#MVFF37: Opening Night, Premieres, Spotlights, Tributes

#MVFF37: Opening Night, Premieres, Spotlights, Tributes

14 Sep, 2014

It’s that time again. Festival season is upon us. We are so excited for this year’s line-up at the 37th Mill Valley Film Festival, which will take place October 2-12, 2014. There are many Oscar contenders that we will be graced with. Not only will 2-time Academy Award winning actress Hilary Swank be in our presence Opening Night of the festival for THE HOMESMAN, opposite writer-director Tommy Lee Jones, but MVFF37 has many special screenings, Spotlights, Tributes and other films that may delight film goers of every generation. Browse films and buy tickets here!

37th Mill Valley Film Festival

37th Mill Valley Film Festival

MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN: 37th Mill Valley Film Festival

Opening Night Film: MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN | 37th Mill Valley Film Festival

On Opening Night, Thursday, October 2, the festival kicks off with the afore mentioned THE HOMESMAN at CineArts@Sequoia (6:45PM & 7PM), which is an anti-western about a woman (Hilary Swank) and a claim jumper (Jones) escorting three women through a dangerous and desolate frontier landscape. The second film of the evening, MEN WOMEN & CHILDREN, director Jason Reitman’s (JUNO, UP IN THE AIR) latest film will premiere at Century Cinema Corte Madera (7PM). Reitman’s film is the story of a group of teenagers and their parents as they attempt to navigate the many ways the internet has changed their relationships, their communication, their self-images and their love lives.

Following both films, festival attendees will gather at the Corte Madera Town Center for the Opening Night Gala. Guests may enjoy delicious food and drinks from local Bay Area restaurants, wineries, breweries and coffee houses. Then, you may dance the night away with live music from 9PM to Midnight.

Spotlight on Elle Fanning: LOW DOWN | 37th Mill Valley Film Festival

Spotlight on Elle Fanning: LOW DOWN | 37th Mill Valley Film Festival

On Saturday, October 4 at 7PM at Smith Rafael Film Center, is the Spotlight on Elle Fanning with a special screening of her latest film, LOW DOWN, followed by a live on-stage conversation. Fanning launched her career at the age of three, and now, at the age of 16, has built an accomplished body of work. MVFF is thrilled to honor her with a spotlight.

SOUL OF A BANQUET | 37th Mill Valley Film Festival

Special Screening of SOUL OF A BANQUET | 37th Mill Valley Film Festival

A Special Screening of SOUL OF A BANQUET will be shown on Sunday, October 5 at 5PM at Smith Rafael Film Center. MVFF will be honoring the contributions of renowned local filmmaker Wayne Wang and the subject of his new film, legendary culinary artist Cecilia Chiang, a figure who changed the face of Chinese food and culture in the Bay Area. The screening will be followed by an on-stage conversation with Wayne Wang and Cecilia Chiang.

BLACK AND WHITE: 37th Mill Valley Film Festival

Centerpiece Program: BLACK AND WHITE | 37th Mill Valley Film Festival

The Centerpiece Film by Mike Bender, BLACK AND WHITE, stars Kevin Costner and Octavia Spencer. The film follows an attorney (Costner) who becomes entangled in a custody battle with his bi-racial granddaughter’s paternal grandmother (Spencer) following the death of his wife and daughter. Mike Binder will be in attendance for this screening which will take place October 8 at 6:30PM at Smith Rafael Film Center.

Spotlight on Eddie Redmayne: THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING | 37th Mill Valley Film Festival

Spotlight on Eddie Redmayne: THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING | 37th Mill Valley Film Festival

On Thursday, October 9 at 7PM at Smith Rafael Film Center, there will be a Spotlight on Eddie Redmayne for his latest film THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING. Having already won an Olivier and Tony Award for his work on John Logan’s acclaimed RED, and garnered recognition for his roles in LES MISERABLES, and MY WEEK WITH MARILYN, this is thought to be Redmayne’s career altering role. There will be a discussion with Redmayne following the screening.

Tribute to Chuck Workman: MAGICIAN | 37th Mill Valley Film Festival

Tribute to Chuck Workman: MAGICIAN | 37th Mill Valley Film Festival

In addition to creating short films and openings for 20 Academy Award presentations Chuck Workman has directed the Oscar-winning short PRECIOUS IMAGES, produced numerous documentaries and edited countless main titles and sequences for film and television series. On Friday, October 10 at 7PM at Smith Rafael Film Center, the festival will be holding a special Tribute for Workman where his latest film MAGICIAN will be screened followed by a post-screening presentation.

Closing Night: WILD | 37th Mill Valley Film Festival

Closing Night Film: WILD | 37th Mill Valley Film Festival

The festival ends on a high note on October 12 with a screening of WILD at 5PM at CineArts@Sequoia, a film by Jean-Marc Vallee (DALLAS BUYERS CLUB), starring Academy Award Winner Reese Witherspoon. The Closing Night film will be accompanied by a Tribute to Laura Dern, who being born into the movie business is the daughter of Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd. Dern’s acclaimed films include WILD AT HEART, RAMBLING ROSE, INLAND EMPIRE and BLUE VELVET. She will be presented with the Mill Valley Film Festival Award at Smith Rafael Film Center.

MVFF37 wraps following the screenings with a party at Elks Lodge where film goers can enjoy festival festivities with live music and appetizing food and drinks.

The festival also features special programs such as Viva El Cine!, an exploration of current Latin American and Spanish-language cinema; films introduced and hosted by the festival’s long-time friends, Artists in Residence, Metallica; Active Cinema looking to bring attention to and explore the world and its issues while engaging audiences and transforming society; Children’s Film Fest for our future generation dominated by a strong musical theme; live musical and comedy events, as well as an informal celebration of the life of one of the film community’s dearest and most brilliant members of the Bay Area community, actor and comedian, Robin Williams, which is a free event on Sunday, October 5 at 1PM at 142 Throckmorton Theater.

For more festival highlights and additional critically acclaimed films by local Bay Area filmmakers, as well as movies from around the world that will be screened during the 11-day festival visit the Mill Valley Film Festival website.

About the 37th Mill Valley Film Festival

Presented by the California Film Institute, the 37th Mill Valley Film Festival runs October 2-12, 2014 at the CinéArts@Sequoia (25 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley), Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center (1118 Fourth Street, San Rafael), and other venues throughout the Bay Area. With a reputation for launching new films and creating awards season buzz, MVFF has earned a reputation as a “filmmakers’ festival” by celebrating the best in American independent and world cinema, alongside high profile and prestigious award contenders. MVFF welcomes more than 200 filmmakers representing more than 50 countries. Tickets are $14.00 (CFI Members, $11.50), unless otherwise noted and are available for on September 14, 2014.

For tickets and additional information, please visit www.mvff.com or call 877.874.MVFF (6833).

About the California Film Institute
The non-profit California Film Institute celebrates and promotes film as art and education through the presentation of the Mill Valley Film Festival and year-round exhibitions at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center, film distribution by CFI Releasing, and building the next generation of filmmakers and audiences through the CFI Education program. For more information visit www.cafilm.org or call (415) 383-5256.

 

About the author

Cindy Maram

Cindy Maram is a Dancer, Public Speaker and our Founder & Editor-in-Chief of the entertainment, fashion and arts publication, Dig IN Magazine. She is an accredited film critic for Cannes Film Festival in the South of France, Venice International Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Mill Valley Film Festival, SFFilm Festival and CAAMFest, as well as a runway fashion photographer and editor for London Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week. She also serves as a professional sports photographer and writer. She is a prolific art critic providing media coverage for Art Basel Miami Beach and surrounding Miami Art Week fairs. As a creator, Cindy is a writer, vlogger, podcaster, social media strategist and manager possessing a Bachelor's Degree from UC Davis and Master's Degree completing graduate work in Mass Communications + Popular Culture Studies with an emphasis in Film/Marketing/Writing from Cal State Fullerton. Further, she is producer of independent feature length and short films, and is committed to supporting the visibility of underrepresented groups in the media and film industry.

Related Posts