2015 Mendocino Film Festival Program Book by Mendocino Film Festival

A LETTER from the PRESIDENT

elcome to the Tenth Anniversary Mendocino Film Festival! Ten years ago, when we began this journey, we had no idea where any of this would lead. We started the Festival with a simple goal: to share our love of film with our community. We still have the same goal, even as that community has gone global. Featuring Academy Award® nominees Finding Vivian Maier and Song of the Sea and Academy Award® Winner Ida, this year’s program includes a diverse array of award-winning films, screening on ten screens in five cities over the course of two weekends. On Memorial Day Weekend, our Cinema in the Vineyards program in Philo presents “Films that Evoke the Senses,” this year with a focus on agrarian causes, the farm-to-table movement, and sustainable living, along with events highlighting the best of life in Anderson Valley. Then, the weekend of May 28 – 31, join us for our Tenth Anniversary Celebration, with films and special events in Mendocino Village and around the county. All good things must come to an end (until next year, anyway), and we conclude the Festival in Mendocino Village with Reel Mendo, honoring our talented local filmmakers. Reel Mendo is a return to our roots and a fitting finale to our celebration of ten years of the Festival and 100 years of cinematic history in Mendocino. Wherever you hail from, when you get to Mendocino, you have arrived. And so have we. Thank you for being a part of the Tenth Anniversary Mendocino Film Festival. Cheers,

Paul Kemp President Mendocino Film Festival

In Memory of Albert Maysles (1926 - 2015) Join us on Saturday, May 30, at 10:00 am at Crown Hall for a Tribute to Albert Maysles. See page 53 for details. We had the privilege of welcoming famed “Dean of Documentary Filmmaking” Albert Maysles to the Mendocino Film Festival in 2007, our second year, with his films Grey Gardens and What’s Happening! The Beatles in the USA. After attending the Festival, Maysles took up our cause, joining our Advisory Board and establishing the Albert Maysles Award for Excellence in Documentary Filmmaking, whose recipients include Haskell Wexler, Les Blank, Robert Elfstrom, Ralph Arlyck, and Jasmine Dellal. His passionate and generous support helped the Festival thrive, and we would not be where we are today without him. He was a remarkable man and an extraordinary filmmaker. He will be missed.

Festival Sponsors

Contents

Welcome

6-7

Festival Sponsors

16-19

Festival Partners

Willits Program

Ticket Info

Members Special Events

21-23

25-28

Cinema in the Vineyards

Pt. Arena & Ft. Bragg Program

Opening Night Party

Special Programs

Production Credits

14-15

29-53

Feature Programs

Venues

62-63

Schedule of Events

How to Fest Step 1: This book will guide you through the Tenth Anniversary Mendocino Film Festival. You can also always call us at (707) 937-0171 or visit www.MendocinoFilmFestival.org for more information. Step 2: Make travel arrangements. Reserve your lodging: Turn to page 18 for a list of our Hospitality Partners. Out of town or local, we look forward to welcoming you to the Festival! Step 3: Become a Member. Festival Members support independent film and arts education and receive invitations to exclusive Member events during the Festival and throughout the year. Plus, at the Producer level and above, your VIP pass will get you access to almost every event and screening. See page 11 for Membership information and look for this symbol indicating our official 2015 Member Events. Step 4: Pick up passes and buy tickets. Ticket sales open to the public on May 1. Members and Sponsors can pick up passes and tickets during box office hours at the Mendocino Film Festival office at the Water Tower from May 1 through May 26 and at Festival HQ at Oddfellows Hall starting May 27. See page 9 for more information on box office hours and how to get tickets. Step 5: Allow yourself plenty of time to get around. Our Mendocino Village venues are within easy walking distance of each other, but we do screen in five cities, so be sure to check the screening times and locations of the films you want to see. Step 6: Let’s Get Social. Connect with us across our social media all year long. Follow us and join the conversation. #MendoFilm

TENTH ANNIVERSARY MENDOCINO FILM FESTIVAL AT A GLANCE L 67 films

L 10 screens

L 4 Academy Award® Nominees

L 5 cities

L 1 Academy Award® Winner

L 2 weekends

L 50 screenings

Mendocino Film History 1904: First film, The Sequoia Sempervirens, shot in Mendocino

2009: Danny Glover and Robert Elfstrom attend

1940: Noyo Theatre founded in Willits

2010: Wavy Gravy and Daniel Ellsberg perform magic show;

1954: East of Eden

1965: The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!

2011: Roko Belic attends; Les Blank wins Albert Maysles Award

1970: Summer of ‘42

2012: Fort Bragg and Point Arena programs established

1978: Same Time, Next Year

2013: Philo and Willits programs established

1982: Cujo stalks the streets of Mendocino

2013: Alloy Orchestra accompanies Silent Film Program

2006: Sydney Pollack helps found the Mendocino Film Festival

2014: Leslie Sbrocco, Claudia Lennear, and Warwick Ross attend

2007: Albert Maysles attends

2015: Tenth Anniversary Celebrations

Haskell Wexler wins Albert Maysles Award

Presenting Sponsors Foundations & Grants Maurice Kanbar Kanbar Charitable Trust Jim and Judy Tarbell

Premier Festival Sponsors The Philo Collective

Major Festival Sponsors

Supporting Sponsors

Lee Baker, DDS and Stephen Cho-Polizzi, DDS

Hill House Inn

TICKETS How to Purchase Advance Tickets Online: May 1 – 31, 2015 www.MendocinoFilmFestival.org In Person: Thursday-Tuesday May 1 - May 26, 12-4 pm Mendocino Film Festival Office at the Yellow Water Tower on Ukiah St., East of Lansing St., Mendocino (next to Frankie’s) By Phone: May 1 – 31, 2015 Call us: 707-937-0171 Wednesday-Sunday May 27 - 31, 9 am - 5 pm Festival Headquarters, Oddfellows Hall on Kasten & Ukiah St, Mendocino PURCHASING TICKETS ON DAY OF SHOW At the door one hour before showtime, at each event during the Festival. (Subject to availability; cash only at the door.) VENUES For a full list of venues, including driving times from Mendocino, see page 61. For information on the Cinema in the Vineyards program, see page 21-23. For information on our Willits Program and the Seabiscuit Legacy Film Series, see page 55. For more information on our Fort Bragg and Point Arena programs, see page 57.

FILM TICKET PRICES Regular Screenings, Advance Purchase $11 Regular Screenings at the Door $12 Children’s Program $5 youth, $10 adult SPECIAL EVENT TICKET PRICES 3 Still Standing: Live on Stage Starring Will Durst, Larry “Bubbles” Brown, and Johnny Steele Saturday, May 30, 8 – 10 pm, $20 Festival Tent, Mendocino See page 29 for details. Panel & Workshop Series Saturday, May 30 & Sunday, May 31, pricing varies Festival HQ, Oddfellows Hall, Mendocino Children’s Program Sunday, May 31, 10 am – 12 pm, $5 youth, $10 adult Matheson Performing Arts Center, Mendocino See page 49 for details. SOLD OUT? TICKETS AT THE DOOR!

PROCESSING FEE (web & phone orders only) Processing fee is $1.54 per ticket. THE FINE PRINT:

• Ticket orders are accepted and processed on a first-come, first-served basis. All sales are final. • No refunds, exchanges or substitutions. • Tickets cannot be replaced if lost, stolen, forgotten, destroyed, or misdirected by the post office. If you often have trouble with your mail delivery, please choose the Will Call option. • All persons, regardless of age, must have a ticket. • Ticket holders must arrive 20 minutes prior to show time to be guaranteed a seat. • All events subject to change. On rare occasions, for reasons beyond our control, screenings must be canceled. If a screening is canceled, tickets must be returned to the Festival Headquarters the same day to exchange for another screening or for a refund.

Even if advance tickets are no longer available, tickets will be offered at the door when the number of open seats is determined. A line for waiting-list tickets may start anywhere from 20 minutes to 1 hour prior to a given screening. Subject to availability; $12 at the door (cash only).

We happily provide services for disabled people. Please contact the Festival Office at 937-0171 for information on access and accommodation.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Be sure to check our website for updates. www.MendocinoFilmFestival.org

Cash, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and local checks are accepted for advance sales ($25 fee for returned checks). Cash only at the door.

Buy your tickets early! We expect many sold-out shows.

Connect with us on our social media: www.facebook.com/mendocinofilmfestival @MendoFilmFest #MendoFilm

Cast Your Vote! audience choice award Each year, The Mendocino Film Festival invites you, our discerning audience, to determine the Audience Choice Award recipient. The award will be given to the highest-rated feature-length documentary or narrative film. Be sure to fill out the special ballots distributed at each screening. The winner will be announced on our website.

Made possible by the generous support of North Coast Brewing Co 99

Special Thanks Each year, the Festival depends on the support of an ever-growing circle of people. To all who are listed here and to those of you who joined us after the program went to print, we are sincerely grateful to you all. Valerie Adair Mary Aigner Megan Allende Ananse Village Artseed: Robert Stewart The Attic of Mendocino Nancy Banker Bill and Linda Bjerre Billy Bjerre, Jr. Wendy Boise, CPA Amanda Bontecou Shauna Boyd Sarah Bradley, CA State Parks Adam and Lou Celaya Jackson Clark John Coate Jacqueline Cooper Alex Crangle Julie Dibble Gail Dickenson Pattie DiMatteo John Dixon Torrey Douglass Roy Dufrain Karen Duke Joell Dunlap Marc and Cally Dym Daniel Martin Dzul Margot Federkiel Shelley Fields

Fort Bragg Travel Joanne Frazer Nancy Gardner Randy Gardner Lisa and Tony Geer Alison Glassey Carolyn Glubok Jean Graham Mike Griggs Joe Harris Sid Hillman Hog Island Oyster Co. Tom Honer Jeff and Lois Hoover Ivan Jimenez Michael Johns Lisa Joakimides Carol Joyce Margie Kamb Alan Kantor Joan and Paul Katzeff Nancy and Paul Kemp Valerie Kim Christopher Koveleski Mike and Eula Lenihan Dr. Barbara Mack Paul Mahder Terri Markofer Gary Martin Dennell McFall

Mel and Sue McKinney Steve McLaughlin Mendocino Cookie Co. Mendocino Jams and Jellies Mendocino Mustard Mendocino Rotary Club Laurie Moore Jim Moorehead Tim and Michele Mullins Bill Mulvihill Chris Nelson Susanne Norgard Takanao Ogawa Christie Olson-Day Toni Orans Tommy Otey Guy Pacurar Papa Bear’s Chocolate Paloma Patterson Matt and Paula Perelstein Nicholas Petti Pippi’s Longstockings Arlo Reeves Erina Reeves Roundman’s Smokehouse Mark Ruedrich Sallie Mac Sandy Schmidt Sarah Schoeneman Steve Scutter Janet Self

Randy Setlock Creighton Smith Stephen Smith Steven Smith Tania Sousa Square Peg Foundation Joan and Jeff Stanford Lea Stedman Stella Cadente Olive Oil Abbey Stockwell David Steffen Larry Stropes Sharon Sullivan Yasemin Sussman Pete Swanton Taka’s Grill Felix Toscano Thomas Trumper Barry Vogel Hal and Rosie Wagenet Christine Wagner Leslie Wahlquist Jan & Marc Wasserman Lisa Weg Linda Williams Jonathan Wind Willits Rotary Club Bob Woelfel Rosa Wyglendowski Orah Young Bill and Lynette Zimmer

HOSPITALITY DONORS Since the beginning, local inns, B&Bs, hotels, and individuals have offered our Festival guests the gracious hospitality that is so characteristic of the Mendocino Film Festival. To all of you, we extend our heartfelt thanks; your support makes the Festival possible year after year. Inns & Hotels in Mendocino Albion River Inn Alegria Inn Andiron Seaside Inn & Cabins Brewery Gulch Inn Cottages at Little River Cove Dennen’s Victorian Farmhouse Glendeven Inn Headlands Inn Heritage House Resort Hill House Inn The Inn at the Cobbler’s Walk Inn at Schoolhouse Creek & Spa Little River Inn Mendocino Coast Reservations Mendocino Farmhouse Mendocino Hotel Sea Rock Inn

Sea Gull Inn Stanford Inn by the Sea Trillium Inns & Hotels in Fort Bragg Beachcomber Motel Emerald Dolphin Inn Grey Whale Inn Harbor Lite Lodge Motel 6 North Cliff Hotel Noyo Harbor Inn Seabird Lodge The Weller House Inn Inns and Hotels on the South Coast Elk Cove Inn Inns and Hotels in Willits Baechtel Creek Inn

Private Homes & Cottages Thom Adams Steve Antler Michael & Daphne Beard Patricia & Ken Black Martha & Kevin Buck Darlene Clay Barry & Wendy Cusick Ruth Dell’ara Pat Dunbar Jill & Jim Eldridge Claire Ellis & Chuck Greenberg Pam & Buzz Graham Ken Hollander & Sharon Kiss Howie & Birdie Holmes Tina and Jeremy Isenberg Lynelle and Gary Johnson Richard & Patrica Karch Julie Masterson

Andrea Richey & Joseph Dalton Wendy Roberts Tess Ablin Smith & Doug Albin James & Judy Tarbell Elly Van der Bosch Sally & Lee Welty Joy & Neil Wilensky Angela & William Young

Festival Members Presenting Mike and Mary Schuh

John Gregory Young Greg and Teresa Young

Starring Role

Producer

Jeff Cavins and Jennifer Young Pamela and Tom Hudson Randy McBride Sharon McMillan James and Judy Tarbell Vaughn and Chryse Veit

Martha and Kevin Buck Michelle and James Deering Hugh Dignon Virginia Fifield Deborah Fulmor Fran and Larry Heit Bruce H. Johnson Joan and Paul Katzeff Julie Masterson Cheryl and Neil Nathan Michele Tellier Rosanna Wilson-Farrow Mark and Deena Zarlin

Executive Producer Linda and Fedele Bauccio Miguel Berkstrom Carin Berolzheimer and Mark Farver Steven and Kathryn Fields Paul and Nancy Kemp Jim and Virginia Lyons Dr. Richard and Jolee Miller Ellen Taliaferro Larry and Marilyn Wagner Ann and Sylvia Walker

Director Luna Armstrong Henrietta Bensussen John Cornacchia Sallie and Tom Costello Barry and Wendy Cusick Meredythe G. & Clayton C. Daley, Jr. Stephen and Ricci Dedola Pat Dunbar Claire Ellis and Chuck Greenberg Gary Fernandez Garden Ranch Real Estate Roger Gilbert Jean and Otto Graham Lynda and Fred Grill Suzanne and Henry Hewitt Stacy Houdek John and Kathryn Hughes Brian Kieley Elizabeth McDaniel Arlene and Jim Moorehead Philip J. Maloney and Monica Steinisch Brad Snedecor and Mary O’Shaugnessy

Cinematographer Barbara Barkovich Tracy Barrett and Claire Lachance Micky Becker and Pam Gaffney Mimi and Juriaan Blok John and Katherine Brown Harriet Bye Peter and Lynn Chevalier Daniel and Lisa Christgau Les Cizek and Norma Watkins Cecile Currier Joseph Dalton and Andria Richey Anne Eaton-Kemp James Ehlers and Susan Larkin Randy and Sheila Esson Pat Ferrero Douglas and Claire Fortier Sharon and Marvin Galliani Frank and Maureen Gamma Kate Garetz Mary Glanville Maureen and Charlie Hochberg Bill and Gwen Jacobson Linda and John Judd Judy Katz Marni Kelleher Rod Kelleher

Bruce and Kathryn Leaman Ken and Barbara Matheson Susan Mauro-Wagner Nancy and Michael Meden Mendocino Film Productions Arthur Morley Thomas Pelham Mary Anne Petrillo Ellie Rush and Jim Puskar Jeannette Rasker Christy and Pete Rose Dorothy Salant Joy and Cliff Shaw Vickie and Bill Sherman Jeffry and Karen Stubbs Jim Thomas and Fred Provencher Susan Tubbesing and Sarah Nathe Sally and Lee Welty Mary and Peter Zama

Production Assistant Steven Antler Sue Arnold Nancy Banker John and Barbara Birchard Bill Bottrell Kathleen and Roderick Cameron Carole and Donn Chambers Moira Conzelman Jacqueline Cooper Meg Courtney and Bob Bushansky Phyllis Curtis Shirley Eramo David and Sandra Felthousen Michael Garrison and Elizabeth Ruelle Joy Gertler Sue and Bill Gibson Carolyn Glubok Lawrence Goldyn and Ronald Campbell Georgia-Ann Gregory Terry Gross Doris Hammer Karen Jean Hunt

JoAn Kunselman Deirdre Lamb Diane Larson Mark Lipman and Helen Cohen Marta MacKenzie Irene Malone Jean Mann Chris and Buffy Maple Jane Marcus Carla Markmann Mavis Moore Kala Musick David Nieskoski and Kathy Johnson Lenny Noack Judith Parker Randy and Betsy Pene Tom Pepper Matt and Paula Perelstein Mark Pope Erina Reeves Arlene Reiss and Warren DeSmidt Robert and Bronwyn Rhoades Lauren and Mark Richey Joseph Robba Pamela Rudd Ann and Rudolph Sacks Larry Sawyer Fran Schwartz Elinor Sheldon Carolyn Shirck Kendall Smith Jed Steele Emily Strachan Judy Summers Sabine E. Swallow Jane Tillis Leona Walden Jill M. Wallin Lorie Wardlaw Audrey Wells Linda Wilson Orah Young

We are deeply grateful to our many loyal Festival Members for their support. It is through the contributions of our members that we are able to continue to bring filmmakers and their stories to our community. Festival Members receive special insider opportunities and benefits, including:

• Invitations to special events throughout the year

• Early notification of film selections

• Opportunity to buy tickets before they go on sale to the general public

• Priority Access (Producer & above)

• All-Access Passes (Producer & above)

Plus: All Members receive invitations to our Opening Night Party and Sneak Peek Screening, available exclusively to Festival Members and Sponsors. For more information, visit our website or call 707-937-0171. Look for this symbol throughout the program book to indicate Official Member Events. Questions? Ask our VIP concierge at the Membership Table at each venue. *Members who renewed or joined before this program went to print

Special Events

Cinema in the Vineyards Friday, May 22 – Sunday, May 24, Philo Kick off the celebrations with our Cinema in the Vineyards program. Enjoy wine from Anderson Valley’s finest vineyards and see films that evoke the senses, this year with an agrarian, farm-totable theme. See pages 21 – 23 for a full list of events in Philo.

A Toast to Ten Years A Special Screening for our Members and Sponsors Thursday, May 28, 7:00 pm • Festival Tent Celebrate ten years and take a trip down memory lane with our Festival Favorites Short Films Program, preceded by the winner of Mendocino High School’s 2015 student film contest. Enjoy sparkling wine and gourmet popcorn as we raise a glass to ten remarkable years at this elegant and entertaining celebration.

The Breakfast Club Friday, May 29 – Sunday, May 31, 9:00 am • Oddfellows Hall We invite you to join us every morning at Festival Headquarters at Oddfellows Hall in Mendocino Village for coffee and pastries at 9 am.

Hand Made with Love in Mendocino Opening Night Party and Chef Showcase for our Members and Sponsors Friday, May 29, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm • Hill House Inn Don your Red Carpet attire for this exclusive Member and Sponsor celebration. Enjoy exquisite hors d’oeuvres and live music as you take in the sweeping vistas from the Hill House and mingle with filmmakers and friends over elaborate amuses-bouches, craft cocktails, wine, beer, chocolate, and more, all from local purveyors and prepared by local chefs. For more details on the event of the season, see pages 14-15.

Mendo After Dark Thursday, May 28 – Sunday, May 31, 10:00 pm - last call Don’t stop the party: once we wrap for the day, head over to Dick’s Place, Patterson’s Pub, or Flow for more revelry. Socialize at these unofficial after-parties and discuss the day’s screenings as we continue the celebrations until closing time. Dick’s Place will also host dance parties on Friday and Saturday night, featuring DJ DLT.

There and Back Again Don’t miss our events and screenings around the Shire. c Fort Bragg: See page 57 for a full list of events in Fort Bragg. c Point Arena: See page 57 for a full list of events in Point Arena. c Willits: See page 55 for a full list of events in Willits.

Opening Night Celebration Hand Made with Love in Mendocino

Friday, May 29, 5:00 pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7:00 pm Hill House Inn Exclusive Mendocino Film Festival Member and Sponsor Event Proudly sponsored by Pamela Hudson Real Estate Celebrate our Tenth Anniversary at this gala event, as we take over both floors of the Hill House Inn and mark this major milestone in spectacular fashion. Festivities begin from the moment you hit the Red Carpet, where you will be greeted with a glass of Signal Ridge sparkling wine and welcomed inside to participate in the soiree of the season. Mingle with our talented filmmakers and industry guests as you savor exquisitely hand-crafted hors dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;oeuvres from the renowned Mendocino culinary celebrities starring in our Chef Showcase and enjoy martinis made with Blue Angel Vodka, offerings from our award-winning local wineries, beer from North Coast Brewing Company, and chocolate from Wicked Bonbon, as well as many other epicurean delights of the sea and the land.

ALSO FEATURING THESE CULINARY PARTNERS Hog Island Oyster Co. Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company Diavola Pizzeria and Salumeria Fort Bragg Bakery Cypress Grove Chevre Pennyroyal Farmstead Harvest Market Thanksgiving Coffee Company Caito Fisheries Pacific Rim Seafood A Sweet Affair FLORAL DECOR Sharon Fales LR Farm Mendocino Floral Design

Opening Night Celebration Hand Made with Love in Mendocino

STARRING THESE CULINARY CELEBRITIES Nicholas Petti

Stephen Smith

Marc Dym

Sid Garza-Hillman

Mendo Bistro

Albion River Inn

Little River Inn

Ravens’

Alan Kantor

Felix Toscano

Creighton Smith

Takanao Ogawa

Lea Stedman

MacCallum House

Mendocino Hotel

Inn at Newport Ranch

Taka’s Grill

Hill House Inn

Lisa and Tony Geer Ledford House

Jackson Clark

Joe Harris

Daniel Martin Dzul

Shelley Fields

Wild Fish

Cucina Verona

Trillium

Wicked Bonbon

also featuring these local luminaries

Tony De La Torre

Terri Markofer

Point Noyo Bar & Restaurant

Oyster Shucker

Sara Liner

Guest Bartender

Stephen Chick 5200 Restaurant & Lounge

Brewmaster Mark Ruedrich North Coast Brewing Company

Culinary Partners

The Apple Farm Roundman's Smoke House Mendocino Cookie company

Festival Sponsors

Wine Partners

cinema in the vineyards May 22 - 24 • Philo Philo Screenings at Balo Vineyards 9001 Hwy 128, Philo Saturday • May 23

Sunday • May 24

12:00 pm

Occupy the Farm see pg. 43

5:00 pm

Finding Gaston see pg. 35

Shorts: Festival Favorites see pg. 26 A Year in Champagne see pg. 53

A B

D J E FG HI

THE PHILO COLLECTIVE

PHILO COLLECTIVE ADDRESSES

R O E D E R E R E S TAT E

T O U L O U S E V I N E YA R D S

4501 Hwy 128, Philo

8001 Hwy 128, Philo

SCHARFFENBERGER CELLARS

8501 Hwy 128, Philo

W I TC H I N G S T I C K W I N E S

8627 Hwy 128, Philo

THE MADRONES

9000 Highway 128, Philo

BINK WINES 9000 Highway 128, Philo

D R E W FA M I LY C E L L A R S

9000 Highway 128, Philo

ACORN RANCH

KNEZ WINERY

9000 Highway 128, Philo

SIGNAL RIDGE

B A LO V I N E YA R D S

9000 Highway 128, Philo

9001 Highway 128, Philo

May 22 – 24, 2015

n Memorial Day Weekend, we kick off our Cinema in the Vineyards program, a celebration of community inspired by themes of agrarian and country living, sustainable farming, and the farm-to-table movement. We begin the festivities with a private VIP reception for our sponsors and filmmakers on Friday, May 22.

Join us for Films that Evoke the Senses as we explore the future of food and the history of wine, and celebrate our Tenth Anniversary at special events that showcase the best of Anderson Valley and benefit the Anderson Valley Foodshed and Farmers Market.

Saturday, May 23 Farmers Market 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm, The Madrones Support sustainable agriculture at this benefit for the Anderson Valley Foodshed and Farmers Market. Join your fellow festival attendees for a taste of Anderson Valley, featuring farm-fresh fare, culinary and farming demonstrations, and more.

Wine Garden 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm, Balo Vineyards See—and taste—firsthand why Philo wines win top awards year after year. Once you’ve sipped and savored, place orders for your favorite wines and then enjoy bocce or a nutritious and delicious picnic lunch from the Farmers Market across the street.

Wine and Filmmaker Dinner 7:00 pm The Madrones, $75 (seating limited to 50 spots) Break bread with friends new and old at this family-style farm-totable dinner, featuring dishes prepared from the day’s harvest by local chefs and paired with wines from Drew, and Witching Stick. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Anderson Valley Foodshed and Farmers Market.

Sunday, May 24 Winery Open Houses 11:00 am – 5:00 pm Between films and panels, continue your Anderson Valley tour and pick up passport stamps from the Philo wineries. Purchase at three or more wineries for the chance to win a 2016 Cinema in the Vineyards weekend getaway.

Bubbly Bar Closing Reception & Culinary Demonstration 7:00 pm, Balo Vineyards Complimentary with admission to A Year in Champagne. Join the revelry as we raise a glass to the Tenth Anniversary Mendocino Film Festival. Indulge in Anderson Valley sparkling wines from Scharffenberger Cellars, Signal Ridge, and other local producers, and enjoy our closing culinary demonstration as we celebrate ten remarkable years of the Festival.

cinema in the vineyards

sponsored by the philo collective

Occupy the Farm

Finding Gaston

Saturday, May 23 12:00 pm • Balo Vineyards

Saturday, May 23 5:00 pm • Balo Vineyards $11 in advance, $12 at the door

$11 in advance, $12 at the door From soil tilling to police raids, from lawsuits to overflowing harvests, a community fights for access to healthy food, as 200 farmers in the East Bay work to create a more just food system. For more details, see page 43.

When internationally renowned chef Gaston Acurio decides to embrace the roots of Peruvian cuisine, he changes a nation and the world. For more information, see page 35. Following the screening, join us for our Culinary Visionaries Panel. Proudly sponsored by the Boonville Hotel’s Piment d’Ville

Short Films Program 1: Festival Favorites Sunday, May 24 12:00 pm • Balo Vineyards $11 in advance, $12 at the door Celebrate our Tenth Anniversary with these highlights from ten years of our awardwinning Short Films Program. For more details, see page 26. Proudly sponsored by Architectural Elements of Anderson Valley

The Philo Collective

A Year in Champagne Sunday, May 24 5:00 pm • Balo Vineyards $11 in advance, $12 at the door Discover the intoxicating true story of the world’s most famous wine with this fun and fascinating look at the history of Champagne. For more information, see page 53. Proudly sponsored by the Philo Collective

A NOTE from PROGRAM DIRECTOR TONEY MERRITT

Pat's Picks Pat Ferrero was the Mendocino Film Festival’s Program Director in 2007 and 2009-2013. We are delighted to screen these three outstanding films that she hand-picked for this year’s program. Dying to Know: Ram Dass and Timothy Leary

Particle Fever

Plastic Man: The Artful Life of Jerry Ross Barrish

ince its founding, I have watched this festival evolve and flourish, developing a distinctive voice and unique perspective. And even as our festival highlights the work of filmmakers from around the world, we continue to pay homage to the cinematic history and local talent of Mendocino. This year’s program, as in past years, features a diverse selection of films, ranging from the Oscar-winning Polish drama Ida to the locally-produced documentary Of the Sea. Themes develop almost magically when you are putting film programs together. Themes like the search for identity, exemplified by Little White Lie and Finding Vivian Maier. Themes like art and the artistic process in films about Jerry Ross Barrish (Plastic Man) and Jerome Kirk (Kirk), as well as in music-driven films like Take Me to the River and Lady Be Good. Themes of mentorship and friendship in films like Keep On Keepin’ On and FREE. In a nod to the ever popular Short Films Program, Betsy Ford and Ann Walker have also curated a “Best of ” Shorts Program, featuring Festival favorites from the past ten years. And that is just a small sample of our program. It is an honor to present to you the Tenth Anniversary Mendocino Film Festival. Enjoy!

SPECIAL PROGRAMS 3 Still Standing: live On Stage Starring renowned SF comedians Will Durst, Larry “Bubbles” Brown, and Johnny Steele Saturday, May 30, 8:00 pm, Festival Tent, $20 Join us for a night of laughter at this special live stand-up performance! On Saturday, lighten up with the three comedy legends featured in the film 3 Still Standing, as world-famous comedians Will Durst, Larry “Bubbles” Brown, and Johnny Steele take to the stage to bring their hilarious perspectives to Mendocino. See page 29 for more information. Proudly sponsored by Outdoorsy

Children’s Program Our award-winning animation program for children of all ages Proudly Sponsored by Sean Leland State Farm Sunday, May 31, 10:00 am, Matheson, $5 children, $10 adults We are proud to present Academy Award®-nominated Song of the Sea, from the studio behind The Secret of Kells. Local filmmaker Kate Isenberg’s short film Heads or Tails opens the program. See page 49 for more details. As part of our Children's Program, the Mendocino Film Festival is giving away a brand-new bicycle to one lucky young artist in our art raffle, sponsored by Sean Leland State Farm! Visit Sean Leland State Farm or the Mendocino Film Festival office to pick up an entry form and pages to color.

Reel Mendo Sunday, May 31, 5:30 pm, Festival Tent, $11 in advance, $12 at the door Celebrate our homegrown talent with Reel Mendo, a showcase of Mendocino filmmakers. In addition to this collection of short films, look for the “Made in Mendocino” symbol to indicate films shot in Mendocino or helmed by Mendocino filmmakers.

Plastic Man Art Exhibition

May 2 – 31, Mendocino Art Center Second Saturday Reception: May 9, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Mendocino Art Center Reception with Will Farley and Jerry Ross Barrish Saturday, May 30, 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm, Mendocino Art Center In connection with the film Plastic Man, the Mendocino Art Center will host an exhibit of Jerry Ross Barrish’s innovative work during the month of May. Following the screening of Plastic Man: The Artful Life of Jerry Ross Barrish on May 30, meet artist Jerry Ross Barrish and filmmaker Will Farley as we toast their work with our friends at the Mendocino Art Center.

Ben Wood Projection Art After sundown, Friday, May 29, & Saturday, May 30, MacCallum House Water Tower, Mendocino Village Famed visual artist Ben Wood comes to Mendocino! During the Tenth Anniversary Mendocino Film Festival, he will illuminate the MacCallum House water tower with animated imagery and text in an exploration of the early history of our town. This is a collaboration with the Mendocino Art Center and many other local patrons of the arts.

Don’t Miss a Thing Refuel in time to make the next film on your list: Between screenings, head to the Hill House, next to our Festival Tent, for quick and delicious sandwiches, salads, and burgers.

Short Films Program 1 10 Years of Festival Favorites

Join us for ten festival favorites as we celebrate our Tenth Anniversary. Betsy Ford and Ann Walker, retiring after a decade, established the Festival’s signature “feel-good” shorts program. Over the years you’ve told them your favorites, and they've gathered them together into one stellar program, with films ranging from sweet to poignant to downright hilarious. 112 min.

Special Screening for Members:

Thursday, May 28, 7:00 pm • Festival Tent

MULTIPLE SCREENING TIMES Sunday, May 24, 12:00 pm, Balo Vineyards • Philo | Friday, May 29, 5:30 pm • Festival Tent Sunday, May 31, 10:15 am, Coast Cinemas • Fort Bragg $11 in advance, $12 at the door

Table 7

Directed by Marko Slavnic. A couple has an intimate conversation in a restaurant, unaware that their every word is being closely monitored. 4 min.

Tanghi Argentini

Directed by Guy Thys. An office clerk with a hankering to tango enlists the support of a workplace colleague as he prepares for a date. 14 min. Academy Award Nominee, Best Live Action Short.

Touch Touch

Directed by Jen McGowan. Sometimes the most important connection in your life happens with a complete stranger. 13 min. Winner, Grand Jury Award Best Short Film, Florida Film Festival; Best of the Fest, Palm Springs ShortFest; Best Short Film, San Diego Film Festival.

Validation

Directed by Kurt Kuenne. A charming story of a parking attendant who provides real validation. 16 min. Audience Award, Hawaii International Film Festival; Christopher & Dana Reeve Audience Award, Williamstown Film Festival.

Cutlass Cutlass

Directed by Kate Hudson. A woman remembers what it’s like to want something really, really badly. The all-star cast includes Dakota Fanning, Virginia Madsen, Kurt Russell, Kristen Stewart, Chevy Chase and Sarah Roemer. 14 min.

The Op Shop

Directed by Lee Rogers. At an average suburban thrift store (an Australian “opportunity” store), a mysterious donation sends the sales clerks on a journey of self-discovery. 7 min. Best Comedy, Las Vegas Film Festival; Audience Favorite, Palm Springs International Shortfest; Audience Award, Young at Heart Film Festival.

Glenn Owen Dodds

Directed by Frazer Bailey. You want the meaning of life? You’ve got five minutes. 16 min. Audience Award, Aspen Shortsfest.

Op Shop

Peep Show

Directed by Charlie Call. A straight-laced woman uncovers a surprising source of pleasure. 9 min. Best of Fest, Breckenridge Festival of Film; Audience Award, Hamptons International Film Festival; Jury Award, US Comedy Arts Festival.

Love at First Sight

Directed by Michael Davies. Do you believe in love at first sight? When Arthur spots Ruth, he knows in his heart that it’s true. Starring John Hurt and Phyllida Law. 13 min. Best Director and Best Actress Awards at the British Independent Film Festival.

Gratitude Love at First Sight

Directed by Louie Schwartzberg. “Beauty and seduction is nature’s tool for survival because we will protect what we fall in love with,” director Schwartzberg says. An exploration of nature, imagination, and happiness. 6 min.

Short Films Program 2 The Body Electric

What does it mean to live? Join us as we explore “The Body Electric” – human expression of spirit and the qualities of courage, energy, and determination, as they are expressed through art, dance, music, sports, humor and just living life. 68 min. MULTIPLE SCREENING TIMES Friday, May 29, 8:00 pm • Matheson | Saturday, May 30, 10:15 am • Coast Cinemas, Fort Bragg Sunday, May 31, 3:00 pm • Festival Tent | Sunday, May 31, 4:00 pm • Arena Theater, Point Arena $11 in advance, $12 at the door Following the screening: Join us for a conversation with several of the filmmakers whose works feature in The Body Electric as they discuss their creative process and answer questions from the audience.

The Ingenuous Choice: Mountain Running With Anton Krupicka

The Ingenuous Choice

Directed by Francois and Maxime Tornier. Why do we decide to explore? Perhaps because, as Henry David Thoreau once said, "we can never have enough of nature.” Mountain runner Anton Krupicka roams the wilderness of the mountains, racing 100 miles through harsh terrain, as he reflects on what makes mountain running essential to him. 7 min; Official Selection, Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival.

Ready to Surrender

The Sand Storm

Directed by Maceo Frost. A short dance film by filmmaker Maceo Frost and Choreographer Mari Carrasco. Based on the stage piece by the same name, Ready to Surrender explores the subject of letting go, daring to fail, and not going out without a fight. 5 min.

Fractures - It’s Alright

Berlin Troika

Directed by Matthew Chuang. A man returns to a place he once called home. Nature and decay have taken over, but the memories are still strong. He sets about bringing life back to Pripyat, Chernobyl, hoping to capture how it was – and how it could have been. 4 min.

Howard’s Farm

Howard's Farm

Directed by Ivan Cash. Howard Quimby is a farmer who is still going strong at the age of 86. Shot and filmed in Marlboro, New York, just down the road from where the filmmaker grew up, Howard’s Farm documents Howard’s remarkable story. 6 min; Official Selection, Tiburon Film Festival; Editor’s Pick, The Atlantic.

Marie’s Dictionary Directed by Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee. The story of Marie Wilcox, the last fluent speaker of the Wukchumni language, and the dictionary she created in an effort to keep her language alive. 10 min.

The Sand Storm Directed by Jason Wishnow. In this lyrical “low-fi sci-fi” tour through a bleak future, communications lines dissolve as a water smuggler navigates a tumultuous, dystopian city on the brink. Made in China. Starring Ai Weiwei (pictured), Hu Jianing, Li Ning, and Bai Yao. 9 min. Official Selection, Telluride Film Festival.

MeTube Directed by Daniel Moshel. August sings “Habanera” from Carmen. Features the vocal talents of opera and oratorio tenor August Schram. 4 min; Official Selection, Sundance Film Festival; Audience Award, Budapest Short International Film Festival.

Wife - The Grey Ones Directed by Jasmine Albuquerque, Kristen Leahy, and Nina McNeely. In this visually arresting piece, the three characters become one, traversing a world beyond earthly realms to tell a story of the beginning of time. The Grey Ones explores the concepts of birth and death, transcendence, power, and apotheosis. 7 min.

Touchable Memories Directed by Marco Aslan. If you were blind, how would you "see" a photo? In this exploration of blindness and memory, filmmaker Marco Aslan explores what it really means to see. 4 min.

Berlin Troika Directed by Andrej Gontcharov. An English/ Russian interpreter for a Soviet and an American diplomat attempts to prevent war between the two countries by misinterpreting what the two opposing sides are really saying to one another. 12 min; First Prize (Student Films), Montreal World Film Festival; Best Drama, LA Shorts Fest.

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Reel Mendo (Q&A with filmmakers after screening) Sunday, May 31, 5:30 pm â&#x20AC;˘ Festival Tent $11 in advance, $12 at the door Join us for our Tenth Anniversary Closing Night Celebration: a showcase of eight local films as we highlight the work of our talented and artistic filmmaker community here in Mendocino. A Q&A with the filmmakers will follow the program. 68 min.

Dry Season Directed by Max Good and Tyler Trumbo

Dry Season

Willits faces an uncertain future during Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worst drought in 500 years. With just a 100-day supply of water left, this community of ranchers, back-to-the-landers, and marijuana growers must decide whether to turn to cooperation and conservation or finger-pointing. 9 min; Official Selection, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival; Official Selection, United Nations Association Film Festival.

The Cage Directed by Robert Santos; Written by Peter Wells A contemporary fable with psychological, sociological, philosophical, and political undertones. Running away from marital and financial problems, a young man drives to the Mendocino Coast, where he encounters a seemingly homeless man on the beach at sunset. 27 min.

Friends, Food, Land Directed by Flora Skivington and Jessica Martin

The Cage

Four short films exploring Mendocino life, from winemaking to outdoor expeditions to rallying together for a cause. 12 min. To Prune Shot in a Mendocino vineyard, one of the workers explains what he does during pruning season. 2 min.

Soul Food A group of people gathers over dinner to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr, and raise funds for social justice. 3 min. Newt Wonders Follow wildlife educator Hannah Bird on an outing as she and a group of children search for newts. 5 min. Show Me A winemaker shows off his skills, both professional and musical. 2 min.

With Love

With Love Directed by Laurie York and Carmen Goodyear Roam a Northern California farm during the first magical days of spring. Through a farmer and gardener's eyes, everyday chores are transformed into a passionate experience of art and beauty. 3 min.

Dust Directed by Justin Lewis Travel from the dynamic tranquility of burbling rivers and verdant trees to the rugged splendor of a rocky desert and monolithic sand dunes. Dust features stunning cinematography and an ambient soundtrack. Warning: this film may cause wanderlust. 5 min.

Dust

Feature Programs

DOCUMENTARY:

SPECIAL LIVE PERFORMANCE:

About the Comics

3 Still Standing Directed by Robert Campos and Donna LoCicero

3 Still Standing: Live On Stage

(Q&A with filmmakers and comics after screening)

Comedians Will Durst, Larry “Bubbles” Brown, and Johnny Steele

Friday, May 29, 8:00 pm • Crown Hall Saturday, May 30, 10:00 am Coast Cinemas, Fort Bragg $11 in advance, $12 at the door

Saturday, May 30, 8 :00 pm • Festival Tent $20 admission

Will Durst has been lauded in the New York Times as "quite possibly the best political satirist working in the country today” and boasts an impressive record…as an Emmy-nominated writer and comedian -- almost as impressive as the number of times he has been fired (three times from PBS alone). He has performed for presidents, appeared on television over 600 times, and received seven nominations for Stand-Up of the Year.

Three stand-up comedians seek fame and fortune in the hottest comedy scene in the world: 1980s San Francisco. There, they meet and perform with rising stars Robin Williams and Dana Carvey. Soon, Will Durst, Larry 'Bubbles' Brown, and Johnny Steele are being courted by agents and studios, and success, it seems, is just one good stand-up performance away. We follow the three protagonists on a 30-year journey that is both hilarious and moving, through comedy's boom and bust, and into their current scramble to survive as artists. 3 Still Standing offers a rare glimpse into the art and business of making people laugh. Featuring interviews with Dana Carvey, Debi Durst, Paula Poundstone, Rob Schneider, Bobby Slayton, and Robin Williams. 90 min; Official Selection, Mill Valley Film Festival; Official Selection, Austin Film Festival.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Dick’s Place and Whispering Pines Water.

Join us for a night of laughter, as the legendary Will Durst, Larry “Bubbles” Brown, and Johnny Steel take to the stage. See the comedians perform live as they riff on clips from 3 Still Standing, weaving together film and stand-up comedy for a hilarious and memorable journey into the lives of three gifted comedians.

Larry "Bubbles" Brown has performed on the stage and on TV for 30 years. A comedian who has perfected self-deprecation and deadpan humor, Brown also frequently appears at the Englander in San Leandro as part of Michael Booker Entertainment's comedy series. He has opened for Dana Carvey and Dave Attell, and he appears in the film The Kite Runner. In 1984, Johnny Steele abandoned grad school for a life in comedy, a move his parents named “Operation $40k Down the Drain.” He performed at comedy festivals, won comedy competitions, and made over 20 national television appearances. In 1997, he began hosting San Francisco's Live 105 Morning Radio Show to much critical acclaim...so the show was canceled in 1998. But that didn't stop Steele; he now balances performing with web, radio, and TV projects.

Local comedian Doug Nunn, of Hit and Run Theater fame, hosts this one-night-only event.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Outdoorsy.

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Feature Programs

DOCUMENTARY:

The Age of Love

Alive Inside

Chinese Couplets

Directed by: Steve Loring

Directed by: Michael Rossato-Bennett

Directed by: Felicia Lowe

(Q&A with filmmaker after screening)

Friday, May 29, 12:30 pm • Crown Hall $11 in advance, $12 at the door

(Q&A with filmmaker after screening)

Saturday, May 30, 12:30 pm • Matheson Sunday, May 31, 10:00 am • Coast Cinemas, Fort Bragg, $11 in advance, $12 at the door “A touching and funny look into the lives of seniors who just want to find love.” – Katherine Brooks, The Huffington Post The announcement of a first-of-its-kind Speed Dating event exclusively for 70 to 90-year-olds spurs a diverse group of seniors to take stock of aging bodies and still-hopeful hearts. Over one summer, we follow ten speed daters -- recently widowed, long-divorced or never-married -- as they prepare for the big day, endure a rush of encounters, and then anxiously receive their results. Along the way, windows open, revealing the hidden emotions of this often-stereotyped population. As they head out on dates, comic, poignant and bittersweet moments reveal how worries over physical appearance, romance and rejection, loss, and new beginnings are universal, changing little from first love to the far reaches of life. 79 min; Official Selection, Newport Beach Film Festival; Official Selection, Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival; Official Selection, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Heritage House Resort.

“Music seems to have a miraculous power to lift up, to awaken, to reinvigorate” – Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times Dan Cohen, founder of the nonprofit organization Music & Memory, fights a broken healthcare system to demonstrate music's ability to combat memory loss and restore a sense of self to those suffering from dementia. Revealing the uniquely human connection we find in music, Alive Inside features visits with family members who have witnessed the miraculous effects of personalized music on their loved ones and offers illuminating interviews with experts, including renowned neurologist and best-selling author Oliver Sacks (Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain) and musician Bobby McFerrin (Don't Worry, Be Happy). 78 min; Audience Award, U.S. Documentary, Sundance Film Festival; Best Documentary, Milano International Film Festival; Official Selection, Seattle International Film Festival.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Dr. Randy McBride and Neartown Animal Clinic.

Saturday, May 30, 10:00 am • Matheson $11 in advance, $12 at the door Filmmaker Felicia Lowe’s deeply personal documentary explores the legacy of persecution in the United States and the impact of assimilation, secrecy, and regret on the many immigrants who came to America only to discover that the American Dream had a high price. The filmmaker’s search for answers about her mother’s emigration to America during the Chinese Exclusion Era reveals the painful price paid by Chinese immigrants who abandoned their personal identity and explores the burden of silence they passed on to their offspring, often resulting in conflict between these immigrants and their American-born children. 56 min; Official Selection, CAAMFest.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Kemgas.

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Feature Programs

DOCUMENTARY:

NARRATIVE:

PAT'S PICK:

Compared to What:

Diplomacy

Dying to Know:

Directed by: Volker Schlöndorff

Ram Dass and Timothy Leary

Saturday, May 30, 12:30 pm • Crown Hall $11 in advance, $12 at the door

(Q&A with Zack Leary after screening)

the improbable journey of barney frank Directed by: Sheila Canavan and Michael Chandler (Q&A with filmmakers after screening)

Saturday, May 30, 3:00 pm • Festival Tent $11 in advance, $12 at the door “Catnip to political junkies.” – Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter On the verge of his retirement, Barney Frank, the quick-witted, cantankerous, and first openly gay Congressman in the United States, reflects on his 40 years in office and the role his own homosexuality played in his campaigns for social justice. A perfect example of when the personal meets the political, this documentary reveals Barney Frank as one of the most sharp-tongued, entertaining, and lionhearted politicians of our time. With unfettered access to Frank and his husband, Jim Ready, Compared to What paints a nuanced portrait of the politician and the person, from his everyday life to his career as one of this country’s most well-known Congressmen – and everything in between. 87 min; Audience Award, San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Festival; Official Selection, Tribeca Film Festival.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Dr. Randy McBride and Neartown Animal Clinic.

“Explosive version of why Paris didn’t burn. A gripping and extremely satisfying movie.” – Leba Hertz, San Francisco Chronicle In 1944, Hitler gives orders that Paris should not fall into Allied hands, or if it does, then “only as a field of rubble.” The person assigned to carry out this barbaric act is the Wehrmacht Commander of Greater Paris, General Dietrich von Choltitz, who already has mines planted on the Eiffel Tower and around the city. However, at dawn on August 25, Swedish Consul General Raoul Nordling steals into German headquarters through a secret underground tunnel and tries to persuade Choltitz to abandon his plan. While Choltitz entrenches himself behind his duty to unquestioningly obey all military orders, Nordling tries everything he can to appeal to reason and humanity and prevent the senseless destruction of the beloved City of Light. 85 min; César Award, Best Adapted Screenplay; Best Director, Valladolid International Film Festival; Official Selection, Berlin International Film Festival.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Matson Building Materials.

Directed by: Gay Dillingham Sunday, May 31, 12:30 pm • Festival Tent $11 in advance, $12 at the door In the 1960s, Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert, two conventional Harvard professors, began probing the edges of consciousness. The world would never be the same. An intimate portrait, Dying to Know: Ram Dass and Timothy Leary follows the title characters and their epic friendship that shaped a generation. Leary ended up in prison after Nixon labeled him “the most dangerous man in America,” while Alpert became Ram Dass, a spiritual teacher. In 1995, Leary’s diagnosis with terminal cancer brought the two former friends together again to explore issues of death and dying, friendship, love, and life. Robert Redford narrates this tale of taboos, which draws upon rare interviews spanning 50 years. 99 min; Official Selection, Mill Valley Film Festival; Official Selection, Maui Film Festival.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Dr. and Mrs. Richard Louis Miller and Wilbur Hot Springs.

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Feature Programs

DOCUMENTARY:

Finding Gaston

Finding Vivian Maier

FREE

Directed by: Julia Patricia Perez

Directed by: John Maloof and Charlie Siskel

Directed by: Suzanne LaFetra and David Collier

Saturday, May 23, 5:00 pm • Balo Vineyard, Philo

Saturday, May 30, 5:30 pm • Festival Tent $11 in advance, $12 at the door

(Q&A with filmmakers after screening)

“Mouth-watering. Perez’s enthusiasm is infectious, and Acurio’s support of indigenous farmers and fishermen laudatory.” – Jay Weissberg, Variety

“More connect-the-dots detective thriller than traditional doc, this revelatory riddle of a film unmasks a brilliant photographer who hid in plain sight for decades.” – Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly.

$11 in advance, $12 at the door

Meet the chef who changed a nation. Classically trained in Europe's best culinary schools, Chef Gaston Acurio soon developed a loyal following in Peru, hosting an elite clientele. But he never forgot the words of his father about his responsibility to the nation that had given him so much. Abandoning butter and bouillabaisse for traditional cuisine, Acurio began serving the dishes of his homeland. With this radical change, he catapulted Peruvian cuisine to international prominence and helped transform the culture. Now a household name, Acurio uses his position to support indigenous farmers and fishermen whose methods emphasize sustainability. He travels around Peru in search of the best dishes and culinary talent, giving students from all walks of life the opportunity to pursue their dreams. 75 min; Official Selection, San Sebastian International Film Festival; Official Selection, NYC Food Film Festival; Official Selection, Napa Valley Film Festival.

Following the screening: Join us for a Culinary Visionaries Panel.

This program is made possible by the generosity of the Boonville Hotel’s Piment d’Ville.

From New York to France to Chicago, this documentary traces the life story of the late Vivian Maier, a mysterious nanny who secretly took over 100,000 photographs that were hidden in storage lockers and remained undiscovered until after her death. As the filmmakers trace the path of this inveterate wanderer and self-taught photographer who favored a Rolleiflex twin-lens reflex camera and had an uncanny ability to get close to people from all walks of life, new questions arise about her life and work. Through never-before-seen photographs, films, and interviews with dozens of people who thought they knew her, Finding Vivian Maier explores the strange and riveting life of the nanny now considered to be one of America’s most accomplished and insightful street photographers. 84 min; Academy Award® Nominee, Best Feature-Length Documentary; John Schlesinger Award, Palm Springs International Film Festival; Best Documentary, Dublin Film Critics Circle.

This program is made possible by the generosity of the Inn at Newport Ranch.

Saturday, May 30, 3:00 pm • Crown Hall $11 in advance, $12 at the door “If you really knew me…” With these words, teens at a newly-formed dance company slowly open up about their lives in a city with one of the highest crime rates in the nation. This group of Oakland teens finds personal liberation and mutual support while working toward a collaborative performance at Destiny Arts Center, an organization devoted to youth empowerment through dance, theater, and martial arts. David Collier and Suzanne LaFetra’s stirring, up-close documentary follows five of the teens in the Destiny Arts Youth Performance Company as they co-create a piece that asks them to dig into the motivating dilemmas and hopes of their lives, even if it hurts, because the truth will in some degree set them free. In addition to our Crown Hall screening, we are proud to present a special screening of the film for our local high school students. 73 min; Active Cinema Gold Audience Award, Mill Valley Film Festival.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Stanford Inn By The Sea.

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Feature Programs

NARRATIVE:

DOCUMENTARY:

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

Hand Made With Love Harry and Snowman in France (Le Temps Suspendu) Directed by: Ron Davis

Directed by: Ana Lily Amirpour

Directed by: Julie Georgia Bernard

(Q&A with Karin Offield after screening)

Saturday, May 30, 8:00 pm • Matheson $11 in advance, $12 at the door

Friday, May 29, 12:30 pm • Festival Tent $11 in advance, $12 at the door

“A modern takedown of misogyny. It’s the year’s most stylish coming-of-age fable and the smartest vampire film to come out in ages.” - Nikola Grozdanovic, The Film Grapevine

“Must-see viewing for fashion hounds and an enjoyable, elegantly crafted peek into a secret world for those who aren’t.” – Janet Smith, The Georgia Straight

Saturday, May 30, 10:30 am • Coast Cinemas, Sunday, May 31, 4:00 pm • Noyo Theatre, Willits • $11 in advance, $12 at the door

In the Iranian ghost-town of Bad City, a place that reeks of death and corruption, the townspeople are unaware that they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire – who happens to be a young woman obsessed with music. Home to prostitutes, junkies, pimps and other sordid souls, Bad City is a bastion of depravity and hopelessness where the lonely vampire hunts its most unsavory inhabitants. But when boy meets girl, an unusual love story begins to blossom... blood red. 99 min; Carnet Jove Jury Award, Sitges Catalonian International Film Festival; Independent Spirit Awards Nominee, Best First Feature, Best Cinematography.

Ever since the 16th century, expert French craftsmen have been creating the very essence of luxury. Today, the heirs to that tradition take us inside their world. Meet Gérard Lognon, a third-generation specialist in pleat-making; Bruno Legeron, a designer of perfect artificial flowers, whose atelier opened in 1880; and Lorenzo Ré, one of three remaining sculptors of wooden forms for hat-making. With humor and straightforwardness, the artisans who create fabulous haute-couture outfits for Dior, Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent critique the fashion industry. What will happen to the art of fashion once they are all gone? This vibrant documentary is a historical document that luxuriates in the skills of this vanishing breed and the beautiful shapes, textures, and colors that they create. 70 min; Official Selection, Vancouver International Film Festival; Official Selection, Alliance Française French Film Festival. Preceded by: Below the Row

SEABISCUIT LEGACY FILM SERIES:

“We both came from nothing. Together, we went to the top of the world.” – Harry deLeyer Harry and Snowman tells the remarkable life stories of two best friends: international show jumping legend Harry deLeyer, and Snowman, the horse that launched his career. Snowman was an old plow horse bound for the slaughterhouse when Harry rescued him off the truck for only $80. Within two years, the duo rose to become the national show jumping champions and were media darlings of the late 1950s and 1960s, even appearing on TV together. Rising to prominence in a sport dominated by thoroughbreds and high society, Harry and Snowman touched the heart of the nation, as the “Cinderella Horse” broke records and proved that with friendship and determination, anything is possible. 84 min. **The Willits screening of Harry and Snowman is part of the Seabiscuit Legacy Film Series. See page 55 for details.

Directed by Glen Travis

This program is made possible by the generosity of ReMax First Equity Realty.

Paul Frearson, a master coatmaker at Henry Poole & Co. on Savile Row, trains his apprentices in the craft and traditions of bespoke tailoring. 10 min; IMDb New Filmmaker Award, Bath Film Festival; Official Selection, British Shorts Film Festival.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Rainsong Shoes & Clothing.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Village Veterinary.

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Feature Programs

DOCUMENTARY:

NARRATIVE:

DOCUMENTARY:

An Honest Liar

Ida

Directed by: Justin Weinstein and Tyler Measom

Directed by: Pawel Pawlikowski

Ilya and Emilia Kabakov: Enter Here

Saturday, May 30, 10:00 am • Festival Tent $11 in advance, $12 at the door

Saturday, May 30, 5:30 pm • Crown Hall Sunday, May 31, 10:00 am • Festival Tent $11 in advance, $12 at the door

“No matter how smart or well-educated you are, you can be deceived.” - The Amazing Randi An Honest Liar delves deep into deception and the life of world-famous magician, escape artist, and master skeptic James ‘The Amazing’ Randi. The film brings to life Randi’s intricate investigations that – with quasi-religious fervor – publicly exposed psychics, faith healers, and con artists. A master deceiver who came out of the closet at the age of 81, Randi created fictional characters and fake psychics, and even turned his partner of 25 years, the artist Jose Alvarez, into a sham guru named Carlos. But a shocking revelation in Randi’s personal life raises the question: is Randi the deceiver, or is he the deceived? 92 min; Best Documentary, Newport Beach Film Festival; Audience Award, Best Documentary, AFI Docs; Official Selection, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Lee Edmundson.

"A film of exceptional artistry whose emotions are as potent and persuasive as its images are indelibly beautiful." – Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times 2015 Academy Award® Winner Ida is a powerful exploration of personal and national reckoning as told through the story of two women in early 1960s Poland: a young novitiate nun and her aunt, a cynical former Communist prosecutor. Anna, an orphan raised by nuns, is on the brink of taking her vows when the Mother Superior insists she make contact with her only living relative. Venturing from the rural convent to Warsaw, the emotionally remote Anna is met by her boozy, free-living aunt Wanda. An offhand revelation about Anna’s true identity sets in motion a road trip through the Polish countryside during which these two strikingly different characters confront family secrets, postwar demons, and the legacy of the not-sodistant past. 82 min; Academy Award® Winner, Best Foreign Language Film; European Film Award Winner, Best Film.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Wagner Photo Art.

Directed by: Amei Wallach (Q&A with filmmaker after screening) Sunday, May 31, 12:30 pm • Matheson $11 in advance, $12 at the door “A dynamically shot documentary conveying the emotional urgency of the Kabakovs’ work.” – Nicolas Rapold, The New York Times A portrait of the lives and work of Russia’s most celebrated international artists, now American citizens, as they come to terms with their global lives and the new Russia. Two decades after fleeing the Soviet Union, Ilya Kabakov overcomes his fears to install six walk-through installations in venues throughout Moscow, where he was once forbidden to exhibit his art. In a city and a country in dizzying transition, he comes face-to-face with the memories that made him who he is. With unparalleled access to the artists and to a global community of their friends and observers, Ilya and Emilia Kabakov explores the ways in which art can outwit oppression, illuminate what comes next, and transcend time and place, resonating with repressed societies today. 103 min; Official Selection, International Festival of Films on Art.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Sallie Mac.

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Feature Programs

DOCUMENTARY:

NARRATIVE:

DOCUMENTARY:

Keep On Keepin’ On Directed by: Alan Hicks

Keep Rollin’ (Thank You For Nothing)

(Q&A with filmmaker after screening)

Directed by: Stefan Hillebrand and Oliver Paulus

Lady Be Good: Instrumental Women in Jazz

Friday, May 29, 8:00 pm • Festival Tent Sunday, May 31, 10:30 am • Coast Cinemas, Fort Bragg • $11 in advance, $12 at the door

Friday, May 29, 5:30 pm • Crown Hall $11 in advance, $12 at the door

Introduction by Doug Moody of North Coast Brewing Company “If you liked ‘Searching for Sugarman’ and ‘20 Feet from Stardom,’ you should line up right now.” -- Peter Hammond, MovieLine Shot over the course of five years, Keep On Keepin’ On depicts two unlikely friends: a blind 23-year-old piano prodigy, Justin Kauflin, and his teacher, music legend Clark Terry, 89. After a life spent working with and teaching the most totemic figures in jazz history, including Miles Davis and Quincy Jones, Terry – among the few musicians to have performed in both Count Basie's and Duke Ellington's bands – continues to attract and cultivate budding talents. Keep On Keepin' On highlights the dedication of Terry and Kauflin to their craft and to each other. The film is infused with soulfulness, crafted with great affection by Alan Hicks (another former student of Terry’s) as an homage to his teacher. 84 min; Shortlisted for an Academy Award, 2015, Best FeatureLength Documentary; Audience Award, Tribeca Film Festival; Audience Award, Palm Springs International Film Festival.

This program is made possible by the generosity of North Coast Brewing Company.

Valentin is fed up! Being confined to a wheelchair after a snowboarding accident is bad enough, but being forced to participate in a theatre project for people with disabilities is unthinkable. The only ray of hope in his life is Mira, his beautiful caretaker. But there’s a problem: she’s going steady with a local slime-ball named Marc. Angry with himself and the world, Valentin decides to vent his frustrations by holding up the convenience store where the boyfriend works. Lukas and Titus, two fellow hospital patients, are all for it, determined to prove to themselves – and the world – that they are not pitiful and helpless. It is the beginning of a friendship and an audacious scheme that will either succeed or fail spectacularly. 95 min; Official Selection, São Paulo International Film Festival; Official Selection, Reel Abilities NY Disability Film Festival; Official Selection, Transylvania International Film Festival.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Rossi Building Materials.

Directed by: Kay Ray (Q&A with filmmaker after screening) Sunday, May 31, 12:30 pm • Crown Hall $11 in advance, $12 at the door “Should be required learning in our schools.” – Quincy Jones, Grammy Award Winner and Academy Award® Nominee Lady Be Good brings to light an important and neglected part of American music history: the contributions of American women instrumentalists in jazz from the early 1920s to the 1970s and the development and extent of all-woman jazz groups. Celebrating these women who have been musical pioneers and role models in spite of rampant discrimination, the film captures the lost stories of female jazz musicians in provocative and humorous interviews with women musicians, big band leaders, jazz authors, and historians. Musician and composer Patrice Rushen guides the audience through these exciting histories with rare photos, previously unseen film and television footage, and recordings. Featuring interviews with Peggy Gilbert, Marian McPartland, Carline Ray, Quincy Jones, Jane Sager, and many others. 80 min; Official Selection, Vancouver International Film Festival; Official Selection, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. This program is made possible by the generosity of Wild Fish Restaurant.

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Feature Programs

DOCUMENTARY:

CINEMA IN THE VINEYARDS:

SNEAK PREVIEW:

Little White Lie

Occupy the Farm

Directed by: Lacey Schwartz

Directed by: Todd Darling

Friday, May 29, 5:30 pm • Matheson $11 in advance, $12 at the door

(Q&A with filmmaker after screening)

OF THE SEA: a film about california fishermen (REEL MENDO)

"One of the most profound meditations on race I've experienced" - Chris Hayes, MSNBC Little White Lie tells filmmaker Lacey Schwartz’s unique story of growing up in a typical upper-middle-class Jewish household in Woodstock, NY, with loving parents and a strong sense of her Jewish identity — despite the questions from those around her about her dark skin. At the age of 18, she confronts her mother and learns the truth: her biological father was not the man who raised her, but a black man named Rodney with whom her mother had an affair. Using home videos, archival footage, interviews, and episodes from her own life, she pieces together her family history and the story of her dual identity. Little White Lie is an intensely personal documentary about denial, the legacy of family secrets, and the power of telling the truth. 65 min; Audience Award, Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival; Official Selection, Sundance Film Forward; Official Selection, San Francisco Jewish Film Festival.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Jim and Judy Tarbell.

Saturday, May 23, 12:00 pm • Balo Vineyards, Philo $11 in advance, $12 at the door “Witnessing the fruits (and vegetables) of the Occupy 2.0 activists' labors ‒ 1.5 tons of it – provides some empowering food for thought.” – Michael Rechtshaffen, Los Angeles Times 200 farmers occupy a last solitary piece of farmland in California’s urban East Bay, plant 15,000 seedlings to feed the community, and disrupt plans to build a shopping mall. What happens next will reveal a new strategy for activism and change the fate of the land. Occupy the Farm tells the story of activists working to create a healthier and more just food system and to question the stewardship of a precious resource: publicly owned urban farmland. From soil tilling to police raids, from lawsuits to overflowing harvests, the film follows a resourceful, creative, and determined community fighting against the privatization of the land and using direct action to respond to a serious social need: access to healthy food. 98 min; Official Selection, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival; Official Selection, Wild and Scenic Film Festival.

Directed by: Mischa Hedges (Q&A with filmmaker after screening) Saturday, May 30, 12:30 pm • Festival Tent $11 in advance, $12 at the door In 1981, there were 6,900 fishing vessels in California. Today, only 1,800 remain. Exploring the causes of the decline, including complex regulations, high costs, declining fisheries, and competition with cheap farmed and imported seafood, Of the Sea follows the fishermen and entrepreneurs who are creating new models for supporting sustainably-produced seafood. With local filmmaker Mischa Hedges at the helm, Of the Sea tells the story of California fishing communities struggling to revive a fading way of life and, through them, the story of the future of sustainable seafood. The film poses the question, “What can we learn from fishermen?” (A lot, as it turns out.) 70 min; Sneak Preview.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Linda and Fedele Bauccio.

Feature Programs

PAT'S PICK:

PAT'S PICK/FILM ON THE ARTS:

FILM FOR OUR FUTURE:

Particle Fever

Plastic Man: the artful life of jerry ross barrish

Racing to Zero: in pursuit of zero waste

Directed by: Will Farley

(Q&A with filmmaker after screening)

(Q&A with filmmaker & Jerry Barrish after screening)

Friday, May 29, 3:00 pm • Festival Tent $11 in advance, $12 at the door

Saturday, May 30, 3:00 pm • Matheson $11 in advance, $12 at the door

Garbage, disappearing natural resources, destroyed oceans...the stakes are higher than ever. Is there anything that we, individually, can still do about it? Racing to Zero presents new solutions to these global problems. Three years ago the mayor of San Francisco pledged to achieve zero waste by 2020. Racing to Zero follows San Francisco’s trail of trash behindthe-scenes to track the possibility and makes a great discovery. The simple substitution of the word RESOURCE for the word GARBAGE transformed a culture, producing a wealth of new industries, and an intriguing and surprising race to zero. 59 min; Official Selection, Mill Valley Film Festival; Official Selection, Columbus International Film and Video Festival.

Directed by: Mark Levinson Sunday, May 31, 3:00 pm • Crown Hall $11 in advance, $12 at the door “You'll be entertained, and you might have your whole understanding of the universe altered.” – CJ Johnson, ABC Radio For the first time, audiences have a front-row seat to a significant scientific breakthrough as it happens. Particle Fever follows six brilliant scientists during the launch of the Large Hadron Collider. The occasion marks the start of the biggest and most expensive experiment in the history of the planet, pushing the edge of human innovation as over 10,000 scientists from over 100 countries join forces in search of the Higgs Boson and an explanation for the origin of all matter. Directed by Mark Levinson, a physicist turned filmmaker, and masterfully edited by Walter Murch (Apocalypse Now, The English Patient, The Godfather trilogy), Particle Fever is a celebration of discovery, revealing the very human stories behind this epic machine. 99 min; Audience Award, Sheffield DocFest; Official Selection, New York Film Festival; Official Selection, Telluride Film Festival.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Albion River Inn.

“Manages to capture the voice of the artist while also capturing the voice of the man himself. Everything about this piece is admirably individual.” – Mansel Stimpson, Film Review

Sometimes an individual is compelled, in the face of daunting odds, to find his identity through art. Jerry Ross Barrish, San Francisco’s best-known bail bondsman, grew up in San Francisco in a working class family, the son of a prize fighter who counted famous gangsters and movie stars as friends. In 1961, he founded Barrish Bail Bonds, bailing out political activists from the Civil Rights movement, Free Speech Movement, anti-Vietnam protesters, and demonstrators supporting Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University, but his true calling was as an artist. Like an alchemist, Barrish, a found object sculptor and filmmaker, transforms discarded materials into something else entirely -- and in the process, undergoes his own transformation. 70 min; Official Selection, Mill Valley Film Festival; Official Selection, Sedona International Film Festival. Following the screening: Meet artist Jerry Ross Barrish and filmmaker Will Farley as we toast their work with our friends at the Mendocino Art Center. See page 25 for details. This program is made possible by the generosity of Mendocino Art Center.

Directed by: Christopher Beaver

This program is made possible by the generosity of Mendocino Solar Service.

45 45

Feature Programs

SHORT FILMS:

LEGACY FILM SERIES:

SHORT FILMS:

Reel Mendo Short Films Program

Seabiscuit Legacy Film Series

Short Films Program 1: Festival Favorites

Sunday, May 31, 5:30 pm • Festival Tent $11 in advance, $12 at the door

This program screens at Ridgewood Ranch in Willits. See page 55 for more details on the Seabiscuit Legacy Film Series & our Willits program.

Multiple Screening Times

This showcase of Mendocino’s filmmaking talent is a fitting send-off to our Tenth Anniversary Mendocino Film Festival. It is an honor to bring Mendocino film to the screen for our audiences from near and far as we celebrate the community that has made our Festival a success. Featuring: Dry Season (Max Good and Tyler Trumbo); The Cage (Robert Santos and Peter Wells); the Friends, Food, Land series “To Prune,” “Soul Food,” “Newt Wonders,” and “Show Me” (Flora Skivington and Jessica Martin); With Love (Laurie York and Carmen Goodyear); and, Dust (Justin Lewis). See page 28 for more details on this year’s Reel Mendo showcase.

Sunday, May 31, 12:00 pm • Ridgewood Ranch, Willits $11 in advance, $12 at the door

Riding My Way Back Directed by: Robin Fryday and Peter Rosenbaum (Q&A after screening) One soldier’s journey back from the brink of suicide. In 2010, Staff Sergeant Aaron Heliker returned from multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Suicidal and on 42 medications, Aaron is at his most desperate and isolated when he is introduced to the unlikeliest of saviors: a horse named Fred. Through caring for Fred, Aaron begins the difficult process of reconnecting to the world around him and healing the invisible wounds of war that nearly defeated him. 26 min; Official Selection, Mill Valley Film Festival; Official Selection, Napa Valley Film Festival; Founder’s Choice Award, GI Film Festival.

Sunday, May 24. 12:00pm • Balo Vineyards, Philo Friday, May 29, 5:30 pm • Festival Tent Sunday, May 31, 10:15 am • Coast Cinemas • Fort Bragg $11 in advance, $12 at the door Special Screening for Members: Thursday, May 28, 7:00 pm • Festival Tent Join us for ten festival favorites as we celebrate our Tenth Anniversary. Betsy Ford and Ann Walker, retiring after a decade, established the Festival’s signature “feel-good” shorts program. Over the years you’ve told them your favorites, and they've gathered them together into one stellar program, with films ranging from sweet to poignant to downright hilarious. 112 min. See page 26 for details on Festival Favorites.

Preceded by: The Making of a Legend: Seabiscuit’s 1940 Victory at Santa Anita Park, Directed by Kipp Hannan (5 min), and Ridgewood Ranch: The Home of Seabiscuit, Mendocino County Museum (15 min). This program is made possible by the generosity of Sport Chrysler Jeep Dodge.

This program is made possible by the generosity of the Little River Inn.

47 47

Feature Programs

SHORT FILMS:

CHILDREN'S PROGRAM:

Short Films Program 2: Song of the Sea Directed by: Tomm Moore The Body Electric Multiple Screening Times Friday, May 29, 8:00 pm • Matheson Saturday, May 30, 10:15 am • Coast Cinemas Fort Bragg Sunday, May 31, 3:00 pm • Festival Tent Sunday, May 31, 4:00 pm • Arena Theater • Point Arena $11 in advance, $12 at the door (Q&A with filmmakers after screening) What does it mean to live? Join us as we explore “The Body Electric” – human expression of spirit and the qualities of courage, energy, and determination, as they are expressed through art, dance, music, sports, humor and just living life. 68 min. See page 27 for details on The Body Electric.

DOCUMENTARY:

Soul of a Banquet Directed by: Wayne Wang

Sunday, May 31, 10:00 am • Matheson $5 children, $10 adults

Sunday, May 31, 3:00 pm • Matheson $11 in advance, $12 at the door

“A journey into Irish folklore that truly isn’t quite like anything seen before. One of the most blissfully beautiful animated films ever made.” -- Carlos Aguilar, Indiewire

Director Wayne Wang (The Joy Luck Club) takes us into the world of Cecilia Chiang, the woman who introduced America to authentic Chinese food. Chiang opened her internationally renowned restaurant The Mandarin in 1961 in San Francisco and went on to change the course of cuisine in America. The film is in equal parts a delectable showcase of gastronomy and a touching portrait of Chiang’s journey from her childhood in Beijing to her becoming an accidental restaurateur in the United States to her emergence as a culinary legend. Soul of a Banquet features interviews with Alice Waters, Ruth Reichl, and Cecilia Chiang herself. 78 min; Official Selection, Mill Valley Film Festival; Official Selection, Santa Fe Independent Film Festival.

Living in a lighthouse with his grief-stricken father, young Ben is the reluctant caretaker of his six-year-old sister, Saoirse, who has yet to utter a single word. Eventually, Ben discovers that Saoirse is the last of the selkies, both human and seal. When their granny, who thinks they will be safer in the city, takes the children away from the lighthouse, Ben and Saoirse must embark on a fantastical journey home – and Saoirse must find her voice. Saoirse’s fate (and the fate of an entire magical world) depend upon it. This Academy Award® nominee blends Irish folklore with visually stunning storybook animation, as Ben and Saoirse encounter friends and foes from a mythical world overlapping with our own. 94 min; Academy Award® Nominee, Best Animated Feature; Official Selection, Toronto International Film Festival; César Award Nominee, Best Animated Feature. Preceded by: Heads or Tails Directed by: Kate Isenberg Boy meets girl when his beach ball takes an unfortunate bounce–or, as it turns out, a fortuitous one. This twist of fate brings them together to make their way through life from first kiss to marriage, parenthood, and beyond. 3 min; Best Art Direction, UCLA Animation Festival; Official Selection, Festival Anim!Arte.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Harvest Market.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Sean Leland State Farm.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Linda and Fedele Bauccio.

49 49

Feature Programs

NARRATIVE:

DOCUMENTARY:

Sun Belt Express

Take Me to the River

This is my Land

(Reel Mendo)

Directed by: Martin Shore

Directed by: Tamara Erde

Directed by: Evan Buxbaum

(Q&A with filmmaker after screening)

Saturday, May 30, 5:30 pm • Matheson $11 in advance, $12 at the door

Saturday, May 30, 8:00 pm • Crown Hall $11 in advance, $12 at the door

Friday, May 29, 3:00 pm • Crown Hall $11 in advance, $12 at the door

A down-on-his-luck ethics professor ends up on a completely unhinged run across the Mexican border into the United States with his teenage daughter in tow—and four undocumented immigrants in the trunk of his car. Allen (Tate Donovan, Argo, Good Night and Good Luck) is an American professor moonlighting as a coyote to supplement his meager income at a dying university in Mexico. Desperate for cash, he sets off on a job that might finally put him back in the black, but things take an unexpected turn when, unbeknownst to him, his daughter decides to come along for the ride. Also starring Rachael Harris (The Hangover, Wreck-it Ralph) and Miguel Sandoval (Jurassic Park, Blow). 91 min; Official Selection, Napa Valley Film Festival; Official Selection, New Orleans Film Festival.

“Reminds us where all the great music came from.” – Peter Keogh, The Boston Globe

This program is made possible by the generosity of the Skunk Train.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Flow Restaurant and Lounge.

Take Me to the River celebrates the intergenerational and interracial musical influence of Stax Records in Memphis, even in the face of pervasive discrimination and segregation. The film brings together multiple generations of award-winning Memphis and Mississippi Delta musicians and follows them through the creative process of recording a historic new album to return to the utopia of racial, gender, and generational collaboration of Memphis in its heyday. Featuring Terrence Howard, William Bell, Snoop Dog, Mavis Staples, Otis Clay, Lil P-Nut, Charlie Musselwhite, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Yo Gotti, Bobby Rush, Frayser Boy, The North Mississippi All-Stars, and many more. 95 min; Audience Award, Documentary, South By Southwest Film Festival; Official Selection, Sonoma International Film Festival.

This is my Land takes audiences inside classrooms in Israel and the occupied West Bank to look at how people interpret and teach history in a contested region. Having grown up in the Israeli public school system, Director Tamara Erde was never exposed to the Palestinian version of the region’s history until she served in the Israeli army. The film follows several Israeli and Palestinian teachers during the school year as they present their national histories to their students. Through dialogues and challenges with students, as well as discussion of the ministries’ curricula and their restrictions, This is my Land demonstrates the long-lasting and profound effect that the Israeli/ Palestinian conflict has on the population and how that affects the next generation. 93 min; Official Selection, Toronto International Film Festival; Special Prize, Hamptons International Film Festival.

This program is made possible by the generosity of Lee Edmundson and Meredith Smith.

51 51

Film Sponsors

Dr. & Mrs. Richard Louis Miller

Jim & Judy Tarbell

Linda & Fedele Bauccio Lee Edmundson

Feature Programs

DOCUMENTARY:

SPECIAL PROGRAM:

DOCUMENTARY:

Tracing Roots: a Weaver’s Journey

A Tribute to Albert Maysles

A Year in Champagne

Directed by: Ellen Frankenstein

Saturday, May 30, 10:00 am, Crown Hall, $11 in advance, $12 at the door

(Q&A with filmmaker after screening) Sunday, May 31, 10:00 am • Crown Hall $11 in advance, $12 at the door Tracing Roots is a portrait of an artist and a mystery. The film follows master weaver and Haida elder Delores Churchill on a journey to understand the origins of a spruce root hat found with a 300-year-old traveler discovered in Northern Canada in a retreating glacier. Delores's quest crosses cultures and borders, involving artists, scholars, and scientists, and raises questions about the meaning of connection, knowledge, and ownership. 35 min; Official Selection, Anchorage International Film Festival. Preceded by: Kirk

We celebrate the life and work of Albert Maysles, as well as his role in shaping the Mendocino Film Festival, with a Tribute to the Dean of Documentary Filmmaking on Saturday, May 30. Director Alan Hicks (Keep On Keepin’ On) hosts this event in memoriam of our dear friend. One of the leaders of the “direct cinema” movement, Albert Maysles brought incredible depth to his films, covering subjects ranging from art and music to mental healthcare and discrimination in his long and prolific career. Join us as we pay homage to the man and his work with a screening of one of his remarkable films to be announced.

Directed by: Ashley James (Q&A with filmmaker and Jerome Kirk after screening) Initially influenced by Alexander Calder, David Smith, and Harry Bertola, the work of renowned Bay Area kinetic sculptor Jerome Kirk transcends those masters and sets entirely new standards in kinetic sculpture. The film includes more than sixty of his works and chronicles the passion and commitment that can motivate one artist throughout a lifetime. 30 min; Official Selection, Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival. This program is made possible by the generosity of the Mendocino County Museum.

This program is made possible by the generous support of KOZT The Coast FM.

Directed by: David Kennard Sunday, May 24, 5:00 pm • Balo Vineyards • Philo $11 in advance, $12 at the door “Entertainingly guides viewers through the winemaking process and takes them behind the scenes to hear from the vintners who put the magic in the bottle. Quality production values, engaging scripting, and fascinating characters.” – Justin Lowe, The Hollywood Reporter Discover the intoxicating story behind the world’s most famous wine. At first glance, the Champagne region is not particularly romantic. Champagne’s history is grim and bloody, swept by war and destruction from Attila the Hun to World War II. The environment for winemaking is harsh — northerly latitude, chalky soil, copious rain, frost, rot. Yet it is these very difficulties that make the wine unique. With renowned wine importer Martine Saunier as a guide, A Year in Champagne gives audiences a rare glimpse behind the scenes into the real Champagne through six houses, from small independent winemakers like Champagne Saint-Chamant to the illustrious houses of Gosset and Bollinger. An indulgence. A celebration. A seduction. A triumph. This is the essence of Champagne. 82 min; Official Selection, Santa Barbara International Film Festival; Official Selection, Newport Beach Film Festival.

This program is made possible by the generosity of the Philo Collective.

53 53

willits program May 31 Seabiscuit Legacy Film Series Sunday, May 31 Ridgewood Ranch

16200 N Hwy 101 10:00 am Ranch Tour 12:00 pm The Making of a Legend: Seabiscuit’s 1940 Victory at Santa Anita Park Ridgewood Ranch – Home of Seabiscuit and Riding My Way Back See page 47. 1:00 - 3:00 pm Reception Ridgewood Ranch is 5.5 miles south of downtown Willits. For directions and ranch tour and reception tickets, please visit www.SeabiscuitHeritage.org or call (707) 459-5992. Noyo Theatre

57 E. Commercial St. 4:00 pm Harry and Snowman See page 37.

n Sunday, May 31, we mark the 75th Anniversary of Seabiscuit’s historic win at Santa Anita and the founding of Noyo Theatre with the launch of our Seabiscuit Legacy Film Series, highlighting stories that embody the spirit of hope that Seabiscuit instilled in his fans and in generations since. Join us at Ridgewood Ranch at 10:00 am to tour the home of Seabiscuit, followed by a 12:00 pm screening of The Making of a Legend, Ridgewood Ranch and Riding My Way Back followed by a panel discussion with Colonel Michael Howard (great-grandson of C.S. Howard), Erin Holzhauer (Ridgewood T.R.A.I.L. program director and instructor), and Alison Glassey (Mendocino County Museum Director). Following the screening and panel, enjoy a 1940s-themed reception at the historic Howard House located at Ridgewood Ranch. Then trot over to Noyo Theatre for a 4:00 pm screening of Harry and Snowman, the conclusion of our Seabiscuit Legacy Film Series. 2015 is the Year of the ’Biscuit, and we are delighted to present this inspiring new film series, hosted by Jacqueline Cooper and Cynthia Ariosta. Please note that tickets for the Ridgewood Ranch tour and reception are sold separately through the Mendocino County Museum and the Seabiscuit Heritage Foundation online and by phone at (707) 459-2736. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Ridgewood T.R.A.I.L. Riders Association (www.ridgewoodtrail.com). Special Thanks: Early Iron of Ukiah Car Club, Tres Bien Creamery, Silvestri Machine Shop, Ridgewood T.R.A.I.L Riders Association, Willits Rotary Club, and Frank R. Howard Foundation.

55 55

Pt Arena & Fort Bragg Programs Fort Bragg

Saturday, May 30 – Sunday, May 31 Since 2012, state-of-the-art and friendly neighborhood theater Coast Cinemas has hosted our Fort Bragg program. This year, we are delighted to expand our offerings to bring even more award-winning films and filmmaker Q&As to our friends in Fort Bragg for Festival Weekend.

Fort Bragg 3 Still Standing

Coast Cinemas 135 S. Franklin St.

Saturday • May 30 10:00 am 3 Still Standing 10:15 am

Shorts: The Body Electric

10:30 am Harry and Snowman Harry and Snowman

Coast Cinemas

Sunday • May 31 10:00 am The Age of Love 10:15 am

Shorts: Festival Favorites

10:30 am Keep on Keepin' On

Keep on Keepin' On

Point Arena

Sunday, May 31, 4:00 pm With a famed lighthouse, dramatic scenery, inviting storefronts, and a national monument in the Stornetta Public Lands, Point Arena is a jewel of a town. The Tenth Anniversary Mendocino Film Festival is proud to return to the historic Art Deco Arena Theater.

The Age of Love

Point Arena Arena Theater 214 Main Street

Sunday • May 31 4:00 pm

Shorts: The Body Electric

The Body Electric 57 57

Community & Media Partners

MENDOCINO HIGH SCHOOL

FORT BRAGG HIGH SCHOOL

RIDGEWOOD T.R.A.I.L. RIDERS ASSOCIATION

Production Credits Program Direction FESTIVAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS President & Treasurer Paul Kemp

Programming Team Toney Merritt, Program Director Betsy Ford, Program Advisor Ann Walker, Program Advisor Ayla Douglas, Programming Assistant

House Managers

Advertising Sales

Ian Bowery Wally Clark Steve Greenwood Sara Liner Concessions

Steven Worthen Cover Design Rachel Rose Nelson Cover Photo John Birchard

Julia Kipnis, Programming Associate

Isla Bowery, Concessions Director

Pre-Screeners

Blair Foster

Bob Bushansky

Alex & Shelley Fields

Membership

Filmmaker Welcome

Joy Gertler

Martha Buck

Carole Freeman

Alena Guest

Public Relations

Lu Ross

Gordon Keller

James Sibbet

Paul & Sara McKenna

Lauren Eastman, Issima! Public Relations

Steve Siler

Kira Wojack

Madrone Braziel

Program Hosts

Social Media Strategist

Randy Gardner

Charlie Acker

Kira Wojack

Jeffrey Kent

Cynthia Ariosta

Box Office

Pam Sandberg

LaViva Dakers

Zelda Zuniga

Maureen Eppstein

Arlene Moorehead, Box Office Coordinator

Blair Foster

Will Farley

Martha Buck

Operations

Pat Ferrero

Gayle Greene

Will Geiger

Doris Hammer

Alan Hicks

Deirdre Lamb

Richard Heinberg

Brona Lessen

Pat Jackson

Joseph Robba

Felicia Lowe

Ginny Rorby

Walt McKeown

Pat Scott

Doug Moody

Henrietta Steiniger

Bill Nichols

Camille Tinling

Doug Nunn

Norma Watkins

Janis Plotkin

Sally Welty

Jason Ruppert

Deena Zarlin

John Scharffenberger

Mark Zarlin

Matt Rowland, Matt Rowland Events

Larry Thomas

Cinema in the Vineyards

Administration

OPERATIONS

Kendra McEwen

Sherry Bell, Office Coordinator

Hospitality

Michele Mullins

Susan Strange, Office Assistant

James Roberts

Donna Montag, Bookkeeper

Molly Sutherland

Photographers

Arlene Moorehead

Printed Program Production

John Birchard

Sally Welty

Sharon Garner, S Squared Productions

Hunter C. Pass

Rachel Rose Nelson, Rachel Rose & Co.

Larry Wagner

Pat Barlow, Barlow Printing, Inc.

Keith Wyner

Executive Director Michael Fox Vice President, Operations Alex Fields Vice President, Programming Toney Merritt Board Secretary J Mattingly Programming Assistant/ Hospitality Ayla Douglas Development

Thom Pelletier Senior Advisor Ann Walker

Emeriti Keith Brandman Founder & President Emeritus Betsy Ford Vice President Emeritus Ann Walker Vice President Emeritus

Advisory Board ZoĂŤ Elton Diana Fuller Will Geiger Richard Heinberg Carl Lumbly Jim McCullough Bill Nichols Mike Schuh Gail Silva Albert Maysles 1926 - 2015 Advisor 2007 - 2015 Sydney Pollack 1934 - 2008 Advisor 2006 - 2008

Ayla Douglas Elaine Hillesland

Festival Events Jennifer Taylor, Festival Events Coordinator Sally Stewart, Festival Events Coordinator Pamela Allen, Festival Stylist Margie Kamb, Best Supporting Role Harvest Market, Craft Services Festival Events Staffing provided by Interact Club of Mendocino

Printed Program Editors Julia Kipnis Toney Merritt Ann Walker Kira Wojack, Managing Editor

Audience Choice Award

Operations Support

Technical Direction Technical Director: Marshall Brown Sound Engineer: Lowell Brown Sound Engineer: Peter Temple Head Projectionist: Rush Jones Head Projectionist: Kahlil Robinson Head Projectionist: Maya Neumeier Head Projectionist: Leah Harr Projectionist: Melia Poehlmann Projectionist: Tibor Call Projectionist: Akin Anderson Projectionist: Iain Bowie

Equipment Sponsor

Joe Preuss Nicholas Wilson

Videographers Gary Grahame Maynard Kaminsky Leigh Anne Lindsey Denell McFall Terry Vaughn

GUIDE to MENDOCINO VILLAGE VENUES B D

VENUES ADDRESSES & KEY

O D D F E L LO W S H A L L

Box Office/Festival Headquarters & Filmmaker Lounge Corner of Kasten & Ukiah St., Mendocino

F E S T I VA L T E N T

10701 Palette Dr., Mendocino

CROWN HALL

45285 Ukiah St., Mendocino

M AT H E S O N PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Corner of Ford and Cahto St., Mendocino

CO A S T C I N E M A S

135 South Franklin St., Fort Bragg For more information on the Fort Bragg Program, see page 57

A R E N A T H E AT E R

214 Main St., Point Arena For more information on the Point Arena Program, see page 57

N OYO T H E AT E R

RIDGEWOOD RANCH

57 East Commercial St., Willits

mileage and drive times to other mendocino county venues Mendocino to

E Coast Cinemas

16200 N Highway 101, Willits For more information on the Willits Program, see page 55

10 miles 20 mins.

Mendocino to Noyo Theater Mendocino to

H Ridgewood Ranch 1.25 hours

B A LO V I N E YA R D S

9001 Highway 128, Philo

THE MADRONES

MFF OFFICE

42 miles 1.2 hours 49 miles

Mendocino to 35 miles 50 mins.

I:J Philo Venues

9000 Highway 128, Philo For more information on the Cinema in the Vineyards Program, see page 21-23 Mendocino to

F Arena Theater

36 miles 1 hour

The Yellow Water Tower on Ukiah St. East of Lansing St., Mendocino (next to Frankieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s)

Schedule of Events & Screenings Special on Memorial Day Weekend Cinema in the Vineyards Cinema in the Vineyards kicks off the Mendocino Film Festival in Philo on Memorial Day Weekend, Friday, May 22 – Sunday, May 24, with Occupy the Farm, Finding Gaston, Shorts: Festival Favorites, and A Year in Champagne, as well as special events, panels, and demonstrations. See pg. 21 – 23 for details. Fort Bragg Coast Cinemas 135 S. Franklin St. Saturday • May 30 3 Still Standing 10:00 am see pg. 29

10:15 am

Shorts: Body Electric see pg. 27

10:30 am

Harry and Snowman see pg. 37

Fort Bragg Coast Cinemas 135 S. Franklin St.

Philo Balo Vineyards 9001 Highway 128, Philo Saturday • May 23 Occupy the Farm 12:00 pm see pg. 43

5:00 pm

Finding Gaston see pg. 35

Sunday • May 24 Shorts: Festival 12:00 pm

Favorites see pg. 26

5:00 pm

A Year in Champagne see pg. 53

Opening Night Party Join us for our Opening Night Party at 5:00 pm at the Hill House in Mendocino (10701 Palette Drive). This Members-Only event always proves to be a highlight of the Festival. See pg. 14-15 for details on the soiree of the season. Call 707.937.0171 or visit www.MendocinoFilmFestival.org to find out how to be a part of this memorable evening. Point Arena Arena Theater 214 Main Street

Willits Ridgewood Ranch 16200 N Hwy 101

Willits Noyo Theatre 57 E. Commercial St.

Sunday • May 31 10:00 am

The Age of Love

Ranch Tour

see pg. 31

10:15 am

Shorts: Festival Favorites see pg. 26

10:30 am

Keep on Keepin' On

see pg. 55

see pg. 41

12:00 pm

12:30 pm 1:00 pm 3:00 pm 4:00 pm

Riding My Way Back, The Making of a Legend, Ridgewood Ranch see pg. 55 Reception see pg. 55 Shorts: Body Electric see pg. 27

Harry and Snowman see pg. 37

Mendocino Venues Festival Tent 10701 Palette Drive

Crown Hall 45285 Ukiah Street

Matheson Ford and Cahto Street

Thursday • May 28 7:00 pm

Special Members Screening

see pg. 13

Friday • May 29 12:30 pm

Handmade with Love in France & Below the Row

Alive Inside

3:00 pm

Racing to Zero

This is My Land

5:30 pm

Shorts: Festival Favorites

Keep Rollin'

Little White Lie

8:00 pm

Keep On Keepin’ On

3 Still Standing

Shorts: Body Electric see pg. 26

see pg. 37

see pg. 45 see pg. 26 see pg. 41

see pg. 31

see pg. 51

see pg. 41

see pg. 43

see pg. 29

Saturday • May 30 10:00 am

An Honest Liar

Albert Maysles Tribute

Chinese Couplets

12:30 pm

Of the Sea

Diplomacy

The Age of Love

3:00 pm

Compared to What

Free

Plastic Man

5:30 pm

Finding Vivian Maier

Ida

Sun Belt Express

8:00 pm

3 Still Standing: Live on Stage see pg. 29

Take Me to the River

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night see pg. 37

see pg. 39

see pg. 43

see pg. 33

see pg. 35

see pg. 53

see pg. 31

see pg. 33

see pg. 31

see pg. 35

see pg. 45

see pg. 39

see pg. 51

Sunday • May 31 10:00 am

Ida

Tracing Roots with Kirk see pg. 53

Song of the Sea & Heads or Tails see pg. 49

12:30 pm

Dying to Know

Lady Be Good

Ilya and Emilia Kabakov

3:00 pm

Shorts: Body Electric

Particle Fever

Soul of a Banquet

5:30 pm

see pg. 39 see pg. 33

see pg. 27

see pg. 41

see pg. 39

see pg. 45

see pg. 49

REEL Mendo:

Dust, The Cage, Dry Season see pg. 28

Buy your tickets early! We expect sold-out shows. Tickets and more information: 707.937.0171 www.MendocinoFilmFestival.org

Film Key

DOCUMENTARY NARRATIVE FILMS FOR OUR FUTURE FILMS ON THE ARTS SPECIAL PROGRAMS