MVFF47 - RSVP Guide

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

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.

A former actress battles her troubled past, strained family ties, and lingering scars from Brazil's political turmoil. This powerful drama, rich in emotion and resilience, offers a raw and moving portrait of three women bound by generational trauma.

A former actress grapples with the shadows of her past in Pedro Freire’s riveting drama that captures a turbulent life. At 50, Malu resides in a dilapidated Rio de Janeiro slum with her staunchly traditional mother, Lili, while attempting to mend a fragile relationship with her daughter, Joana. The film delves deep into generational trauma, illustrating how past political upheavals, including Brazil's military dictatorship, have left lasting scars on this dysfunctional family. Malu's close bond with her queer friend Tibira further strains her relationship with Lili, exposing deep-seated prejudices and conflicts. Inspired by the real-life experiences of Freire's own mother, Malu Rocha, the film boasts a spectacular script and phenomenal performances that illuminate the complexities of family ties and personal resilience. Filmed in a Cassavetes-esque style that emphasizes character relationships and creates a cinema vérité feel, the must-see Malu delivers a profoundly moving portrayal of three women navigating the tumultuous waters of shared history.

Una ex actriz lidia con las sombras de su pasado en el fascinante drama de Pedro Freire que captura una vida turbulenta. A sus 50 años, Malu reside en una ruinosa favela de Río de Janeiro con su madre, Lili, mientras intenta reparar su frágil relación con su hija Joana. La película profundiza en el trauma generacional, ilustrando cómo las revueltas políticas pasadas, incluida la dictadura militar en Brasil, han dejado cicatrices duraderas en esta familia disfuncional. El estrecho vínculo de Malu con su amiga queer Tibira tensa aún más su relación con Lili, exponiendo prejuicios y conflictos profundamente arraigados. Inspirado en las experiencias de vida real de la propia madre de Freire, Malu Rocha, la película cuenta con un espectacular guión y actuaciones fenomenales que iluminan las complejidades de los lazos familiares y la resiliencia personal. Filmado al estilo Cassavetes, enfatizando las relaciones entre los personajes y creando una sensación de cinéma vérité, “Malu”, una película imperdible, ofrece un retrato profundamente conmovedor de tres mujeres navegando por las turbulentas aguas de una historia compartida.