I had arrived at the festival quite early in the morning this opening weekend, before the screenings begun. Without the banners everywhere you wouldn’t know there was a film festival going on, one of the smaller but nonetheless important ones which start off the film calendar. And that is part of its charm. It has been and will continue to be a low-key but well-attended festival, with a many local and national supporters.
As with previous festivals, this one is a well-edited. It appeals to the Bay Area’s designers and aesthetes (Eames: The Architect and the Painter, Eliminate: Archie Cookson); the activists (Eco-Pirate: The Story of Paul Watson; Granito); and the generally wide-eyed cinéastes such as myself (5@5 Short Films). This year is notable for its extraordinary selection of documentaries, a nod to local tastes.
For a complete film listing, go to the Mill Valley Film Festival website; some tickets are still available. Through 16th October.
Leonine Films 