[divider style=”solid” top=”20″ bottom=”20″]
The Weinstein Company’s LION and A24’s MOONLIGHT walked away with the top Audience Awards from the 39th Mill Valley Film Festival, which concluded last Sunday with the film LOVING. During the festival LION‘s Nicole Kidman was on hand to receive a tribute and present her film and MOONLIGHT director Barry Jenkins was on hand to present his film for the festival’s Director’s Night.
The Festival opened October 6 with the Bay Area premieres of LA LA LAND and ARRIVAL. Emma Stone, Damien Chazelle, and Justin Hurwitz were in attendance for the premiere of LA LA LAND and Amy Adams was on hand to represent ARRIVAL.
During the 11 days, the Festival presented Academy Award® winning actress Nicole Kidman with a special Tribute for her performance in Garth Davis’ LION and acclaimed filmmaker Julie Dash with a Tribute to her career, featuring a special anniversary screening of the newly restored digital print of her groundbreaking film DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST.
The Festival also presented Spotlight programs on actor Ewan McGregor for his directorial debutAMERICAN PASTORAL, actor and director Gael García Bernal for his performance in Pablo Larraín’s NERUDA and actor Aaron Eckhart for his supporting work alongside Miles Teller in Ben Younger’s BLEED FOR THIS.
Mike Mills’ 20TH CENTURY WOMEN served as the Festival Centerpiece, receiving the first ever MVFF Ensemble Spotlight Award. Mike Mills was in attendance to accept the award on behalf of the entire cast and was joined on stage by Annette Bening, Elle Fanning, and newcomer Lucas Jade Zumann.
Festival Highlights
The Festival program consisted of 113 feature films, 88 short films, with 60 premieres from 37 countries and 336 visiting filmmakers, panelists, and performers from all over the world. Notable guests at the Festival included Academy Award® winning filmmaker Asghar Farhadi in attendance for the Bay Area premiere of his Cannes’ Film Festival winning drama THE SALESMAN; breakout actor Lucas Hedges in attendance for Kenneth Lonergan’s acclaimed Sundance drama MANCHESTER BY THE SEA; filmmakers Barry Jenkins and J.A. Bayona in attendance for the Bay Area premieres of MOONLIGHT and A MONSTER CALLS, respectively, for the Festival’s Directors’ Night in Mill Valley.
Edward James Olmos and the entire cast and crew of MONDAY NIGHTS AT SEVEN present for the World Premiere of Marty Sader’s drama;Wayne Roberts in attendance for the US Premiere of his directorial debut, KATIE SAYS GOODBYE; acclaimed filmmaker Kelly Reichardt in attendance for the Bay Area premiere of her film CERTAIN WOMEN; Gianfranco Rosi in attendance for two screenings of his Golden Bear-winning documentary FIRE AT SEA; James Franco and newcomer Lola Sultan present for the US Premiere of Franco’s latest directorial effort IN DUBIOUS BATTLE; Eleanor Coppola in attendance for the premiere of her first feature, PARIS CAN WAIT, with special guest Tom Waits in the audience; director Rob Nilsson premiered his latest film LOVE TWICE, with actor/musicianJohn Cale and actor Carl Lumbly in attendance; actor Bruce Davison in attendance for his short film I REMEMBER YOU, programmed alongside brothers Christian and Justin Long’s short film ABE & IKE; actress Katee Sackhoff on hand to support her latest film GIRL FLU; Metallica’s Lars Ulrich hosted a Q&A for Jonathan Parker’s THE ARCHITECT, which he produced.
Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam came out in support of poet Michele Poulos’ feature debutA LATE STYLE OF FIRE: LARRY LEVIS, AMERICAN POET; director Pablo Larraín was presented with Variety Magazine’s International Director of the Year Award by Vice President and Executive Editor Steve Gaydos in advance of a screening of Larraín’s highly acclaimed new filmJACKIE; actors Raza Jaffrey, actress Stana Kanic, and director Amin Matalqa attended the world premiere of their film THE RENDEZVOUS; actress and director Amber Tamblyn attended the screenings of her feature debut PAINT IT BLACK; Wildfilm Panda Award winner Ryan Patrick Killacky with the World Premiere of his film YASUNI MAN; actress Kate Micucci and director Finn Taylor supported both screenings of their locally shot film UNLEASHED; and actress Connie Nielson provided an introduction in support of her film THE CONFESSIONS.
Audience Award Winners 2016
US CINEMA
Audience Favorite – US Cinema
Gold Award
MOONLIGHT
Barry Jenkins
Audience Favorite – US Cinema
Silver Award
LOVING
Jeff Nichols
Audience Favorite – US Cinema Indie
Gold Award
UNLEASHED
Finn Taylor
Audience Favorite – US Cinema Indie
Silver Award
DIANI AND DEVINE MEET THE APOCALYPSE
Etta Devine, Gabriel Diani
WORLD CINEMA
Audience Favorite – World Cinema
Gold Award
A MAN CALLED OVE
Hannes Holm
Audience Favorite – World Cinema
Silver Award
LAND OF MINE
Martin Zandvliet
Audience Favorite – World Cinema Indie
Gold Award
FUKUSHIMA, MON AMOUR
Doris Dörrie
Audience Favorite – World Cinema Indie
Silver Award
LAND LEGS
Samuel Collardey
VALLEY OF THE DOCS
Audience Favorite – Valley of the Docs
Gold Award
MAYA ANGELOU: AND STILL I RISE
Bob Hercules, Rita Coburn Whack
and
THE EAGLE HUNTRESS
Otto Bell
Audience Favorite – Valley of the Docs
Silver Award
YASUNI MAN
Ryan Patrick Killackey
FAMILY FILMS
Audience Favorite – Family Films
Gold Award
ODDBALL
Stuart McDonald
Audience Favorite – Family Films
Silver Award
KEPLER’S DREAM
Amy Glazer
Screening locations included: 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).
About the California Film Institute
The non-profit California Film Institute celebrates and promotes film as art and education through year-round programming at the non-profit independent theatre, Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center, presentation of the acclaimed Mill Valley Film Festival and cultivation of the next generation of filmmakers and audiences through CFI Education programs. For more information, visit http://www.cafilm.org or call (415) 383-5256.
Netflix Leads with 17 Nominations, HBO/MAX with 6 Nominations in Television Categories Two New Categories Added… Read More
This week's trailer round-up gives everything from festival Oscar hopefuls starring Jennifer Lopez, our favorite… Read More
It’s tough for feature-length documentaries to always be on the cutting edge of topicality. The… Read More
For 35 years, an inventor and his trusty, loyal canine have delighted audiences from their… Read More
In his short 36 years, Bob Marley brought reggae and Jamaican culture to the world,… Read More
Today, SFFILM announced a special early screening of Mike Leigh’s Hard Truths starring Academy Award-nominated… Read More
This website uses cookies.