Press Room

May 9, 2008

Bestselling Author of Peak Oil to Speak at Mendocino Film Festival

Richard Heinberg, environmental expert, leader of the Relocalization Network, and bestselling author of Peak Oil and The Party's Over, will speak on ways to build a sustainable future in the midst of ecological crisis at the Mendocino Film Festival. He will screen the short film Suzuki Speaks, featuring Canadian geneticist David Suzuki. The film explores the interconnectivity of all beings using an astonishing tapestry of live action and digital imagery. Conversation with Heinberg will follow, along with a book-signing for his newest work, Peak Everything. This will be an opening night event of the Mendocino Film Festival, part of the new category Films For Our Future. Thursday, May 29, 8:00 PM at Matheson Performing Arts Center in Mendocino. The film festival is sponsored in part by the Community Foundation of Mendocino County, along with presenting sponsors Spiritual Cinema Circle and Earth Cinema Circle. For information or tickets call 707-937-2199.

May 8, 2008

Producer/Director Stephen Simon to Appear at Mendocino Film Festival

Stephen Simon, producer of the films Somewhere in Time, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, and What Dreams May Come, and director of Indigo and Conversations With God, will be featured at the Mendocino Film Festival on Saturday, May 31 at 12:30 PM in St. Anthony’s Hall in Mendocino. A former Hollywood insider, Simon will discuss how the film industry panders to violence and negativity, and his efforts to offer a positive alternative to audiences who are hungry for uplifting films. He will talk about his perception of a trend towards such fare, with more filmmakers producing positive messages. He will also offer lighthearted anecdotes about growing up in Hollywood. 

Simon is a second generation producer. His father, S. Sylvan Simon, was a producer and director who made films with Abbott and Costello, Red Skelton, and the Marx Brothers. When Stephen's father passed away his mother married Armand Deutsch, producer of films with Robert Taylor and Grace Kelly. Among his mother's closest friends was Fran Stark, wife of movie mogul Ray Stark (Funny Girl, Night of the Iguana, The Odd Couple.) When Stephen graduated from law school, he found himself drawn to the movie business as Stark's protégé. 

Stephen became a highly regarded veteran producer and executive with over 30 years of experience, producing or being responsible for the production of over 20 motion pictures. However, with his visionary outlook he finally became so disillusioned with his inability to make story-based, spiritual films in Hollywood that he left the mainstream industry and moved to Ashland, Oregon in 2001.  He founded Spiritual Cinema Circle, a DVD membership club to help distribute just those kinds of films. 

Also on May 31, at 3:00 PM in the Matheson Performing Arts Center in Mendocino, Simon will be screening the Japanese film After Life, a "slyly humorous, utterly original and generous-hearted" film about a group of souls receiving counseling in a metaphysical way station determining which life memory to take into their own unique version of heaven. 

The film festival is sponsored in part by the Community Foundation of Mendocino County, along with presenting sponsors Spiritual Cinema Circle and Earth Cinema Circle. For information or tickets call 707-937-2199.

May 4, 2008

Mendocino Film Festival: Making Movie History

Whether art imitates nature or the other way around, they go hand in hand at the Mendocino Film Festival. From Thursday, May 29 through Sunday, June 1, 2008, fine films and filmmakers converge on one of the most naturally blessed spots on the planet, combining redwood forests and the Pacific Ocean with proximity to world famous vineyards and a mature, energetic arts and food scene. The area is known as the setting for films including East of Eden, Summer of ‘42, The Russians Are Coming, and Racing With the Moon, so it has a real place in cinema legend. Now, Mendocino is making some film history of its own.

The Mendocino Film Festival presents independent films organized in three main categories: documentaries, narrative works, and shorts. There are also two special categories: Films for Our Future, featuring environmentally and spiritually themed films geared toward "changing the world, one film at a time," and Films on the Arts, focusing the lenses of world-class filmmakers on outstanding artists, dancers and musicians. A special afternoon program of short films for children will be presented.

The majority of films screened at the Mendocino Film Festival are represented by their visiting directors. Because of the intimate venues and high number of attending filmmakers, there is ample opportunity to engage with screenwriters, directors, producers and celebrities from across the industry.

In its third year, the Mendocino Film Festival has garnered praise for the high quality of its selections and its beautiful setting. Jim McCullough, San Francisco Film Commissioner, said “The Mendocino Film Festival has an image which is small town and charming while being at the same time world class and progressive. I'm very proud to be a part of it."

This year’s festival is proud to have as Presenting Sponsors two visionary organizations: the Spiritual Cinema Circle (SpiritualCinemaCircle.com) and Earth Cinema Circle (EarthCinemaCircle.com). Both bring independent films of inspirational or environmental significance to an international audience through subscription DVD clubs, and are a perfect match for the themes of the Mendocino Film Festival. For more information, the Mendocino film Festival can be reached at 707-937-0171.

May 2, 2008

Expect the Unexpected at the Mendocino Film Festival

The Mendocino Film Festival, under the program direction of George Russell, is assembling some wonderful combinations of films, live performances, and appearances by filmmakers and film subjects to give audiences a singular experience. Beginning May 29 and running through June 1, these are not just passive, “sit and watch” screenings, but staged events. "When the films lent themselves to bringing in performers, artists, or activists to expand the films for all attending, I wanted to do that," George explains in talking about the programs.

An example of the creative merging of film and other art forms is the "Friday Night Silents" program. Here George has booked a jazz ensemble, Eggplant Casino, to accompany classic silent films. They will play music arranged for the films or improvised on the spot, recreating the flavor of how these classics were originally seen. This will be a fun night for all ages. (Screening: Friday, May 30, 8:00 PM at Crown Hall.)

Then there is “Underbelly,” a documentary about Princess Farhana, a participant in the L.A. punk rock scene who has become supremely adept in the performance of Oriental Dance. Along wth this film about Farhana’s remarkable journey, Russell has scheduled two local bellydancing troupes, Trillum Tribe and Rock Rose, to perform this beautiful dance form live. (Screening: Saturday, May 31, 8:00 PM at Matheson Performing Arts Center.)

The Film Festival will be presenting 70 feature, documentary, and short films for this celebration of independent filmmaking. Tickets are on sale by phone at 707-937-2199, and Festival programs are available at Harvest Market, Headlands Cafe, Moody's, and many inns, restaurants and galleries throughout the Coast.

May 1, 2008

Mendocino Film Festival Presents Two Local Artists in Film and In Person

"Two Artists From Exotic Mendolandia" is a special presentation at this year's Mendocino Film Festival mixing performance and visual arts with films to feature two of our local creative treasures. This noteworthy presentation will take place on Friday, May 30 at 3:00 PM in the Matheson Performing Arts Center.

The first film, "A Rug For California" features Mendocino rug maker Vicki Fraser and documents the story of her epic fourteen year project to create a work that portrays the history of the Golden State in the design of a rug. The film is produced by local filmmakers Carmen Goodyear and Laurie York. Fraser will appear in person with the unique California Rug on display, and the filmmakers will also be present to speak and answer questions.

The other film in this showing is a production of Austrian director Fredrick Baker, "ruth weiss Meets Her Prometheus". In it, Albion resident and beat poet ruth weiss reads writings inspired by her return to her childhood home in Austria 60 years after her family fled the Nazi occupation. In particular, she performs a dialog between herself and a statue of Prometheus in the lobby of her old residence. After the screening, weiss will read some of her poetry live with Doug O'Connor on acoustic bass, Harrison Goldberg on sax, and Rodney Phifer on percussion.

The Film Festival will be presenting 70 feature, documentary, and short films for this celebration of independent filmmaking. For more information, go to www.MendocinoFilmFestival.org . Tickets are on sale by phone at 707-937-2199, and Festival programs are available at Harvest Market, Headlands Cafe, Moody's, and many inns, restaurants and galleries throughout the Coast.

Festival Lures Movie Lovers
December 7, 2007 - As if a trip to the Mendocino Coast isn’t enough of a visual feast, the Mendocino Film Festival (May 29-June 1) offers a springtime banquet for movie lovers.
Some of the area’s unusual and charming venues open to the Mendocino Film Festival’s lineup of exciting new work. Film screenings and special events are within easy (and lovely) walks of one another as well as the area’s beloved inns and eateries. The event’s relaxed and intimate feel offers visitors a great chance to directly interact with filmmakers while enjoying their work.
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MENDOCINO FILM FESTIVAL 2007:  IT’S A WRAP!
May 24, 2007 - Mendocino’s second annual film festival came to a close on Sunday evening to the praise of filmmakers, movie-goers, out-of-towners and local merchants. 
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Filmmaker’s Journey from Mendocino to Hollywood
November 14, 2007 - Mendocino to Mumbai to Hollywood is the unusual journey local filmmaker Shyam Balsé has taken from the creation of his award-winning film, Monsoon, to his next film project. However indirect, Balsé’s path has now led him to Hollywood where he is developing a feature film with a prominent production company.
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