2019

CHINATOWN RISING

19 December, 2019
Filmmakers Harry Chuck and Joshua Chuck were in attendance for a well-received screening of their powerful documentary CHINATOWN RISING, featuring original footage of San Francisco’s Asian American Movement of the 1960’s

Photos © Kirke Wrench

JUST MERCY

19 December, 2019
JUST MERCY director Destin Daniel Cretton stopped by after a CFI Member Screening of his powerful film (MVFF42 Opening Night) for a thoughtful onstage conversation with California Film Institute Executive Director/Founder Mark Fishkin

Photos © Allison Levenson Photography

JOKER

18 December, 2019
Great conversation and Q&A with director Todd Phillips and MVFF Program Manager Sterling Hedgpeth after a packed screening of Phillips’ unique and fascinating film JOKER.

Photos © Allison Levenson Photography

BOMBSHELL

7 December, 2019
BOMBSHELL director Jay Roach and producer Michelle Graham in attendance for an onstage conversation with California Film Institute Executive Director/ Founder Mark Fishkin and reception following a CFI Member Screening of their film.

Photos © Christopher Markisz

PRECIOUS GURU

5 December, 2019
Sold-out screening of PRECIOUS GURU followed by an onstage conversation and Q&A with director Marc Wennberg, editor Catherine Hollander, and consultant Victress Hitchcock and Rafael Theater Manager Dan Zastrow

Photos © Christopher Markisz

ROCKETMAN

4 December, 2019
Another great night at the Rafael with Taron Egerton and Dexter Fletcher, who participated in an entertaining onstage conversation and Q&A with MVFF Director of Programming Zoë Elton after a CFI Member Screening of their electrifying Elton John biopic ROCKETMAN.

Photos © Christopher Markisz

WATSON

3 December, 2019
Lesley Chilcott, director of the powerful documentary WATSON, participated in an onstage conversation and Q&A at the Rafael last night to discuss the life and work of the film’s controversial subject, eco-activist Captain Paul Watson.

Photos © Allison Levenson Photography

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

30 November, 2019
A great night at the Rafael with Quentin Tarantino in the house with his latest film ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD. Another fantastic packed CFI Member Screening followed by an engaging, animated, and trivia-packed onstage conversation. Thanks to all who attended, and to Sony Pictures Entertainment and Columbia Pictures for making this event possible!

Photos © Christopher Markisz

BIGGEST LITTLE FARM

20 November, 2019
Filmmaker and farmer John Chester returned for another sold-out screening and Q&A for his enduringly popular film THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM

Photos © Tracey Pettis

BEHIND THE BULLET

19 November, 2019
Filmmaker Heidi Yewman and guests Tony Porter and Christian Heyne of Brady participated in a moving and insightful Q&A following a screening of Yewman’s BEHIND THE BULLET

Photos © George Lazarus

THE FIRST RAINBOW COALITION

18 November, 2019
CFI Education presented a Community Cinema screening of THE FIRST RAINBOW COALITION, with guest speaker activist and author Ericka Huggins, in conversation with CFI Education Outreach Manager Shakira Refos.

Photos © Bill Johnston, Jr.

THE TRAITOR

17 November, 2019
Director Marco Bellocchio and actor Pierfrancesco Favino visited the Rafael with a screening of their visceral Italian gangster epic THE TRAITOR, followed by a conversation with MVFF Senior Programmer Karen Davis and reception.

Photos © Allison Levenson Photography

SCREENAGERS: THE NEXT CHAPTER

12 November, 2019
CFI EDUCATION TEEN WELLNESS SERIES
This sold-out screening of Dr. Delaney Ruston’s film featured a panel with co-producer Lisa Tabb, film subject Ishmael Briceno, Marin Stress and Anxiety Center’s Jonathan Pofsky, and CFI Education Director Joanne Parsont.

Photos © Christopher Markisz

ATLANTICS

11 November, 2019
Composer, musician, and conceptual artist Fatima Al Qadiri participated in a Q&A with MVFF Director of Programming Zoë Elton following a screening of Mati Diop’s ATLANTICS.

Photos © Christopher Markisz

HARRIET

4 November, 2019
Star Cynthia Erivo received a standing ovation following a screening of Kasi Lemmons’ HARRIET featuring a Q&A and reception with Erivo and moderator Ericka Huggins

Photos © Reny Huelskamp

FREAKS

2 November, 2019
Co-director Adam Stein was in attendance for a Q&A following a screening of his sci-fi thriller FREAKS

Photos © George Lazarus

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

2 November, 2019
Sony Pictures Classics sponsored a free community screening of ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD, followed by a live stream Q&A from The New Beverly Cinema featuring Quentin Tarantino, Leonardo Di Caprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie

Photos © Allison Levenson Photography

AND WITH HIM CAME THE WEST

23 October, 2019
Mike Plante, director of AND WITH HIM CAME THE WEST, was in attendance for a screening and Q&A with his film about the Hollywood legend of Wyatt Earp

Photos © Allison Levenson Photography

THE GREAT AMERICAN LIE

21 October, 2019
Producer Amanda Mortimer was in attendance with a packed screening of Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s film THE GREAT AMERICAN LIE, an installment in their film and media non-profit, The Representation Project

Photos © Kirke Wrench

THE SWEET REQUIEM

20 October, 2019
Directors Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam were in attendance for well-received screening and Q&A of their Himalayan film THE SWEET REQUIEM

Photos © Kirke Wrench

WAKING DREAM

17 October, 2019
Packed screening for WAKING DREAM, co-presented by CFI Education and Canal Alliance, with filmmaker Theo Rigby and special guests Steve Li and Gilbert Meija.

Photos © Bill Johnston, Jr.

DOWNTON ABBEY

19 September, 2019
We had an absolutely lovely time Last Night At The Rafael with Lesley Nichol, aka Mrs. Patmore who presented a CFI Member Screening of the new Downton Abbey movie!

Photos © Allison Levenson Photography

UNSETTLED: SEEKING REFUGE IN AMERICA

16 September, 2019
A fantastic turnout for the CFI Education Community Cinema screening of UNSETTLED: SEEKING REFUGE IN AMERICA with director Tom Shepard, subject Junior Mayema and Melanie Nathan of the African Human Rights Coalition

Photos © Kirke Wrench

WILDER THAN WILD

12 September, 2019
We had a great community screening of WILDER THAN WILD with filmmakers Kevin White and Stephen Most and a panel discussion with special guests

Photos © Steve Disenhof

LINDA RONSTADT: THE SOUND OF MY VOICE

8 September, 2019
Packed screenings all weekend, including two screenings with filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman

Photos © Allison Levenson Photography

BECOMING NOBODY

6 September, 2019
The Rafael hosted a sold-out screening for the US Premiere of BECOMING NOBODY, a celebration of Ram Dass, with director Jamie Catto, Gagan (Jared Levy) of the Love Serve Remember Foundation, Dale Borglum of the Living/Dying Project and moderator Nina Wise

MR. FISH

7 August, 2019
Fantastic screening of Mr. Fish: Cartooning From The Deep End at the Rafael with director Pablo Bryant and subject Dwayne Booth, aka Mr. Fish!

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT: MASTERPIECES

29 July, 2019
Director Michael Miner presented a screening of his latest film on the works of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright to a sold-out audience of architecture fans.

CARMINE STREET GUITARS

27 July, 2019
The Rafael hosted a packed screening of CARMINE STREET GUITARS with special guest Tom Ribbecke, a master guitar maker who provided experienced insight into the art of crafting guitars.

DANSEUR

19 July, 2019
A special CFI Education co-presentation with Marin Ballet of the film DANSEUR followed by a thoughtful post-film discussion with SF-based dancer, choreographer, and educator Ben Needham-Wood and Donald Carter from No Bully.

HIMALAYA

30 June, 2019
Musician and actor Tsering Bawa Dorjee treated the Rafael audience to an impromptu concert of Tibetan music following a screening of the film HIMALAYA.

THE RAFT

29 June, 2019
THE RAFT crew member and film subject Mary Gidley joined us at the Rafael for two Q&As following screenings of the documentary about the controversial experimental journey conducted in 1972.

THE FAREWELL

24 June, 2019
Director Lulu Wang discussed her film THE FAREWELL during a pre-screening reception and Q&A with MVFF Director of Programming Zoë Elton in front of a rapt audience of CFI Members.

BE NATURAL

20 June, 2019
Filmmaker Pamela B. Green too part in an illuminating Q&A following a screening of her documentary BE NATURAL: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ALICE GUY-BLACHÉ

MAIDEN

16 June, 2019
MAIDEN film subject Tracy Edwards and director Alex Holmes participated in a spirited Q&A with MVFF Director of Programming Zoë Elton following a screening of their thrilling yachting documentary.

THE SPY BEHIND HOME PLATE

9 June, 2019
Director Aviva Kempner and Smith Rafael Film Center Director of Programming Richard Peterson participated in a Q&A following a screening of Kempner’s film about the fascinating life of Moe Berg

ENLIGHTENMENT GUARANTEED

9 June, 2019
Dairyu Michael Wenger of Dragon’s Leap Meditation Center and Buddhist Film Foundation’s Gaetano Kazuo Maida discussed the theme’s presented in Dorris Dörrie’s ENLIGHTENMENT GUARANTEED, part of the Class of ’99 Buddhist Film Series