Complete MVIFF Film Program - September 3-8
ANNOUNCING THE 19th ANNUAL MARTHA'S VINEYARD INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The Martha's Vineyard International Film Festival, is a celebration of cinema worldwide. These films' bold imagery, creative storylines, and unique characters will wrap your in warm cinematic magic.
The MVIFF is a culminating highlight of our island's culture-packed summer season. Each September we gather the best new films from dozens of countries, films that provide a path to bridging our cultural differences and exploring universal human experiences.
Our official OPENING NIGHT, September 5th, will feature LUCKY WINNERS, a dark comedy from France that explores themes of sudden fortune and its unexpected consequences, playing at the Film Center at 7:30pm. The film will be preceded by our Opening Night Party on the lawn of the Tisbury Marketplace.
Enjoy meeting fellow festival attendees and special guests inside a tented reception, from 5:30-7:00 pm, on the beautiful waterfront lawn adjacent to Lagoon Pond, just off Beach Road at the Tisbury Marketplace. We’ll be serving wine, beer, bubbly with delicious locally sourced appetizers and buffet meal inspired by our French film while a wonderful jazz band performs.
On September 8th, our closing night film will be SIDONIE IN JAPAN. After the film we will reconvene on the porch at FISH MV, 80 Main Street in downtown Vineyard Haven, for our Closing Night Party with music, food and libations!
In all we'll present 12 feature films and our annual Short Film juried program of nine shorts. Join us for all six days if you can.
Scroll down for the complete schedule -- several nighttime events are nearing a Sell-Out, so don't delay.
To Download and Print Our Program Guide Click Here
Click LOGO image above to Play Festival Trailer
MVIFF SPOTLIGHTS
On Tuesday and Wednesday, before our official opening night, we present 4 new films worthy of the spotlight
MIGHTY AFRIN
In the Time of the Floods
(Bangladesh)
Tuesday, September 3rd @ 4:00pm
In the desolate wilderness of the disappearing islands along the Brahmaputra river, 12-year-old orphan Afrin is coming of age. Acclaimed director and cinematographer Angelos Rallis filmed over five years as heavy rainfalls and flood waters ravage Afrin’s island, and he captures her refusal to surrender to Bangladesh’s deadly tides. As Afrin rows herself in a wooden boat toward the teeming metropolis of Dhaka, she attempts to find her estranged father, only to find herself among the millions of new climate refugees. Forced to grow up fast, Afrin must confront the mysteries of a sinking world where her dreams merge with reality.
Winner at numerous international film festivals including Best Documentary Feature (NaNo Film Festival); Best Cinematographer (Mediterranean Film Festival); and Best Film of Environmental Interest (Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival)
SABBATH QUEEN
(Israel/USA/Hungary/Poland)
Tuesday, September 3rd @ 7:30pm
Followed by a Q&A with the director/producer Sandi DuBowski
A feature documentary filmed over 21 years, follows Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie’s epic journey as the dynastic heir of 38 generations of Orthodox rabbis including the Chief Rabbis of Israel. He is torn between rejecting and embracing his destiny and becomes a drag-queen rebel, a queer bio-dad and the founder of Lab/Shul–an everybody-friendly, God-optional, artist-driven, pop-up experimental congregation. SABBATH QUEEN joins Amichai on a lifelong quest to creatively and radically reinvent religion and ritual, challenge patriarchy and supremacy, champion interfaith love, and stand up for peace, ceasefire, and an end to the Occupation in Israel/Palestine. The film interrogates what Jewish survival means in a difficult rapidly changing 21st century.The Hollywood Reporter calls it “a rich and intimate portrait of a person who stands for noble causes but sometimes baffles and even enrages the people closest to him.”
“Required viewing not just for queer people, not just for Jews, but for everyone.” – Rotten Tomatoes
CROSSING
(Georgia, Turkey)
Wednesday, September 4th @ 4:00pm
From acclaimed director Levan Akin (And Then We Danced), CROSSING is a moving and tender tale of identity, acceptance and unlikely connection that transcends borders and generations. Lia, a retired school teacher living in Georgia, hears from a young neighbor Achi that her long lost niece Tekla, a transgender woman, has crossed the border into Turkey. Hoping to bring Tekla home after a period of estrangement, Lia travels to Istanbul with the unpredictable Achi to find her. Exploring the hidden depths of the city, they cross paths with a transgender lawyer called Evrim, who helps them in their search. Humanistic and compassionate, Akin’s third feature is a heartfelt portrayal of overcoming the degrees of separation that divide us.
Winner of multiple awards at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Guadalajara International Film Festival (including Jury Award)
JOKES & CIGARETTES
(Spain)
Wednesday, September 4th @ 7:30pm
Barcelona, late 1960s. A young jeweler named Eugenio meets Conchita on a bus and it is love at first sight. Eugenio learns to play guitar to follow Conchita in her musical career, and, despite stage fright, they start to play together as ‘Els dos’. When Conchita leaves Barcelona for two weeks, she convinces Eugenio to perform solo and Eugenio becomes a phenomenon in the city’s underground stand-up comedy scene. With her help, he creates his alter ego–the dark glasses, the black shirt, the barstool, the cigarettes and the high ball glass–the character that would soon become an unexpected success in a depressed Spain desperate to laugh.
Nominated for 11 Goya awards (and winner for Best Actor)
OPENING NIGHT PARTY & FILM:
LUCKY WINNERS
(France)
On Opening Night of the Festival, enjoy meeting fellow festival attendees and special guests inside a tented reception, from 5:30-7:00 PM, on the beautiful waterfront lawn adjacent to Lagoon Pond, just off Beach Road at the Tisbury Marketplace.
We’ll be serving sparkling rosé champagne, wine, beer and Goldie’s Rotisserie Truck provides the delicious French inspired appetizers and buffet meal, while the wonderful Eric Johnson jazz quartet performs. And for an extra sweet treat, Mad Martha’s Ice Cream will be serving cones.
Viva la France, Our menu:
Appetizers
Grilled shrimp
French onion puffed pastry
Beef tenderloin crostini with horseradish cream sauce
Buffet
Chicken Provencale
French lentil salad
Potatoes au gratin
French bistro salad with lemon dijon vinaigrette
-Sourdough bread and butter
After the reception, guests will be invited to make their way to the Film Center for a special OPENING NIGHT screening of LUCKY WINNERS, a black comedy from France that explores themes of sudden fortune and its unexpected consequences.
The film begins at 7:30 pm.
Your ticket is good for both the OPENING NIGHT reception and the OPENING NIGHT FILM.
*There will be no tickets sold for our Opening Night film separately
LUCKY WINNERS
(FRANCE)
Thursday, September 5th @ 7:30pm
The chance of winning the lottery is one in 19 million – less likely than being struck by lightning, they say. But for the characters of Lucky Winners, this dream quickly turns into an explosive and hilarious nightmare. This rollercoaster of a black comedy explores themes of sudden fortune and its unexpected consequences. An all-star ensemble cast brings this thrilling tale to life. Renowned for her comic talent and performances in fims such as The Kitchen Brigade, Audrey Lamy brings her charisma to the role of Louise. Fabrice Eboué, known in France for his varied career in stage comedy and film, enriches the film with his verve and wit as Paul. Also lending their comedic talents to the cast are Anouk Grinberg (The Innocent) and Sami Outalbali (Sex Education). Famous for his ability to blend humour and emotion, director Maxime Govare’s collaboration with Romain Choay delivers a skillful exploration of social dynamics and reversals of fortune. Don’t miss the darkly comic twists and turns of Lucky Winners!
SUJO
(Mexico)
Friday, September 6th @ 4:00pm
After a cartel gunman from a small Mexican town is murdered, Sujo, his beloved four-year-old son, is left an orphan and in danger. Sujo narrowly escapes death with the help of his aunt who raises him in the isolated countryside amidst hardship, poverty, and the constant peril associated with his identity. When he enters his teens a rebelliousness awakens in him, and like a rite of passage, he joins the local cartel. As a young man, Sujo attempts to make his life anew, away from the violence of his hometown. However, when his father’s legacy catches up with him, he will come face-to-face with what seems to be his destiny.
“Realism and lyricism mix together effectively in this intimate portrait of violence and generational trauma in Mexico.” – Rotten Tomatoes
Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner
SHORT FILMS JURIED COMPETITION
(International)
Friday, September 6th @ 7:30pm
2024 MVIFF Short Film Competition finalists:
BARDO (16:00)
Directed by Mishki Vaccaro, Canada
Bardo takes place over the three days after Steph’s mother’s death when she returns home to find a surprise visitor and wrestles with guilt over not being more present when her mother was alive.
MEAL TICKET (10:22)
Director Adrian B. Herrera, United States
A tough loving father with hoop dreams for his daughter, is hit with the harsh reality of their environment.
HOLD (13:40)
Director Josiah Junqueira Spencer, United States
An early morning phone call propels a mother and daughter on a path toward connection and the mysteries held in the act of letting go.
A THOUSAND CUTS (17:49)
Director Meredith Chin, United States
An elite college fencer grapples with an unspoken attraction to her teammate while training for her last competition. Pressured to be the best, and expected to win the team a national championship title, her emotions boil over in one vengeful final bout.
I’M NOT A ROBOT(20:00)
Director Victoria Warmerdam, The Netherlands
After several unsuccessful attempts to complete a Captcha, feminist Lara sets out to answer the disturbing question of whether she’s a robot, and therefore bought by her own boyfriend.
DAWN EVERY DAY (19:57)
Director Amir Youssef, Egypt
Set in 1956, 8 year old Nabil navigates through new social norms he cannot fathom that impact his next door best friend in post nationalized Egypt. Inspired by true events.
SAVIOR (3:51)
Director Ray Santisteban, United States
Featuring acclaimed Albuquerque, New Mexico poet Marcial Delgado, “Savior” is call to action, a cry for help, and ultimately a harsh indictment of U.S. Immigration policy. Part op-ed, part confrontational oratory, Delgado speaks his truth to a society that routinely vilifies immigrants.
MERMAN (14:35)
Director Madeleine Wynn, United Kingdom
Mari returns to her parents coastal home in rural England. There, through an unlikely acquaintance, she discovers the medieval legend of the Merman. The truth behind this seemingly innocent myth is darker than Mari could imagine. Are those who are ‘other’ destined to suffer as the Merman did hundreds of years ago? The message the myth bears across the centuries restores her resolve.
PIANO MAN (19:57)
Director Jay Zaretsky, United States
Having been struck with grief and loss, a legendary Jazz piano player retreats into an austere existence where he spends his days making music for his sick father and tuning the pianos of those who don’t truly appreciate the instrument. On this one day, Piano Man encounters Rosie, a saxophonist he used to play with back in the day. Convinced Piano Man was dead, Rosie persuades him to return to the stage one more time.
AGENT OF HAPPINESS
(Bhutan)
Saturday, September 7th @ 1:00pm
How can you measure happiness? The country of Bhutan invented Gross National Happiness to do just that, and Amber is one of the agents who travels door to door to meet people and measure how happy they really are. He is still living with his elderly mother at the age of 40, but is nevertheless a hopeless romantic who dreams of finding love: a happiness agent who is in search of his own happiness. We embark with Amber on a cross-country road trip meeting citizens from all walks of life, reminding us of the fragility and beauty of our own happiness. No matter where we live. The Guardian calls it a “slow-burning portrait that’s infused with warmth.”
“A complex, observant, and bittersweet look at the nature of fulfilment viewed through the infrequently glimpsed lens of Bhutanese culture.” – Rotten Tomatoes
Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, winner for Best Documentary Feature at the San Francisco International Film Festival.
THE QUIET MAID
(Spain)
Saturday, September 7th @ 4:00pm
Ana has just arrived from Colombia and is the maid of a luxurious mansion on the Costa Brava, where a family of wealthy art dealers spends their summers. The young woman works tirelessly and without a contract, under the false promise of decent conditions at the end of the summer, if she remains obedient and discreet. When, thanks to the maid of the neighboring house, she discovers her own ways of enjoying the summer, the family decides to fire her. But before leaving, Ana will summon her wit and cunning to find her victory behind the 12 words that open a crypto wallet. Screendaily says the film “combines a distinctive tone and striking visual sense with a knock-out performance from Paula Grimaldo.”
“The Quiet Maid is lesson in the power of understating and retrained cinema that can have more of an impact that the over dramatic.” – Rotten Tomatoes
“Combines a distinctive tone and striking visual sense with a knock-out performance from Grimaldo, fully inhabiting a role that deliciously defies our expectations.” – Rotten Tomatoes
GONDOLA
(Georgia)
Saturday, September 7th @ 7:30pm
Known for his unique no-dialogue style, "Tuvalu" and "The Bra" director Veit Helmer fantastically depicts the love-story between two women, set in the sky, who work on a ropeway running through the beautiful mountains of Georgia.
Says Cineurope, the film “comes together to create a highly accomplished, light-hearted, joyful, timeless ode to freedom.”
ADIÓS BUENOS AIRES
(Argentina/Germany)
Sunday, September 8th @ 12:00pm
Followed by a zoom Q&A with director German Kral
Buenos Aires, November 2001. Argentina is embroiled in crisis, with the peso plunging deeper and deeper. Julio Färber, the charismatic bandoneon player of the “Vecinos de Pompeya,” a five-piece working-class tango band, is trying to keep his head above water, but every month he is earning less and less from their gigs as well as from the traditional shoe shop he inherited from his father. At the very moment, he takes the decision to leave his beloved Buenos Aires forever, it clearly appears that life is conspiring against him: overnight, the government freezes all bank accounts in the whole country, preventing Julio from purchasing the flight tickets and sparking violent protests throughout the town. And Mariela, a witty young woman, and feisty cab driver, bumps into his car at full speed, damaging Julio’s last possession of value before stealing his heart….A film not just about a specific historical event in Argentina but “the ache of yearning, the weight of societal failings, and the contradictory beauty that persists even amidst struggle,” says Loud and Clear Reviews.
“A fresh and hopeful perspective, in which humor frequently intrudes. “ – Los Angeles Times
Nominated for Best Film (Beijing International Film Festival) and winner of the Audience Award (Musikfilmtage Oberaudorf)
BANEL & ADAMA
(Senegal)
Sunday, September 8th @ 2:15pm
Banel and Adama are fiercely in love. The young couple lives in a remote village in northern Senegal. For them, nothing else exists except each other. But for the rest of their tight-knit village, duty dictates that Adama soon accept the role of chief. The two lovers have other plans… until something in the air changes. The rains do not come; the cattle begin to die; the men leave. A rare debut feature that premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, and Senegal’s official submission to the Academy Awards®, Ramata-Toulaye Sy’s Banel & Adama is a lush and lyrical fable that soars to the heights of longing and descends deep into the realm of myth, sending its protagonists’ idyllic love on a collision course with their community’s customs. Because in this world, there is no room for passion, let alone chaos. IndieWire says the film is “a striking debut that puts Sy on the map as a purveyor of deceptively gorgeous visions that show flimsy desires at the mercy of the social, and literal, weather.”
“Banel & Adama is a distressingly searing love story that moves to its own rhythms, curiosities, impulses, and havoc for a shrewd picture of the heavy balance between loyalty to one’s community and devotion to each other.” – Rotten Tomatoes
Chosen as Senegal’s 2024 Oscars submission for the best international feature.
CLOSING NIGHT PARTY
at FISH MV & FILM:
SIDONIE IN JAPAN
(Japan/France)
Join us to celebrate the final night of films and bring another wonderful festival to a triumphant end. Following the Closing Night Film, SIDONIE IN JAPAN (Japan/France), we will reconvene on the porch at FISH MV, 80 Main Street in Vineyard Haven, for our closing Night Party.
Your ticket includes both the closing night film and admittance to the party at FISH MV.
Enjoy wonderful food, libations and live music by the John O'Toole band.
No tickets for the film will be sold separately.
SIDONIE IN JAPAN
(Japan/France)
Sunday, September 8th @ 4:30pm
Isabelle Huppert crafts a uniquely soft and vulnerable character in Élise Girard’s low-key charmer. The eponymous Sidonie is a writer, predominantly known for an early novel that charted her grief after the deaths of family members in a car crash. Now grieving another loss, she agrees to a brief tour in Japan to celebrate a new translation of this book, accompanied by soft-spoken interpreter Kenzo (Tsuyoshi Ihara). What unfolds is a moving and gentle portrait of a woman slowly emerging from her protective carapace through probing conversations with Kenzo, a side trip to the famous art island of Naoshima, and the ghostly return of her deceased husband. Eschewing broad strokes of closure, Girard instead grabs at the heart with a beautifully nuanced look at a woman who finds a new lease on life. Variety calls it a “romantic melan-comedy, built on a tentative exchange of cultures and individual stories.”
Fish MV embraces the culture and love of the island of Martha’s Vineyard, with a dash of West Coast vibes. Here you’ll find some of the freshest seafood featured throughout our creative and vibrant menu.
The All-Access pass gets you into every party and movie playing during the festival.
Once you buy a pass, please email michael@mvfilmsociety.com and let us know which films you plan to attend. We will fulfill these requests and send you an email confirmation.
Passes: $275 per person
$250 for MV Film Society Members
· General Admission to any film program during the festival (however pass holder must pre-select movie tickets in advance with our staff. Please arrive 15 minutes before start time to guarantee a seat for yourself)
· Admission to "Spotlight" films on Tuesday and Wednesday nights (4:00 and 7:30PM), September 3rd and 4th at MV Film Center.
· Admission to OPENING NIGHT GALA and Film with live music, tasty bites, and libations, plus premiere screening at MV Film Center on September 5th.
· Admission to any film festival pop-up events and activities, notified by email.
· Complimentary 2024 Film Festival T-shirt, festival badge and lanyard.
· Admission to CLOSING NIGHT party at FISH MV (on Main Street Vineyard Haven) with live music and seafood, preceded by closing night film at 4:30 PM at Martha’s Vineyard Film Center on September 8th.
The Martha's Vineyard Film Society, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit cultural arts organization celebrating 20+ years of service. Although our main activity consists of the operation of the award-winning Martha's Vineyard Film Center, our programming offers much more than films. We produce special community events in collaboration with numerous Island non-profits, host live performances, stream MET Opera live from NYC, and offer Youth Programming year-round, including our Summer Camp with MVTV and Featherstone Center for the Arts. We hope you, our patrons and members, found this newsletter a glimpse into our continued efforts to fulfill our mission and enliven our Island’s cultural arts scene.
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