Mill Valley Film Festival to Spotlight Brie Larson in A24’s ‘Room’

Brie Larson will receive the MVFF Award at the 38th Mill Valley Film Festival next month and the fest will also have the California premiere of her new film, Room, from A24. Larson joins the previously announced Sarah Silverman in receiving a Spotlight honor at the festival with more to come. The Mill Valley Film Festival runs October 8-18, 2015.

Here is the teaser trailer for Room:

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Spotlight on BRIE LARSON

Brie Larson has built an impressive career as one of the more versatile young actresses working today. She garnered numerous 2014 Best Actress award wins and nominations for her performance in Destin Daniel Cretton’s Short Term 12. Her dramatic role as “Grace” earned her Best Actress wins at the Locarno Film Festival and Gotham Awards, and a Best Actress nomination at the Critics’ Choice Awards. Up next, she will be seen in the Martin Scorsese executive produced ‘70s crime thriller, Free Fire, opposite Sharlto Copley, Cillian Murphy and Armie Hammer.

Most recently, Larson was seen in the Judd Apatow-directed film Trainwreck and co-starred in the Paramount film, The Gambler, opposite Mark Wahlberg. In 2013, the Los Angeles Times labeled her the It Girl of the SXSW film festival with four films showing. In addition to Short Term 12 (which took home the Grand Jury prize and the Audience Award), she had supporting turns in James Ponsoldt’s The Spectacular Now and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Don Jon. Prior, Larson was seen in 21 Jump Streetas the love interest to Jonah Hill, and received rave reviews for her supporting role in the Oren Moverman film Rampart.

Larson is still widely recognized for her portrayal of “Kate”, Toni Collette’s sarcastic and rebellious daughter, in Showtime’s breakout drama United States of Tara, which was created by Academy Award-winning writer Diablo Cody and based on an original idea by Steven Spielberg.

Other notable credits include Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Noah Baumbach’s Greenberg. She has appeared on stage at the prestigious Williamstown Theater Festival in the role of “Emily” in Our Town and recurred on the F/X cult favorite series, The League as an overly amorous Au Pair.

In addition to acting, Larson is a writer and director. Her short film, The Arm won the prize for Best Comedic Storytelling at last year’s Sundance Film Festival. The other, Weighting, was in competition at this year’s SXSW film festival.

A native of Sacramento, Larson started studying drama at the early age of 6, as the youngest student ever to attend the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Larson currently resides in Los Angeles, CA.

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About ROOM (California Premiere)
Jack is five. He lives with Ma in Room. They can cook, exercise, read books, watch TV, sing songs, and “Do Scream.” Everything in Room is real; everything else is just TV. Room is Jack’s whole world. Until it’s not. Room is based on Emma Donoghue’s bestseller, which is told from Jack’s viewpoint. Fans of the novel take note: The film achieves the book’s intensity and emotional impact. Donoghue adapted her own work, and between her script and director Lenny Abrahamson’s attention to detail and excellent eye for framing, the story transforms for the screen and retains the immediacy of the boy’s experience. Jacob Tremblay is mesmerizing as Jack and the phenomenal Brie Larson conveys Ma’s complexity and emotional balancing act with the smallest change of expression, pause, or measured breath. Together they embody the incomparable bond between mother and child and bring to life this riveting story about defining one’s own world.

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About the MVFF Award
Since 2008, the Mill Valley Film Festival has presented the MVFF Award, an elegant bronze statue created by Mill Valley artist Alice Corning, given in recognition of exceptional work in film at our Tribute and Spotlight programs.

About the 38th Mill Valley Film Festival
Presented by the California Film Institute, the 38th Mill Valley Film Festival runs October 8-18, 2015 at the CinéArts Sequoia (25 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley), Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center (1118 Fourth Street, San Rafael), and other venues throughout the Bay Area. With a reputation for launching new films and creating awards season buzz, MVFF has earned a reputation as a “filmmakers’ festival” by celebrating the best in American independent and world cinema, alongside high profile and prestigious award contenders. MVFF welcomes more than 200 filmmakers representing more than 50 countries.

About the California Film Institute
The non-profit California Film Institute celebrates and promotes film as art and education through the presentation of the Mill Valley Film Festival and year-round exhibitions at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center, film distribution by CFI Releasing, and building the next generation of filmmakers and audiences through the CFI Education program. For more information visit www.cafilm.org or call  (415) 383-5256.

www.MVFF.com, www.CAFilm.org