MVFF39 EDUCATION SCREENINGS
CFI Education hosts free school-time screenings of thoughtfully chosen films from the Mill Valley Film Festival program. Films are chosen from the hundreds of films in the festival to include all ages as well as subject range and curriculum enhancement. Guest speakers are in attendance at each show for post-screening conversations and Q&As—teacher resource guides will be available for select films.
Buses available on a on a first-come, first-served basis. Request by email: [email protected]
Questions? Contact John Morrison, CFI Director of Education
THE FILMS
Click image to view trailer
Click image to view trailer
THE LAST DALAI LAMA?
Grades 8-12
Simple monk and geopolitical rock star, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has transformed spirituality, neuroscience, and education by adapting ancient Tibetan Buddhist practices for a secular world. Mickey Lemle updates his 1991 “Compassion in Exile” with this intimate look at the good humor and enduring wisdom of His Holiness (90 min). Directed by: Mickey Lemle
Q&A with Director Mickey Lemle
“HARMONY” – CHILDREN’S SHORTS
Grades 1-6
“That’s harmony: Simple as A-B-C, easy as 1-2-3.” And what could promote harmony better than family-friendly films from around the world? This selection includes films from the UK, Denmark, Japan, Zimbabwe, and Croatia—all non-verbal or in English, and all guaranteed to make you laugh, cheer, or perch on the edge of your seat (78 min). Directed by: Various
Q&A with Filmmakers of STRINGS ATTACHED, George Rosenfeld and Harris Cohen, Other guests TBA
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COMPANY TOWN
Grades 8-12
Local filmmakers Deborah Kaufman and Alan Snitow take to the streets of San Francisco to track last year’s supervisor race between incumbent Julie Christensen and former supervisor and lefty firebrand Aaron Peskin. The film’s real focus, however, is the way in which every resident is affected by Airbnb and the influx of tech workers (78 min). Directed by: Alan Snitow and Deborah Kaufman
Q&A with Directors, Alan Snitow and Deborah Kaufman
CIRCUS KID
Grades 7-12
Growing up isn’t easy when your father’s a clown. That’s one lesson of Lorenzo Pisoni’s moving documentary, which offers an intimate portrait of San Francisco’s famed Pickle Family Circus—a direct precursor of Cirque du Soleil—and of its driven, mercurial founder, Larry Pisoni. Don’t miss this unique glimpse of clown life (68 min). Directed by: Lorenzo Pisoni
Short Film – NEW MO CUT (13 min) Directed by: Siciliana Trevino
Q&A with Director and film subject Lorenzo Pisoni
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LAMB
Grades 7-12
A tender piece of visual poetry, this impressive feature debut was honored as the first Ethiopian film ever named a Cannes Film Festival official selection. Lamb captures the devoted connection between a boy and the beloved pet that is his only anchor to home (94 min). Directed by: Yared Zeleke
Q&A with Director, Yared Zeleke
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SHE STARTED IT
Grades 9-12
What does it take to be a female founder in a notoriously male-dominated world? This invigorating documentary profiles five young women entrepreneurs making their marks in the technology industry and examines the challenges they face in the ruthlessly competitive world of start-ups, where females account for less than 10% of all founders (84 min). Directed by: Nora Poggi and Inslyah Saeed
Q&A with Directors, Nora Poggi & Inslyah Saeed with film subject Thuy Truong
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ODDBALL
Grades 1-6
In this fairy penguin tale, nine year old Olivia and her doting grandfather hatch a plan to save Middle Island’s flightless fowl from foxes – both animal and human varieties – using granddad’s gentle trouble-making Maremma sheepdog, Oddball. It’s an exciting and hilarious race against time with the backdrop of Australia’s breathtaking coast (95 min). Directed by: Stuart McDonald
Q&A TBA
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VISITOR’S DAY
Grades 8-12
Oakland filmmaker Nicole Opper directs this quietly observant documentary about a group home for at-risk boys in Mexico, where they attend school and counseling sessions, as well as tend goats—producers of award-winning cheese. The journey is not without conflict or tears, but it gives each child a much-needed boost toward a brighter future (75 min). Directed by: Nicole Opper
Short Film: FINDING JUSTICE: ENDING THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE (17 min) Directed by: Vincent Cortez
Q&A with Nicole Opper, director of VISITOR’S DAY, Don Carney, YMCA Marin County Youth Court and Vincent Cortes, director of FINDING JUSTICE: ENDING THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE
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MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE BRAIN: THE LIFE AND SCIENCE OF DR. MARIAN DIAMOND
Grades 7-12
Meet Dr. Marian Diamond, one of the founders of modern neuroscience. This energetic documentary profiles an amazing woman and brilliant scientist whose work revealed unimagined brain capabilities that forever changed our understanding of human potential. If her name isn’t yet as familiar as that of Marie Curie, it will be. (65 min). Directed by: Catherine Ryan and Gary Weimberg.
Short Film: A LOVE POEM FOR MY FRIEND ETHEL, A loving tribute to children’s advocate Ethel Seiderman , (25 min.) Directed by Wendy Slick
Q&A with Directors, Catherine Ryan and Gary Weimberg
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MAYA ANGELOU AND STILL I RISE
Grades 8-12
This documentary illuminates the life of Dr. Maya Angelou, American poet and performer. Angelou’s son Guy Johnson, and others offer deep insights into this phenomenal woman and the power of her liberated voice. Rooted in humble beginnings and an adventurous creative life, Angelou rose to international prominence with her acclaimed autobiography “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, an account of how childhood trauma made her mute and how poetry and individual expression led her out to the wider world where her indomitable spirit could shine. Angelou became a respected mentor and teacher in the African American community, as well as a leader in the universal quest for freedom. As this insightful film attests, her guiding vision and her journey to reclaim her voice and place in society continues to inspire (114 min). Directed by: Bob Hercules and Rita Coburn Whack
SCHEDULE
| DATE | TIME | FILM | THEATER | GRADES | SUBJECTS COVERED |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRIDAY, OCT. 7 | 10:00 – NOON | KEPLERS DREAM (90 min) Q&A with Director, Amy Glazer and star of the film, Isabella Blake-Thomas | RAFAEL 1 | 6-12 | Literature (based on YA book) , Art * Study Guide Available |
| FRIDAY, OCT. 7 | 10:15 – 12:05 | THE LAST DALAI LAMA (90 min) | RAFAEL 3 | 8-12 | Global Studies, World Religion, Mindfulness, World History, Geo Politics |
| MONDAY, OCT.10 | 10:00 – 11:50 | “HARMONY” – CHILDREN’S SHORTS (78 min) Q&A Producer, Harris Cohen STRINGS ATTACHED | RAFAEL 1 | 1-6 | Art, Animation |
| MONDAY, OCT.10 | 10:15- 12:20 | COMPANY TOWN (78 min) Q&A with: Directors, Alan Snitow & Deborah Kaufman | RAFAEL 3 | 8-12 | Civics, California History, Urban Studies * Study Guide Available |
| TUESDAY, OCT. 11 | 10:00 – 11:51 | CIRCUS KID (68 min) Q&A with Director, Film Subject Lorenzo Pizoni | RAFAEL 1 | 7-12 | Art, California History, Child Psychology, Theater |
| TUESDAY, OCT. 11 | 10:15 – 12:10 | LAMB (94 min) Q&A with director, Yared Zeleke | RAFAEL 3 | 7-12 | Global Studies |
| WEDNESDAY, OCT. 12 | 10:00 – NOON | SHE STARTED IT (84 min) Q&A with directors, Nora Poggi & Inslyah Saeed and film subject, Thuy Truong | RAFAEL 1 | 9-12 | Global Economics, Social Studies, Women’s Studies, Business * Study Guide Available |
| WEDNESDAY, OCT. 12 | 10:15 – 11:50 | ODDBALL (95 min)
– SOLD OUT – | LARK THEATER | 1-6 | Environment |
| WEDNESDAY, OCT. 12 | 10:15 – 11:50 | ODDBALL (95 min) | RAFAEL 3 | 1-6 | Environment |
| THURSDAY, OCT. 13 | 10:00 – 12:02 | VISITOR’S DAY (75 min) & Short – FINDING JUSTICE: ENDING THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE (17 min) Q&A with Don Carney, YMCA Marin County Youth Court Director, Nicole Opper Director of Visitors Day, & Vincent Cortes, Director of FJ:EtStPP | RAFAEL 1 | 8-12 | Social Studies, Civics, Child Psychology |
| THURSDAY, OCT. 13 | 10:15 – 11:50 | ODDBALL (95 min) | RAFAEL 3 | 1-6 | Environment |
| FRIDAY, OCT. 14 | 10:00 – NOON | MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE BRAIN : The Life and Science of Dr. Marian Diamond (65 min) | RAFAEL 1 | 7-12 | Science, Medicine, Animation, Early Education * Study Guide Available |
| FRIDAY, OCT. 14 | 10:15 – 12:09 | MAYA ANGELOU AND STILL I RISE (114 min) | RAFAEL 3 | 8-12 | Literature, Dance, Poetry, Social Studies, Black History, Women’s Studies |
FREE CFI EDUCATION SCREENINGS ARE MADE POSSIBLE BY SUPPORT FROM:
FENWICK FOUNDATION | HORACE W. GOLDSMITH FOUNDATION | NANCY AND RICH ROBBINS
Harbor Point Charitable Foundation support in honor of Ray Kaliski Senior