37th Mill Valley Film Festival Lineup and Tributes to Laura Dern, Hilary Swank, Eddie Redmayne, Elle Fanning

THE MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS FOR ITS 37th YEAR
CELEBRATING THE BEST IN INDEPENDENT AND WORLD CINEMA
OCTOBER 2 – 12, 2014

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (September 9, 2014) – Returning for its 37th year, the Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF), presented annually by the California Film Institute (CFI), will be held Thursday, October 2 – Sunday, October 12, 2014. Internationally recognized for showcasing the best in independent and world cinema, every fall thousands of festival attendees flock to Marin County for 11 days of films, panel discussions, and musical performances. The Mill Valley Film Festival provides attendees with a chance to catch an early glimpse at the Academy Award® contenders and discover some of the best films from around the world. Five out of the last six Academy Award
winners for Best Picture (Slumdog Millionaire, The King’s Speech, The Artist, Argo and 12 Years A Slave) were screened at the Festival with filmmakers and cast members in attendance.

The California Film Institute is pleased to announce the following confirmed films to screen at the 37th Mill Valley Film Festival. The complete schedule will be announced and available online at www.MVFF.com Tuesday, September 9, 2014.

Opening Night Films and Gala: THE HOMESMAN and MEN, WOMEN, & CHILDREN

Writer-director Tommy Lee Jones brings classic scope and modern sensitivity to The Homesman, an anti-western about a woman (Hilary Swank) and a claim jumper (Jones) escorting three women through a dangerous and desolate frontier landscape. Hilary Swank will be in attendance. Thursday, October 2 at 6:45PM & 7PM at the CinéArts@Sequoia.

Director Jason Reitman (Juno, Up In The Air) will premiere his latest film Men, Women & Children, 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. Jason Reitman and Ansel Elgort will be in attendance for a Q&A following the screening. Thursday, October 2 at 7PM at Century Cinema Corte  Madera.

Following both films, festival attendees will gather at the Corte Madera Town Center for the Opening Night Gala. Guests will enjoy delicious food from Balboa Café, Big Jim’s BBQ, Caribbean Spices, Equator Coffees, Il Fornaio, Johnny Doughnuts, Judy’s Breadsticks, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Pig in a Pickle, and Pizza Antica. Luscious libations from our friends at Lagunitas Brewing Company along with local wineries, are a perfect compliment to the scrumptious spread. Dance the night away with live music from The Brothers Comatose, hot off their performance at Outside Lands and US Tour, and tunes spun by The Crackerjack DJs. Thursday, October 2
from 9PM – Midnight at Town Center Corte Madera.

Spotlight on Elle Fanning: LOW DOWN

Elle Fanning launched her career at the age of three, and now, at the age of 16, has built an accomplished body of work. The Mill Valley Film Festival is thrilled to present actress Elle Fanning with a Spotlight. The evening will
feature a screening of her latest film Low Down and will be followed by a live on-stage conversation. In Low  Down, Elle Fanning stars as Amy-Jo, the teenage daughter to the gifted but troubled jazz-pianist Joe Albany
(John Hawkes). Saturday, October 4 at 7PM at Smith Rafael Film Center.

Special Screening of SOUL OF A BANQUET with Wayne Wang and Cecilia Chiang

The Mill Valley Film Festival is proud to honor the contributions of renowned local filmmaker Wayne Wang and the subject of his new film, legendary culinary artist Cecilia Chiang, with a special screening of Soul Of A Banquet. The film, a moving tribute to Cecilia Chiang, the celebrity chef who changed the face of Chinese food and culture in the Bay Area, will be followed by an on-stage conversation with Wayne Wang and Cecilia Chiang. Sunday,  October 5 at 5PM at Smith Rafael Film Center.

Centerpiece Film: BLACK AND WHITE

Kevin Costner and Octavia Spencer star in Mike Binder’s latest film Black And White. The film follows an attorney (Costner) who becomes entangled in a custody battle with his bi-racial granddaughters paternal
grandmother (Spencer) following the death of his wife and daughter. Mike Binder will be in attendance for the screening. Wednesday, October 8 at 7:30PM at Smith Rafael Film Center.

Spotlight on Eddie Redmayne: 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, actor Eddie Redmayne has established
himself as one of the most promising actors of his generation. The festival is pleased to present Redmayne with a Spotlight program, which will feature a screening of his latest film The Theory Of Everything in which he plays a young Stephen Hawking. A discussion with Redmayne will follow the screening. Thursday, October 9 at 7PM at  Smith Rafael Film Center.

Closing Night Film: WILD with a Tribute To Laura Dern

Academy Award Nominated actress Laura Dern will be presented with a special Tribute from the Mill Valley Film Festival. Born into the movie business as the daughter of actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd, Laura Dern has
starred in numerous acclaimed films including Wild At Heart, Rambling Rose, Inland Empire and Blue Velvet. This event will feature an onstage conversation with Dern and a clip reel highlighting her past work including previews of her latest film Wild. In Wild, Reese Witherspoon stars in Jean-Marc Vallée’s (DALLAS BUYERS CLUB) Page 3 of 6 adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s best selling memoir, a striking account of the 1,100-mile Pacific Crest Trail trek she undertook to grieve the death of her mother (Laura Dern) and give closure to her troubled past. Sunday, October 12 at 5PM at CinéArts@Sequoia and Smith Rafael Film Center.

The festival will wrap following the screenings at the Elks Lodge where film goers will enjoy live music performed by Danny Click and the Hell Yeas and tunes spun by DJ Richard Habib. Food from Sol Food, Teresa & Johnny’s Comfort Food, Big Jim’s BBQ, and West End Café among others. Sunday, October 12 at 7:30PM at Maple Lawn Estate at the Elks Lodge.