‘Suffragette’ and a Raucous Closing Night Party Cap Record-Breaking MVFF38

The 38th Mill Valley Film Festival wrapped up Sunday night with multiple screenings of of Suffragette, the story of the women who were foot soldiers in the fight for the right to vote in the early 20th century, ordinary women who risked their jobs, homes, children and even their lives. MVFF38 also concluded with a raucous closing night party featuring music from the Monophonics and the Crackerjack DJs at Terrapin Crossroads, the spacious live music venue and restaurants perched on the canal waterfront in San Rafael.

The evening capped 11 days of sold-out screenings that drew more than 68,000 filmgoers, far surpassing 2014’s then-record attendance of 61,000. The festival included myriad acclaimed filmmakers and special guests, including MVFF Audience Award winners and likely Academy Award contenders Spotlight and Room, as well as tributes to actors Sir Ian McKellen, Carey Mulligan, Sarah Silverman and Brie Larson and appearances from directors Tom Hooper, Tom McCarthy, Catherine Hardwicke and Cary Fukunaga with their films the Danish Girl, Spotlight, Miss You Already and Beasts of No Nation, respectively.

Festival organizers said the event drew more than 68,000 attendees to its Marin venues.
 
“This was an amazing eleven days for film lovers, music enthusiasts, and members of the industry,” said Mark Fishkin, Founder/Director of the Mill Valley Film Festival. “We are so proud to be a festival that filmmakers—both local and international—return to year after year to present their films to our sophisticated and influential Bay Area audiences, who love to see and nurture these new works. With the beautiful backdrop of Marin County and a relaxed, non-competitive atmosphere, the Festival gives filmmakers and audiences alike the opportunity to share their work and experiences in a collaborative and convivial setting. It’s gratifying to hear others say ‘It’s a festival second to none’”.

“The response to our women’s initiative, Mind the Gap, has been incredible—with engagement across the Festival,” added Director of Programming MVFF Zoë Elton. “MVFF has had a long-term commitment to women in film, but in this year’s program we’ve upped the ante in the conversation about women, work, and film. Our goal was to step up and model what a film festival can do: We celebrated women creators from around the world in films; we produced panels, tributes, an exhibit on Ingrid Bergman, and an installation on female role models. These events and programs galvanized audiences and filmmakers alike to engage in an issue whose time is now. Mill Valley has been a-buzz!”
 
MVFF38 also featured a pair of classic films: a free screening of the The Wizard of Oz in Old Mill Park in Mill Valley, and a sold-out screening of Return of the Jedi_, preceded by a costume contest and two sneak-peek trailers of The Force Awakens, which hits theaters in December.