FILMS A-Z

Dir. Treva Wurmfeld | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2019 | 1 hr. 15 min.

In summer 2018, at the start of the U.S. Open at the ultra-exclusive Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in the Hamptons, a long-simmering tension between moneyed Americans and the Shinnecock Indian Nation came to a head. Fans and golfers had no idea that the course was carved out of a tribal burial site. This film contrasts the values of those for whom beautiful places are a commodity, and those for whom they signify community, heritage, belonging, home. More Info

Dir. Conor Hagen | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2020 | 1 hr.
includes pre-recorded introduction by director Conor Hagen and executive producer Chris Fischer (Chilmark’s own!)

This beautifully shot documentary is a love letter to Crested Butte, Colorado. It tells a timeless American story: how a group of conscientious and forward-thinking young people, disguised as ski bums and hippies, happened upon a ramshackle mining town on the fringe of society and worked to conserve and protect it for years to come. Exploring how one small mountain community has attempted to walk the line between development and conservation, growth and sustainability, this rowdy, fun-loving film portrays a struggle that is relevant to our home island and other small towns across North America. More Info

Dir. Matthew Miele | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2021 | 1 hr. 37 min.
includes pre-recorded discussion with producer Barbara Conroy and film subjects Sherry Sidoti and Michael Blanchard, moderated by MVYRadio's Laurel Redington

Dramatic and provocative, this documentary delivers essential information which can help save lives. It shares the story of Jackson Scott Conroy—his battle with addiction, and untimely death at 21 years old—but also his family and community’s struggle to help him, and their journey through grief after his passing. His parents, Barbara and Kevin, sought expert advice on how to help and heal their son. Now, they continue the fight to end the stigma around addiction, as well as to aggregate resources and aid other parents and families who are waging the same battles. More Info

Young indigenous surfer Jhonny Guerrero attempts to escape one of the toughest barrios in South America and become a professional athlete. After growing up with a father in prison and mother struggling to support her children, Jhonny seeks refuge in the ocean. His raw talent is spotted by former Peruvian world surfing champion Sofia Mulanovich, who recruits him to her coaching program. He straddles two worlds, the chaotic streets and elite sports. Can he leave the barrio behind? Should he? More Info

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Dir. JD Schuyler | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2019 | 1 hr.

The world’s seafood system is undergoing vast changes. This film looks at the complex struggle between corporate giants and modest family enterprise, through the lens of small-boat fishers and experts around the United States. Narrated by bestselling author Mark Bittman, it explores the dichotomy between the fishing industry’s extraction of the ocean and sustainable methods that focus on conservation and quality. Among the fishermen profiled is renegade New Englander Tim Rider, whose dream of supporting his family as a fisherman is met with numerous challenges. His story parallels that of many others in coastal communities, including our own beloved Menemsha. More Info

A collection of short films created by MVFF Productions
Watch for free, here!

A collection of short films made by our filmmaking department, MVFF Productions. Some were made for clients like the Island Housing Trust and the Island Climate Action Network, and some are projects like the MVFF’s student filmmaking trip to Chicago and Kentucky.

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While on a family vacation at the beach, 10-year-old Sam meets Tess, who is a year older. She breaks into his summer of “aloneness training” and reminds him of the importance of having friends and family to depend on. Based on the prize-winning Dutch children’s novel by Anna Woltz, this film is about a boy exploring what it means to be the youngest of his family and capable of being alone. More Info

Comedic and dramatic short films for the whole family | 1 hr.

Be inspired to strive for your goals, whether those are helping friends who are feeling lonely, learning how to fly, or figuring out how to keep the lights on. These films remind us to think creatively and never give up. More Info

Dir. Casimir Nozkowski | Drama / Comedy | U.S.A. | 2020 | 1 hr. 25 min.
includes pre-recorded discussion with director and writer Casimir Nozkowski

Frustrated, listless, and heartbroken after breaking up with his girlfriend, introverted video editor Charles (Brian Tyree Henry) is also struggling to meet a deadline. When a food delivery goes awry, he experiences every New Yorker’s worst nightmare: getting locked out of their apartment. With no shoes, no wallet, a phone low on battery power, and the stars aligned to keep him physically separated from his comfort zone, he runs into a cavalcade of eccentric Brooklynites, including a swinging upstairs neighbor, a strict parking enforcement officer, the kindly widow next door, and a budding piano prodigy. Throughout these encounters he reevaluates his life and the recent end to his relationship. More Info

Dir. Sally Aitken | Documentary | Australia | 2021 | 1 hr. 35 min.

Valerie Taylor is a fearless marine maverick whose passion for sharks knows no bounds—even when there should be. Long before anyone else dared, protected only by her pink wetsuit, Valerie got close, really close, to sharks. She swam against the perception that they were ruthless predators, and for more than 70 years put herself on the front line. This visually stunning and eye-opening documentary has plenty of twists and turns. It reveals Valerie’s role in the making of Jaws and follows her to the age of 83 as she continues her life’s work of protecting sharks. All viewers of this film will come away with new understandings of these complex and majestic creatures. More Info

Not being able to speak does not mean there is nothing to say. That is the core message of a book written by Naoki Higashida when he was just 13. Based on that work, this Sundance award-winning film follows a Japanese boy on a journey through an epic landscape. As he discovers what his autism means and why he acts the way he does—the reason he jumps—Higashida’s insights are sensually fused with portraits of five other non-speaking autistic young people across the world. More Info

What do humans fundamentally need to be happy, healthy, and sane? A crew of six non-astronauts from the U.S. and Europe, chosen for their ability to survive isolation, enter NASA’s Mars simulation station on a Hawaiian volcano. Their yearlong mission there: to provide much-needed research for the future of space exploration. Survive, experiment, exercise, collect data, file surveys… repeat. Filmed by the subjects themselves (with remote direction), Red Heaven vividly captures what happens when people are pushed to their physical and psychological limits. More Info

Dir. Mari Walker | Drama | U.S.A. | 2021 | 1 hr. 15 min.

Kris, a transgender computer programmer, and Naomi, an Asian-American performance artist, used to date in college. They haven’t seen each other for 15 years, since Kris left town without a word. Over the course of one night, while Kris is passing through, the two catch up on their complicated lives, relationships, Kris’s transition, and untold secrets. This conversation is one of the first of its kind on the big screen, and the fly-on-the-wall experience of seeing it unfold and escalate is important. Director and co-writer Mari Walker bares part of her own soul and life experiences in this emotionally rich and raw film fresh from the 2021 SXSW film festival. More Info

Rémy and Mélanie are two thirty-year-olds searching for love. While he works in an unskilled job, she is a scientist. Their parallel lives, in the same Paris neighborhood, are filled with not-so-comfortable patterns—coping mechanisms, really—that they’ve devised to keep themselves safe. Without knowing it, their paths start to lead them in the same direction. They’d be perfect for each other, if only they could overcome their own hangups. Will they be able to finally write their own love story? More Info

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Dir. Debbie Lum | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2021 | 1 hr. 24 min.

At Lowell, the top public high school in San Francisco, the seniors are stressed out. Keenly aware of the intense competition for the few open spots at their dream colleges, they scrutinize how every element of their applications, from their classes to their extracurricular activities to their racial identities, might be read by admissions officers. Cool kids are nerds, nearly everyone has an amazing talent, and the majority of students are Asian American, but the things that usually make a person stand out can feel not good enough, even commonplace. With humor and heart, this film takes us to the reality of the American college application process and the intersection of class, race, and educational opportunity as experienced by high school seniors living through it. More Info

FILMS A-Z

The Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival is produced by Circuit Arts. Explore our other work:

The Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival is produced by Circuit Arts.
Explore our other work: