MVFF47 - RSVP Guide

It is said that Native Americans of the Great Plains had “over 500 purposes for the buffalo body,” including lodging, clothing, bedding, and food—no part went unused. There was also a spiritual element to the tribes’ connection to these magnificent creatures. When the US and Canadian governments sought to seize traditional tribal lands, they encouraged extermination of the species to help eradicate the preexisting human populace. Within a short period, only 1,000 buffalo remained out of a population that previously numbered 30 million. This stunningly photographed documentary, narrated by recent Oscar-nominee Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon), chronicles latter-day efforts by her Blackfoot peoples to reintroduce wild herds into landscapes that haven’t seen their like in generations. It’s a long, labored process beset by political and logistical challenges. But the spectacular views of Glacier National Park and other locations near our northern border make even that struggle a joy to behold. —Dennis Harvey
 
Directors: Ivan MacDonald, Ivy MacDonald, Daniel Glick
Initiative: Mind the Gap
Country: UK
 
Ivan MacDonald is an Emmy-winning filmmaker based in Montana. He is an enrolled member of the Blackfeet tribe. His most recent project, Murder in Bighorn, premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and was a Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Non-Scripted Television Series. He is an inaugural fellow for the Netflix and illuminative Producers Fellowship, and is also inaugural recipient of the Hulu and Firelight Kindling Fund.

Ivy MacDonald is a director, producer, screenplay writer, and cinematographer based in Montana. She is an enrolled member of the Blackfeet tribe. In late 2023 she co-wrote and co-directed her first narrative short film, Buffalo Spirit, which will premiere later this year. She also helped produce Murder in Bighorn, which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and aired nationally on Showtime. Ivy won an Emmy for her producing work on the 2020 ESPN shot Blackfeet Boxing: Not Invisible. She is currently directing and shooting for When They Were Here.

Daniel Glick is a director, writer, producer, cinematographer, and editor. For his short film, Iniskim (2019), he was nominated for directing, producing, and photography Emmys, winning for photography. His first feature documentary film, A Place to Stand (2014) won two Telly Awards. He has directed and produced several dozen short and branded documentaries. Three of his most recent personal projects were Our Last Refuge (2017), Iniskim, and Bring Them Home/Aiskótáhkapiyaaya, all short films set on the Blackfeet Reservation that he worked on with Blackfeet tribal members.



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Crumbling Druid Heights, a once-thriving bohemian enclave near Mill Valley, could face the wrecking ball. Longtime resident Ed Stiles recalls a vibrant community and details its outsized influence on countless disparate 20th-century cultural movements.

Tucked inside Muir Woods near Mill Valley lies crumbling Druid Heights, a once-thriving bohemian enclave. Founded by famed lesbian poet Elsa Gidlow and Roger Somers, a gifted carpenter who made “wibbly, wobbly architecture” inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright and others, Druid Heights today is in danger of falling under a National Park Service wrecking ball. Ed Stiles, a longtime resident and skilled furniture maker, gives an oral history of the property, recounting its rich influence on Beats such as Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac; philosopher Alan Watts, whose book The Way of Zen was instrumental in spreading the popularity of Buddhism in the United States; and rock artists including Neil Young and Graham Nash. With archival footage of the burgeoning hub and contemporary video of its slow decline into disrepair, Stiles takes the viewer on a tour through some of the biggest cultural movements of the 20th century, and Druid Heights’ place in them.

This exuberant, unconventional musical biopic of singer Robbie Williams blends extravagant song-and-dance sequences with a frank portrayal of the demons that accompanied his rise to worldwide acclaim.

Two decades before Harry Styles, there was Robbie Williams drawing the map Styles followed from boy-band fame to solo superstardom. This exuberant musical biopic charts Williams’ journey as a child raised to worship at the altar of Frank Sinatra who finds his own voice first as a teenager with Take That and later as a solo artist. No hagiography, the drama frankly portrays the addictions and demons that accompany Williams’ rise to acclaim as well as the impostor syndrome that vividly manifests as he performs. The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey’s sophomore feature contrasts Williams’ personal struggles with the absolute joy of his music, adding to the mix of recording sessions, club dates, and arena shows, extravagant and irresistible song-and-dance sequences. But the film’s biggest strengths are in its unconventional approach to an artist’s life and Jonno Davies’ soulful, cheeky, and self-lacerating performance that proves he is, indeed, a “better man,” as is Williams himself.

The mysterious arrival of a piano at a Catholic shelter near Venice in the early 1800s sets progressive and orthodox musical outlooks ablaze in this rousing musical drama.

The mysterious arrival of a piano at a Catholic shelter near Venice in the early 1800s sets progressive and orthodox musical outlooks ablaze in this rousing musical drama. When the imperious chapel master Perlina announces that the institute’s choir will have the honor of playing for Pope Pius VII, his conservative opinions about composition and singing butt up against those of women who have bolder ideas. Preeminent among these is Teresa—nicknamed The Mute because of her seeming inability to speak—who evinces a prodigious and forward-thinking talent at the piano. When Perlina discovers Teresa’s gift, tensions rise and sides are chosen. Director Vicario is a well-known singer-songwriter and brings a playful harmony to a story that looks frankly at patriarchal and religious stifling of female talent. And once the climactic performance hits its first notes, it’s nearly impossible not to hum along.

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“Words can’t express what I feel inside of my flesh.” Whether they’re new partners or soulmates, these stories of love and attraction run the gamut of experiences both fresh and familiar. Steve Sanders’ Crab Claw (US 2024, 9 min) features an incredibly awkward marriage counseling session. In Lucy Teitler’s Keep It Open (US 2023, 10 min), the prospect of a ménage à trios does not quite go as expected. An old flame and trans friend discover that the road to identity can be beautifully fluid in Nadia Johnson and Ben Snyder’s Something Borrowed, Something Pink (US 2024, 10 min). A young man and his cat find their household in upheaval when a new girlfriend appears in Britney Fan’s animated There Can Only Be One... (US 2024, 3 min). Being the object of attention yields some surprising responses for a young girl in Scott Burkhardt’s Exuvia (US 2024, 12 min). A queer teen finds herself at a crossroads when her choices are challenged by religious dogma in Naomi Iwamoto’s Sixteen (US 2024, 14 min). And a moment and a lifetime are encapsulated in a single, hypnotic point of view in Paula Levine’s amazing Five Minutes to Five Years (US 2024, 11 min). Don’t miss this collection that has a lot of laughs and a surplus of heart.

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In 1970s Brazil, a family's life collapses when the military regime seizes former congressman Rubens Paiva. His wife, Eunice, becomes a fierce advocate for justice. Walter Salles directs this poignant film, which reveals the pain and resilience of fighting for truth.

The idyllic life of a happy family in Rio de Janeiro takes a devastating turn when agents of Brazil’s military regime seize former congressman Rubens Paiva (Shelton Mello), leaving his wife Eunice (a stirring Fernanda Torres) alone with their five children. As Rubens disappears into the shadows of the country’s savage penal system, Eunice navigates the perilous waters of the police state and transforms into a relentless advocate for justice, her voice becoming a beacon in the fight against government atrocities. Based on Marcelo Paiva’s memoir and using actual family photos as inspiration, director Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries; On the Road, MVFF35) brings us a haunting portrayal of a family's tragic transformation under a brutal dictatorship. Eunice Paiva’s journey is a powerful testament to the enduring scars of forced disappearances and the unyielding search for truth. The film, anchored by a stellar cast that includes Fernanda Montenegro (Salles’s Central Station) and Maeve Jinkings, resonates with the pain and resilience of those left behind.

La idílica vida de una familia feliz en Río de Janeiro da un giro devastador cuando los agentes del régimen militar de Brasil capturan al excongresista Rubens Paiva (Shelton Mello), dejando a su esposa Eunice (una conmovedora Fernanda Torres) sola con sus cinco hijos. Mientras Rubens desaparece en las sombras del salvaje sistema penal del país, Eunice navega por las peligrosas aguas del estado policial y se transforma en una implacable defensora de la justicia y su voz se convierte en un modelo de inspiración en la lucha contra las atrocidades cometidas por el gobierno. Basado en las memorias de Marcelo Paiva y utilizando fotografías familiares reales como inspiración, el cineasta Walter Salles (Diarios de motocicleta; On The Road, MVFF35) nos presenta un retrato inquietante de la trágica transformación de una familia bajo una brutal dictadura. La experiencia de Eunice Paiva ofrece un testimonio conmovedor de las cicatrices duraderas dejadas por las desapariciones forzadas y de la incansable búsqueda de la verdad. La película, respaldada por un elenco estelar que incluye a Fernanda Montenegro (conocida por su papel en la película de Salles “Central Station”) y Maeve Jinkings, resuena profundamente con el dolor y la resiliencia de quienes permanecen.

The eponymous protagonist of this dramatic and moving debut feature yearns to escape the strictures of the repressive environment of ‘90s-era rural Saudi Arabia. Residing with her aunt and younger brother in a small village after a family tragedy, Norah buys contraband magazines from the local store and dreams of returning to the city where she was raised. In a country where printed and drawn images are forbidden, she longs to find some representation of herself. Enter Nader, a tall and quiet man brought to teach at the small school. After her brother wins a class competition and brings home a drawing made by Nader, Norah decides that she will try anything to have her portrait done by this kind and gentle stranger. Winner of a Special Jury Mention in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard, the film expertly portrays the rising tensions that swirl around and between these two characters hoping to see and be seen.

Oscar®-winning film editor William Goldenberg makes an indelible directing debut with this thrilling underdog sports drama focused on the life of wrestler Anthony Robles. Jharrel Jerome (Moonlight, MVFF39; I’m a Virgo) stars as Robles, introduced as a high school senior whose record ought to have college wrestling programs scrambling to recruit him. But the teen was born with one leg and the wrestling powerhouses passed on him. Ultimately, he chooses to walk on at Arizona State University and compete for a non-scholarship spot. Balancing wrestling, school, a job in airplane maintenance, and support of his younger siblings and mother (Jennifer Lopez) as she navigates an abusive relationship with his prison-guard stepfather (Bobby Cannavale) is a challenge, but Robles strives to attain his goal to not just wrestle but win a national championship. Michael Peña and Don Cheadle offer empathetic support as his coaches in an electrifying film that, like its hero, has the heart of a champion.

With shades of Joseph Losey’s The Servant and Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite in his scintillating directorial debut, Jianjie Lin invites us into a middle-class household in Beijing

In his scintillating directorial debut, Lin Jianjie invites us into the home of a middle-class Beijing family, where an alteration to routine disturbs the equilibrium, revealing a microcosm of socio-political intricacies in a post-one-child China. The only son of well-to-do urbanites, Wei befriends Shuo, a mysterious classmate. As the young man’s enigmatic persona leaves a strong impression on Wei and his parents, a bond forms between Shuo and the family. In particular, Wei’s cell biologist father is taken by the boy’s apparently studious nature, so different from his slacker son’s. As the relationship between Shuo and the family deepens, he begins to integrate into their household dynamic in the most precarious of ways. With shades of Joseph Losey’s The Servant and Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, Lin embarks on a microscopic examination of the infiltration of a familial cell within a larger national membrane.

Brimming with insight, French-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop’s imaginative and pointed hybrid documentary depicts the story of 26 antiquities returned to Benin by France, the country’s former colonizer.

French-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop follows up her sensational narrative debut Atlantics with this imaginative and pointed hybrid documentary about artistic repatriation and colonialism that took the top prize at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival. In presenting the story of 26 antiquities returned to Benin (which contained the Kingdom of Dahomey) by its former colonizer, France, the film sensuously details the packing up and shipping of these cultural artifacts in coruscating fashion. There’s the work of the curators in both countries sending, receiving, and detailing the work; there’s Beninese students’ impassioned reaction to this “too-little-too-late” French apologia; and then there’s the imagined dialogue from one of the pieces, a magisterial wood-carved statue of King Gezo, as he travels back to his homeland. Brimming with insight and inferred hope for future reparations, Diop memorably depicts this perhaps small but nevertheless singular moment of cultural exchange and apology.

Walk beside Zen Buddhist priest and social activist Roshi Joan Halifax on her path to empower women and indigenous people in this magnificent, emotionally bracing documentary.

Take the rare and extraordinary opportunity to walk beside Zen Buddhist priest and social activist Roshi Joan Halifax on her path to empower women and indigenous people. This visually magnificent and emotionally bracing documentary charts an intimate pilgrimage with the Nomads Clinic—a team of Western, Nepali, and Tibetan healthcare workers—to deliver free medical care in the most remote regions of the Himalayas. Halifax, in her late 70s, spends 28 days hiking arduous miles, sharing wisdom and practical guidance with her team, and fostering cultural and spiritual exchange with the communities they serve. She also turns directly to the camera to deliver hard truths about gender equality and the relatable “kind of wrath” awakened in her as she observes increasingly selfish and harmful behavior in our societies. Like Joan, the film inspires a desire for peace and a spur toward positive action through service, generosity, and fearlessness.

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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

Time: TBA

Long celebrated in Europe, the US is just discovering one of the 20th century’s defining artists, Tamara de Lempicka. Working mother, feminist, style icon, and bisexual libertine, Lempicka embodied Art Deco’s spirit and portrayed high society women in boldly erotic terms that broke the male gaze. Encouraged by her grandmother, young Tamara emerged as a prodigious talent who combined cubism, classicism, and surrealism to reinvent the female figure, not as object but as protagonist. In this riveting documentary, Bay Area filmmaker Julie Rubio fills in the surprising contours of a remarkable life and talent with never-seen-before home movies and other artifacts, while descendants, curators, and art historians cite reinvention as the survival strategy of the artist who painted the modern woman into being. Fleeing war and authoritarianism, she supported herself and her daughter by living true to her own vision. This documentary is a must-see while anticipating Lempicka’s first major US retrospective at the de Young Museum in October.

Two boys, their parents, and staff struggle for redemption after a mysterious incident at school in this drama that unveils secrets with chilling precision. A gripping exploration of parenthood, perception, and the unknown.

When six-year-old Armand is accused of crossing boundaries with his best friend Jon at school, it sets off a chain of events that drags parents and school staff into a gripping battle for redemption. Winner of this year's Caméra d'Or at Cannes, Norwegian writer-director Halfdan Ullmann Tondel, grandson of Ingmar Bergman and Liv Ullmann, masterfully constructs a narrative that slowly unveils its secrets as the incident remains shrouded in mystery. No one truly knows what happened between the boys, and as perceptions shift, the story keeps you on the edge of your seat, observing every subtle expression and gesture. Renate Reinsve (The Worst Person in The World) delivers a stunning performance as Armand's mother. With perfect pacing and a foreboding atmosphere, Armand is a captivating exploration of human nature and the complexities of parenthood. Enhanced by an evocative score and striking cinematography, this stylistically gripping debut promises to leave you breathless.

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Crafted with visual poetry and empathy, MVFF Mind the Gap Award honoree Payal Kapadia’s drama shines a light on three nurses as they negotiate love and life in teeming Mumbai.

Crafted with visual poetry and emotional empathy, this 2024 Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix winner from MVFF Mind the Gap Award honoree Payal Kapadia shines a light on three nurses as they negotiate love and life in the teeming Mumbai metropolis. Prabha has a husband living overseas, her younger roommate Anu is carrying on a secret relationship with a Muslim boy, and Parvati plans to leave the big city after her husband dies. Without the support of men, these women forge bonds of mutual support while dispensing much-needed information and advice to their female patients. Cinematographer Ranabir Das tracks their days from work to home with a shimmering beauty, especially in the nighttime scenes. As the film moves from city to country in its second half, the women’s relationships shift and deepen as Kapadia finds the small but wondrous epiphanies in everyday lives.

In Andrés Baiz’s drama, a young smuggler's world unravels amidst a deadly rivalry on the Colombia-Venezuela border. With gripping performances and stunning visuals, this electrifying thriller explores betrayal, greed, and survival in a lawless land.

With intense action, raw emotion, and stunning visuals, Pimpinero: Blood and Oil captures the collision of moral, ethical, and human boundaries in a lawless land where only the ruthless thrive. Directed by Andrés Baiz, the visionary behind global hits like Narcos and Griselda, this electrifying thriller plunges us into the dangerous world of gasoline smugglers known as “pimpineros,” who toil their trade along the volatile Colombia-Venezuela border. Set in the early 2010s, against a sun-scorched desert, the film follows Juan (Alejandro Speitzer), the youngest of three brothers entwined in this treacherous business, as a deadly rivalry threatens to unravel his family and everything they hold dear—including his love for the fiery Diana (rising star Laura Osma), his partner in everything. Colombian music legend Juanes, Alberto Guerra, and Osma deliver gripping performances as the stakes rise for Juan and his kin, bringing to life a tale of betrayal, greed, and survival.

Con acción intensa, emoción cruda y efectos visuales impresionantes, “Pimpinero: Sangre y Gasolina” captura el conflicto de límites morales, éticos y humanos en una tierra sin ley donde sólo los despiadados prosperan. Dirigida por Andrés Baiz, el autor visionario detrás de éxitos globales como Narcos y Griselda, este electrizante thriller nos sumerge en el peligroso mundo de los contrabandistas de gasolina conocidos como “pimpineros”, que hacen negocio a lo largo de la volátil frontera entre Colombia y Venezuela. Ambientada a principios de la década de 2010, en un desierto abrasado por el sol, la película sigue a Juan (Alejandro Speitzer), el menor de tres hermanos enredados en este traicionero negocio, mientras una rivalidad mortal amenaza con destruir a su familia y todo lo que aprecian, incluido su amor por la impulsiva Diana (la futura estrella Laura Osma), quien es su socia en todo. La leyenda de la música colombiana Juanes, junto con Alberto Guerra y Osma, ofrecen actuaciones apasionantes a medida que aumentan los riesgos para Juan y sus familiares, dando vida a un relato de traición, codicia y supervivencia.

A political thriller, character drama, and clarion call to action, this riveting documentary portraying resistance to Hungary’s authoritarian ruler Viktor Orbán is perfectly relevant for this political moment.

Tracking the parallel struggles of a politician, a journalist, and a medical professional, all female, in their resistance to the authoritarian regime of Hungary's autocratic leader, Viktor Orbán, director Connie Field's (The Whistleblower of My Lai, MVFF41) riveting documentary is part political thriller, part character drama, and part clarion call to action. While there are a lot of big ideas at play, Fields expertly knows when to narrow her focus and when to broaden it, allowing for an absorbing experience that feels painfully real and exceedingly personal while never losing sight of the larger stakes for the country should these women fail. What makes Democracy Noir especially effective is its universality. The situation in Hungary isn't an abstract thing that occurred in the distant past. It's happening right now, and as the film makes clear, it could happen anywhere. Democracy Noir feels especially relevant for this particularly fraught political moment, all while pointing out larger social truths that remain timeless. —Zaki Hasan

Connie Field

Expected In Person Guest

In 1992, amidst Lima’s political turmoil, two sisters and their mother prepare to flee Peru while their estranged father seeks reconciliation.Klaudia Reynicke’s poignant drama beautifully blends coming-of-age intimacy with powerful socio-political commentary.

Experience a poignant journey through the eyes of a family living under the shadow of Alberto Fujimori’s authoritarian regime in 1992 Lima, Peru. The film delves deep into the emotional bonds within a matriarchal family, presenting an intimate, dazzling portrayal of two adolescent sisters and their mother as they prepare to leave the country amidst the turbulence while their estranged father attempts to reconnect with his daughters before their departure. Filmmaker Klaudia Reynicke masterfully weaves her childhood memories into the narrative, showcasing a meticulous reconstruction of history-laden domestic worlds as the story transitions seamlessly between a touching coming-of-age tale and a powerful socio-political commentary. With strong performances, exceptional art direction, and evocative costumes, this film stands out as a delicate and moving drama that captures the essence of personal and collective struggle. Don’t miss this compelling story that resonates with both heart and history, highlighting the resilience and strength of women in times of adversity.

Haga un viaje conmovedor a través de los ojos de una familia que vive bajo la sombra del régimen autoritario de Alberto Fujimori en 1992, en Lima, Perú. La película profundiza en los lazos emocionales dentro de una familia matriarcal, presentando un retrato íntimo y deslumbrante de dos hermanas adolescentes y su madre mientras se preparan para abandonar el país en medio de la turbulencia a la vez que su distanciado padre intenta volver a conectarse con las hijas antes de su partida. La cineasta Klaudia Reynicke entrelaza magistralmente los recuerdos de su infancia en la narrativa, ofreciendo una reconstrucción meticulosa de un mundo doméstico cargado de historia. A medida que la película avanza, se convierte en un conmovedor relato sobre el paso a la madurez y un poderoso comentario sociopolítico. Con excelentes interpretaciones, una dirección de arte excepcional y un vestuario evocador, esta película se destaca como un drama delicado y conmovedor que captura la esencia de la lucha personal y colectiva. No se pierda esta cautivadora historia que resuena tanto con el corazón como con la mente, destacando la resiliencia y fortaleza de las mujeres en tiempos de adversidad.

Expected In Person Guest

“When I’m standing in this mirror, after all these years, what I’m viewing is a little different.” These shorts immerse themselves—and the adventurous viewer—in entertaining flights of fancy. In Kara Herold’s The Callback (US 2024, 13 min), an ambitious actress finds her way, and herself, on the road to building a character. Cassie Shao’s beautifully surreal landscape is the entrancing hook to the animated This Is a Story without a Plan (US 2023, 8 min). A deep dive into microbiology is the core of Jesseca Ynez Simmons’ remarkable experimental film Heaven in a Wild Flower (US 2024, 6 min). In Alexander Seltzer’s film, a grieving couple find a bizarre portal when they deal with loss in The Door (Canada 2024, 14 min). The arrival of aliens dovetails nicely with a dissatisfied wife’s wishes in Timothy Michael Cooper’s Knead (US 2024, 11 min). And finding your true identity sometimes means revisiting ghosts from the past in Skye Schoenhoeft’s touching The Curtains Glow at Night (US 2024, 13 min).

Expected In Person Guest

Payal Kapadia is a Mumbai-based filmmaker and MVFF47 Mind the Gap Award winner. She studied film direction at the Film and Television Institute of India. Her short films Afternoon Clouds (2017) and And What Is The Summer Saying (2018) premiered, respectively, at the Cinéfondation and the Berlinale. Her first feature film A Night of Knowing Nothing premiered at Cannes 2021 Directors’ Fortnight, where it won the Golden Eye. Her second feature film and narrative debut, All We Imagine as Light, won the Grand Prix at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

Crafted with visual poetry and emotional empathy, this 2024 Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix winner from MVFF Mind the Gap Award honoree Payal Kapadia shines a light on three nurses as they negotiate love and life in the teeming Mumbai metropolis. Prabha has a husband living overseas, her younger roommate Anu is carrying on a secret relationship with a Muslim boy, and Parvati plans to leave the big city after her husband dies. Without the support of men, these women forge bonds of mutual support while dispensing much-needed information and advice to their female patients. Cinematographer Ranabir Das tracks their days from work to home with a shimmering beauty, especially in the nighttime scenes. As the film moves from city to country in its second half, the women’s relationships shift and deepen as Kapadia finds the small but wondrous epiphanies in everyday lives.

Caterer: Lotus Cuisine of India

Expected in person guest.