47th Mill Valley Film Festival Feature Lineup: ‘Blitz,’ ‘Queer,’ ‘The Room Next Door,’ ‘Unstoppable’ and More
This year’s selection of feature-length films of the 47th Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF) showcases an extraordinary range of storytelling, from passionate documentaries and visionary science fiction to deeply moving dramas and heartwarming films the whole family can enjoy. Featuring premieres and award-winning titles from around the world, dive into these captivating narratives and join us in celebrating the art of filmmaking at its finest.
Cannes winners including Sean Baker’s Anora (Palme d’Or), Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez (Jury Prize and Best Actress for the film’s four women) and Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light (Grand Prize) will make their Bay Area or West Coast premieres at MVFF. Michael Gracey’s Robbie Williams biopic Better Man and Malcolm Washington’s The Piano Lesson, based on the August Wilson play, will land in Marin County after their Telluride Film Festival and Toronto International plays. Jennifer Lopez and Jharrel Jerome star in William Goldenberg’s Unstoppable (above), based on the true story of Anthony Robles, who was born with one leg but fights through adversity to earn a spot on the Arizona State Wrestling team. Mike Leigh reunites with Marianne Jean-Baptiste for the first time since 1996’s Oscar-nominated Secrets & Lies for Hard Truths and Luca Guadagnino’s second film of 2024 (after last spring’s Challengers) finds Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey bringing William S. Burrough’s famed and controversial novel Queer to the screen.
The 47th Mill Valley Film Festival runs October 3-13, 2024. Full schedule coming soon.
MVFF47 will also honor the following individuals and ensembles during special Spotlight Programs and Tributes.
MVFF Spotlight: Mikey Madison – ANORA // MVFF Award, Breakout Performance
Mikey Madison will receive the MVFF Award for her Breakout Performance in ANORA on Friday, October 4. Her critically acclaimed role has marked her as one of the most promising new talents in the industry.
Mind the Gap Award: Rachel Morrison
Trailblazing cinematographer and director Rachel Morrison will be honored with the Mind the Gap Award during the Mind the Gap Summit on Saturday, October 5. As the first female cinematographer nominated for an Academy Award, Morrison continues to break barriers with her directorial debut, The Fire Inside.
MVFF Spotlight: Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofia Gascón, Adriana Paz, and Edgar Ramírez – Emilia Pérez //
MVFF Award for Ensemble
Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Adriana Paz, and Edgar Ramírez will collectively receive the MVFF Award for their performances in Emilia Pérez. The Spotlight Program will take place on Saturday, October 5, celebrating this ensemble cast’s dynamic collaboration and chemistry.
MVFF Spotlight: Danielle Deadwyler – The Piano Lesson // MVFF Award, Acting
Danielle Deadwyler will be presented with the MVFF Award for her performance in The Piano Lesson on Sunday, October 6. Director Malcolm Washington will join Deadwyler at the event, showcasing her standout role in this powerful production.
MVFF Spotlight: Adam Elliot – Memoir of a Snail // MVFF Award, Animation
Acclaimed animator Adam Elliot will receive the first-ever MVFF Award during the Memoir of a Snail Spotlight Program on Friday, October 11, honoring his creative contributions to the world of animation.
Mind the Gap Award: Director Payal Kapadia // Mind the Gap Award, Director
Director Payal Kapadia will receive the Mind the Gap Award during the Spotlight Program for All We Imagine as Light on Saturday, October 12. Kapadia’s fearless storytelling has broken multiple glass ceilings, and she will be recognized for her groundbreaking work in global cinema.
MVFF Tribute: Jude Law
Jude Law will be honored with a special MVFF Tribute Program on Sunday, October 13. He will receive the MVFF Award. The tribute will feature clips from his extensive body of work and an in-depth conversation about his career, including his portrayal of Henry VIII in Firebrand.
MVFF Spotlight: Amy Adams – Nightbitch // MVFF Award, Acting
Amy Adams will be celebrated during the Closing Night Spotlight Program for Nightbitch on Sunday, October 13, receiving the MVFF Award in recognition of her remarkable career. Adams’ transformative performances have earned her critical acclaim, and this Spotlight will highlight her continued excellence.
Feature Length Films (listed in alphabetical order and with premiere status where applicable)
2073 (Dir. Asif Kapadia | US/UK, 2024 | Documentary Feature) It’s the year 2073, and the worst fears of modern life have been realized. Surveillance drones fill the burnt orange skies and militarized police roam the wrecked streets, while survivors hide away underground, struggling to remember a free and hopeful existence. In this ingenious mixture of visionary science fiction and speculative nonfiction, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Asif Kapadia (Amy) transports us to a future foreshadowed by the terrifying realities of our present moment. Two-time Academy Award nominee Samantha Morton (In America, Sweet and Lowdown, Minority Report) plays a survivor besieged by nightmare visions of the past—a past that happens to be our present, visualized through contemporary footage interconnecting today’s global crises of authoritarianism, unchecked big tech, inequality, and global climate change. 2073 is an urgent, unshakable vision of a dystopian future that could very well be our own. – US Premiere
ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT (Dir. Payal Kapadia | France, India, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, 2024 | Narrative Feature) Crafted with visual poetry and emotional empathy, MVFF Mind the Gap Award honoree Payal Kapadia’s drama shines a light on three nurses as they negotiate love and life in the teeming Mumbai metropolis. Outstanding performances and cinematography that reflect the small but wondrous epiphanies of everyday lives anchor this 2024 Cannes Grand Prix winner. In Malayalam, Hindi, Marathi with English subtitles – West Coast Premiere
AMERICAN CATS: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE CUDDLY (Dir. Todd Bieber | US, 2024 | Documentary Feature) Cats are dubbed “the quiet royalty of the living room” in this fond, furry portrait. But they’ve got a gripe: The ongoing practice of surgical declawing, which these days is seldom practiced outside the US. Todd Bieber’s documentary examines both sides of a contentious veterinary issue. – West Coast Premiere
ANORA (Dir. Sean Baker | US | 2024 | Narrative Feature) Sean Baker’s latest indie marvel, Cannes’ Palme d’Or winner, stars Mikey Madison as Anora, a young sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled. – Bay Area Premiere
ARMAND (Dir. Halfdan Ullmann Tøndeln | Norway, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, 2024 | Narrative Feature) A mysterious incident between 6-year-old Armand and his best friend Jon at school ignites a tense battle for redemption among parents and staff. Armand is a captivating exploration of human nature and parenthood. Winner of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival Golden Camera, this film is brought to life by an evocative score and striking cinematography. This stylistically gripping debut promises to leave audiences breathless. In Norwegian with English subtitles
BETTER MAN (Dir. Michael Gracey | UK, 2024 | Narrative feature) Based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time. 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. – West Coast Premiere
BILLIE PRESTON: THAT’S THE WAY GOD PLANNED IT (Dir. Paris Barclay | US, 2024 | Documentary Feature) Billy Preston blazed through the 1960s–’70s music scene like a supernova, shining brightly until brought down by personal demons and changing tastes. This riveting documentary examines the singer-songwriter-keyboardist’s extraordinary career and life and pays soulful homage to a musical genius. – West Coast Premiere
BIRD (Dir. Andrea Arnold | UK, US, France, Germany, 2024 | Narrative Feature) Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank, Cow) returns to the hardscrabble lives of Brits to tell the story of a wise-beyond-her-years tween who meets a free spirit named Bird. The film deftly develops their burgeoning friendship to explore various tensions within adolescent life. Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogowski costar. – West Coast Premiere
THE BLACK SEA (Dirs. Crystal Moselle, Derrick B. Harden | US, 2024 | Narrative Feature) Quitting his restaurant job, aspiring rapper Khalid heads to Bulgaria for a gigolo gig he found on Facebook. Blending Bay Area bigheartedness and Brooklyn moxie with a dollop of Eastern European humor, Tam High graduate Crystal Moselle and co-director-breakout star Derrick B. Harden’s fish-out-of-water tale is refreshing as a cool drink on a hot summer day. – California Premiere
BLITZ (Dir Steve McQueen | UK. 2024 | Narrative Feature) Oscar®-winner Steve McQueen brilliantly captures the human drama of life during the Blitz in World War IIWW2 London, as young mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) evacuates her 9-year-old son to the English countryside for safety. But the boy has other ideas and runs away, determined to make it back home to his beloved mother and grandfather. – California Premiere
THE BOOK OF JOBS (Dir. Kayci Lacob | US, 2024 | Narrative Feature) Kayci Lacob’s autobiographically inspired debut feature chronicles a fictive Silicon Valley youth living in the worshipful shadow of Apple’s co-founder. But our teenage protagonist finds that a tech giant’s example doesn’t always provide a reliable roadmap to the problems of everyday suburban life. – World Premiere
BOB TREVINO LIKES IT (Dir. Tracie Laymon | US, 2024 | Narrative feature) After a string of rejections, perpetual people pleaser Lily (Barbie Ferreira) searches on Facebook for her narcissistic, recently estranged father Robert Trevino (French Stewart). She connects there with a better Bob Trevino (John Leguizamo), a caring father figure, who also could use a friend. Tracie Laymon’s moving personal drama will touch your heart and soul. – California Premiere
BORDERLAND: THE LINE WITHIN (Dir. Pamela Yates | US, 2024 | Documentary Feature) The war on immigrants is happening. The realities of deportation, jail, and even death is only a few of the obstacles that activists Kaxh Mura’l and Gabriela Castañeda, participants in Borderland: The Line Within, face while battling the border/industrial complex in the United States. English, Spanish with English subtitles – West Coast Premiere
BRIEF HISTORY OF A FAMILY (Dir. Jianjie Lin | China, France, Denmark, Qatar, 2024 | Narrative Feature) With shades of Joseph Losey’s The Servant and Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite in his scintillating directorial debut, Lin Jianjie invites us into a middle-class household in Beijing. Mandarin with English subtitles – West Coast Premiere
BRING THEM HOME/AISKÓTÁHKAPIYAAYA (Dirs. Ivan MacDonald, Ivy MacDonald, Daniel Glick | UK, 2024 | Documentary Feature) Buffalo once ruled the Great Plains until hunted by settlers to near-extinction—simultaneously imperiling Native Americans whose lifestyle depended on them. Now Blackfoot tribes are working to return these animals to the wild, regenerating their own traditional culture at the same time. Lily Gladstone narrates this scenically stunning documentary. – Bay Area Premiere
CHAPERONE (Dir. Zoë Eisenberg | US, 024 | Narrative Feature) The winner of Slamdance’s Breakouts grand jury prize, Zoë Eisenberg’s first solo feature stars an Asian American and Pacific Islander cast in the story of a 29-year-old slacker whose coast through life hits a major snag when a sweet, handsome high school jock mistakes her for a fellow teen. – Bay Area Premiere
CHECKPOINT ZOO (Dir. Joshua Zeman | US, 2024 | Documentary Feature) Prior to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, 5,000 creatures roamed Feldman EcoPark, outside Kharkiv. In the midst of war, a volunteer team embarks on a mission to evacuate the zoo’s upset, unruly inhabitants—including lions, tigers, and bears—from the bombardment zone. The extraordinary endeavor embodies the noblest characteristics of our species: compassion, cooperation, and courage. English, Ukrainian with English subtitles – West Coast Premiere
CHEECH & CHONG’S LAST MOVIE (Dir. David Bushell | US, 2024 | Documentary Feature) One was a Canadian Chinese musician. The other was a Mexican American draft resister. Together, Tommy Chong and Richard “Cheech” Marin became one of the most successful comedy duos of all time. David Bushell’s documentary combines archival footage, clips, and new interviews as Cheech & Chong laugh, argue, and yes, smoke their way through a long, strange memory-lane trip. – West Coast Premiere
CONCLAVE (Dir. Edward Berger | UK/US, 2024 | Narrative Feature) CONCLAVE follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting a new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy and discovers a secret that could shake the very foundation of The Church.
DAHOMEY (Dir. Mati Diop | France, Senegal, Benin, 2024 | Documentary Feature) Brimming with insight and inferred hope for future reparations, French-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop’s imaginative and pointed hybrid documentary depicts the story of 26 antiquities returned to Benin by France, the country’s former colonizer. Winner of the top prize at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival. In French with English subtitles – West Coast Premiere
THE DAY ICELAND STOOD STILL (Dir. Pamela J Hogan | US, 2024 | Documentary Feature) A subversive, funny, and galvanizing documentary about the astonishing events of October 24, 1975, when 90% of Iceland’s women—completely fed up with being disregarded, underpaid, and unrecognized in the workplace and in the home—walked off their jobs. Vibrant interviews and color-soaked animation capture key moments and the real change that followed. In English, Icelandic with English subtitles – West Coast Premiere
DEMOCRACY NOIR (Dir. Connie Field | US, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, 2024 | Documentary Feature) As Viktor Orban dismantles Hungary’s democratic institutions, three women—a journalist, a politician, and a nurse—work tirelessly to fight for their country’s soul. A chilling expose of far-right nationalism and an inspirational beacon of resistance. In English, Hungarian with English subtitles – US Premiere
EASTERN WESTERN (Dirs. Biliana Grozdanova, Marina Grozdanova | US, 2024 | Narrative Feature) This beautifully understated Western is the story of a son raised by two friends, a man from the European East and a man from the American West. Co-directors Biliana and Marina Grozdanova command the mise-en-scène with effortless elegance, in a tender and resonant tale of friendship, faith, and resolve. – World Premiere
EMILIA PÉREZ (Dir. Jacques Audiard | France 2024 | Narrative Feature) Can a radical transformation change one’s destiny? Jacques Audiard’s narco trans musical explores this question through the story of a cartel boss, who hires a lawyer to help with his sex change. The Cannes Best Actress Jury Prize winner for its ensemble, the film blends crime with song and dance in a unique and compelling narrative. In Spanish with English subtitles – West Coast Premiere
EVERYBODY LOVES TOUDA (Dir. Nabil Ayouch | France, Morocco, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, 2024 | Narrative Feature) Touda pursues her dream of becoming a singer of traditional Aita with the same fierceness as the Bedouin women before her whose poetry expressed their heartbreak, joy, and longing at a time when it was forbidden. Played by the dazzling Nisrin Erradi, Touda faces her modern-day obstacles with an exuberance equaled by her songs. In Arabic with English subtitles. –US Premiere
EXHIBITING FORGIVENESS (Dir. Titus Kaphar | UK, 2024 | Narrative Feature) Painter and sculptor Titus Kaphar, one of the most dynamic voices in contemporary art, brings his sense of wonder plus a distinct eye for color to the big screen with this affirming debut. The writer-director delivers a wrenching and deeply felt excavation of family, particularly the bonds that exist between fathers and sons.
FAMILIAR TOUCH (Dir. Sarah Friedland | US, 2024 | Narrative Feature) Filmmaker and choreographer Sarah Friedland finds the perfect on-screen partner in distinctive character actress Kathleen Chalfant for this affecting and dignified portrait of an aging woman in cognitive decline. Chalfant holds us rapt as she embodies not so much what is lost in an individual with dementia than what tenaciously remains. – North American Premiere
FOOLS’ PARADISE (lost?) (Dir. Alexandra Lexton | US, 2024 | Documentary Feature) An ailing planet is very much tied to human beings’ own ills, physical and psychological. Filmmaker Alexandra Lexton’s scenic documentary probes that connection via the stories of individuals from her own backyard to the Tanzanian outback. In activism and consciousness, all seek to rejoin those increasingly estranged parties, Mother Earth and Modern Society. – World Premiere
GLORIA! (Dir. Margherita Vicario | Italy, Switzerland, 2024 | Narrative Feature) The mysterious arrival of a piano at a Catholic shelter near Venice in the early 1800s sets progressive and orthodox musical outlooks ablaze in this rousing musical drama. Director Vicario is a well-known singer-songwriter and brings a playful harmony to a story that also looks frankly at patriarchal and religious stifling of female talent. In Italian with English subtitles– California Premiere
GOOD MEN (Dir. Bobby Roth | US, 2024 | Documentary Feature) Filmmaker Bobby Roth embarks on a thought-provoking journey seeking candid answers to questions on masculinity, femininity, and whether we have the power to change. Anchored around interviews with actors, directors, therapists, and more, Roth’s incisive, often touching documentary reminds us that to be a good man, one must become a compassionate and reflective person first. – World Premiere
GRIFFIN IN SUMMER (Dir. Nicholas Colia | US, 2024 | Narrative Feature) Summer. Suburbia. Everyone is out having fun…except our 14-year-old hero, who in his pretentious precocity aims to write and stage the Great American Stage Drama. Even he gets distracted, however, once mom hires a hunky young handyman. Writer-director Nicholas Colia’s debut feature is a hilarious tale of high adolescent angst. – West Coast Premiere
HARD TRUTHS (Dir. Mike Leigh | UK/Spain, 2024 | Narrative Feature) Legendary filmmaker Mike Leigh returns to the contemporary world with a fierce, compassionate, and often darkly humorous study of family and the thorny ties that bind us. Reunited with Leigh for the first time since multiple Oscar-nominated Secrets and Lies, the astonishing Marianne Jean-Baptiste plays Pansy, a woman wracked by fear, tormented by afflictions, and prone to raging tirades against her husband, son, and anyone who looks her way. Meanwhile, her easygoing younger sister, played by Michele Austin (Another Year), is a single mother with a life as different from Pansy’s as their clashing temperaments – brimming with communal warmth from her salon clients and daughters alike. This expansive film from a master dramatist takes us into the intensities of kinship, duty, and the most enduring of human mysteries: that even through lifetimes of hurt and hardship, we still find ways to love those we call family. – West Coast Premiere
HOLY COW (Dir. Louise Courvoisier | France, 2024 | Narrative Feature) A teenager’s carefree life in the French countryside takes a turn when he must care for his sister and competes to create award-winning Comté cheese. Holy Cow is an enchanting coming-of-age tale, blending humor with the heartfelt struggles of rural youth, family bonds, and the pursuit of dreams in a charmingly authentic way. In French with English subtitles – US Premiere
HOMEGROWN (Dir. Michael Premo | US, 2024 | Documentary Feature) Brooklyn filmmaker Michael Premo follows three impassioned right-wing activists through the 2020 election, the January 6 Capitol riot, and beyond. With unexpected nuance and intimacy, he captures his protagonists’ combustible blend of delusional cosplayer, stalwart patriot, and potential threat. January 6 isn’t the film’s climax, surprisingly, but a turning point in its protagonists’ political and personal evolutions. – West Coast Premiere
I’M STILL HERE (Dir. Walter Salles | Brazil, 2024 | Narrative Feature) In I’m Still Here, director Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries; On the Road, MVFF35) tells the harrowing story of Eunice Paiva, whose life unravels when agents of Brazil’s military regime seize her husband Rubens. Left to raise five children alone, she becomes a relentless advocate for justice, navigating the perilous waters of a brutal dictatorship. In Portuguese with English subtitles –West Coast Premiere
INEDIA (Dir. Elizabeth Cairns | Canada, 2024 | Documentary Feature) Disruptive food allergies and terrible rashes debilitate a young woman. When she finds a secluded, nature-bound commune that believes sunlight’s energy can replace food, she believes she’s found her true home…if she can survive it. –US Premiere
INTO THE HEART OF THE MOUNTAIN (Dir. Annegré Bosman | Netherlands, 2024 | Documentary Feature) Walk beside Zen Buddhist priest and social activist Roshi Joan Halifax on her path to empower women and Indigenous people. This visually magnificent, emotionally bracing film documents an intimate pilgrimage with Halifax and a multicultural team as they deliver free medical care in the most remote regions of Nepal. In English, Nepali with English subtitles– US Premiere
JESSZILLA (Dir. Emily Sheskin | US, 2024 | Documentary Feature) Jesselyn is 16, with a mischievous smile and the world’s best dad. Academically and athletically gifted, she’s hooked on boxing—not as a spectator, but as a passionate participant. Director Emily Sheskin follows Jess on her road to the Junior Olympics, including her battle with the one opponent she’s unprepared to fight.
THE LEGEND IN ME (Dir. Calvin Hwang | Canada 2024 | Documentary Feature) A 20th-century Canadian sports legend—in hockey, football, wrestling, lacrosse, and more—Lionel Conacher begat a line of other star-athlete descendants. But in this simultaneously nostalgic and forward-looking documentary, their 21st-century progeny explores the very different fields of nonbinary queer identity.
LOST IN TIME: DRUID HEIGHTS (Dir. Damian Panetta | US, 2024 | Documentary Feature) Crumbling Druid Heights, a once-thriving bohemian enclave near Mill Valley, could face the wrecking ball. Longtime resident Ed Stiles, a gifted furniture maker, recalls a vibrant community and details its outsized influence on countless disparate 20th-century cultural movements, including the Beats and Buddhism’s rising popularity in the US. – World Premiere
MALU (Dir. Pedro Freire | Brazil, 2024 | Narrative Feature) Former actress Malu grapples with generational trauma and strained family bonds in a Rio de Janeiro slum. Inspired by writer-director Pedro Freire’s mother’s life, this Cassavetes-esque drama explores the lasting impact of political upheavals on Malu’s life, delivering a deeply moving portrayal of three women navigating their shared history. It is a must-watch film. In Portuguese with English subtitles – California Premiere
MEMOIR OF A SNAIL (Dir. Adam Elliot | Australia, 2024 | Animated Feature) Life is no bowl of cherries for young Grace Pudel and her twin brother Gilbert. Bullied at school, she imagines growing a shell of protection, just like her beloved pet snail, Sylvia. Director Adam Elliot’s exquisitely crafted, beautifully scripted stop-motion animation is a basket of wonders, and unforgettably sub(s)lime!
MILONGA (Dir. Laura González | Uruguay, Argentina, 2024 | Narrative Feature) Middle-aged widow Rosa lives a quiet life that is dominated by the ghosts of her long-ago marriage. As she tries to repair her relationship with her incarcerated son, reconnect with an old friend, and make a new life for herself, jarring revelations force her to face facts about her past and who she is today. In Spanish with English subtitles– West Coast Premiere
MISTURA (Dir. Ricardo de Montreuil | Peru, 2024 | Narrative Feature) This richly enjoyable mid-1960s period piece finds a Lima socialite at loose ends after her unfaithful husband’s departure. But she—and her domestic staff—discover more inner resources than anyone expects. Together, they forge a surprising new path of independence and culinary invention. In Spanish with English subtitles –World Premiere
MOLLIE’S PACK (Dir. Thomas Winston | US, Documentary Feature) With exclusive, newly recovered 16mm footage of the 1995 reintroduction of gray wolves to the American West and stories told by the heroes on the ground who made it happen, this thrilling and touching IMAX documentary offers an insider’s view of the animals’ return to their rightful rangelands.
MY DEAD FRIEND ZOE (dir. Kyle Hausmann-Stokes | US, 2024 | Narrative Feature) A former US Army mechanic with PTSD (Sonequa Martin-Green) has a most unusual “best friend”—her late colleague (Natalie Morales) from a tour in Afghanistan, still a motor-mouthed constant companion despite the inconvenience of death. Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman also play major roles in this award-winning seriocomedy. – Bay Area Premiere
NIGHTBITCH (Dir. Marielle Heller | US, 2024 | Narrative Feature) Marielle Heller’s daring exploration of motherhood based on Rachel Yoder’s novel. With humor and suspense, Amy Adams (Arrival) shines as a woman who pauses her career to be a stay-at-home mom, but soon, her new domesticity takes a surreal turn. – Bay Area Premiere
NORAH (Dir. Tawfik Alzaidi | Saudi Arabia, 2024 | Narrative Feature) In this dramatic and moving debut feature set in rural Saudi Arabia, a young woman rebels against laws condemning printed and drawn images and longs to find some representation of herself. When she asks the new teacher in town to paint her portrait, tensions swirl memorably around and between them. In Arabic with English subtitles – US Premiere
OCEANIA: JOURNEY TO THE CENTER (Dir. Natalie Zimmerman | US, 2024 | Documentary Feature) The brutal impact of climate change drives this beautiful, intense documentary from Bay Area filmmaker Natalie Zimmerman. Focused on the Pacific Island nation of Kiribati, the film weaves breathtaking natural footage with the struggles of people navigating an environment that is slipping away. – World Premiere
ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL (Dir. Rungano Nyoni | Zambia, UK, Ireland, 2024 | Narrative Feature) Rungano Nyoni’s dazzling second feature, an award-winner at Cannes, stars Susan Chardy as Shula, who discovers the corpse of her uncle on an empty road in the middle of the night. As funeral proceedings begin around them, she and her cousins bring to light the buried secrets of their middle-class Zambian family in filmmaker Rungano Nyoni’s surreal and vibrant reckoning with the lies we tell ourselves. In English & Bemba with English subtitles
THE ORDER (Dir. Justin Kurzel | US, 2024 | Narrative Feature) MVFF47 honoree Jude Law delivers a resonant performance as an FBI agent battling neo-Nazis in the Pacific Northwest in this fact-based, 1980s-set thriller where the suspense builds inexorably from its first frames to its stunning climax. – West Coast Premiere
OUT OF MY MIND (Dir. Amber Sealey | US, 2024 | Narrative Feature) Melody Brooks, a sixth grader with cerebral palsy, has a quick wit and a sharp mind, but because she is non-verbal and uses a wheelchair, others often view her with pity and discomfort. Though she has fierce advocates in her parents, Melody yearns to be seen and heard by the world around her. When a young educator notices Melody’s untapped potential, she encourages Melody to participate in mainstream education. Against numerous odds and challenges, Melody leads her school’s quiz team to success. Along the way, Melody uses her newfound voice to inspire courage in her family, her principal and peers, an eccentric neighbor, and even the family goldfish.
THE PIANO LESSON (Dir. Malcolm Washington | US, 2024 | Narrative Feature) John David Washington and Danielle Deadwyler deliver striking performances as a Depression-era brother and sister fighting over what is to become of their family’s heirloom piano in Malcolm Washington’s memorable directing debut, a searing adaptation of August Wilson’s play exploring identity, generational trauma, and legacy. – West Coast Premiere
PIMPINERO: BLOOD AND OIL (Dir. Andrés Baiz | Columbia, 2024 | Narrative Feature) In the desert bordering Colombia and Venezuela, “pimpineros” risk their lives transporting illegal gasoline from one country to another. When Juan (Alejandro Speitzer), a young fuel smuggler, is forced to work for a mysterious rival, his girlfriend Diana (Laura Osma) embarks on a perilous journey to uncover the secrets that shroud this no-man’s-land. In Spanish with English subtitles– US Premiere
QUEENS (REINAS) (Dir. Klaudia Reynicke-Candeloro | Switzerland, Peru, 2024 | Narrative Feature) Experience a poignant journey through 1992 Lima, Peru, under Alberto Fujimori’s regime. This intimate film portrays two sisters and their mother preparing to leave Peru while the girls’ estranged father tries to reconnect. Blending childhood memories with sociopolitical commentary, it’s a moving story of familial bonds, resilience, and strength in adversity. In Spanish with English subtitles – West Coast Premiere
QUEER (Dir. Luca Guadagnino | Italy, US, 2024 | Narrative Feature) In 1950s Mexico City, William Lee, an American ex-pat in his late forties (Daniel Craig), leads a solitary life amidst a small American community. However, the arrival in the town of Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey), a young student, stirs William into finally establishing a meaningful connection with someone. – West Coast Premiere
RED BOAT CROSSING/ THE SHIP THAT TURNED BACK (Dir. Jeanne C. Finley, Dir. Allie Light | US, 2024 | Documentary Mid-length Features) Two mid-length nonfictions find beloved local women directors creating complex, warmly emotional odes to family members’ travails during World War II. Allie Light’s The Ship That Turned Back chronicles late spouse Irving Saraf’s childhood escape from occupied Poland; Jeanne C. Finley’s Red Boat Crossing recalls her mother’s dramatic Red Cross service in nautical battle zones.
THE ROOM NEXT DOOR (Dir. Pedro Almodóvar | Spain, 2024 | Narrative Feature) In Pedro Almodóvar’s first film in English, a formidable bond blossoms between two old friends (Tilda Swinton, Julianne Moore) who are reconnected after a chance encounter. Beautifully performed and visually striking, the film explores how a circuit of compassion can be created from shared struggle. It’s a masterful and moving piece of cinema. – West Coast Premiere
SACRAMENTO (Dir. Michael Angarano | US, 2024 | Narrative Feature) The reappearance of his unpredictable best friend Rickey upends the quiet, calm life Glenn has built for himself. After a lot of begging and pleading (and some subterfuge) by Rickey, the two set off on a road trip to scatter the ashes of Rickey’s recently deceased father. – West Coast Premiere
SATURDAY NIGHT (Dir. Jason Reitman | US, 2024 | Narrative Feature) The Not Ready for Prime Time Players are definitely not ready, and Belushi’s disappeared. If producer Lorne Michaels can’t pull everything together, his career is over before it’s begun. Director Jason Reitman delivers a delicious behind-the-scenes view of the moments leading up to Chevy Chase’s first-ever proclamation, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”
SECRET MALL APARTMENT (Dir. Jeremy Workman | US, 2024 | Documentary Feature) Home is where the mall is. For a span of four years, eight artists shared a clandestine apartment hidden within a Providence, RI, mall. In this incredibly true, utterly fascinating documentary, director Jeremy Workman (Lily Topples the World) revisits that time and hears from the participants about what their “art project” means to them now and then. – California Premiere
THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG (Dir. Mohammad Rasoulof | Germany, France, Iran, 2024 | Narrative Feature) Winner of the FIPRESCIFIPRESECI prize at Cannes, this gripping drama-thriller stars Misagh Zareh as a seemingly honorable man who gets promoted to investigating judge—a job that requires him to sign the death warrants of protesters. The film is the latest angry provocation from writer-director Mohammad Rasoulof, who brilliantly details how Iran’s oppressive regime obliterates the souls of its citizens. In Farsi with English subtitles – California Premiere
STANDING ABOVE THE CLOUDS(Dir. Jalena Keane-Lee | US 2024, Documentary Feature) When the massive Thirty Meter Telescope is proposed to be built on Mauna Kea, an uprising of kiaʻi (protectors) in Hawaiʻi and around the world dedicate their lives to protecting the sacred mountain from destruction. Through the lens of mothers and daughters in three Native Hawaiian families, Standing Above the Clouds explores intergenerational healing and the impacts of safeguarding cultural traditions. In English, Hawaiian with English subtitles – Bay Area Premiere
THELMA’S PERFECT BIRTHDAY(Dir. Reinis Kalnaellis | Luxembourg 2024, Animated Feature) Thelma is a penguin from the Land of Ice. She’s four and she’ll turn five soon—or she hopes she will. Will her birthday come? And what if she’s not there when it arrives? Reinis Kalnaellis brings to life a beautiful, animated tale of self-acceptance, friendship, and the meaning of growing up. – North American Premiere
TO KILL A WOLF (Dir. Kelsey Taylor | US 2024 | Narrative Feature) In a modern re-imagining of Little Red Riding Hood, as a troubling exploration of trauma and redemption as a social pariah discovers a teenage girl alone in the Oregon forest and does his best to help her find a way home. – US Premiere
A TRAVELER’S NEEDS (Dir. Hong Sangsoo | Republic of Korea (South Korea) 2024 | Narrative Feature) Iris (Isabelle Huppert) is a woman abroad in Seoul, teaching French and English in an idiosyncratic fashion that allows her to pursue her own philosophical and personal interests. Linguistic collisions are Hong’s stock-in-trade and the revelations that unfold over conversations in artificially constructed circumstances are a delight to behold. In English, French, and Korean, with English subtitles. – West Coast Premiere
THE TRUE STORY OF TAMARA DE LEMPICKA & THE ART OF SURVIVAL (Dir. Julie Rubio | US 2024, Documentary Feature) Long celebrated in Europe, the US is just now discovering one of the defining artists of the 20th century, Tamara de Lempicka. Working mother, feminist, style icon, and bisexual libertine, she embodied Art Deco’s spirit and portrayed high society women in boldly erotic terms that broke the male gaze. She painted the modern woman into being. – World Premiere
TUMMY TOM AND THE LOST TEDDY BEAR (Dirs. Joost Van Den Bosch, Erik Verkerk | Netherlands, Belgium 2024 | Animated Feature) Tummy Tom loves to curl up for catnaps with his favorite stuffed teddy. One day, he discovers…Bear is missing! Fortunately, his BFF Cat-Mouse springs into action and feline hijinks ensue. Co-directors Joost Van Den Bosch and Erik Verkerk’s sing-along animation is an interactive delight for kids aged 2 to 200 (that’s cat-years). – US Premiere
UNSTOPPABLE (Dir. William Goldenberg | US 2024 | Narrative Feature) is the inspiring true story of Anthony Robles (Jharrel Jerome) who was born with one leg but whose indomitable spirit and unbreakable resolve empowered him to defy the odds and pursue his dreams. With the unwavering love and support of his devoted mother Judy (Jennifer Lopez) and the encouragement of his coaches, Anthony fights through adversity to earn a spot on the Arizona State Wrestling team. But it will demand everything he has, physically and mentally, to achieve his ultimate quest to become an NCAA Champion. – West Coast Debut
WAVES (Dir. Jirí Mádl | Czech Republic, Slovakia 2024 | Narrative Feature) Directed by Jiří Mádl, this tense, tautly drawn thriller blends historical fact and fiction. Set during the heady days of the 1968 Prague Spring and the subsequent Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia, Waves is a gripping ode to press freedom and a timely reminder of the dangers of censorship. In Czech with English subtitles. – West Coast Premiere
WE LIVE IN TIME (Dir. John Crowley | UK 2024 | Narrative Feature) Florence Pugh (The Wonder, MVFF45) and Andrew Garfield (MVFF Award: Breathe, MVFF40) prove great foils for each other as an up-and-coming chef (Pugh) and recent divorcée (Garfield) are brought together by an accidental encounter. What seems like an unlikely match becomes a life-affirming journey that’s both defined by and transcends time.
WILD DIAMOND (Dir. Agathe Riedinger | France 2024 | Narrative Feature) Wild Diamond follows Liane, a fiery 19-year-old desperate to escape her reality through beauty and fame. Dying to escape her dysfunctional family, she sees a reality show as her ticket to love and validation. Agathe Riedinger’s film captures Liane’s raw pursuit of self-worth, revealing the painful cost of being seen in a superficial world. In French with English subtitles – West Coast Premiere
WINDCATCHER (Dir. Tanith Glynn-Maloney | Australia 2024 | Narrative Feature) Set in the heartwarming town of Herbertson, where Percy Boy, a fast-running Aboriginal boy, forms an unexpected alliance with Keithy Cobb, the newcomer, and Daisy Hawkins, a daring girl. Together, the trio aim to clinch the athletics carnival title from the “Wolf Pack” — the notorious grade five bullies. As Percy Boy trains, he uncovers his unique gift of seeing Lost Souls, a gift inherited from his grandfather. But as the big day approaches, a crisis looms over Herbertson and threatens Percy Boy’s family and the town. Percy Boy must harness the support of his mates, his family, and his community to face the challenge head-on. This is not just a journey about winning, but discovering the strength to make your mark. For Percy Boy, catching the wind is only the start of his great big adventure. – North American Premiere
YOUR MONSTER (Dir. Caroline Lindy | US 2024 | Narrative Feature) Your Monster tells the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera), who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend (Edmund Donovan) while recovering from surgery and retreats to her childhood home to recover. With her future looking bleak, insult is added to injury when Laura discovers her ex is staging a musical that she helped him develop. But out of these gut-wrenching life changes emerges a monster (Tommy Dewey) with whom she finds a connection, encouraging Laura to follow her dreams, open her heart and fall in love with her inner rage. – West Coast Premiere
ZURAWSKI V TEXAS (Dirs. Maisie Crow, Abbie Perrault | US 2024 | Documentary Feature) Women denied abortions under Texas’s ambiguous and unforgiving abortion bans band together with a fearless attorney to sue Texas. While battling in court against the state and its immovable Attorney General, the extent of their traumatic experiences is revealed as they wrestle to regain their reproductive futures and set a precedent for millions of other women and families. ZURAWSKI V TEXAS reveals the dire impact of losing access to healthcare — and the extraordinary efforts of the women and men fighting on the frontline to regain those rights. – California Premiere
He is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, accredited by the Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and more, is a member of the International Cinephile Society (ICS), The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA), Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) and the International Press Academy. Among his many achieved goals with AwardsWatch, he has given a platform to underrepresented writers and critics and supplied them with access to film festivals and the industry and calls the Bay Area his home where he lives with his husband and son.
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- 2024 Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA) Nominations - December 21, 2024
2024 North Carolina Film Critics Association (NCFCA) Nominations 
2024 Philadelphia Film Critics Circle (PFCC) Winners: ‘Anora’ Named Best Film Among its Six Awards 
2024 Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA) Nominations 
2024 Black Reel Awards Nominations: ‘Nickel Boys,’ ‘The Piano Lesson’ Lead