Mendocino Film Festival

The 2011 Mendocino Film Festival Brings Cine-Magic to Mendocino

This is the sixth year that the Mendocino Film Festival (June 3 through 5) has brought its magic to Mendocino. Taking its inspiration from the people in this region, the Festival offers independent films that blaze new paths and give voice to fresh insights into politics, art, and the environment. Among this year’s offerings are:

The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming, a part of the rich film history of the Mendocino coast, this 1966 comedy uses Mendocino and Fort Bragg as stand-ins for a sleepy New England town dealing with an accidental “invasion” of stranded Russian submariners. The stars include Alan Arkin, Carl Reiner, Jonathan Winters, Brian Keith, and Eva Marie Saint.

Feathered Cocaine, exposing the international smuggling of trained falcons, and crossing paths with obsessed falconer and terrorist Osama Bin Laden along the way. An intriguing and unlikely mixture of geopolitics, terrorism, petrodollars, and nature conservation.

Today’s Special, a culinary comedy starring The Daily Show’s Aasif Mandvi as a sous chef who aspires to becoming the head chef of a Manhattan restaurant, but instead is forced to take over a nearly bankrupt family restaurant in the suburbs.

Vanishing of the Bees, a documentary, narrated by Ellen Page of Juno fame, exploring the phenomenon of Colony Collapse Disorder, a crisis which threatens food production and perhaps the future of humanity as honeybees mysteriously disappear from their hives.

The Athlete, a uniquely framed biographical picture, combining dramatic narrative and historical footage to tell the inspiring story of Ethiopian Abebe Bilila, the winner of the Olympic Marathon Gold Medals in 1960 and 1964, who struggled to compete again after a crippling auto accident.

Pianomania: In Search of the Perfect Sound, delving into the world of sonic perfection through the work of Steinway & Sons’ Master Tuner Stefan Knüpfer as he helps world class pianists like Lang Lang and Alfred Brendel find the perfect tone.

There are many other events during the Festival, including:

Friday Night Silents, a program of archival silent films assembled by George Russell, the Festival’s 2008 Program Director, and accompanied by live music from San Francisco’s Eggplant Cinema Ensemble 2011.

Ten Short Films: “On the Move”, the popular program that features short narratives, including God of Love, (Oscar® winner for the best live action short) about a lovestruck lounge-singing darts champion whose dreams come true; Translator, about a foreign film translator who comes to an unexpected stop while riding the subway; Glenn Owen Dodds, about a man who gets a five minute conversation with someone who just may be God, and seven other compact gems guaranteed to touch audiences or bring them to laughter.

The Kids Program, sure to appeal to younger audiences and the young at heart. The four animated films in the Festival's kids program include: Higglety-Pigglety Pop! based on the popular Maurice Sendak book and featuring voice overs by Meryl Streep and Forest Whitaker; Lost and Found, a charming tale about a boy who finds a lost penguin and decides to row him back to the South Pole; Molly in Springtime, a puppet animation about medieval treachery and love; and Oscar® winning The Lost Thing, about a boy who finds a lost creature on the beach and attempts to return it to its home.

The 2011 Albert Maysles Award for Excellence in Documentary Filmmaking, given this year to director/cinematographer Les Blank, best known for a series of poetic, exuberant and closely observed films that led Vincent Canby of The New York Times to declare Blank "is a master of movies about the American idiom...one of our most original filmmakers." Mr. Blank will receive the award in person and show some clips of his award winning films with a Q&A session afterwards.

The Festival offers a wealth of new and uncompromising visions, giving both serious film scholars and casual cinephiles something to experience and enjoy. Tickets are now on sale for this event, and can be purchased through the Festival web site, or by calling 1-800-838-3006. You can get more information about the Festival including show times on the website, and free programs can be found at many locations around Mendocino County. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mendocinofilmfestival .

Buzz

“I’m thrilled to see the Festival in full growth, dedicated as it is to showing only the best in film.”
Albert Maysles
Legendary documentary filmmaker
(Grey Gardens, Beatles First Tour of the US)

"The Mendocino Film Festival has an image which is small town and charming while being at the same time world class and progressive. I'm very proud to be a part of it."
Jim McCullough
San Francisco Film
Commissioner

“After having screened my films at over 45 film festivals around the world I can attest that the Mendocino Film Festival is one of the best festivals anywhere.
Jed Riffe
Filmmaker

“The Mendocino Film Festival is about the appreciation of the craft, the recognition of artistic achievement and about cooperative energy and spirit. Mendocino ‘has it.’ It’s a magical place.”
Sharon Lawrence
Actor, NYPD Blue,
Desperate Housewives

“What a great and professional event! We went to six films over the 3 1/2 days and had a ball. Can’t wait for next year when we can bring more family and friends.”
Susan Keller, PhD
Film-Goer

“The Mendocino Film Festival is the near perfect film festival. It is about great films, talented filmmakers and wonderful film lovers, all set in a breathtakingly beautiful place.
Adrian Belic
Academy Award-
nominated filmmaker

“The outstanding films presented were thought-provoking and provided a deeply emotional experience for audiences... We commend the organizers, financial supporters, volunteers and filmmakers who brought this extraordinary experience to our community.”
Kate Lee
Editor, Mendocino Beacon