Mendocino Film Festival announces slate for special Presidents’ Weekend Program

Line-up includes silent films accompanied by live music, “Only Human” short films program

The Mendocino Film Festival will bring three days of screenings and events to the Matheson Performing Arts Center for Presidents’ Weekend, Friday, February 17, through Sunday, February 19. The program, Short Films: Then and Now, will feature “Live Cinema” – a selection of films from the silent era accompanied by live music from Dave Mihaly and the Shimmering Leaves Ensemble – and the award-winning Mendocino Film Festival Short Films Program: Only Human. A portion of the proceeds from the program will benefit the Mendocino High School Multimedia Arts Program.

“We look forward to sharing these films,” says Michael Fox, Executive Director of the Mendocino Film Festival. “It’s the perfect introduction to the festival for those new to it and a fun prelude for those who are already looking forward to our 2017 program in June.”

The Saturday program will feature seven short films produced between 1909 and 1925. In their day, these films were always accompanied by live music, creating an in-the-moment experience for both the audience and the musicians “playing the picture.” The Mendocino Film Festival plans to continue this “Live Cinema” tradition, with Dave Mihaly and the Shimmering Leaves Ensemble providing their own musical score for these lively silent films. Screened on a reel-to-reel projector, the program features a variety of films, ranging from comedies starring Snub Pollard to dramas like D.W. Griffith’s A Corner in Wheat (1909) to an enchanting early stop-motion animation, The Automatic Moving Company (1912).

Jumping to the present day, the Short Films Program: Only Human showcases more recent short films, including the 2016 Academy Award® Winners for Best Animated Short (Bear Story) and Best Live-Action Short (Stutterer), and offers a sometimes touching, sometimes funny, always entertaining look at the triumphs and travails of being human. These nine short films from around the world present an intimate and heartwarming view of what unites us. The program screens on Friday and Sunday, and both screenings will feature a filmmaker Q&A with Paige Morrow Kimball, the director of Play Date.

The Short Films Program: Only Human screens on Friday at 8:00 pm and Sunday at 1:00 pm. Saturday will feature two performances of the Live Cinema silent film program at 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm. Mendocino Film Festival members are invited to begin the weekend at a special opening reception on Friday afternoon.

Tickets and more details are available at MendocinoFilmFestival.org.
ABOUT THE MENDOCINO FILM FESTIVAL: The Mendocino Film Festival has established a reputation for presenting award-winning international and independent films. Over the years, the Mendocino Film Festival has become renowned on the festival circuit, drawing filmmakers and attendees from around the world while maintaining its commitment to the local community. Featuring special events, filmmaker Q&As, and panels, the program offers the unique opportunity to meet filmmakers and film aficionados in an intimate setting while enjoying the striking natural beauty of Mendocino, which has inspired generations of artists.

For more information about the Mendocino Film Festival, please visit mendocinofilmfestival.org or contact Kira Wojack at marketing@mendocinofilmfestival.org or 707-937-0171.
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Kira Wojack
Communications Director
Mendocino Film Festival
June 1-4, 2017
cell: (415) 419-4062
office: (707) 937-0171