We checked in with MVFF Executive Director and Founder Mark Fishkin to shed light on what we can expect from this year’s festival and what advice he has for attendees.
Zoë Elton is moving aside from her role as Director of Programming for MVFF. How has this shaped this year’s film festival?
Zoë and the team have gone all out to create one of the most memorable festivals in our 48 years. I do my part with the programming, but it’s really thanks to the team and Zoë’s leadership that this year’s program is so strong.
What are some of the titles that stand out to you in this year’s lineup?
Well, our opening night film is Hamnet, and what I’ll say is, make sure you bring your hanky with you. I had one of the most powerful emotional reactions I’ve had to a film in a long time. It’s about Shakespeare’s wife, Agnes, and the loss of their son. It’s based on a book, but it will be a fantastic experience whether you know it or not.
Then we have our closing night film, Rental Family, which stars Brendan Fraser and is directed by Hikari. This film is so moving, but in a different way than Hamnet. It’s about how we’re flawed human beings, but we love, and we do our best to live in this world and do the right thing.
What do you have in store for Mind the Gap’s 10th year at the festival?
This year, we’re giving a Mind the Gap Award to Kristen Stewart (Twilight, Snow White and the Huntsman) for her film The Chronology of Water. It’s a profound and amazing directorial debut! It carries emotion and stretches the boundaries of filmmaking.
Do you have a message for those planning on attending the festival this year?
Take a chance. Take a chance on the small film, the documentary, the international film you’ve never heard of. I guarantee you, 99 percent of the time, you won’t regret going. Sometimes you don’t get to go to all of your first-choice screenings at the festival, but you can always find a film you’ll love, even if it’s not one of the Big Nights.
