KEY HIGHLIGHTS
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
FESTIVAL ATTENDANCE
38,969 TICKETS ISSUED • 20% INCREASE OVER 2024
$435K IN SALES REVENUE • 25% INCREASE OVER 2024 SPONSORSHIP OVER $568K IN SUPPORT
29 CASH SPONSORS • 116 IN-KIND SPONSORS
1O NEW SPONSORS TOTALING $50K
MVFF EDUCATION
2,345 LOCAL STUDENTS IN THEATER • 2,476 STUDENTS NATIONWIDE AND LOCALLY STREAMED PROGRAMS ONLINE
45 COLLEGE STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE CLASS OF MVFF48 OUTREACH PROGRAM
MARKETING HIGHLIGHTS
612K+ WEBSITE PAGE VIEWS
80K TOTAL UNIQUE USERS
1.65M EVENT COUNTS
NEARLY 2 MILLION SOCIAL MEDIA IMPRESSIONS/REACH
21 EMAILS SENT: OPEN RATE = 44% CLICK RATE = 1.8%
50+ COMMUNITY PARTNERS
sponsors + supporters
SIGNATURE
OFFICIAL AIRLINE OF CAFILM
MAJOR
OFFICIAL CAFILM WINERY
SILVER CIRCLE
MAJOR FOUNDATION SUPPORT
NANCY P. AND RICHARD K. ROBBINS FAMILY FOUNDATION
FESTIVAL CIRCLE
COMMUNITY CIRCLE
MAJOR MEDIA
HOTELS
PROMOTIONAL PARTNERS
CREATIVE PARTNERS
OFFICIAL PRODUCT & SERVICE PROVIDERS SPECIAL SUPPORT OFFICIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS
EVENTS
EVENTS
A FORK FULL OF EARTH
BARTENDERS UNLIMITED
BELLY DELI
BORDENAVE'S BAKERY
CASABLANCA MOROCCAN &
MEDITERRANEAN FOOD TRUCK
CASA MANANA
COPPERFIELD'S BOOKS
EL HUARACHE LOCO
FAIRYTALE BROWNIES
GOOD EARTH
NATURAL FOODS
ILLUMINATE EVENTS
JAM BARS
LAOS KITCHEN
LITTLE LOUIE’S CAFE & CATERING
LOS MOLES
MAGICAL LIGHTING
MAKE IT HOME
MARIN EVENT LIGHTING
MOLLIE STONE'S
OLLIE'S PIZZA TRUCK
THE POET & THE BENCH
ROYAL GROUND COFFEE
ST HILDIE'S SPIKED SELTZER
TRADER JOE'S
WEST END NURSERY
WHOLE FOODS
SOUVLA
PROGRAMMING
139 FILMS • 77 FEATURES & 62 SHORTS
40 COUNTRIES REPRESENTED
68 PREMIERES
52% OF ALL FILMS ACROSS THE FESTIVAL DIRECTED BY WOMEN OR NONBINARY FILMMAKERS
SECTIONS
WORLD CINEMA
Stories from six continents that foster a new understanding of our global neighbors and ourselves.
SPONSORED BY JIM BOYCE TRUST AND KRIS OTIS US CINEMA
A showcase of new films by master and emerging American filmmakers who share a talent for independent storytelling.
SPONSORED BY WAREHAM DEVELOPMENT + NANCY P. AND RICHARD K. ROBBINS FAMILY FOUNDATION
DOCS
The latest in non-fiction filmmaking, from heartfelt stories of activism to historical profiles, current events, and more.
SPONSORED BY WAREHAM DEVELOPMENT + NANCY P. AND RICHARD K. ROBBINS FAMILY FOUNDATION
FAMILY FILMS
A sampling of stories, cultures and adventures for new generations and old that inspire and nurture a love for film.
SPONSORED BY BELLAM SELF STORAGE & BOXES SHORTS
Collections of short cinematic gems from every genre including narratives, documentaries, animation, family films and youth works.
INITIATIVES
ACTIVE CINEMA
A forum for films united in their commitment to explore the world and its issues, engage audiences and transform ideas into action.
¡VIVA
EL CINE!
A showcase of Latin American, Latinx and Spanish-language stories, connecting audiences with a diversity of cultures, identities and histories explored through the magic of cinema.
SPONSORED BY DANIEL JENYON & MICHELLE MARCHETTA KENYON WITH GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM CONSULATE GENERAL OF BRAZIL IN SAN FRANCISCO
MIND THE GAP
Mind the Gap is a platform for inclusion and equity, committed to helping marginalized filmmakers break through the gatekeeping that has long made the industry exclusionary and help undo a harmful history of defaults.
SPONSORED BY NETFLIX, CHRISTINE A. SCHANTZ, BLAIRE AND BENNO DORER FUND
CREATE
Art. Dance. Theater. Creative Minds.
SPONSORED BY BSSP
STRANDS
LAUGH
Humor. Wit. Satire. Irony. Comedy. From LOL to WTF.
SPONSORED BY MARIN HOTELS
GROW
Ecology. Geography. Environment. The Human relationship with the natural world.
SPONSORED BY STRAWBERRY VILLAGE
HEART
Love. Like. Lust. Passion. Romance.
SPONSORED BY THE GRATEFUL DOG
SPIRIT
Body. Soul. The wholeness of being human.
SPONSORED BY MARIN CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
TRAILBLAZERS
Portraits of courage & vision, talents & guts.
SPONSORED BY XFINITY
CLOSING NIGHT
RENTAL FAMILY
HAMNET
JESSIE BUCKLEY AND CHLOÉ ZHAO
HIKARI
TRIBUTES
MVFF AWARD • LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
MVFF AWARD • LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
JAFAR PANAHI
SPIKE LEE
SPOTLIGHTS
JOEL EDGERTON
TRAIN DREAMS
MVFF AWARD
METALLICA SAVED MY LIFE
JONAS ÅKERLUND AND LARS ULRICH
active cinema
A forum for films united in their commitment to explore the world and its issues, engage audiences, and transform ideas into action for positive change. Active Cinema screenings support the grassroots activism of the filmmakers, and engage with the admirable work of special guests, co-presenters, and partners.
6 FEATURE FILMS + CONVERSATIONS
ACTIVE CINEMA HIKE
FREE FOR ALL FILMMAKERS & GUESTS
¡ viva el cine !
Celebrating the richness of film in Spanish and Portuguese from around the world. Our initiative curates a selection of films that resonate deeply with these communities, showcasing the best international and independent works. Through cinema we build a space where history, culture, and identity come alive.
SPONSORED BY
A celebration of female and nonbinary voices in filmmaking and creativity through a series of curated events. Attendees are invited to immerse themselves in a diverse lineup of programming, including films, conversations, and activities – a space for the local and film communities to come together and forge meaningful relationships to advance our mission of gender equity in the industry.
CHRISTINE A. SCHANTZ
MIND THE GAP SPONSORS
BLAIRE AND BENNO DORER FUND
SUMMIT 2025
MIND THE GAP SUMMIT SPONSORS
NETFLIX | DANIEL KENYON AND MICHELLE MARCHETTA KENYON | JACQUI LOPEZ
MIND THE GAP AWARDS
ROSE BYRNE PERFORMANCE
CREATION PRIZE
TATTI RIBIERO • RECIPIENT
VALENTINA
ELSINE EPSTEIN • FINALIST
ARREST THE MIDWIFE
EVA VICTOR FILMMAKING
LILIAN T. MEHREL • FINALIST HONEYJOON
Family films
4 FEATURE FILMS + 2 SHORTS PROGRAMS
FAMILY FILMS SPONSORED BY
HELLO FRIDA ART EVENT SPONSORED BY KIDDO!
THE RETURN OF THE HOOPLA!
2,345 LOCAL STUDENTS IN THEATER
2,476 STUDENTS AROUND THE BAY AREA AND THE COUNTRY STREAMED ONLINE
4 NEW SCHOOLS • 36 RETURNING SCHOOLS
312 STUDENTS WERE VISITED BY FILMMAKERS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS
45 COLLEGE STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE CLASS OF MVFF48 COLLEGE OUTREACH PROGRAM
39 CLASS OF MVFF48 PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED BADGES TO ATTEND THE FESTIVAL
14 SCHOOLS ATTENDED THE FESTIVAL VIA OUR FREE BUS PROGRAM
DESTINO FUND
FENWICK FOUNDATION
CAFILM EDUCATION SPONSORED BY NANCY P. AND RICHARD K. ROBBINS FAMILY FOUNDATION
FOUNDATION
CHARITABLE
BEHIND THE SCREENS
JON CHU MASTERCLASS
MODERATED BY: Andrew Stanton
SCENES FROM A REVOLUTION:
AI AND THE FUTURE OF FILMMAKING
STATE OF THE INDUSTRY: AUDIENCE ENTHUSIASM ENERGIZES A RESURGENT INDEPENDENT FILM SCENE
PANELISTS: Barbara Ford Grant, Jason Zada, Larry Cutler
MODERATED BY: Martin Christien
PRESENTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH IODYNE
SPONSORED BY PERCEPTION GRID
PANELISTS: Julie Parker Benello, Paul Cohen, Raven Carter, Rose Kuo, Lilian T. Mehrel
MODERATED BY: Ron Yerxa
ADDITIONAL EVENTS INCLUDE: ACTIVE CINEMA HIKE, SPOTTING OPPORTUNITIES PANEL • CO-PRESENTED WITH LITQUAKE + FILMMAKER BRUNCHES AND HAPPY HOURS
OwnED MEDIA
JUNE - OCTOBER 2025
612K+ PAGE VIEWS | 1.65 MILLION EVENT COUNTS
80K UNIQUE USERS
FESTIVAL GUIDE + SCHEDULE
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2025
DIGITAL FESTIVAL GUIDE
8K+ IMPRESSIONS
5724 READS
7 MINS PER SESSION
1137 CLICKS
DIGITAL SCHEDULE
17K+ IMPRESSIONS
11K READS
4 MINS PER SESSION
9105 CLICKS
2,000 PRINTED SCHEDULES
DISTRIBUTED AT ALL FESTIVAL VENUES
SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
INSTAGRAM + FACEBOOK | AUGUST - OCTOBER 2025
114.1K CONTENT INTERACTIONS – 97.6% INCREASE
FACEBOOK: 181.3K VIEWS, 87.8K REACH, 3.1K CONTENT INTERACTIONS
INSTAGRAM: 5.8M VIEWS, 1.9M REACH, 110.3K CONTENT INTERACTIONS
SOCIAL CHANNEL GROWTH
188 NEW FACEBOOK FOLLOWS | TOTAL FOLLOWERS: 16,240
2.1K NEW INSTAGRAM FOLLOWS | TOTAL FOLLOWERS: 11,825
SOCIAL MEDIA
INSTAGRAM SPONSOR SHOUT-OUTS
YOUTUBE
MVFF48 PLAYLIST ON YOUTUBE
91 NEW SUBSCRIBERS | TOTAL SUBSCRIBERS: 4094
23.8K VIEWS | 2.2K WATCH TIME HOURS | 21 RED CARPET VIDEOS & INTERVIEWS
paid MEDIA
PRINT ADS
B RING THE POWER O F FILM T O YOU R CLASSROO M
INSPIRE CREATIVITY, SPARK CONVERSATION & CONNECT YOUR STUDENTS TO THE WORLD THROUGH THE ART OF FILM
in Turn a field trip into a powerful learning experience!
PRESENTED BY CAFILM EDUCATION CAFILMEDU.ORG/MVFF-EDUCATION
Each fall, MVFF Education offers free school-time screenings as part of the Mill Valley Film Festival , featuring a curated selection of films for students from elememtary to high school. Many screenings include educator resources and post-film conversations with filmmakers and special guests – designed to deepen learning and encourage critical thinking.
DIGITAL BANNER ADS
DIGITAL BANNER ADS
DIGITAL ADS
HIGH-IMPACT HOMEPAGE TAKEOVER ON SFGATE & DATEBOOK
2 WEEK FLIGHT (SEPT.22-OCT.12) GENERATED SIGNIFICANT LOCAL REACH 146K IMPRESSIONS 7,290 IMPRESSIONS PER DAY 0.09% CTR - MORE THAN DOUBLE INDUSTRY AVERAGE (0.04%)
PREMIUM PLACEMENT REINFORCED MVFF’S PRESTIGE AND DROVE
QUALIFIED WEB TRAFFIC FROM LOCAL ARTS READERS
DIGITAL BANNER ADS
SOCIAL ADVERTISING
67K IMPRESSIONS
1.871 CLICKS 2.78% CTR
MARIN ARTS
EDITORIAL NEWSLETTERS • EMAIL CAMPAIGNS
PAID MEDIA PLACEMENTS INCLUDED SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, SF BAY TIMES, MARIN IJ, SF STATION, LOCAL GETAWAYS, HAUTE LIVING, HEARST MEDIA AND MORE
MVFF48 TRAILER VIDEO PLACEMENT
AIRED ACROSS CNN, MSNBC, BLOOMBERG, AMC AND NBC NEWS
TOP MARKETS: OAKLAND, ALAMEDA, SAN
FRANCISCO, MILL VALLEY 244K IMPRESSIONS
PER HEARST MEDIA: THE MVFF TRAILER RECEIVED EXCEPTIONAL RETENTION, DEMONSTRATING STRONG CREATIVE RESONANCE
22,882 UNIQUE HOUSEHOLDS
earnED MEDIA
USER-GENERATED CONTENT
MVFF48 AS SHARED THOUGH THE EYES OF FILMMAKERS & ATTENDEES
USER-GENERATED CONTENT
MVFF48 AS SHARED THOUGH THE EYES OF FILMMAKERS & ATTENDEES
USER-GENERATED CONTENT
MVFF48 AS SHARED THOUGH THE EYES OF FILMMAKERS & ATTENDEES
c o mmunity engagement
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (SF AUSSIES)
BAVC
BERLIN & BEYOND
BOLINAS FILM FESTIVAL
BOOK PASSAGE
BROKE ASS STUART
CAAM
CANAL ALLIANCE
CARTOON ART MUSEUM
CINE+MÁS SF
DAVINCI SF
FILM FATALES
FILM SF
FOCUS ACADEMY
FRAMELINE
HUCKLEBERRY YOUTH CENTER
IMMIGRATION INSTITUTE OF THE BAY AREA
JAKE’S PLACE CAT RESCUE
LATINO COUNCIL
LULAC
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
MARIN ARTS
MARIN EATS
ANTHONY MEIER GALLERY
MERCI SF
MENDOCINO FILM FESTIVAL
MILL VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
MULTICULTURAL CENTER OF MARIN / TAY RADIO
THE REDFORD CENTER
SF INDIE FEST
SF IRISH FILM
SF JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
SF SKETCH FEST
SOPHIA GARROW (COMEDIAN & SF STANDARD)
SWEETWATER MUSIC HALL
VILLA ALBERTINE
WILDCARE
WOMEN IN FILM SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
YELP NORTH BAY
YOUTH IN ARTS
INSTITUTO ITALIANO DI CULTURO DI SAN FRANCISCO
WINDOW DISPLAY MERCHANTS
THE DAPPER DOG SALON
JOSHUA DEITCH REAL ESTATE (COLDWELL BANKER)
THE GRATEFUL DOG MARIN]
RUBY LIVING DESIGN
MOONSTRUCK FINE JEWELRY
REVERY SALON
SOFIA JEWELRY
MILL VALLEY HAPPY HOUR / AFTER HOURS PARTNERS
CORNER BAR
PASEO BISTRO
SAN RAFAEL HAPPY HOUR / AFTER HOURS PARTNERS
THE BURREN HOUSE
CALIFORNIA GOLD
PIXELS ARCADE AND TAP ROOM
THE STATE ROOM
VIN
COMMUNITY PARTNERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
COMMUNITY PARTNERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
A shout-out to the incredible Mill Valley businesses who let their creativity shine for the warmly welcomed return of the MVFF Window Display Contest
REVERY SALON
THE NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCESSORIZING AWARD
JOSHUA DEITCH REAL ESTATE THE BLOODY AUTEUR AWARD
RUBY LIVING DESIGN
THE AUDREY AWARD
SOFIA JEWELRY
THE RISING STAR AWARD
MOONSTRUCK FINE JEWELRY
THE JEWEL OF RIVENDELL AWARD
THE DAPPER DOG SALON
THE GROOM WITH A VIEW AWARD
branding
250 11”X17” POSTERS DISTRIBUTED TO KEY MARIN LOCATIONS + ALL FILMMAKERS
BAMPFA THE LARK
SOCIAL GRAPHICS + VIDEO
POPULARITY OF ITEMS AND SALES REVENUE SET
ALL TIME MVFF MERCHANDISING RECORD
‘TAKE A SEAT’ PHOTO OP
out & about at mvff48
MARKETING REPORT
MARKETING TEAM
Shelley Spicer • Director of Marketing, Publicity + Studio Relations
Courtney Buffington • Design + Brand Manager
Shayna Yasuhara • Marketing + Audience Engagement Manager
Katie Woodruff • Community Engagement + Promotions Manager
Gözde Efe • Creative Production Assistant
Pam Grady • Publications Manager
Brian Lehman • Publications Designer
MVFF48 PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS
HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHERS
imageSPACE • Tommy Lau Photography • All Natural Images | Greg Garthe
VOLUNTEER PHOTO TEAM
David Lee Baer
• Julian Dorer
• Bill Johnston, Jr. • Vita Hewitt
• George Lazarus • Allison Levinson • Niki Scioli • Bill Sumits
Jonathan Scott Shensa • Kirke Wrench