The M.V. Film Center is presenting an alluring lineup for the 19th annual Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival, which will run from Sept. 3 through 8.
“Mighty Afrin: In the Time of the Floods,” by director and cinematographer Angelos Rallis, opens the festival on Tuesday, Sept. 3, at 4 pm. The film examines the desolate wilderness of the disappearing islands along the Brahmaputra River in Bangladesh, as 12-year-old orphan Afrin comes of age.
Refusing to surrender to the deadly tides, Afrin rows herself in a wooden boat toward the teeming metropolis of Dhaka. There, she attempts to find her estranged father, only to discover herself among the millions of new climate refugees. Forced to grow up fast, Afrin must confront the mysteries of a sinking world where her dreams merge with reality.
Tuesday evening is “Sabbath Queen” at 7:30 pm, followed by a Q and A with director and producer Sandi DuBowski. This documentary, filmed over 21 years in Israel and the U.S., follows Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, part of a family of 38 generations of Orthodox rabbis, and a rebel drag queen. Torn between rejecting or embracing his destiny, he begins a lifelong quest to reinvent religion, champion love, challenge patriarchy, and stand for peace. “Sabbath Queen” asks us to consider what Jewish survival means in the 21st century.
Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 4 pm, is “Crossing,” director Levan Atkin’s third feature about identity, acceptance, and overcoming the degrees of separation that divide us. When Lia, a retired teacher living in Georgia, hears that her long-lost niece, Tekla, a transgender woman, has crossed the border into Turkey, she and her young, unpredictable neighbor journey to find her. Exploring the city, they cross paths with Evrim, a transgender lawyer who helps them in their search.
Wednesday at 7:30 pm is “Jokes and Cigarettes.” Nominated for 11 Goya awards, this biographical drama tells the true story of Catalan humorist Eugenio Jofra. In the late 1960s in Barcelona, a young Eugenio meets and falls in love with Conchita, a musician. The two begin to play together, but when Conchita leaves for two weeks, she convinces Eugenio to perform solo. Soon, he becomes a phenomenon in standup comedy, gaining unexpected success in a depressed Spain desperate to laugh.
Thursday, Sept. 5, will start at 5:30 pm with a celebratory party on the waterfront lawn of Lagoon Pond at the Tisbury Marketplace, with drinks, music by Eric Johnson Jazz Quartet, and food from Goldie’s Rotisserie Truck and Mad Martha’s ice cream.
It will be followed at 7:30 pm by “Lucky Winners.” While there is a one-in-19-million chance of winning the lottery, for the characters in the film, this dream becomes a nightmare as they quickly learn the consequences of their sudden fortune. In this hilariously dark comedy with many twists and turns, directors Maxime Govare and Romain Choay explore social dynamics and the reversals of fortunes.
The Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner, “Sujo,” will play on Friday, Sept. 6, at 4 pm. After his father is murdered by his cartel, 4-year-old Sujo is taken in and protected by his aunt in the isolated countryside. Now a teenager, Sujo moves to Mexico City, where he is tempted to join the local cartel, and is forced to face his father’s legacy.
Friday at 7:30 pm is the Short Film Juried Competition. The festival selection committee has chosen nine finalists among the more than 250 entries from five countries. The committee will then select the Best Overall film at the end of the festival.
Saturday starts with the awardwinning film “Agent of Happiness” at 1 pm. Bhutan invented “gross national happiness” to measure that feeling. The film follows two happiness agents as they travel the Bhutanese Himalayas, surveying citizens to determine if they are in fact happy. As they meet individuals from all walks of life, the agents discover what happiness means to the people and for themselves.
“The Quiet Maid,” from Spain, continues the festival Saturday at 4 pm. Ana, a Colombian maid, starts working at a luxurious mansion in Costa Brava for a family of art collectors. She works day and night, hoping for a continued contract beyond the summer. But when those hopes are dashed, Ana decides to enjoy the summer and broaden her horizons with the help of a maid from the neighboring house.
At 7:30 pm on Saturday is “Gondola.” Director Viet Helmer, known for his no-dialogue style, tells a beautiful love story set in the Georgian mountains. Two female cable-car operators fall in love as they pass each other in their gondolas daily.
The festival’s last day, Sunday, Sept. 8, begins with “Adiós Buenos Aires” at noon. It’s 2001 in Argentina, and Julio Farber, a shoe salesman and bandoneon player, is trying to keep his head above water. He earns less and less every month, so he decides to leave Buenos Aires forever. But before he can book a plane ticket, the government freezes every bank account in the country, sparking violent protests. Julio gets hit by a car, and his last possession of value is damaged by a foul-mouthed taxi driver who may just steal his heart.
Sunday continues with Senegal’s 2024 Oscar submission for best international feature, “Banal & Adama,” at 2:15 pm. In a remote village in northern Senegal, Banal and Adama are in love. However, duty dictates that Adama accept the role of chief, despite not wanting the responsibility, and Banal doesn’t want children with the ongoing drought and hardships. As strange and supernatural events occur, the couple must contend with the village’s disapproval.
The festival concludes with “Sidonie in Japan” at 4:30, and a party at Fish MV immediately afterward. In this feature, the eponymous Sidonie, played by Isabelle Huppert, is a once highly acclaimed French writer who travels to Japan to celebrate the translation of her debut novel. Much of her time in Japan is spent with her publisher. As they grow closer, Sidonie’s feelings become complicated when the ghost of her recently deceased husband begins visiting her. It’s a sly comedy about letting go of grief and finding a new lease on life.
The closing-night party, complete with food, drinks, and live music from the John O’Toole Band, will be on the Fish MV porch immediately following the film, to celebrate the end of another exciting festival.
For tickets and information, visit bit.ly/MVFFinfo.
