The 47th Mill Valley Film Festival will take place Oct 3 – Oct 13, 2024, with screenings at theaters across the North and East Bay.
For a full view of special awards, spotlights, and centerpiece films, check out the complete festival guide. Tickets can be purchased here.
Below is a second preview of the festival (read our first preview of six films), featuring brief looks at an additional four films:
1.) SECRET MALL APARTMENT
(USA, 2024. 92 min.)
Part activism, part artistic statement, part “heist” – the true events of Secret Mall Apartment are of such a unique and charmingly innocent nature, you can’t believe it and you can’t look away. Director Jeremy Workman (Lily Topples the World) weaves together subject-filmed footage, new interviews, and archival video to present a timely David v. Goliath story of gentrification, the challenging balance and crossover of art and life, and the camaraderie of an endearing group of like-minded artist friends.
Screenings (click here for tickets):
– Mon., Oct. 7th, 6:00pm at the CinéArts Sequoia (free member screening)
– Tues., Oct. 8th, 3:30pm at Smith Rafael Film Center
2.) BILLY PRESTON: THAT’S THE WAY GOD PLANNED IT
(USA, 2024. 105 min.)
A much-deserved and well-packaged tribute to one of rock n roll’s (and many other musical genres’) most talented figures. Preston’s contribution to music is best represented through the depth of his collaborators: Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Barbra Streisand, Ray Charles, Little Richard, Eric Clapton, and many more. That’s the Way God Planned It follows Preston’s life chronologically, shedding light on his early childhood, ascension to fame and musical prowess at A&M, and his closeted private life and eventual tragic drug use.
Screenings (click here for tickets):
– Sun., Oct. 6th, 7:00pm at the Smith Rafael Film Center
– Mon., Oct. 7th, 7:30PM at CinéArts Sequoia
3.) DEMOCRACY NOIR
(USA, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, 2024. 90 min.)
Democracy Noir shows the rise and consequences of Viktor Orbán’s rule in Hungary, a nationalist dictatorship with uncanny similarities to Trump. The film focuses on three Hungarian women – an activist, an elected MP, and a journalist – fighting against the Fidesz regime to restore democracy to their nation through protests and by supporting opposition leaders. Director Connie Field frames Democracy Noir as a cautionary tale, a plea for help, and a historical lesson. Orbán’s racist, xenophobic, hate-filled rise to power deserves our attention and international action. That Orbán’s campaign for power strongly echoes Trump’s, with its virtually identical playbook, makes Democracy Noir critical viewing for American audiences.
Screenings (click here for tickets):
– Fri., Oct. 11th, 7:30pm at the Smith Rafael Film Center
– Sat., Oct. 12th, 1:30pm at BAMPFA
4.) A TRAVELER’S NEEDS
(Republic of Korea (South Korea), 2024. 90 min.)
Director Hong Sang-soo is a South Korean filmmaker known for his naturalistic, zero-frills, deliberately paced films about everyday interactions. His style requires patient viewing and an appreciation for awkward stillness. A Traveler’s Needs features Isabelle Huppert (Elle) as an idiosyncratic French and English tutor who meets with four clients across the span of a day. Sang-soo’s interest in miscommunications and language barriers, while probing the depths of human emotions, lay at the heart of this quietly humorous story.
Screenings (click here for tickets):
– Sun., Oct. 6th, 6:00pm at BAMPFA
– Sat., Oct. 12th, 11:00am at the Smith Rafael Film Center
