Academy Award-nominated director Edward Berger is set to open the 47th Mill Valley Film Festival on Thursday, October 3 with “Conclave.” The film delves into the enigmatic and captivating world of a papal conclave.
On the heels of the exhilarating return of the Sequoia Cinema earlier this year, along with the unveiling of the ever-creative new Visual Design for the 2024 Mill Valley Film Festival by Marin’s Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners, and the amazing news that BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated actor Jude Law will appear at the 47th Mill Valley Film Festival (October 3–13), there’s even more exciting MVFF coming our way.
“Conclave,” a Vatican-set drama that takes us inside one of the world’s most secretive events, will make its West Coast premiere as the opening night film of the 47th Mill Valley Film Festival, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, with its star Ralph Fiennes set to appear in person. The California Film Institute, which runs the MVFF, also revealed that director Edward Berger, the acclaimed German filmmaker of “All Quiet on the Western Front,” which won four Oscars — including best international feature at last year’s Academy Awards — plans to make it to the Bay Area for the fete, which runs through Oct. 13. The film is scheduled to screen at both the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael and the Sequoia Cinema in Mill Valley on Oct. 3. The screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the two special guests and a gala opening party at Marin Country Mart in Larkspur.
“Conclave” is a Vatican-set drama that takes us inside one of the world’s most secretive events. It is scheduled to screen at both the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael and the Sequoia Cinema in Mill Valley on Oct. 3. The screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the two special guests and a gala opening party at Marin Country Mart in Larkspur.
Fiennes, whose distinguished career includes “Schindler’s List,” the Daniel Craig James Bond films (portraying M) and foodie horror satire “The Menu,” plays a cardinal tasked with running the covert process to select a new pope after the unexpected death of a beloved pontiff. Stanley Tucci and Isabella Rossellini also star in the film.
“Conclave, with all its intrigue and significance, beautifully portrays the human side of the cardinals, reminding us that despite their rise to the highest levels of the Catholic Church, they remain human, possessing the same strengths and weaknesses as the rest of us,” MVFF founder Mark Fishkin said in a statement. Fiennes and Berger join actor Jude Law, a two-time Oscar nominee for “The Talented Mr. Ripley” (1999) and “Cold Mountain” (2003), among the MVFF’s star-studded lineup, with Law expected to appear for an in-person tribute.
The evening will kick off with the screening of Conclave at both the newly remodeled Sequoia Cinema in Mill Valley and the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael. Following the screening, guests are invited to the Opening Night Gala, a festive celebration at the Marin Country Mart in Larkspur. This exclusive party allows attendees to mingle with industry professionals, filmmakers, and fellow cinema enthusiasts while enjoying gourmet food, drinks, and live entertainment.
As a reminder, here were the honorees in 2023:
MVFF Awards for Directing | George C. Wolfe (Rustin) and Jeff Nichols (The Bikeriders)
MVFF Award for Breakthrough Directing | Cord Jefferson (American Fiction)
MVFF Award Lifetime Achievement: Collaboration | Todd Haynes & Christine Vachon (May December)
MVFF Award for Filmmaking | Sofia Coppola (Priscilla)
Mind the Gap Award Filmmaker of the Year | Emerald Fennell (Saltburn)
Mind the Gap Award Lifetime Achievements: Visionary Artist | Lynn Hershman Leeson
Mind the Gap Award Vision in Film Education | Dr. Jimmeka Anderson (Founder, Black Girls Film Camp)
Mind the Gap Creation Prize | Lila Avilés (Tótem)