats away at one Tehran family. Misagh Zareh stars as Iman, a seemingly honorable man recently promoted to investigating judge, which brings with it a hefty raise and a bigger apartment for him, his wife, and daughters. But he soon realizes he’s made a Faustian bargain—his new job requires him to sign the death warrants of protesters—which angers the women in his family. Meticulously building in tension until it becomes a harrowing thriller, the film is the latest act of defiance from Rasoulof (There Is No Evil), jailed several times by Iranian authorities for his politically outspoken films. (In fact, he fled the country to avoid imprisonment prior to Sacred Fig’s premiere.) The filmmaker’s fury and sorrow suffuse his latest stunner, which brilliantly details how an oppressive regime obliterates the souls of its citizens.

Jesselyn, 16, has a mischievous smile and the world’s best dad. Like him, she’s hooked on boxing. Director Emily Sheskin follows Jess on her road to the Junior Olympics, and her battle with the one opponent she’s unprepared to fight.

Jesselyn Silva (self-named “JessZilla”) is a 16 year old with a mischievous megawatt smile and undeniably one of the world’s best dads, Pedro. Academically gifted and athletically oriented, she became hooked on boxing as a tot after making herself a fixture in her dad’s gym—not as a spectator, but as a passionate participant in the sport. From Jess’s first fights in the ring at age seven, director Emily Sheskin has followed the pint-sized pugilist on her journey toward winning the gold belt as a three-time national champion, with further triumphs on her way, ready to compete in the Junior Olympics. But Jesselyn’s challenges don’t stop there: As she enters her teenage years, the first opponent she’s totally unprepared for enters her life and her greatest fight begins. JessZilla is an inspiring story of endurance, faith, and the love between a father and an extraordinary daughter: A knockout!

Age 10+

Jesselyn Silva (autodenominada “JessZilla”) tiene 16 años y una sonrisa electrizante, y sin lugar a dudas uno de los mejores papás del mundo, Pedro. Dotada académica y atléticamente, se enganchó al boxeo cuando era niña, después de convertirse en una habitual del gimnasio de su padre, no como espectadora, sino como apasionada participante del deporte. Desde las primeras peleas de Jess en el ring a los siete años, la cineasta Emily Sheskin ha seguido a la diminuta pugilista en su trayectoria hasta ganar el cinturón de oro como tres veces campeona nacional. Con más triunfos por venir, está lista para competir en los Juegos Olímpicos de la Juventud. Pero los desafíos de Jesselyn no terminan ahí: al empezar su adolescencia, el primer oponente para el que no está para nada preparada entra en su vida y su mayor pelea comienza. JessZilla es una historia inspiradora de resistencia, fe y amor entre un padre y una hija extraordinaria: ¡Sensacional!

Melody, 12, is obsessed with Rachel from Friends and worried about fitting in at school. Living with cerebral palsy, she faces extra challenges when moved from special ed into an “inclusive learning environment”. Based on Sharon Draper’s best-selling YA novel.

Twelve-year-old Melody Brooks is a typical early-21st-century tween, obsessed with Rachel from Friends, unhappy with the uncool clothes her mom buys for her, and worried about fitting in at school. As a nonverbal sixth grader living with cerebral palsy, she’s got extra challenges to contend with, especially when she’s moved from the special ed classroom into an inclusive learning environment that feels far from inclusive, given her teacher’s refusal to welcome her and the disdain of fellow students. But when given an assistive communication device, Melody quickly learns to use her new-found voice to prevail over the forces holding her back. Based on Sharon M. Draper’s YA bestseller and starring the amazing Phoebe-Ray Taylor as Melody, with Judith Light, Rosemarie DeWitt, Luke Kirby, and Jennifer Aniston (as Melody’s inner voice), director Amber Sealey’s (No Man of God) drama delivers a tale of determination, pride, and self-empowerment like no other.

Age 12+



Expected In Person Guest

After her boyfriend dumps her, down-on-her-luck actress Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera, In the Heights) moves back into her family’s home and discovers that her imaginary childhood nemesis—the monster in her closet (Tommy Dewey, Casual)—is real. Abandoned by her man, mother, and best friend, Laura finds solace in the charming monster’s arms as her rage grows after her ex recasts her role in the musical they wrote together. Caroline Lindy’s delightful directorial debut spins a dark, whimsical tale of comedy, romance, and musical theater set to the beat of Broadway showtunes. Barrera dominates the screen of this beauty-and-the-beast fable as Laura taps into the monster lurking within her.

Expected In Person Guest

In her latest film, director Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank; Cow, MVFF44) returns to the hardscrabble lives of Brits that established her career. Protagonist Bailey (newcomer Nykiya Adams) is a 12-year-old girl forced into beyond-her-age maturity by ill-equipped parents. Her dad, Bug (Barry Keoghan, Saltburn, MVFF46), is focused on his upcoming wedding while her mom lives in a seedy part of town with an abusive boyfriend. Bailey’s favorite activity is wandering the countryside, filming animals, especially birds, on her phone. When she meets a free spirit in a skirt looking for his parents and coincidentally named Bird (Franz Rogowski; Undine, MVFF43), a bond forms and an adventure begins. Adams shines in the lead role, veering from petulance to empathy with grace, and Arnold deftly develops Bailey’s burgeoning friendship with Bird to explore various tensions within adolescent life, most importantly the guidance and nurturing that folks on the cusp of adulthood need.

Initiative: Mind the Gap
Country: UK, US, France, Germany

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.

A high school jock mistakes a 29-year-old slacker for a fellow teen in this Slamdance Breakouts grand jury prizewinner that stars an Asian American and Pacific Islander cast.

Blithe 29-year-old Misha insists that she is content as she goes through life making unorthodox choices that keep her alienated from her loved ones. Supported by a family inheritance and responsible for the neglected house her grandmother bequeathed her, Misha barely tends to its needs, as she leads a casual life free of any serious commitments. She appears self-possessed, but when a sweet, handsome 19-year-old high school athlete mistakes her for a fellow teenager Misha’s bad decisions pile up and her self-assurance begins to crack. Shot in beautiful Hilo, Hawai’i, Zoe Eisenberg’s first solo feature is a sincere portrait of the dangers that arise when aimlessness meets ambiguity.

Expected In Person Guest

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

One of the most memorable films of the season, maestro Pedro Almodóvar's first English-language film explores territory familiar in his work: the complex personal intimacies of women who find that they have more in common with each other than they realize. When a chance encounter reconnects New York writer Ingrid (Julianne Moore) with former war correspondent Martha (Tilda Swinton), a friend from her past, the two are thrown into a journey both profound and unexpected. As their bond grows stronger, it is beset sometimes by bravery, sometimes panic, and as issues of propriety and legality emerge, they retain a remarkable warmth and compassion. Anchored by two fantastic lead performances (and with wonderful support from John Turturro), this adaptation of a Sigrid Nunez novel is deeply touching. Visually striking, and with an atmospheric score by frequent collaborator Alberto Iglesias, Almodóvar and his terrific cast deliver a generous supply of laughter, tears, thoughtfulness—and surprise.

Iris (Isabelle Huppert) is a woman abroad in Seoul, teaching French and English in an idiosyncratic fashion. Linguistic collisions are Hong’s stock in trade and the revelations that unfold over conversations in artificially constructed circumstances are a delight to behold.

Isabelle Huppert is Iris, a woman abroad in Seoul, teaching French and English in an idiosyncratic fashion that allows her to pursue her own philosophical and personal interests. Through four encounters over a single day, Iris probes students and strangers for information about poetry, their own histories, and their relationship to their egos. Director Hong Sang-Soo’s delight in repetition is in play as Iris’s pedagogical catechism takes almost the same form in the first two sequences but deepens when she takes her tutelage outdoors with a married couple and visits a younger man with whom she shares an apartment. Huppert, in her third collaboration with Hong, is puckish and sprightly as the open-eyed and questioning Iris, supported by an impeccable group of performers whom her character knocks up against. Linguistic collisions are Hong’s stock in trade and the revelations that happen here as people converse in artificially constructed circumstances are a delight to behold.

In Sarah Friedland’s poetic debut feature, Kathleen Chalfant stars an octogenarian struggling to hold on to her memories and identity in a refreshing depiction of aging that celebrates the persistence of self.

This poetic debut feature by Sarah Friedland is an intimate exploration of the beauty and pain of transformation later in life. Kathleen Chalfant plays Ruth, an octogenarian struggling to hold on to her memories and identity as she transitions into an assisted living facility. As Ruth experiences cognitive decline, she balances her conflicting desires that are at once transient and immediate. Chalfant’s arresting performance reveals Ruth’s multitudes as she reaches for her past and present life. Friedland’s graceful writing and naturalistic direction paints an honest portrait of dementia that centers the person experiencing it and honors their spirit and humanity. Familiar Touch is a refreshing depiction of aging that celebrates the persistence of self and reminds us that we are always coming of age.

Expected In Person Guest

With an extraordinary acting ensemble and an astute sense of cinema, Malcolm Washington’s memorable directing debut continues his father Denzel Washington’s (Fences) project of adapting playwright August Wilson’s work to the screen. Set in 1936 during the depths of the Great Depression, Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize–winning story of siblings battling over legacy is riveting. Boy Willie (the director’s brother John David Washington, BlacKkKlansman), a sharecropper, wants to sell an heirloom piano in order to buy land that his family once worked as slaves. But his sister Berniece (Danielle Deadwyler, Till, MVFF45) insists on keeping the instrument, which is embellished with images carved by their enslaved great-grandfather of his wife and son. The inimitable Samuel L. Jackson costars as their Uncle Doaker, who attempts to mediate the dispute but is disturbed by ghosts of the past in this beautifully rendered, searing drama exploring identity, birthright, and generational trauma.

Expected In Person Guest

A woman (a dazzling Nisrin Erradi) pursues her dream of becoming a singer of traditional Aita with the same fierceness as the Bedouins who came before her, facing her modern-day obstacles with an exuberance equaled by her songs.

Nisrin Erradi dazzles as the charismatic Touda, a single mother determined to earn her living as a singer of Bedouin Aita, poetry defiantly written by women at a time when they were forbidden a voice. The challenges of her particular ambition are excruciatingly clear from the start when men, who see her only as a commodity they might purchase for cheap or take for free, sour her joy in performing. The camera moves in close as she persists, overcoming obstacles subtle and overt, not only for herself but also to give her deaf son a better life. Co-written by director Nabil Ayouch (Much Loved) and Maryam Touzani (The Blue Caftan, MVFF45), it is the latest powerful work from the longtime collaborators, whose work is always empathetic to women facing worlds hostile to their desires. In Everybody Loves Touda, they avoid sentimentality while suffusing their drama with an exuberance and complexity equaled by Touda’s songs.

This riveting documentary examines Billy Preston’s extraordinary career and life and pays soulful homage to the musical genius who blazed through the 1960s-‘70s music scene like a supernova.

Billy Preston blazed through the 1960s-‘70s music scene like a supernova, shining brightly until brought down by personal demons and changing tastes. In this riveting documentary, Paris Barclay examines the late musician’s extraordinary career and life. Raised in the Black church, Preston was a child prodigy, playing organ on tour with Mahalia Jackson at 10. As a solo artist, he scored number one hits, but the singer-songwriter-keyboardist might be better known for his collaborations: The Beatles considered him one of them, he recorded and toured with The Rolling Stones, and he played with Little Richard, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Sly Stone, and many others. But there was a dark side to Preston’s success as he wrestled with his sexuality, financial mismanagement, and substance abuse. With archival interviews, testimony from famous friends, and best of all, scads of incandescent performance footage demonstrating Preston’s charisma and monumental talent, Barclay’s doc pays soulful homage to a musical genius.

Filmmaker Bobby Roth embarks on a thought-provoking journey seeking candid answers to questions on masculinity, femininity, and whether we have the power to change.

“Man does not ask questions that he cannot answer.” With that bracing quote from Karl Marx, writer-director Bobby Roth (Berkeley, MVFF28) opens this thoughtful and personal documentary about what constitutes a good man. The filmmaker finds a multitude of responses along with sometimes poignant reflections to queries about masculinity, femininity, and whether we have the power to change. Roth’s deep dive into a multifaceted topic draws touching testimony from actors, among them the Bay Area’s Peter Coyote (whom Roth directed in 1984’s Heartbreakers), Ming-Na Wen, Henry Winkler, and Eric Dane; filmmakers that include MVFF favorite Rob Nilsson, Taylor Hackford, and Michael Mann; rabbis, psychotherapists, and even a lawyer. Nearly 40 people provide rich, sometimes painful, and candid answers that suggest that in order to become a good man, one must become a compassionate and reflective person first.

Expected In Person Guest

A carefree teen must care for his sister and win a cheese-making competition to secure their future in this heartwarming, funny, and uplifting coming-of-age tale that captures the essence of family and friendship.

In Louise Courvoisier's feature film debut, a teenager’s carefree days of drinking beers and partying in the idyllic French countryside are interrupted when he must care for his 7-year-old sister and find a way to support the two of them. His solution? To craft the best Comté cheese and win 30,000 euros, along with a prestigious gold medal, at an agricultural competition. Holy Cow is a sweet and uplifting coming-of-age story, capturing the essence of friendship, first love, and the struggles of growing up without parents. Courvoisier's masterful simplicity and authenticity bring a refreshing comedic touch to themes often steeped in drama. The film delves into youth culture, employment challenges, and the cherished traditions of cheese-making, all while highlighting the importance of family, friendship, and love. With its engaging narrative and relatable characters, this winner of the Prix de la Jeunesse at Cannes is a perfect film to enchant all audiences.

The Piano Lesson:

With an extraordinary acting ensemble and an astute sense of cinema, Malcolm Washington’s memorable directing debut continues his father Denzel Washington’s (Fences) project of adapting playwright August Wilson’s work to the screen. Set in 1936 during the depths of the Great Depression, Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize–winning story of siblings battling over legacy is riveting. Boy Willie (the director’s brother John David Washington, BlacKkKlansman), a sharecropper, wants to sell an heirloom piano in order to buy land that his family once worked as slaves. But his sister Berniece (Danielle Deadwyler, Till, MVFF45) insists on keeping the instrument, which is embellished with images carved by their enslaved great-grandfather of his wife and son. The inimitable Samuel L. Jackson costars as their Uncle Doaker, who attempts to mediate the dispute but is disturbed by ghosts of the past in this beautifully rendered, searing drama exploring identity, birthright, and generational trauma.

The Piano Lesson:

With an extraordinary acting ensemble and an astute sense of cinema, Malcolm Washington’s memorable directing debut continues his father Denzel Washington’s (Fences) project of adapting playwright August Wilson’s work to the screen. Set in 1936 during the depths of the Great Depression, Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize–winning story of siblings battling over legacy is riveting. Boy Willie (the director’s brother John David Washington, BlacKkKlansman), a sharecropper, wants to sell an heirloom piano in order to buy land that his family once worked as slaves. But his sister Berniece (Danielle Deadwyler, Till, MVFF45) insists on keeping the instrument, which is embellished with images carved by their enslaved great-grandfather of his wife and son. The inimitable Samuel L. Jackson costars as their Uncle Doaker, who attempts to mediate the dispute but is disturbed by ghosts of the past in this beautifully rendered, searing drama exploring identity, birthright, and generational trauma.

Danielle Deadwyler began her career in native Atlanta on stage before making her screen debut in A Cross to Bear (2012). Over the next decade, she acted in both features and shorts, as well as television series, where she recurred in the long-running series To Have and Have Not, was a series regular on Paradise Lost (2020), and starred in two miniseries Station 11 (2021–22) and From Scratch (2022). Her feature films include The Harder They Fall (2021), I Saw the TV Glow (2024), and Till (2022), a film honored at MVFF45 and for which she received BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for her riveting performance as Emmett Till’s mother Mamie.

The Festival throws the spotlight on Danielle Deadwyler and honors her with an MVFF Award for her latest triumphant role in The Piano Lesson.