The 47th Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF) taking place October 3–13, 2024 revealed this year’s lineup featuring 129 films from 40 countries, including 77 premieres, with 51% of the films directed or co-directed by women or non-binary filmmakers..
“We are thrilled to welcome you to the 47th Mill Valley Film Festival. Nothing compares to the magic of watching films on the big screen, sparking conversations and connections that will resonate long after the festival concludes,” said Mark Fishkin, MVFF Founder/Director. “Over these many years, I’ve heard from audience members how a single MVFF film has moved them. It doesn’t matter if it was joy or tears – for them – the experience was palpable. Our hope is that you leave this year’s festival in a similar way. Whether moved by a single film or captivated by the entire lineup, our goal is to create a transformative experience. It has been a privilege to present our 2024 program from around the world. Our great thanks to these incredible filmmakers; the Mill Valley Film Festival class of 2024.”
MVFF’s Opening Night kicks off with Conclave, the highly anticipated new film by Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front). Set amidst the intense secrecy of the Vatican, Conclave follows Cardinal Lawrence as he navigates the ancient process of selecting a new Pope, only to find himself entangled in a dangerous conspiracy. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini.
Centerpiece film is Better Man, based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Under the visionary direction of Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman), the film is uniquely told from Robbie’s perspective, capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows Robbie’s journey from childhood to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.
The festival concludes with Closing Night film Nightbitch, Marielle Heller’s daring exploration of motherhood based on Rachel Yoder’s novel. With humor and suspense, Amy Adams (Arrival) shines as a woman who pauses her career to be a stay-at-home mom, but soon, her new domesticity takes a surreal turn. Adams will be honored with the MVFF Award for her outstanding work during the closing night.
MVFF47 will feature several Spotlight Programs and a Tribute to Jude Law. A BAFTA winner and Oscar®, Tony®, and Olivier Award-nominated actor, Law’s three-decade career has left a lasting impact on cinema. This tribute will revisit key moments from his films and examine his unique portrayal of Henry VIII in Firebrand, a testament to his remarkable and diverse career.
Spotlight Programs include Mickey Madison for her breakthrough role in Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or-winning Anora, Danielle Deadwyler for The Piano Lesson, and the ensemble cast of Emelia Pérez, featuring Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofia Gascón, Adriana Paz, and Edgar Ramírez. Oscar®-winning director Adam Elliot will be honored for his animated feature Memoir of a Snail, and six-time Academy Award nominee Amy Adams will receive the MVFF Award during Closing Night for her stellar career and boldly exceptional performance in Nightbitch. The Mumbai-based acclaimed filmmaker Payal Kapadia, winner of the Grand Prix at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, will receive the Mind the Gap Award for All We Imagine as Light.
Many local films and filmmakers are being celebrated during MVFF47, including Bay Area filmmaker Connie Fields’ latest documentary, Democracy Noir; the World Premiere of Damian Panetta’s Lost in Time: Druid Heights; Natalie Zimmerman’s Oceania: Journey to the Center; the 2022 DocPitch Industry Prize-winning film Standing Above the Clouds directed by Berkeley filmmaker Jalena Keane-Lee; World premiere of Bay Area filmmaker Julie Rubio’s The True Story of Tamara de Lempicka & the Art of Survival; and Zurawski V Texas produced by Marin resident Blye Faust.
The Active Cinema initiative is a forum for films united in their commitment to explore the world and its issues, engage audiences, and transform ideas into action. Highlights this year include several premieres such as American Cats: The Good, The Bad, and The Cuddly (West Coast Premiere) of Todd Beiber’s documentary feature where cats are dubbed “the quiet royalty of the living room,” Borderland: The Line Within (West Coast Premiere) directed by Pamela Yates, follows Activists Kaxh Mura’l and Gabriela Castañeda as they confront the harsh realities of deportation, imprisonment, and death while challenging the U.S. border/industrial complex, Homegrown (West Coast premiere) a documentary feature directed by Michael Premo, following the evolution of three impassionate right-wing activists through the 2020 election, Into the Heart of the Mountain (US Premiere) a visually magnificent film directed by Annegré Bosman, documenting an intimate pilgrimage with Zen Buddhist priest and social activist Roshi Joan Halifax and a multicultural team as they deliver free medical care in the most remote regions of Nepal, Mollie’s Pack directed by Thomas Winston, a thrilling and touching IMAX documentary which uses newly recovered 16mm footage to capture the 1995 reintroduction of gray wolves to the American West, and Zurawski v Texas, Maisie Crow, and Abbie Perrault’s documentary revealing the severe impact of losing healthcare access and the courageous efforts of those fighting to restore it.
Mind The Gap (MTG) initiative continues to champion bold female and nonbinary filmmakers whose work inspires and empowers us. Mind the Gap Day on Saturday, October 5, celebrates their filmmaking and creativity through a series of curated events, beginning with the MTG Summit. The summit opens with a keynote address by trailblazing cinematographer and director Rachel Morrison (Fruitvale Station, Mudbound, Black Panther), who will be honored with the Mind the Gap Award for breaking barriers as the first female cinematographer to be nominated for an Academy Award® and for her upcoming directorial debut, The Fire Inside. Other summit highlights include the Directors Forum led by Zoë Elton and a conversation with Sarah Friedland about her debut Familiar Touch, moderated by Osinachi Ibe. The summit will close with the presentation of the Creation Prize, a $10,000 grant awarded to a first- or second-time female filmmaker for creative excellence, followed by a networking lunch. MTG will be celebrated throughout the festival, including a Bay Area Community Mixer and a special screening of Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light, celebrating her groundbreaking work in global cinema.
¡Viva el cine! celebrates the richness of Ibero-American cinema, featuring films in Spanish and Portuguese, as well as Latinx and Latin American stories from around the world. This initiative curates films that resonate with these communities, offering a space where history, culture, and identity come alive. Highlights include the West Coast premieres of Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie, blending archival footage with new interviews; Emelia Pérez, directed by Jacques Audiard and winner of the Cannes Best Actress Jury Prize; and I’m Still Here (Ainda Estou Aqui), where Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries, On the Road) portrays Eunice Paiva’s courageous quest for justice amidst Brazil’s military dictatorship. Additional standouts are Malu, a moving portrayal of three women by Pedro Freire; Mistura, directed by Ricardo de Montreuil, which follows a Lima socialite and her domestic staff discovering unexpected inner strength and independence in the mid-1960s; Queens (Reinas), directed by Klaudia Reynicke-Candeloro, offers a poignant look at 1992 Lima, Peru, blending childhood memories with sociopolitical commentary; and Pedro Almodóvar’s first English-language film, The Room Next Door, featuring a powerful reunion between old friends and exploring how shared struggles forge deep connections. The program also includes the short films Lunar Power, The Crow and the Squirrel, and Not My Name (No Es Mi Nombre).
MVFF Family Films are for kids and folks of all ages who enjoy a great story, often with a good laugh! This year’s lineup offers something for all ages. Highlights include JessZilla (ages 11+), a documentary about a 16-year-old boxer on her way to the Junior Olympics, and Out of My Mind (ages 11+), the inspiring story of Melody, a sixth grader with cerebral palsy who refuses to be underestimated. Thelma’s Perfect Birthday (ages 5+) follows a mischievous penguin on an adventurous quest, brought to life with stunning watercolor animation, while Tummy Tom and the Lost Teddy Bear (ages 5+) delivers a fun, sing-along adventure for kids aged 2 to 200 (in cat years!). Windcatcher (ages 9+) tells the story of Percy Boy, a ten-year-old runner who teams up with new friends to take on school bullies in a heartwarming tale of family, friendship, and heritage. Don’t miss the Saturday Morning Cartoons (ages 7+), a lively program of animated shorts presented with Poppy Jasper International Film Festival, and Youth Works (ages 13+), a collection of peer-reviewed, youth-produced short films showcasing storytellers who are redefining humor in comedies, personal stories in documentaries, and murder in thrillers. This engaging mix of films will delight audiences of all ages, making MVFF47’s family programming a can’t-miss experience!
MVFF47 offers an exciting slate of panels for 2024, starting with the Mind the Gap Summit and continuing with insightful discussions throughout the festival. This year’s State of the Industry panel, titled Audience Enthusiasm Energizes a Resurgent Independent Film World, will feature industry experts exploring how collaboration between filmmakers, exhibitors, distributors, and technical professionals is helping independent films, documentaries, and world cinema not just survive but thrive. Additionally, the Film Technology panel, sponsored by iodyne Pro Data, returns after last year’s hit session on Virtual Production, bringing together innovators in filmmaking to discuss the latest breakthroughs in production and post-production, along with captivating behind-the-scenes stories.
Screenings and events will be held across the Bay Area, with 11 days of programming at the Sequoia Cinema in Mill Valley and the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael. The festival also returns to the Lark Theater in Larkspur and the Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) for a selection of exclusive screenings.