See what some of 2011 attending and selected filmmakers have to say about the MFF!
The impeccable taste of the programmers, eating paella, sipping superb wine while watching the sunset over the sea - what more could anyone want? A toast to the biggest and best little film festival in the world!
- Emiko Omori
Award-winning director
Oh – you guys are the best – one of the truly great film festivals! Nothing matches the community feeling and hospitality the filmmakers receive at this festival – and the most interesting films ever!! Congrats!
- Wendy Slick
Award-winning filmmaker
Thank you so much for including SOMETHING VENTURED in Take 6!!! It was such a wonderful festival experience from beginning to end... we felt loved and supported on so many levels from the moment of our arrival to the moment we left. Consider us two new and devoted fans of the Mendocino Film Festival!
- Dayna Goldfine
Director, Something Ventured
Thank you so much for an absolutely wonderful festival! We had a fantastic weekend filled with great movies (with excellent sound and picture), packed houses with true film lovers, delicious food and wine, great parties and conversation surrounded by incredible scenery. We hope everyone in the community who worked so hard and contributed so generously to make this festival happen, know what a very special event you have here.
- Jen McGowan
Director, Touch
Being at this festival reminded me of what a small film festival should embody: Total support for filmmakers with an eye to talent and a commitment to showing films that inspire and move people.
- Lillian LaSalle
Producer, Today's Special
You did such a great job on the festival - it is so well attended by such engaged audiences, so much fun, and in a beautiful place. Thank you for inviting TRUST to be part of it.
- Nancy Kelly
Director, Trust
TESTIMONIALS 2010
The programming was great, the staff was fantastic, great hospitality, smashing parties.
Rick Goldsmith, Director, Oscar-nominated Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
Mendocino has the best audiences ever! The thunderous applause from the crowd and the glorious sound of the surf made the experience as close to heaven as a festival gets.
Roger Ross Williams, Oscar-winner, Music By Prudence
Since discovering this magical little town 30 years ago while working for National Geographic magazine, Mendocino has always been one of my favorite places to retreat from the world's merry-go-round. The lure of a community of edge workers from all manner of the arts drew me to one of America's best preserved coastal communities. Now there's another great reason to come to Mendocino - they are developing a jewel of a film festival in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Louie Psihoyos, Oscar-winning Director, The Cove
The Mendocino Film Festival is truly a filmmaker's event. The programmers bring together the best in both documentary shorts and features while creating an intimate environment for filmmakers to share experiences and develop partnerships. Thanks again for an incredible festival experience, Mendocino!
Nimisha Mukerji, Co-Director, 65_RedRoses
What a spectacular festival! The films, the pairings, the expanded programs - all were smoking! Starting with the documentary and concert of the unstoppable, fabulous Topp Twins to an historic gathering of sixties icons - Daniel Ellsberg, Wavy Gravy and Haskell Wexler performing magic tricks and reminiscing about their political activities - to a wonderful tattoo fashion show and a lively blue grass concert. We felt we were in the presence of a unique moment in film festival history (and we mean all film festivals, not just Mendocino). You all are the greatest.
Emiko Omori, Wendy Slick, Ed Hardy: Tattoo the World
A lovely festival in one of the worlds most beautiful spots. The size of the festival is one of its great advantages as the barriers between film maker and audience cease to exist. You easily meet other filmmakers, and the residents of the town are a discerning and generous audience.
Frank Stiefel, Director, Ingelore
Your organization - from the selection committee who picked the best line-up I have ever seen at a festival – the staff and volunteers (the friendliest and best informed) – the big sponsors (who truly sponsored the event) - the in-kind sponsors (like our innkeeper Margie Kamb who made us feel so welcome) - to the best of all: your amazing audience of thoughtful, artistic, musical folks who made all of us feel like the work we do matters, and is appreciated.
Thank you for the best film festival I have yet to attend. Mendocino is the best!
John Callahan, Miracle in a Box
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, What's Happening: The Beatles First Tour of the US
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, Actress
Fool Me Once, NYPD Blue, Desperate Housewives
Let's face it, it was a true filmmaker’s film festival and a damn love fest! I've been telling all my friends they must get their act together and have a film ready to submit to next year’s festival.
William Farley, Filmmaker
Congratulations on an absolutely wonderful film festival! I was astonished at the level of professionalism you held while still maintaining a warm, welcoming style. Totally lovely!
Tommie Dell Smith, Filmmaker
The Mendocino Film festival is a gem. We have been fortunate with our film Taking Root to have been invited to many of the top festivals in the world, for me The Mendocino Film Festival is one of the very best..great films, caring people, all in a beautiful location.
Alan Dater, award-winning director of Taking Root
We had amazing audiences with insightful questions and interest in our projects, the BEST shorts program we've ever seen, a great group to network with, amazing accommodations, friendly and helpful volunteers & staff and the most beautiful location you could ask for! We highly recommend this festival to anyone looking to see spectacular films from around the world and to connect with their audience and others in their industry.
Nathan Lorch, director of "Struck"
Your festival was the most enjoyable film festival I have ever attended! Ever, anywhere, ever.
Bill Benenson, director of "Dirt! The Movie"
You just keep making an already stellar event even better every year. Every film I saw there was breathtakingly good. The friendly, intimate atmosphere created a perfect environment for filmmakers, catching up with old friends, making new friends, connecting and sharing information in ways that aren't always so easy in a larger festival. And, of course, your beautiful little gem of a town is the perfect chalice to hold it all.
Tommie Smith
Little did my wife and I know that we would be entering this treasure of a town. The people were generous and welcoming. The Festival was well organized and efficient. To have EPICAC in a program of shorts that were so evocative and memorable was an absolute honor.
Will Tully, director of EPICAC
What I find amazing about the Mendocino Film Festival is the integrity of the whole operation, from the people in charge of the projection to the volunteers manning the hospitality suite, everyone is proud to be part of the festival. This attitude seems to sweep over the entire event producing the most attentive and appreciative audiences I've ever experienced. After my screening and Q & A on my way back to my seat an attractive woman leaped to her feet, thanked me for my film and kissed me on the lips - Now that's the kind of appreciation I could get used to.
Will Farley, director of Shadow and Light
