Friday, May 31st, 8:00pm, Festival Tent, $35
This program is made possible by the generosity of Farr West.
Live Cinema in Mendocino, co-produced by Alex Fields and George Russell, and performed by local musicians: DJ Tony de la Torre, Sunny Cordell, and Karl Schoen, Alex De Grassi, and Ralph Humphrey.
Special Members Screening: Thursday, May 30, 7:00pm Festival Tent
Friday, May 31, 5:30pm Festival Tent
Saturday, June 1, 10:00am Coast Cinemas
(Q&A with filmmakers after screening)
Proudly sponsored by The Inn at Newport Ranch.
This year’s Short Films Program will remind you to call your friends… assuming Mother Nature (or a parking enforcement officer) doesn’t get you first! These hilarious and occasionally hair-raising tales of friends, foes, and frenemies depict dubious alliances that transcend barriers and challenge our assumptions. A young girl and an old sailor at the turn of the century, a nefarious owl, a mother who seemingly has it all, two robbers having a rough day, an adorable raccoon, and our other protagonists and antagonists all have to navigate situations that weren’t in the guidebook. If they’re lucky, they’ll find out who their real friends are before it’s too late. 86 min.
Sunday, June 2, 5:30pm, Festival Tent, $11 in advance, $12 at the door
(Q&A with filmmakers after screening)
Proudly sponsored by Diana Coryat & Ashok Khosla.
Join us as we once again conclude our festival by celebrating our local creative community with this selection of films from our finest local filmmakers. Learn more about the region and coastal culture through the lens of these captivating projects by our own homegrown talent. Following the program, stay and engage in what is always an interesting Q&A with the filmmakers themselves. 68 min.
GET DOWN ON THE DANCE FLOOR WITH MAMA GROWS FUNK
A Tuba to Cuba
FRIDAY, MAY 31, 8:00pm, CROWN HALL, $25
Proudly sponsored by North Coast Brewing Company
Get ready to get down on the dance floor with Mama Grows Funk after the screening of A Tuba to Cuba. Mama Grows Funk is Pilar Duran, Rob Marcello, Ui Wesley, Gabriel Yañez, and Paul Schulman. With a refreshing mix of both seasoned veterans and budding upstarts, Mama Grows Funk brings a potent mix of funk, R&B, Latin, and soul influences aimed at uplifting spirits, getting feet to move and making bootys shake.
SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS
The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales
SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 10:00am, MATHESON $5 CHILDREN, $10 ADULTS
Proudly sponsored by Sean Leland State Farm
Children of all ages are invited to Saturday Morning Cartoons at Matheson, featuring The Big Bad Bad Fox and Other Tales. The film is three stories in one rousing animated feature: a fox who mothers a family of chicks, a rabbit who plays the stork, and a duck who wants to be Santa Claus. Adapted from the acclaimed graphic novel by Benjamin Renner. Rated G. As part of the Children’s Program, Sean Leland State Farm is sponsoring a raffle at the screening. Visit Sean Leland State Farm or the Mendocino Film Festival office to pick up an entry form for your chance to win.
AN EVENING WITH ZIDA BORCICH & IRA ROSENBERG
Amazing Grace
SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 8:00pm, CROWN HALL, $25
Proudly sponsored by Dick’s Place and Whispering Pines
Aretha Franklin had the voice of a generation, and we are pleased to honor her memory with a screening of the lost Sydney Pollack film, the breathtaking Amazing Grace, followed by a live musical performance by IZ Jazz: vocalist Zida Borcich and jazz pianist Ira Rosenberg will perform an eclectic set of music across time in a bow to the legacy of the unforgettable Queen of Soul.
WOMEN’S FILMMAKER PANEL: Where Are We Post #timesup?
SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 9:00am, FESTIVAL HEADQUARTERS AT
ODD FELLOWS HALL—OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Steps have been made, but leaps are needed. We still have a substantial way to go for gender equity in filmmaking, as in most fields. What is the current landscape like for women filmmakers? Has the #timesup movement moved the needle? We ask some of the amazing women filmmakers attending the festival for their views and personal experiences. Discussion topics will include: A comparison on opportunities in the worlds of documentary and narrative films, shorts vs. full length features, independent film vs. mainstream Hollywood. Are newer media and the streaming services any more women-friendly than traditional media? How do women filmmakers break on through to the other side?
DIVERSITY IN FILM PANEL: Life After Black Panther and Crazy Rich Asians
SUNDAY, JUNE 2, 9:00am, FESTIVAL HEADQUARTERS AT
ODD FELLOWS HALL—OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Recent studies suggest diversity in TV and film is so bad, the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite should probably be changed to #HollywoodSoWhite. So what is happening post Black Panther and Crazy Rich Asians? There remains an “epidemic of invisibility” for most minorities, and problems with hiring and representation for people of color, women, LGBTQ individuals, the disabled and those over 55. Experts are calling it an inclusion crisis. We will talk to a diverse group of filmmakers and those who delve into these topics in their films and explore the issue from many perspectives.
