2019 Mill Valley Film Festival Family Films and Workshops

The Mill Valley Film Festival, October 3-13, has another great line-up of films and activities for kids and families with a bounty of shorts, animation, international storytelling, Spanish-language programming and free festivities—and a special world premiere!

THE HOOPLA!

SATURDAY, OCT. 5
12:00 – 2:00 | MARIN COUNTRY MART
FREE Admission

Join us for family-friendly festivities after the screening of AS THE WORLD TOONS or before the screening of FRESH & FEARLESS, with food, beverages, live music, games, crafts, bubbles, balloons, henna, and (of course) hula hoops!

WORKSHOPS

GET THE KIDS IN THE PICTURES!

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2:45pm, Outdoor Art Club, Mill Valley

“Never work with children and animals!” is an old film industry adage. Luckily, many great filmmakers disagree, and two of them are here to share their wisdom with local kids and teens who are seeking to break into acting on film. Get insider tips on the auditioning, casting, and directing processes, with do’s, don’ts, and best practices from the professional perspective of the decision makers on set. Parents are welcome to attend but must be accompanied by a child or teen.

INSTRUCTORS:
JULIO VINCENT GAMBUTO, Director, Team Marco
EMILY HARRIS, Director, Carmilla

FROM CONCEPT TO STORY TO SCREEN

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2:30pm, Outdoor Art Club, Mill Valley

Participants will work in small groups to create a short film concept with limited resources and time. Starting with the same simple scenario and a current social issue, each group will develop, produce and perform a short story of their own making in order to see how similar storylines can be developed in a variety of ways—and how their own background, education, preferences, and experiences influence story development. Ages 14–18 only.

FACILITATORS:
IRIS TORRES, Producer, Just Between Us, MVFF 2019; Metamorphosis: Junior Year, MVFF 2017
TOM FRANCO, Producer, Metamorphosis: Junior Year

FAMILY FILMS

5@5 LIFE IS FOR LIVING

Saturday, October 5th, Sequoia, Mill Valley, Age 12+

“In this world, there is so much anger. Our lives are in danger. We are all living in fears. We’ve got to stop the tears.” We may be living in challenging times, but today’s teen filmmakers are using film purposefully—and creatively—to tell stories that both confront and counteract the darkness. In this peer-reviewed collection of youth-made shorts, no genre is left unturned, from sci-fi to superheroes, serial-killer comedy to animated adventure.

AS THE WORLD TOONS

Saturday, October 5th, 11am, Century Larkspur, Age 6+
Saturday, October 12th, 11:15am, Sequoia, Mill Valley

Nonverbal and in English From Sweden to South Korea, the language of animation is universal—but the stories and styles are as unique as the countries themselves. This enchanting collection of shorts for all ages is a showcase of international imagination with a colorful cast of characters including robots, raccoons, dragons, and ducks.

CHUSKIT

Saturday, October 5th, 4:45pm, Century Larkspur, Age 9+
Saturday, October 12th, 12:30pm, Rafael, San Rafael

Chuskit tells the triumphant story of a physically disabled girl in rural India whose circumstances derail her dream of going to school. Nevertheless, she persists! Inspired by true events, this fictional tale centers on Chuskit, whose vibrant early childhood is marked by energetic play and an eager thirst for learning.

FRESH & FEARLESS

Saturday, October 5th, 4:45pm, Century Larkspur, Age 10+
Sunday, October 13th, 11:15am, Rafael, San Rafael

They may be small. They may be young. But that doesn’t keep any of these inspiring girls from dreaming big, standing strong, or taking chances.

RÉMI, NOBODY'S BOY (RÉMI SANS FAMILLE)

Sunday, October 4th, 2pm, Sequoia, Mill Valley, Age 10+

Adapted from the classic 1878 French novel Sans famille by Hector Malot, Rémi, Nobody’s Boy transports audiences to an idealized 19th century world of impossibly golden sunsets, verdant hills, and medieval stone villages for the heartwarming hero’s journey of an orphaned, 10-year-old boy, Rémi (Maleaume Paquin), and the aging traveling performer, Vitalis (Daniel Auteuil), who takes him under his wing.

TEAM MARCO

Sunday, October 6th, 11:45am, Sequoia, Mill Valley, Age 8+
Saturday, October 12th, 1:45pm, Sequoia, Mill Valley

It’s old world versus new world, and video games versus the world’s oldest game in this charming coming-of-age story that celebrates friendship, family, and above all, the squabbling, gregarious, loving Italian American culture of Staten Island’s South Beach.

Expected guests: Director Julio Vincent Gambuto, Executive Producer Maria DeNicolo, Producer Sam Sandweiss, Executive Producer Andrew Scrivani, Talent Tony Patellis, Talent Anastasia Ganias-Gellin

¡VIVA LOS NIÑOS!

Sunday, October 6th, 11:00am, Rafael, Age 8+
Sunday, October 12th, 1:45pm, Rafael

Nonverbal and in Spanish with English subtitles A celebration of Spanish-language and Latin American films and stories, MVFF’s ¡Viva el Cine! initiative is also a family affair, as illustrated by this special collection of kid-centric short films from Mexico, Spain, Guatemala, and Colombia. For and about families of all kinds, this multigenerational medley is accessible for both Spanish and English speakers alike.

CORALINE

Friday, October 11th, 7:00pm, Old Mill Park, Mill Valley

FREE OUTDOOR SCREENING
NO TICKET REQUIRED