47th Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF) Brings Amy Adams, Mikey Madison, Danielle Deadwyler, Jude Law, Payal Kapadia to the Bay Area for Awards and Tributes

MVFF47 will take place Thursday, October 3 – Sunday, October 13, 2024

The California Film Institute, who put on the annual Mill Valley Film Festival, revealed the lineup of talent headed to the Marin County fest next month, with Amy Adams, Danielle Deadwyler, Mikey Madison, Jude Law and the cast of Emilia Pérez all set to receive plaudits.

This year’s lineup features 129 films from 40 countries, including 77 premieres, with 51% of the films directed or co-directed by women or non-binary filmmakers. Stay tuned for the release of the full lineup and schedule coming this Friday.

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.

Opening Night (October 3) kicks off with Conclave, the highly anticipated new film by Edward Berger (the Oscar-winning 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. Ralph Fiennes and director Edward Berger are expected to attend.

Better Man is based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, will be the Centerpiece film (Thursday, October 10). 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. Michael Gracey and Jonno Davies are expected to attend.

The festival concludes with Nightbitch (October 13), Marielle Heller’s daring exploration of motherhood based on Rachel Yoder’s novel. With humor and suspense, six-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams 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, and the ensemble cast of Emelia Pérez, featuring Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofia Gascón, Adriana Paz, and Edgar Ramírez on hand to receive the honor. Oscar-winning director Adam Elliot will be honored for his animated feature Memoir of a Snail, and six-time Academy Award nominee. Danielle Deadwyler will receive the MVFF Award for Acting for her performance in first-time director Malcolm Washington’s adaptation of the celebrated August Wilson play The Piano Lesson. The Mumbai-based 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.

“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’s founder and director, in a statement. “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.”

“A noticeable trend at MVFF47 is the number of first-time feature filmmakers launching their works here, bringing fresh voices to our supportive audience,” Elton said in a statement. “Films like My Dead Friend Zoe by Kyle Hausmann-Stokes and Eastern Western by Biliana and Marina Grozdanova offer personal insight through beautifully made narratives. As the industry evolves, festivals like ours play a vital role in supporting the next generation.”

Festival Initiatives are always a crucial part of MVFF, which spotlight themes of inclusion, social justice, and artistic achievement and this year is no different.

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.

The Mind the Gap 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).

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.