Mendocino Film Festival :: May 29

Tsutomu Mirikitani was born in Sacramento and raised in Hiroshima. He returned to the United States on the eve of World War II, only to lose much of his family in the bombing of his childhood city and his freedom in his native state. In Cats, we meet “Jimmy” at 80 years old, a self-described “Grand Master Artist” living on the streets of Soho in New York City. Already befriended by the filmmaker months before September 11, she takes him in following that day’s toxic events. Cats is a film which succeeds brilliantly on a number of levels, not the least of which is the everpresence of hope, as revealed in Mirikitani’s capacity, even at a very late hour in his life, to clear the pain of his past.

Producer/Director Stephen Simon to Appear at Mendocino Film Festival
Stephen Simon, producer of the films Somewhere in Time, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, and What Dreams May Come, and director of Indigo and Conversations With God, will be featured …
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Bestselling Author of Peak Oil to Speak at Mendocino Film Festival
Richard Heinberg, environmental expert, leader of the Relocalization Network, and bestselling author of Peak Oil and The Party's Over, will speak on ways to build a sustainable future in the midst of ecological crisis…
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Shadow Puppet Theater Canceled

We regret to inform you that due to an injury to to the Puppet Master, we have had to cancel this program.

Children's Film Program: Second Screening Added

Saturday, May 31, 12:30 p.m., Matheson, $5

Sunday, June 1, 2:00 p.m., Matheson, $5

Albert Maysles Unable to Attend In Person

Albert is sending a film to announce his selection of Jasmine Dellal for the Award for Excellence in Documentary Filmmaking. Jasmine will appear in person to accept her award and to screen and discuss her film Gypsy Caravan.

Questions for Mr. Reynolds

Friday, May 30, 11:00, at St. Anthony's

Sunday, June 1, 2:00, at Abalone Room (synopsis in the program incorrectly states Saturday at 2:00)

A Year’s Worth of Entertainment in 3½ Days
Whether art imitates nature or the other way around, they go hand in hand at the Mendocino Film Festival. From Thursday, May 29 through Sunday, June 1, 2008, ﬁne ﬁlms and ﬁlmmakers converge on one of the most naturally blessed spots on the planet, combining redwood forests and the Paciﬁc Ocean with proximity to world famous vineyards and a mature, energetic arts and food scene. The area is known as the setting for ﬁlms including East of Eden, Summer of '42, The Russians Are Coming, and Racing With the Moon, so it has a real place in cinema legend. Now, Mendocino is making some ﬁlm history of its own.

The Mendocino Film Festival presents independent ﬁlms organized in three main categories: documentaries, narrative works, and shorts. There are also two special categories: Films for Our Future, featuring environmentally and spiritually themed ﬁlms geared toward "changing the world, one ﬁlm at a time," and Films on the Arts, focusing the lenses of world-class ﬁlmmakers on outstanding artists, dancers and musicians. A special afternoon program of short ﬁlms for children will be presented, as well as Shadow Puppet Theater, an interdisciplinary ﬁlm and arts event program for all ages coordinated with the Mendocino Art Center and funded by the Community Foundation of Mendocino County.

The majority of ﬁlms screened at the Mendocino Film Festival are represented by their visiting directors. Because of the intimate venues and high number of attending ﬁlmmakers, there is ample opportunity to engage with screenwriters, directors, producers and celebrities from across the industry.

In its third year, the Mendocino Film Festival has garnered praise for the high quality of its selections and its beautiful setting. Jim McCullough, San Francisco Film Commissioner, said “The Mendocino Film Festival has an image which is small town and charming while being at the same time world class and progressive. I'm very proud to be a part of it."

This year's festival is proud to have as Presenting Sponsors two visionary organizations: the Spiritual Cinema Circle (SpiritualCinemaCircle.com) and Earth Cinema Circle (EarthCinemaCircle.com). Both bring independent ﬁlms of inspirational or environmental signiﬁcance to an international audience through subscription DVD clubs, and are a perfect match for the themes of the Mendocino Film Festival.