Mendocino Film Festival celebrates its 15th year with a return to in-person events
The 15th annual Mendocino Film Festival has announced its 2022 schedule of films and events for June 2-5. A diverse lineup of nearly 60 films, special panels, workshops, and visiting filmmakers will make Mendocino the epicenter of film in NorCal this June.
The film line-up includes 35 feature films, including 4 California premieres, as well as 23 short films. 25 filmmakers will be present for post-screening Q&As along with several panel discussions.
A highlight of the 2022 festival is animator and two-time Academy Award nominee Bill Plympton. Plympton will share excerpts from his upcoming feature-length new film, a shorts program, and will also offer an animation workshop while in Mendocino. Also attending is Academy-Award winning documentary filmmaker Freida Lee Mock for a special screening of The Choir and Conductor with a live choral performance following the screening.
Of special note also is the California premiere of the new documentary Mickey: The Story of A Mouse from director Jeff Malmberg, produced by Morgan Neville.
“We’re thrilled to be back in person and with our new Executive Director Angela Matano and Program Director
Herb Stratford on board,” said Mendocino Film Festival Board president Blair Foster. “It is one of our best programs ever.”
In addition to a terrific slate of films, the Mendocino Film Festival prides itself on its great parties. Members enjoy a special preview screening on Thursday, June 2nd of Blind Ambition, augmented with a glass of sparkling wine from Scharffenberger Cellars, and a bag of popcorn.
The Festival’s gala event, on Friday, June 3rd, the Royal Garden Party, will be held outside under the spectacular tent at the MacCallum House. Thirteen local chefs will prepare small bites and nine Mendocino County vineyards will pour wine.
Elements of this year’s film program include:
An animation track with films from Bill Plympton, the new Mickey Mouse documentary, Mickey: The Story of A Mouse, the new feature Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, and the new documentary Bad Attitude about counter-culture cartoonist Spain Rodriguez.
Art documentaries include Exposing Muybridge about iconic American photographer Edward Muybridge, The Book Makers, about Bay area book artists, Journey to Hokusai with printmaker Tom Killion in attendance, and Man In The Field about urban artist Jim Denevan.
Music documentaries about the Los Angeles Children’s Choir The Choir and Conductor, the acclaimed film on composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein Bernstein’s Wall, and a tale of the Fab Four Meeting The Beatles in India.
Nature documentaries this year include the acclaimed Sundance films, Fire of Love and The Territory,
Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest, a documentary about the first Nepali woman to climb Everest, Exposure telling the story of an all-female arctic expedition, and a special Nature Shorts program.
New buzzy film festival narrative favorites 18 ½, about the missing Watergate tapes, recent dramas Fire, To Leslie, and The Big Bend, and the heartwarming Irish story Roise and Frank.
Two very special films this year are actually films about the film; Be Natural which tells the story of female filmmaking pioneer Alice Guy-Blache, and the beautiful Indian love letter to cinema Last Film Show.
And finally, recent documentaries Blind Ambition, about the Zimbabwean wine tasting team, Dear Mr. Brody, about the 60’s pop-culture character Michael Brody, Missing in Brooks County, Fireboys, Lady Buds, Chasing Voices, and The Restless Hungarian.
Our closing night event is the Mendocino premiere of Crabs! by local filmmaker Pierce Berolzheimer. Featuring local actors and stunning Mendocino Coast locations, Crabs! will likely go on to be a local cult classic.
For more information, including this year’s complete program and how to buy tickets, visit www.MendocinoFilmFestival.org.