47th Mill Valley Film Festival Family Films and Education Lineup Set to Inspire Audiences of All Ages with ‘Memoir of a Snail,’ ‘American Cats,’ ‘Sing Sing’ and More

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.

Throughout the Festival, there are many more hidden gems for families to enjoy together; here are just a few of those titles to seek out:

Highlights include American Cats: The Good, The Bad, and The Cuddly (14+), a heartwarming look at the ethical debate over declawing cats; The Book of Jobs (14+), a coming-of-age tale set in Silicon Valley’s tech-driven world; and Bring Them Home/Aiskótáhkaplyáaya (15+), where Native tribes work to restore buffalo to their ancestral lands. Checkpoint Zoo (16+) follows the daring evacuation of animals from a war-torn Ukrainian zoo, while Griffin in Summer (16+) delivers a hilarious adolescent journey of artistic ambition. Journey to the remote Himalayas with Zen Buddhist Roshi Joan Halifax in Into the Heart of the Mountain (14+), or follow a young girl’s imaginative escape in the stop-motion wonder Memoir of a Snail (14+). From the return of gray wolves in Mollie’s Pack (14+) to the fight against climate change in Oceania: Journey to the Center (14+), these films explore diverse global issues, complemented by moving stories like Queens (14+), set in 1992 Peru, and Standing Above the Clouds (14+), a documentary on Native Hawaiian resistance to environmental destruction.

The 47th Mill Valley Film Festival runs October 3-13, 2024.

MVFF Education: Free Film Programs for K-12 and College Students

MVFF Education

For over 30 years, CAFILM Education has provided free programs to Bay Area schools, engaging thousands of students in the festival through film screenings and filmmaker interactions. This year, we continue that tradition with 13 free programs for K-12 schools in the Bay Area and six nationwide via the MVFF Education streaming platform. School Screenings featuring narrative features, documentaries, and shorts are curated from the festival lineup and offered as free weekday matinees in theaters and online. Another key component is the popular Filmmakers Go to School program, which connects students with filmmakers by coordinating on-site visits with live discussions, enhancing the educational experience. MVFF Education also offers free resources like film-analysis toolkits, lesson plans, and discussion guides to help teachers integrate films into their curriculum.

This year’s program includes three films for young people aged 11, 12, and college. The films being showcased are listed in alphabetical order. The complete MVFF Education Program (synopsis, etc.) can be found here. All Education Screenings are FREE; however, Schools and educators must register here.

In-Theater Screenings (all in-theater screenings will beat the Smith Rafael Film Center, San Rafael)

Grades K-5

• THELMA’S PERFECT BIRTHDAY – Friendship and environmental themes | Mon, Oct 7 • & Tues, Oct 8 • 10:30 AM
• TUMMY TOM AND THE LOST TEDDY BEAR – Animation and SEL | Fri, Oct 11 • 10:00 AM // includes a live Q&A with directors Erik Verkerk and Digna van der Put // Two short films will precede the screening: THE ANCHOR AND THE KITE, and THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE…

Grades K-7

• SHORTS: SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS – Animation, SEL, Storytelling | Friday, October 4 • 10:30 AM // screening will include a live Q&A with directors Venus Jones (Lil Red is Riding the Wrong Way in the Hood) & Peter Gardner (Adventures with the Caretaker)

Grades 3-7

• Windcatcher – Indigenous and Aboriginal culture | Thursday, October 10 • 10:00 AM

Grades 6-12

• JESSZILLA – Sports, resilience, gender equity | Wed, Oct 9 • 10:00 AM
• OUT OF MY MIND – Disability rights, friendship | Mon, Oct 7 • 10:00 AM // includes a live Q&A with director Amber Sealy

Grades 8-12

• SHORTS: SWEET DREAMS– History, Indigenous Culture, Social Studies, Asian American Culture, Psychology, LGBTQ+, SEL, Activism, Social Justice | Tuesday, October 8 • 10:00 AM and Wednesday, October 9 • 10:30 AM // includes a live Q&A with The Bird Rescue Center director Derek Knowles
• LOVEHAPPY | YOUTH WORKS-Filmmaking, Media Studies, Animation, Documentary, Music Video | Thursday, October 4 • 10:00 AM // includes a live conversation between youth curators and directors.

Grades 9-12 & College

• THE BOOK OF JOBS – Coming-of-age, technology | Thurs, Oct 10 • 11:00 AM // includes a live Q&A with director Kayci Lacob
• STANDING ABOVE THE CLOUDS – Environmental Justice and Pacific Islander Culture | Fri, Oct 11 • 10:30 AM // includes a live Q&A with director Jalena Keane-Lee

Grades 12 & College

• CHAPERONE – Self-discovery, adulthood | Mon, Oct 7 • 11:00 AM // includes a live Q&A
• QUEENS (REINAS) – Latinx culture, sisterhood, coming-of-age | Thurs, Oct 10 • 10:30 AM
• SING SING – Theater, prison reform, transformation | Fri, Oct 11 • 12:30 PM // includes a live Q&A with the writer/director Greg Kwedar, producer Monique Walton, co-writer Clint Bentley, and actors Clarence Maclin, Jon-Adrian ‘JJ’ Velazquez, Sean ‘Dino’ Johnson, and the real-life John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield.

Online Screenings

Available to schools nationwide (Oct 3-13). Educators can register to stream films at no cost.

• Tummy Tom and the Lost Teddy Bear | Grades 1-5
• JessZilla | Grades 6-12
• Chaperone | College
• Shorts: Saturday Morning Cartoons | Grades K-7
• Shorts: Sweet Dreams | Grades 8-12
• Shorts: LoveHappy | Youth Works | Grades 8-12