We’re Fading to Green

A CFI Green Initiative Led By Pacific Gas and Electric Company

At the California Film Institute, with the leadership of PG&E we’re taking extra steps to reduce our carbon footprint.

Our goal is to use the power of film to educate the public, volunteers and our community about key sustainability issues by bringing together programs, people and facilities.

People

• Green community partnerships
• Environmental education for CFI staff, volunteers and audiences
• Community philanthropic support for CFI green programs

Programs

• Mill Valley Film Festival films focused on social and environmental issues
• Smith Rafael Film Center environmentally themed programming
• CFI Education Green Kids Conference

Facilities

• Green Business Certification
• Implementation of PG&E’s ClimateSmart™ program
• Eco-friendly merchandise and products
• Concession stand and Festival reuse and recycling program
• Sustainable events featuring locally and organically produced food and wine

 

California Film Institute Education

Building the next generation of filmmakers and audiences

Film engages and inspires like no other medium. For two decades the Mill Valley Film Festival and CFI Education have pioneered creative film programming for Bay Area young people, providing year-round screenings, interactive sessions with film professionals and hands-on activities to introduce students to the power of film as a vibrant tool of communication. <read more>

Board of Directors

Executive Director
Mark Fishkin

2008 Board
Kenneth Broad
W. Robert Griswold, Jr.
Richard J. Idell (President)
Larry Eilenberg
Bruce Katz
KC Lauck
Jennifer Coslett MacCready
Charles McGlashan
Dr. Joel Sklar
Steve Shane (Secretary)
Christopher B. Smith (Vice President)
Evelyn Topper
Zach Zeisler (Treasurer)

Emeritis Board
Ann Brebner
Rita Cahill
Sid Ganis
Gary Meyer
Gordon Radley
Henry Timnick

CFI Milestone Campaign

For more than three decades, the California Film Institute and the Mill Valley Film Festival have enriched the cultural lives of Marin County and Bay Area residents. With the opening of the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center in 1999, the Institute found a first-class Festival venue and a permanent, year-round home for its many activities, including the ground-breaking CFI Education programs.

As we enter our fourth decade of operation, we continue to work to secure the legacy of this exceptional cultural organization by making it financially sustainable as well as environmentally responsible. In taking these steps now, as we look forward to celebrating the Smith Rafael Film Center’s tenth anniversary in 2009, we ensure that future generations—and future audiences—will be able to enjoy the rich and varied offerings of the California Film Institute, the Smith Rafael Film Center, the Mill Valley Film Festival and CFI Education.

CFI Donors

CFI would like to thank the following individuals and foundations for their generous support of the Milestone campaign.

Leadership Circle
Christopher B. and Jeannie Meg Smith

Investor Circle
Jennifer Coslett MacCready
Gruber Family Foundation

Platinum Circle
Richard Barker
Nancy and Rich Robbins
Henry Timnick
Christine Zecca Foundation

Gold Circle
Jackie and Ken Broad
William Hudson and Nora Gibson
Katz Family Foundation
Michael Klein
K.C. and Steve Lauck
Monahan Parker, Inc.
Terese and Robert Payne
Lente Louw and Eric Schwartz
Ruth and Alan Scott
Mel and Lois Tukman

Silver Circle
Jennifer Barker
Kamala Geroux-Berry and David Berry
Gloria and Jack Clumeck
Alice Corning/Springcreek Foundation
Leonard Eber
Jeffrey Edman
Dennis P. Fisco and Pamela Polite Fisco
Margaret E. Haas
Heliotrope Foundation
Susan and Richard Idell
Andrée Poirier Jansheski
Fred M. Levin and Nancy Livingston, The
Shenson Foundation
Bobbie Meyer
Nicola Miner
Kristin Otis and James Boyce
Heidi Richardson and Michael Dyett
Karen and Harry Rosenbluth
Saul Zaentz
Zach and Marlies Zeisler

Bronze Circle
Marie and Brian Collins
Catherine and Peter Flaxman
Lisa Graeber
Ellen Kutten
Mary and Bill Poland
Gordon Radley

Major Foundation Support
Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation
Bernard Osher Foundation
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Marin Community Foundation
Miranda Lux Foundation
San Francisco Foundation

Government Support
County of Marin
National Endowment for the Arts

Filmmakers at Fest

Please note: The lineup of guests may change. We cannot gaurantee that those listed will be final guests. Please check back regularly for regular updates.

 

2008 Focus Series

Each year we focus in on region areas with emerging films that should not be missed while visiting the festival. This year we focus on Southern Africa, Poland, Ireland and Asia.

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Focus: Southern Africa Besides having its own vibrant and growing film industry, Southern Africa attracts talented filmmakers from around the world to tell the stories of this diverse region. Southern African films in focus: The Bird Can't Fly (Threes Anna), Jerusalema (Ralph Ziman), Road to Ingwavuma (Barbara Rick), Zimbabwe (Darrell James Roodt).

Focus: Poland read more | 28 reads Children's Filmfest 2008 Films 2008 Content: Children's FilmFest 2008 The Mill Valley Film Festival is proud to present the 14th Annual Children's FilmFest In this year's FilmFest many things are the opposite of what they seem to be. You would think a film called Kick Like a Girl would make fun of girls, but instead it's about girls playing soccer as well as boys. A film called Terra isn't about the earth, but it is about earthlings; Butterflies is more about a little girl flying than about insects; and Nocturna is a land of nighttime mystery, not nightmares. In Skymaster, a child is—maybe—born with wings; and our program of short films, you Can't Do That!, is really about all the things you can do when you put your mind to it. Many of this year's films feature a fascination with flying and the sky, and there will be weightless moments at our screenings too, when the air will be filled with balloons, wonder and joy. read more | 26 reads MVFF Premieres 2008 Films 2008 Content: Mill Valley Film Festival Premieres The Mill Valley Film Festival is proud to present the following premiere films: World Premieres Around June Children of the Amazon Frank Dead Souls The Lost Skeleton Returns Again US Premieres Archeology of Memory: Villa Grimaldi At the River Every Night, Loneliness Fujian Blue God Man Dog Hania Happy-Go-Lucky The Home of Dark Butterflies Jerusalema Lemon Tree Mommy Is at the Hairdresser's Quiet Chaos RocknRolla Stolen What on Earth Have I Done Wrong? Wolf Zimbabwe North American Premieres The Bird Can't Fly Burned Hearts Goodnight Irene Hafez Shiver Sonic Mirror   read more | 29 reads MVFF Contacts 2008 About MVFF 2008 Content: California Film Institute Mill Valley Film Festival CFI Education 1001 Lootens Place, Suite 220 San Rafael, CA 94901 415.383.5256 Main Office 415.383.8606 Main Office Fax Main Email: info@cafilm.org Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center 1118 Fourth Street San Rafael, CA 94901 415.454.5813 Main Office 415.454.1222 Info-Line for Showtimes Theater Email: rafaeltheater@cafilm.org read more | 23 reads MVFF Volunteers 2008 About MVFF 2008 Content: Volunteer for the Mill Valley Film Festival! Be part of one of Mill Valley's most exciting annual celebrations. Each year dedicated, enthusiastic volunteers help us produce this internationally acclaimed Festival. It's a great way to get involved, make new friends and see great films! It's easy to get involved! In order to volunteer, you must: - Attend a sign-up session - Commit to a minimum of 12 hours of volunteer work - Attend volunteer meetings and trainings for your shifts - Be friendly, enthusiastic and flexible! read more | 43 reads Mill Valley Film Festival Trailers About MVFF 2008 Content: Mill Valley Film Festival Trailers MVFF 30. "The Monologue" TV Spot duration: 0 min 30 sec MVFF 29. "Hugs" TV Spot read more | 19 reads MVFF Award 2008 About MVFF 2008 Content: Mill Valley Film Festival Award 2007 was the inaugural year for the Mill Valley Film Festival Award, a specially designed sculpture by Mill Valley artist Alice Corning. The MVFF Award is presented to the recipients of Tributes and Spotlights, our special programs honoring and celebrating the work of distinguished artists and innovators in the filmmaking community. Our Tributes recognize a career and legacy of work, and our Spotlights highlight the exceptional talents of a film artist as exemplified by a current project. As Corning says of her artwork, “"The purpose is to show the power and dignity of a human being."... as it is with great work in film. Photo: Jakub Mosur read more | 30 reads Festival FAQs 2008 About MVFF 2008 Content: How to Buy Tickets BUYING TICKETS Order Online: 24 hours daily, beginning: Members: September 14 at 2:00 pm * General Public: September 19 at 9:00 am Join Now To Recieve Member Discount Tickets and Year Round Benefits read more | 41 reads Active Cinema 2008 Films 2008 Content: Active Cinema A Creative Social Action Network This year we launch the Active Cinema program, a dynamic effort to connect the dots between activist films, interested audiences and the individuals and organizations that are working for the causes and issues represented onscreen. These films have the potential to inspire, inform and transform. After festival screenings, people often ask the question, What can we do? Active Cinema is our response to that question.  At the 2008 Festival, Active Cinema will include postscreening Q-and-A’s with filmmakers as well as many of the activists and actors featured in the films; co-presenting partnerships with local and national organizations; outreach screenings for school groups; and numerous live events. But it also goes well beyond this year’s Festival. ultimately, the California Film Institute plans to make these connections even more tangible through the development of a website, which will provide online resources, social networking capabilities and a library of activist films for audience members to access. read more | 69 reads