FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
Tickets for all events go on sale
Friday, March 7, at 10 a.m.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26
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MARCELLA
6:30 PM | 1 hr. 37 min.
CAPAWOCK THEATER
Followed by a discussion with director Peter Miller and film subject Giuliano HazanThis documentary tells the improbable story of Marcella Hazan, a disabled immigrant, trained as a scientist, who became a bestselling cookbook author changing the way Americans eat and cook Italian food.
This film might leave you craving Italian!
During the festival, enjoy 20% off at Vineyard Haven’s newest Italian restaurant, The Maker—just show your MVFF ticket or pass.
VISIT THE FILM’S WEBSITE
THURSDAY, MARCH 27
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BEYOND THE GAZE: JULE CAMPBELL'S SWIMSUIT ISSUE
5 PM | 1 hr. 45 min.
THE GRANGE HALL
Followed by a discussion with director Jill Campbell and film subject Carol AltChronicling magazine editor Jule Campbell's 32-year transformation of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue into a media empire, this documentary also charts the evolution of feminism, and shifting lens on beauty, from objectification to empowerment.
VISIT THE FILM’S WEBSITE -
DJ AHMET
5 PM | 1 hr. 39 min.
CAPAWOCK THEATER
The winner of two awards at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, this rousing, funny, musically hypnotic drama is a coming-of-age story set in a remote Yuruk village in North Macedonia.
WATCH THE FILM’S TRAILER -
DINNER at the GRANGE HALL
7–8:15 PM
Curry served with Greek yogurt and fragrant riceYour choice of curry:
Chicken $24
Chickpea $22Sweet treats will be available too!
VIEW THE FULL FESTIVAL MENU -
BETWEEN THE MOUNTAIN AND THE SKY
7:30 PM | 1 hr. 34 min.
CAPAWOCK THEATER
Followed by a discussion with director Jeremy Power Regimbal and film subject Maggie Doyne
A documentary about one young American woman’s extraordinary and inspiring humanitarian mission in Nepal, this is also the story of unconditional love and its power to heal and effect change in our world.
VISIT THE FILM’S WEBSITE -
TOKITO: THE 540-DAY JOURNEY OF A CULINARY MAVERICK
8:15 PM | 1 hr. 24 min.
THE GRANGE HALL
This screening will be accompanied by a special dining experience. More details are coming soon!
In this beautiful culinary documentary that goes beyond cuisine, a Michelin-starred Japanese chef sets out to transform a historic Tokyo restaurant into a new place offering an innovative yet environmentally sustainable menu.
VISIT THE FILM’S WEBSITE
FRIDAY, MARCH 28
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FREE LEONARD PELTIER
2 PM | 1 hr. 50 min.
THE GRANGE HALL
Followed by a discussion with directors Jesse Short Bull and David France; a representative from the Aquinnah Cultural Council will moderate
Fresh from this year’s Sundance Film Festival, this documentary gives us the full story of Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier, and a new generation fighting for his release from prison five decades after a wrongful conviction.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FILM -
BEYOND THE GAZE: JULE CAMPBELL'S SWIMSUIT ISSUE
2 PM | 1 hr. 45 min.
CAPAWOCK THEATER
Followed by a discussion with director Jill Campbell and film subject Carol Alt
Chronicling magazine editor Jule Campbell's 32-year transformation of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue into a media empire, this documentary also charts the evolution of feminism, and shifting lens on beauty, from objectification to empowerment.
VISIT THE FILM’S WEBSITE -
EARLY DINNER at the GRANGE HALL
4–5 PM
Detroit-style pizza (cheese or pepperoni) served with a parmesan chickpea salad$21
Sweet treats will be available too!
VIEW THE FULL FESTIVAL MENU -
ON SWIFT HORSES
5 PM | 1 hr. 57 min.
CAPAWOCK THEATER
Smoldering with yearning, this romantic drama stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi, and Will Poulter in a love triangle ranging across the American West of the 1950s.
WATCH THE FILM’S TRAILER -
FANTASY LIFE
5 PM | 1 hr. 31 min.
THE GRANGE HALL
Followed by a discussion with director, writer, and actor Matthew Shear and producer Philip Keefe
In this new comedy costarring Amanda Peet and Alessandro Nivola, and partly set on Martha’s Vineyard, a laid-off, thirty-something New York paralegal starts babysitting his psychiatrist’s granddaughters and falls for their mother, an actress in a rocky marriage.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FILM -
PRIME MINISTER with the RT. HON. DAME JACINDA ARDERN
7:45 PM | 1 hr. 41 min.
THE MARTHA’S VINEYARD PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
We are honored to welcome the film subject, the Rt. Hon. Dame Jacinda Ardern, and director Lindsay Utz, for a special post-screening discussion moderated by filmmaker Dawn Porter
The Right Honorable Dame Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand's 40th prime minister, led her nation through extraordinary challenges, including the Christchurch mosque shootings and the Covid-19 pandemic. She implemented bold policies, such as decriminalizing abortion and extending paid parental leave, and became only the second elected leader in history to give birth while in office. Inclusive and empathetic, her leadership reshaped global expectations of effective governance. Featuring footage shot by her husband, and never-before-heard audio interviews, this Sundance-winning film examines her life during and after those five years in power.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear from one of the world’s most inspiring leaders.
Tickets for this special event are $25 each,
and are on sale now!
GET TICKETS
SATURDAY, MARCH 29
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MIDDLETOWN
10 AM | 1 hr. 35 min.
THE GRANGE HALL
Followed by a discussion with film subject Fred Isseks
In this new documentary from the directors of the Emmy-winning Girls State and Boys State, a teacher inspires a group of teenagers to make a student film that reveals a conspiracy poisoning their community.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FILM -
NARRATIVE SHORTS
10 AM | 36 min.
CAPAWOCK THEATERFollowed by a discussion with directors Miss Dylan, Hanna Organschi, and Kevin Staake, and film subject Carys Douglas
This year's program features a bold collection of films that push boundaries and subvert expectations. United by their fearless exploration of desire, identity, and the unexpected intersections of life’s moments, they offer audiences a cinematic journey into the many facets of the human experience.
FILM LINEUP:
Sweet Talkin’ Guy
Dirs. Miss Dylan and Spencer Wardwell | Comedy | U.S.A. | 2025 | 5 min.
F*ck That Guy
Dir. Hanna Gray Organschi | Drama | U.S.A. | 2024 | 16 min.
Ya Hanouni
Dirs. Sofian Chouaib and Lyna Tadount | Drama | France | 2024 | 3 min. | Arabic with English subtitles
Red Velvet
Dir. Kevin Staake | Comedy | U.S.A. | 2025 | 12 min. -
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
12 PM | 52 min.
CAPAWOCK THEATERFollowed by a discussion with director Michael Cestaro
This year's program features two films that explore hidden histories and their lasting effects. One examines the emotional aftershocks of the Vietnam War, through a famous Pulitzer-winning photograph and personal testimonies. The other takes place on our own little island, where a legacy of genetic deafness created an inclusive community and a precursor to early American Sign Language.
FILM LINEUP:
Signs from the Mainland
Dir. Michael Cestaro | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2024 | 18 min. | English and American Sign Language with English subtitles
On Healing Land, Birds Perch
Dir. Naja Pham Lockwood Documentary | 2025 | 34 min. -
LUNCH at the GRANGE HALL
12–1 PM
White bean and kale soup served with garlic bread$19
Sweet treats will be available too!
VIEW THE FULL FESTIVAL MENU -
CHAMPIONS OF THE GOLDEN VALLEY
1 PM | 1 hr. 21 min.
THE GRANGE HALL
Followed by a discussion with director Ben Sturgulewski
A thrilling ski film made in an unlikely place, this documentary goes deep into the high peaks of Afghanistan, where young athletes from rival villages build makeshift wooden skis for an annual race that unites their communities.
VISIT THE FILM’S WEBSITE -
FREE LEONARD PELTIER
2 PM | 1 hr. 50 min.
CAPAWOCK THEATER
Followed by a discussion with directors Jesse Short Bull and David France; a representative from the Aquinnah Cultural Council will moderate
Fresh from this year’s Sundance Film Festival, this documentary gives us the full story of Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier, and a new generation fighting for his release from prison five decades after a wrongful conviction.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FILM -
DJ AHMET
4 PM | 1 hr. 39 min.
THE GRANGE HALL
The winner of two awards at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, this rousing, funny, musically hypnotic drama is a coming-of-age story set in a remote Yuruk village in North Macedonia.
WATCH THE FILM’S TRAILER -
THE SING SING CHRONICLES
5 PM | 1 hr. 30 min.
CAPAWOCK THEATER
Followed by a discussion with director Dawn Porter, executive producer and film subject Dan Slepian, and film subject Jon-Adrian Velazquez
From award-winning MVFF alum Dawn Porter, this riveting docuseries tells the story of two men, a journalist and a murder convict, whose unlikely connection ignites a search for justice in four unrelated homicide cases.
WATCH THE DOCUSERIES TRAILER
Photo credit: NBC News Studios -
DINNER at the GRANGE HALL
5:45–7 PM
Chasseur with whipped potatoesYour choice of chasseur:
Chicken $24
Mushroom $22Sweet treats will be available too!
VIEW THE FULL FESTIVAL MENU -
A MAN WITH SOLE: THE IMPACT OF KENNETH COLE
7 PM | 1 hr. 38 min.
THE GRANGE HALL
Followed by a discussion with director Dori Berinstein and film subject Kenneth Cole
An homage by an Emmy and Tony-winning director and producer, this documentary illustrates how New York fashion designer and activist Kenneth Cole has put cause before commerce for 40 years.
VISIT THE FILM’S WEBSITE -
FANTASY LIFE
8 PM | 1 hr. 31 min.
CAPAWOCK THEATER
Followed by a discussion with director, writer, and actor Matthew Shear and producer Philip Keefe
In this new comedy costarring Amanda Peet and Alessandro Nivola, and partly set on Martha’s Vineyard, a laid-off, thirty-something New York paralegal starts babysitting his psychiatrist’s granddaughters and falls for their mother, an actress in a rocky marriage.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FILM -
25TH-ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION at the GRANGE HALL
9–10 PM
Join us in the main hall of the Grange as we toast to 25 years of the MVFF! Featuring snacks and sweets from Chef Nina Levin of Stoney Hill Pizza, this reception is generously supported by Maria Cuomo-Cole and Kenneth Cole.
A walk-in event. No tickets required!
SUNDAY, MARCH 30
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BETWEEN THE MOUNTAIN AND THE SKY
10 AM | 1 hr. 34 min.
THE GRANGE HALL
Followed by a discussion with director Jeremy Power Regimbal and film subject Maggie Doyne
A documentary about one young American woman’s extraordinary and inspiring humanitarian mission in Nepal, this is also the story of unconditional love and its power to heal and effect change in our world.
VISIT THE FILM’S WEBSITE -
THE LEGEND OF OCHI
10 AM | 1 hr. 36 min.
CAPAWOCK THEATER
A kid-friendly film!
In this spellbinding family adventure film set on a mythical island, a shy teenager is raised to fear an elusive animal species known as Ochi. After discovering one, a wounded baby, she escapes on a quest to bring him home.
WATCH THE FILM’S TRAILER -
LUNCH at the GRANGE HALL
12–1 PM
Steamed buns with cucumber saladYour choice of:
Pork $22
Tofu $20
Sweet treats will be available too!
VIEW THE FULL FESTIVAL MENU -
MIDDLETOWN
12:30 PM | 1 hr. 35 min.
CAPAWOCK THEATER
Followed by a discussion with film subject Fred Isseks
In this new documentary from the directors of the Emmy-winning Girls State and Boys State, a teacher inspires a group of teenagers to make a student film that reveals a conspiracy poisoning their community.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FILM -
THE SING SING CHRONICLES
1 PM | 1 hr. 30 min.
THE GRANGE HALLFollowed by a discussion with director Dawn Porter, executive producer and film subject Dan Slepian, and film subject Jon-Adrian Velazquez
From award-winning MVFF alum Dawn Porter, this riveting docuseries tells the story of two men, a journalist and a murder convict, whose unlikely connection ignites a search for justice in four unrelated homicide cases.
WATCH THE DOCUSERIES TRAILER
Photo courtesy of NBC News Studios -
CHAMPIONS OF THE GOLDEN VALLEY
3:30 PM | 1 hr. 21 min.
CAPAWOCK THEATER
Followed by a discussion with director Ben Sturgulewski
A thrilling ski film made in an unlikely place, this documentary goes deep into the high peaks of Afghanistan, where young athletes from rival villages build makeshift wooden skis for an annual race that unites their communities.
VISIT THE FILM’S WEBSITE -
ON SWIFT HORSES
4 PM | 1 hr. 57 min.
THE GRANGE HALL
Smoldering with yearning, this romantic drama stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi, and Will Poulter in a love triangle ranging across the American West of the 1950s.
WATCH THE FILM’S TRAILER -
DINNER at the GRANGE HALL
6–7:30 PM
Chicken or eggplant parmesan with arugula saladYour choice of:
Chicken $24
Eggplant $22Sweet treats will be available too!
VIEW THE FULL FESTIVAL MENU -
THE FRIEND
7:30 PM | 2 hrs.
THE GRANGE HALL
A story of love and friendship, grief and healing, this sweet, disarming drama follows a writer (Naomi Watts) who adopts a Great Dane that belonged to a late friend and mentor (Bill Murray).
WATCH THE FILM’S TRAILER