Films

Norway’s inflexible child protection laws disrupt the lives of a devout immigrant family in Cristian Mungiu’s atmospheric Palme d’Or-winning family drama and legal thriller, starring superstars Renate Reinsve and Sebastian Stan.

When their overburdened mother abandons her family to join an all-female commune, her teenage daughters try to break the leader’s iron grip in Guy Nattiv’s heart-wrenching slow-burn psychological thriller, inspired by his own family history.

“In the city of the dead fall in love an' fall in bed.”  You won’t find another shorts collection this full of laughs, surprises, and human connection than these shorts that orbit around a very grave subject. John and Dan Bell’s IT’S A WONDERFUL NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (US 2025, 8 min) is an irresistible mashup of Frank Capra and George Romero.  Director Kit Steinkellner devises a surprise development for a young couple which forces them to wonder ARE WE STILL MARRIED? (US 2026,12 min).  Two young nuns embark on a holier-than-thou competition that evokes some heavy emotions in Isabella Garcia’s IN HER YOU’LL FIND SANCTUARY (US 2026, 10 min).  In Joël Gibbs’s animated THE HIGH KING’S DAUGHTER (Ireland 2025, 5 min), a lush period romance about social class evokes something tender and mythic.  In Simone Stadler’s THE SPANISH LESSON (US 2025,12 min), a surprise student has some deeper resonance.  In Claire Harris Matson and Drew Brandon Jones’s very funny BEING DEAD SHOULD BE EASY (US 2025, 14 min), a shiva is the perfect place to discuss planning one’s own mortal passing.  And in Aleksandr Terekhov’s reflective MONUMENT (Poland 2026, 8 min), a grieving daughter finds comfort from an unexpected source. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind program! —Sterling Hedgpeth

MVFF partners with CalArts, UC Santa Cruz, UCLA, California College of the Arts, and CSU Long Beach for a stellar showcase of animated work directed by female and nonbinary filmmakers. This selection features films reflecting family, friendship, life, death, and cultural identity.

The promising life of an Olympic-bound gymnast is cut short, but her presence lives on through an enduring mother-daughter bond reaching beyond the physical world—exploring the mysteries of cellular memory, spirit, and our connections across life and death.

Academy Award® winner Mahershala Ali's turn as a devout Muslim who quietly makes his living as a professional killer headlines this stunning, elevated blend of exemplary action, taut thriller, and moving drama.

Memories of one man’s literal and figurative trip to Chiapas accompanied by his brother and a bag of magic mushrooms soaked in honey.

Two young nuns embark on a holier-than-thou competition that evokes some heavy emotions.