Mill Valley cineastes unite

It’s seems just about every burg, hamlet and village has a film festival these days. A good thing for film lovers really, even if it renders the whole film fest concept less special. Still, not many can trace their beginnings to the pre-indie-film year of 1978 like the 31st Mill Valley Film Festival. And there’s plenty of reasons besides longevity to check out the festival, which opened Oct. 2 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 12. Some of the biggest reasons to drive across the bridge (or from wherever you live) are the tributes/appearances of several film icons – ‘icon’ in a Film Comment, not Us Weekly, kind of way. Last Friday for instance, the amazingly accomplished screenwriter/director Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, American Gigolo, Cat People, Affliction) was honored for his distinguished career, and appeared for the screening of his Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters.

Coming this Friday, Oct. 10, Swedish actress Harriet Andersson, a starring player in many of Ingmar Bergman’s films (Smiles of a Summer Night, Through a Glass Darkly, Cries and Whispers, Fanny and Alexander), will be in the house for her tribute with the screening of Through a Glass Darkly, as well as an onstage conversation with the film center’s director. Also honored will be screenwriter Eric Roth (Forest Gump, The Horse Whisperer, The Insider) on Saturday, and actress Alfre Woodard (Passion Fish, Crooklyn, Bopha!) on Sunday.

Of course there’s lots of great films to view as well, shorts, features, animated, foreign, documentary and independent, in several venues in Mill Valley, as well as the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael. For films and times and tickets: mvff.com