MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL 2016: TOP 7 NIGHTS – James Franco, Nicole Kidman, Amy Adams, Emma Stone, Aaron Eckhart, Gael Garcia Bernal & More Stars Coming.
From Amy Adams (Arrival) & Emma Stone (La La Land) on Opening Night, to Spotlights & Tributes to Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, Gael Garcia Bernal and more, the 39th Annual Mill Valley Film Festival 2016 is arguably the most star-studded film festival of 2016 in the Bay Area and beyond. While the fest boasts an overwhelming amount of premieres and screenings, we’ve highlighted the top 7 nights to watch (with limited tickets available). Also notice the seemingly overlapping Hollywood events on Sunday, October 9th, with James Franco, Nicole Kidman, and Ewan McGregor all in town on the same day. To skip to the top events, scroll down.
For nearly four decades, the world-renowned Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF) has maintained its position as a vital showcase of the global film community, attracting iconic red-carpet talent, burgeoning filmmakers, passionate audiences, and astutely curated premieres. An in-demand destination for film lovers, drawn by unmatched locale and a diverse program of mainstream studio features and new visions from independent voices from around the world, MVFF also hosts an exciting array of filmmaker and industry conversations, panels, parties, and live music performances, featuring the most acclaimed emerging and veteran actors, filmmakers, and musicians of our time.
A destination event for cinephiles everywhere, and known for launching new films and creating awards season buzz, MVFF has earned a deserved reputation as a “filmmaker’s festival” by celebrating the best in American, independent, and world cinema alongside high profile and prestigious award contenders. Presented by the California Film Institute, this year’s Festival runs October 6 – 16, 2016. Opening Night Gala will be held at Marin Country Mart and Closing Night Party will be held at Cavallo Point.
Venues include: CinéArts@Sequoia and The Sweetwater Music Hall (Mill Valley), Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center (San Rafael), Cinemark Century Larkspur Landing and Lark Theatre (Larkspur), and Cinemark Century Cinema Corte Madera (Corte Madera).
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016
WHAT:
39TH ANNUAL MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL OPENING NIGHT & GALA
EXPECTED:
AMY ADAMS (ARRIVAL), EMMA STONE (LA LA LAND), DAMIEN CHAZELLE (LA LA LAND)
NOTABLE FILMS:
AMY ADAMS (ENCHANTED, AMERICAN HUSTLE, BATMAN V. SUPERMAN)
EMMA STONE (THE HELP, BIRDMAN, SPIDERMAN)
DAMIEN CHAZELLE (WHIPLASH – WRITER, 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE – SCREENPLAY)
OPENING NIGHT FILM(S):
ARRIVAL
In award-winning director Denis Villenueve’s (Sicario, Incendies) riveting and deeply thoughtful drama, five-time Oscar® nominee Amy Adams is a brilliant linguistics professor on a journey that leads her across time and space, to discover the force that unites all sentient beings on our planet and any others that may exist: the power of communication. US 2016, 116 min Director Denis Villeneuve
LA LA LAND
Everything you love about classic musicals gets a pitch-perfect update in the cinematic, colorful, and enormously enjoyable La La Land. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling sing, dance, and crack wise their way through Damien Chazelle’s (Whiplash, MVFF 2014) exquisitely made love letter to dreamers and artists, to Hollywood, and to filmmaking itself. US 2016, 126 min Director Damien Chazelle
FILM SHOWTIME(S) & LOCATION(S):
LA LA LAND – CinéArts Sequoia, Mill Valley @7PM ;
ARRIVAL – Century Cinema, Corte Madera @7PM
TICKET LINKS:HERE
GALA INFORMATION: $90 – Gala Only ; 9:00pm – Midnight ; Marin Country Mart – 2257 Larkspur Landing Circle, Larkspur ; Food provided by: Bel Campo, Big Jim’s BBQ, El Haurache Loco, Farmshop, Fiorello’s, Gerard’s Paella, Johnny Donuts, Pizza Antica, Sol Food ; Beverages provided by: Copolla Wines, Bartenders Unlimited, Equator Coffee, Lagunitas Brewing Company ; Live music by ETHAN TUCKER BAND
TICKET LINKS:HERE
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2016
WHAT:
MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL TRIBUTE TO NICOLE KIDMAN
EXPECTED:
NICOLE KIDMAN (LION)
NOTABLE FILMS: (TO DIE FOR, EYES WIDE SHUT, THE OTHERS, MOULIN ROUGE!)
LION: With skill and delicacy, director Garth Davis knocks it out of the park in an unforgettable tale of lost-and-found family identity, featuring outstanding performances by Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman. Lion recreates the amazingly true (and truly amazing) story of one man’s extraordinary quest to find his birth family. Australia/UK/US 2016, 129 min. Directed by Garth Davis
SPOTLIGHT INFORMATION: Onstage conversation with Nicole Kidman, a screening of LION, and the presentation of the MVFF Award in recognition of a career that exemplifies the art of great acting.
SPOTLIGHT & SCREENING LOCATION: 3:00 pm | Century Cinema, Corte Madera
TICKETS & LATEST INFO:HERE
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2016
WHAT:
MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL SPOTLIGHT ON EWAN MCGREGOR
EXPECTED:
EWAN MCGREGOR (AMERICAN PASTORAL)
NOTABLE FILMS: (STAR WARS PREQUEL TRILOGY, TRAINSPOTTING, MOULIN ROUGE!)
AMERICAN PASTORAL: Seymour “Swede” Levov (Ewan McGregor) seemed destined to have it all: the beautiful wife (Jennifer Connelly), an adored daughter (Dakota Fanning), a successful business. But in the turbulent ‘60s, his perfect life begins to unravel. Terrific performances drive Ewan McGregor’s directorial debut, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning Philip Roth novel. US 2016, 126 min. Directed by Ewan McGregor
SPOTLIGHT INFORMATION: Onstage conversation with Ewan McGregor, a screening of AMERICAN PASTORAL, and the presentation of the MVFF Award in recognition of his auspicious directorial debut.
SPOTLIGHT & SCREENING LOCATION: 7:00 pm | Smith Rafael Film Center, San Rafael
RECEPTION: Post-spotlight celebratory reception at Il Fornaio in Corte Madera.
TICKETS & LATEST INFO:HERE
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2016
WHAT:
MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL – “IN DUBIOUS BATTLE” SCREENING
EXPECTED:
JAMES FRANCO (DIRECTOR – IN DUBIOUS BATTLE)
NOTABLE FILMS: (127 HOURS, MILK, OZ)
IN DUBIOUS BATTLE:
“Which side are you on? Which side are you on?” So inquires the famous worker’s rights song that echoes through actor/director James Franco’s powerful and passionate adaptation of John Steinbeck’s Depression-era novel about fruit pickers organizing for a strike. In a bid to create economic equality in a fertile California valley, a neophyte party member joins forces with a professional labor agitator. After they infiltrate a group of apple pickers (led by Vincent d’Onofrio, in a fabulous supporting role) and encourage a strike for better wages, the retribution from the landowners is swift and brutal. But does fighting for justice justify ethically murky measures? In Dubious Battle offers no easy answers, but between the stunning cinematography and excellent support from Robert Duvall, Ed Harris, and Selena Gomez, the film joins John Ford’s The Grapes of Wrath and John Sayles’Matewan in evoking the strength of the human spirit in the face of exploitation.
Guest in attendance 10/9: James Franco (director, actor)
There will be a ticketed reception following the 10/9 screening of the film at Zener Schon Gallery (Mill Valley Filmmaker Lounge) with director James Franco in attendance.
TIME & LOCATION: 5PM Cinearts Sequoia (Sequoia 1) is located at: 25 Throckmorton Ave Mill Valley, CA. 94941
TICKETS & LATEST INFO:HERE
MONDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2016
WHAT:
MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL SPOTLIGHT ON GAEL GARCIA BERNAL
EXPECTED:
GAEL GARCIA BERNAL (NERUDA)
NOTABLE FILMS: (Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES, BABEL)
NERUDA: Beloved poet Pablo Neruda is also the most famous communist in post-WWII Chile. When the political tides shift, he is forced underground, with a perseverant police inspector (Gael García Bernal) on his trail. Part fact and many parts fiction, Pablo Larraín’s self-proclaimed “anti-bio” is a brilliant blend of politics, poetry, history, and hedonism. Chile 2016, 107 min. Directed by Pablo Larraín
SPOTLIGHT INFORMATION: Onstage conversation with Gael Garcia Bernal, a screening of NERUDA, and the presentation of the MVFF Award in recognition of his transformational performance.
SPOTLIGHT & SCREENING LOCATION: 7:00 pm | Smith Rafael Film Center, San Rafael
RECEPTION: Post-spotlight celebratory dinner at Le Comptoir in San Rafael.
TICKETS & LATEST INFO:HERE
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016
WHAT:
MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL CENTERPIECE SPOTLIGHT – 20TH CENTURY WOMEN
EXPECTED:
ANNETTE BENING, LUCAS JADE ZUMANN, MIKE MILLS
NOTABLE FILMS:
MIKE MILLS: (BEGINNERS – DIRECTOR, THUMBSUCKER – DIRECTOR)
ANNETTE BENING: (AMERICAN BEAUTY, THE GRIFTERS, BEING JULIA)
LUCAS JADE ZUMANN: (SINISTER 2, THRILL RIDE, CHICAGO FIRE)
20TH CENTURY WOMEN:
In the not-quite halcyon days of late-’70s Santa Barbara, on the cusp of a new era in sexual politics, single mother Dorothea Fields (Annette Bening) enlists two younger women (Greta Gerwig, Elle Fanning) to help her raise her teenage son (Lucas Jade Zumann) in hopes that he will grow into a man who truly understands women.
SPOTLIGHT INFORMATION: Onstage conversation with the director and cast members of 20th Century Women, a screening of the film, and the presentation of the MVFF Award. For the first time, the MVFF Award will be given in recognition of the incredible cast and their work as an ensemble under Mike Mills’ inspired direction.
SPOTLIGHT & SCREENING LOCATION: 7:00 pm | Smith Rafael Film Center, San Rafael
RECEPTION: Post-spotlight celebratory reception at Frantoio Ristorante | 9:00pm – 11pm; 152 Shoreline Highway, Mill Valley
TICKETS & LATEST INFO:HERE
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2016
WHAT:
MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL TRIBUTE TO JULIE DASH
EXPECTED:
JULIE DASH (DAUGHTERS OF DUST)
NOTABLE FILMS: ( THE ROSA PARKS STORY, INCOGNITO, FUNNY VALENTINES)
DAUGHTERS OF DUST:
Exquisitely cinematic and profoundly imagined, Julie Dash’s lyrical story of family migration is unlike any other, establishing her as a strikingly original artist in the pantheon of American cinema. This seminal, award-winning work continues to inspire (notably, Beyoncé’s homage, Lemonade); its newly-restored digital print reveals the gorgeous visual palette. Not to be missed. US 1991, 112 min. Directed by Julie Dash
SPOTLIGHT INFORMATION: Onstage conversation with Julie Dash, a clip reel of her work, a screening of DAUGHTERS OF DUST, and the presentation of the MVFF Award.
SPOTLIGHT & SCREENING LOCATION: 7:00 pm | Smith Rafael Film Center, San Rafael
RECEPTION: Post-tribute celebratory reception at Green Chili Kitchen, San Rafael.
TICKETS & LATEST INFO:HERE
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2016
WHAT:
MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL SPOTLIGHT ON AARON ECKHART
EXPECTED:
AARON ECKHART (BLEED FOR THIS)
NOTABLE FILMS: (THE DARK KNIGHT, SULLY, OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN)
BLEED FOR THIS:
When horrifying injuries from a car accident threaten to derail the future of boxing champion Vinnie Pazienza (Miles Teller), he refuses to accept that his career could be over. Instead, he stages one of the greatest real-life comeback stories in sports history, with the covert assistance of veteran trainer Kevin Rooney (Aaron Eckhart). A satisfying physical and emotional workout, Bleed for This is this generation’s Raging Bull. US 2016, 134 min Director Ben Younger
SPOTLIGHT INFORMATION: Onstage conversation with Aaron Eckhart, a screening of BLEED FOR THIS, and the presentation of the MVFF Award in recognition of his significant performance.
SPOTLIGHT & SCREENING LOCATION: 7:00 pm | Smith Rafael Film Center, San Rafael
RECEPTION: Post-spotlight celebratory reception at Il Davide in San Rafael.
TICKETS & LATEST INFO:HERE
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2016
WHAT:
MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL CLOSING NIGHT
EXPECTED:
JOEL EDGERTON & RUTH NEGGA (LOVING)
NOTABLE FILMS:
JOEL EDGERTON: (BLACK MASS, THE GREAT GATSBY, STAR WARS EPISODE III)
RUTH NEGGA: (WORLD WAR Z, WARCRAFT, PREACHER ON AMC)
LOVING:
Based on real events, Jeff Nichols’ extraordinary film has a lyrical eloquence that honors the heart of the story of Richard and Mildred Loving (played with understated brilliance by Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga), the interracial couple whose quiet courage helped change the face of the law of marriage in the US. US 2016, 123 min, Director Jeff NicholsWhen horrifying injuries from a car accident threaten to derail the future of boxing champion Vinnie Pazienza (Miles Teller), he refuses to accept that his career could be over. Instead, he stages one of the greatest real-life comeback stories in sports history, with the covert assistance of veteran trainer Kevin Rooney (Aaron Eckhart). A satisfying physical and emotional workout, Bleed for This is this generation’s Raging Bull. US 2016, 134 min Director Ben Younger
SCREENING LOCATIONS: 5:00pm Smith Rafael Film Center ; 5:00pm & 5:15pm CinéArts Sequoia
RECEPTION: CAVALLO POINT 7:30pm – 11:30pm 601 Murray Circle, Fort Baker, Sausalito; Live Music by AFROLICIOUS ; Food provided by Cavallo Point, Farm Burger, Green Chile Kitchen, Sydney’s Sweets, and more; Beverages provided by Lagunitas Brewing Company, Coppola Wine, Equator Coffee
TICKETS & LATEST INFO:HERE
