The 23rd MVFF
Films A-Z
March 22—26, 2023
Bad press
Dirs. Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler | Documentary | 2023 | 1 hr. 38 min. | English and Mvskoke with English subtitles
Followed by a discussion with co-directors Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler, film subject Angel Ellis, and representatives of the Aquinnah Cultural Center
A nuanced tale about a modern Native community, this film documents a Muscogee (Creek) Nation newspaper’s fight for freedom of the press in order to keep tribal government accountable.
Thursday, March 23 | 7:30 PM | Grange Hall
Saturday, March 25 | 10 AM | First Congregational Church
BUTTERFLY, BUTTERFLY
Dir. Len Morris | Documentary | Brazil / India / Indonesia / Kenya / U.S.A. | 2022 | 40 min.
Followed by a discussion with director Len Morris, producer Petra Lent McCarron, food activist and writer Ali Berlow, and film subject José Velázquez Castellanos; Mr. Morris will also share an 8-minute excerpt from his new work in progress, THE PINK BUCKET, which is co-directed by Fernanda Mora Brenes and Ms. McCarron
A survey of Island filmmaker Len Morris’s 30 years of documenting the lives of children all over the world, this deeply personal film also considers the human rights changes that have since occurred, for better or worse.
Saturday, March 25 | 12:45 PM | Grange Hall
Dance Shorts:
Camera and Choreography
1 hr. 30 min.
Island dancers and choreographers Abby Bender and Jesse Jason will be “dance emcees” for this program, performing between films
From the poetic to the political, these short films from Norway, Australia, the U.S., China, and South Korea capture filmmakers and choreographers collaborating to create their own hybrid art form.
Sunday, March 26 | 10 AM | Grange Hall
DEEP RISING
Dir. Matthieu Rytz | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2023 | 1 hr. 33 min.
Narrated by Jason Momoa, this timely fly-on-the-wall documentary unveils the corporate interest in, and consequences of, mining the ocean floor for rare metals needed in the electric-battery revolution.
Saturday, March 25 | 2:30 PM | Capawock Theatre
Documentary shorts:
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS
55 min.
Followed by a discussion with directors Jason Blevins and Elina Street, and producer Olena Lysenko
Featuring stories of human resilience, and the inspiring dedication of those who refuse to give up, these short documentaries remind us that amidst personal, national, and global conflicts we are connected through our potential to persevere.
Friday, March 23 | 5 PM | First Congregational Church
Firelight media: Works in Progress
1 hr. 15 min.
Founded by award-winning filmmakers and Island seasonal residents Marcia Smith and Stanley Nelson, Firelight Media is a nonprofit organization that supports and develops nonfiction filmmaking by and about communities of color. Four filmmakers supported by Firelight—Brittany Ferrell, Sequoia Hauck, Karla Murthy, and Raúl Paz-Pastrana—will be in residence at Slough Farm ahead of the film festival. They are working on new documentaries at various stages of development. At this event, they will present parts of their works in progress.
Friday, March 24 | 5 PM | Grange Hall
Flamin’ Hot
Dir. Eva Longoria | Drama | U.S.A. | 2023 | 1 hr. 39 min. | Rated PG-13
Eva Longoria's feature directorial debut, starring Jesse Garcia and Tony Shalhoub, tells the uplifting story of Richard Montañez, a Mexican-American janitor who claimed to have invented Flamin' Hot Cheetos.
Saturday, March 25 | 8:30 PM | Grange Hall
Sunday, March 26 | 7 PM | Capawock Theatre
Freedom on fire: ukraine’s fight for freedom
Dir. Evgeny Afineevsky | Documentary | U.K. / U.S.A. / Ukraine | 2022 | 1 hr. 54 min. | Ukrainian and Russian with English subtitles
Followed by a discussion with director Evgeny Afineevsky; Ukrainian-American filmmaker and former Disney Studios executive Iya Labunka will moderate
From the aftermath of the 2014 Revolution of Dignity to the 2022 Russian invasion, this heartrending film documents the resilience and personal stories of the Ukrainian people.
Sunday, March 26 | 3 PM | Grange Hall
HEALING DAKOTA
Dir. James Michael LaMonte | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2022 | 1 hr. 22 min.
Discussion to follow with director James Michael LaMonte, cinematographer Zach Levenson, sound designer Jan Klier, and executive producer Elizabeth Cool; three K-9 dogs, and the police who work with them, will also be in attendance
A Massachusetts dog trainer’s rehabilitation of a German Shepherd sheds light on the help needed by K-9 dogs with PTSD.
Saturday, March 25 | 10:15 AM | Capawock Theatre
IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?
Dir. Ella Glendining | Documentary | United Kingdom | 2023 | 1 hr. 27 min.
Followed by a prerecorded discussion with director and film subject Ella Glendining
British filmmaker Ella Glendining, born with a rare condition, sets out to meet similarly bodied people and challenge misconceptions and attitudes about living with a disability.
Sunday, March 26 | 12:30 PM | Grange Hall
IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL
Dir. Alexandria Bombach | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2022 | 2 hrs. 3 min.
Followed by a discussion with director Alexandria Bombach
This reflection on the careers of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers—the Indigo Girls—celebrates the folk rock duo’s friendship and commitment to political and social causes.
Friday, March 24 | 7:15 PM | First Congregational Church
Saturday, March 25 | 8 PM | Capawock Theatre
JOYLAND
Dir. Saim Sadiq | Drama | Pakistan | 2022 | 2 hrs. 6 min. | Punjabi and Urdu with English subtitles
When a Pakistani family’s youngest son joins a burlesque theater and falls for a trans woman performer, the inevitable tension between religious conservatism and sexual expression takes center stage.
Friday, March 24 | 4 PM | Capawock Theatre
JUDY BLUME FOREVER
Dirs. Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2023 | 1 hr. 37 min.
Followed by a prerecorded discussion with film subject Judy Blume, co-directors Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok, and Vineyard Haven librarian Emily LaPierre
This tribute to beloved American author Judy Blume honors her radical honesty about puberty and sex, and explores her life and lasting cultural impact.
Thursday, March 23 | 4:30 PM | Grange Hall
Sunday, March 26 | 10:15 AM | Capawock Theatre
LOVELY JACKSON
Dir. Matt Waldeck | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2022 | 1 hr. 44 min.
Followed by a discussion with director Matt Waldeck and film subjects Rickey Jackson, his wife Clarissa Jackson, and their daughter Lovely Jackson
The story of America’s longest wrongfully convicted prisoner, Rickey Jackson, is retold and reenacted by Jackson himself in this powerful and novel true-crime documentary.
Thursday, March 23 | 7 PM | First Congregational Church
Saturday, March 25 | 5:45 PM | Grange Hall
Narrative Shorts: CONNECTIONS
45 min.
Followed by a discussion with filmmakers Amy Yasmine Omar and Cameron Morton
One purpose of film is to tell stories that reflect the human experience. These shorts focus on connections with those we love—from two friends getting each other through work (and heartbreak), to the affection of a dog and his toys.
Thursday, March 23 | 5 PM | First Congregational Church
patou: in black and white
Dir. Fiona Cochrane | Documentary | Australia | 2022 | 55 min.
Introduced, via Zoom, by director Fiona Cochrane and film subject Pat “Patou” Powell
An exploration of the life of Jamaican singer Pat Powell, this film examines his experiences with race, identity, and family in the U.K., Germany, and ultimately Australia.
Saturday, March 25 | 3:15 PM | First Congregational Church
Plan C
Dir. Tracy Droz Tragos | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2022 | 1 hr. 39 min.
Followed by discussion with a film subject and a guest from Friends of Family Planning of Martha’s Vineyard
This urgent film follows public health activist Francine Coeytaux and the team behind a national campaign to provide abortion pills to those without access.
Friday, March 24 | 2 PM | Grange Hall
Return to seoul
Dir. Davy Chou | Drama | France / Germany / Belgium / South Korea / Romania / Cambodia / Qatar | 2022 | 1 hr. 55 min. | French, English, and Korean with English subtitles | Rated R
In this vibrant, globally acclaimed drama from Cambodian-French writer-director Davy Chou, a French adoptee unfamiliar with her native culture and language, returns to South Korea to search for her identity.
Sunday, March 26 | 12:45 PM | Capawock Theatre
rye lane
Dir. Raine Allen-Miller | Romantic Comedy | United Kingdom | 2022 | 1 hr. 20 min. | Rated R
A fresh take on romantic comedy and a love letter to South London, this film follows two 20-somethings as they navigate the modern world of dating and spend a wild, impulsive day in the streets of Peckham and Brixton.
Sunday, March 26 | 8 PM | Grange Hall
Saloum
Dir. Jean Luc Herbulot | Thriller / Horror | Senegal / France | 2021 | 1 hr. 24 min. | French, Wolof, English, Spanish, and sign language with English subtitles
In this fast-paced, genre-bending “southern” from Senegal, three mercenaries are forced to seek refuge in a holiday camp where past secrets risk exposure by forces human and supernatural.
Saturday, March 25 | 1 PM | First Congregational Church
SHOWING UP
Dir. Kelly Reichardt | Drama | U.S.A. | 2022 | 1 hr. 48 min. | Rated R
In her fourth collaboration with indie favorite Kelly Reichardt, Michelle Williams joins fellow 2023 Oscar nominees Hong Chau and Judd Hirsch in this subtle, funny, Palme d’Or-nominated film about a sculptor whose upcoming exhibition is jeopardized by personal struggles.
Saturday, March 25 | 5:15 PM | Capawock Theatre
Stephen curry: underrated
Dir. Peter Nicks | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2023 | 1 hr. 50 min. | Rated PG-13
Following NBA titan Stephen Curry on his journey from unremarkable high school basketball player to global star, this atypical sports film presents a multifaceted portrait of the man and athlete.
Friday, March 24 | 7:15 PM | Capawock Theatre
Saturday, March 25 | 10 AM | Grange Hall
THE ART OF SILENCE
Dir. Maurizius Staerkle Drux | Documentary | Switzerland / Germany | 2022 | 1 hr. 21 min. | English, German, and French with English subtitles
Legendary pantomime artist Marcel Marceau’s tragic early life, heroic involvement with the French Resistance during World War II, and lasting artistic influence are illuminated in this new film by the son of a renowned Swiss mime.
Saturday, March 25 | 5:30 PM | First Congregational Church
The Lady Bird Diaries
Dir. Dawn Porter | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2023 | 1 hr. 40 min.
Followed by a discussion with director Dawn Porter and producer Kimberly Reynolds
Award-winning filmmaker Dawn Porter returns to the MVFF with this captivating documentary that delves into the revealing audio diaries Lady Bird Johnson recorded during her husband’s presidency.
Saturday, March 25 | 3 PM | Grange Hall
Sunday, March 26 | 4 PM | Capawock Theatre
utopia: WILD VISIONS IN SILICON VALLEY
Dirs. Angela Andersen and Claus Kleber | Documentary | Germany | 2022 | 44 min.
Island filmmaker Angela Andersen and co-director Claus Kleber expose the dark side of industry leaders like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Larry Page, raising important questions about the impact of technology on humanity's future.
Friday, March 24 | 2:30 PM | First Congregational Church
Vineyard Shorts
51 min.
Followed by a discussion with directors Matt Taylor and Ollie Becker, and producer Chris Fischer
This program highlights the work of Island residents Chris Fischer, Matt Taylor, and Ollie Becker, whose five thought-provoking short films showcase the diverse voices and creativity of Martha’s Vineyard’s filmmaking community.
Sunday, March 26 | 5:45 PM | Grange Hall
WAITING TO CONTINUE: THE VENEZUELAN asylum seekers on Martha’s Vineyard
Dir. Ollie Becker | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2023 | 20 min. | English and Spanish with English subtitles
Followed by a discussion with film subjects; tickets for this film’s opening-night screening also include admission to a dinner preceding it
This new short film by Circuit Films director Ollie Becker documents the experiences of the 48 Venezuelans who were flown to the Island last September.
Wednesday, March 22 | 6 PM | Grange Hall
Saturday, March 25 | 12:45 PM | Capawock Theatre
SPECIAL SURPRISE SCREENING
1 hr. 45 min. (approx.)
Join us for this exclusive look at a renowned director's new feature-length documentary work in progress.