Minah Oh, director of programming for the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival, is terribly excited about this, the 26th festival, running from March 25 to 29: “I wanted to present the best of the best, and reinspire the community. All of the films are really strong stories, but shot with just a little bit of a different perspective.”
Executive Director Brian Ditchfield adds, “We’re at a moment when gaining perspective is really important, and looking at the world from other points of view is great. So many of these films support that.”
As always, an array of talent, directors, and producers — several of whom have Vineyard connections — will be on hand after many of the screenings for a lively post-film Q and A.
The documentary “Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story,” will open the festival. Bamford interweaves her lifelong mental health experiences into hilarious, uplifting comedy, showing how she channels personal vulnerability into artistic power through raw authenticity. “You really get to understand that everyone is struggling with something — to have an artist so naked and know that it’s OK to be a work in progress, ask for help, and have community show up … and, it’s funny,” says Oh.
Seasonal resident and director Dawn Porter’s “When a Witness Recants” exposes the life-altering havoc caused by one person’s lie under police pressure. In 1983, author Ta-Nehisi Coates learned that a 14-year-old boy was murdered at his Baltimore middle school. Revisiting the case, Coates uncovers the truth: Three innocent teenagers were wrongfully convicted and spent 36 years in prison — leaving a lasting impact on the accused, the witnesses, and their community.
Miriam Louise Arens, a born-and-raised Vineyarder, co-directed “Heartworm,” which was filmed on-Island and features local talent. In this sci-fi drama combining reality, virtual reality, and memory, a bereaved mother battles to rescue her grief-stricken husband from NeuraLife, the virtual technology dominating their world. Ditchfield says, “For anybody who saw the film a few years ago, she really took the notes that were given and took them to heart, and has done a tremendous amount of work on it. It will be a real treat for people who haven’t seen the film, and [for] those who have, to see all the amazing changes that have been made.”
Gabriela Osio Vanden and Jack Weisman’s documentary, “Nuisance Bear,” follows a polar bear forced to navigate a human world of tourists, wildlife officers, and hunters as its ancient migration collides with modern life, leaving unclear who truly belongs in this shared landscape. Oh emphasizes, “Without giving it away, it’s an environmental documentary, but the POV [point of view] is so different about a way to understand nature.”
In the narrative comedy “Poetic License,” written by Raffi Donatich and directed by Maude Apatow, two inseparable best friends start to unravel as they compete for the affection of Liz, the middle-aged mom auditing their college poetry workshop.
Grounded in the poet’s own words, “Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World” is Sasha Waters’ intimate documentary examining the life and legacy of the best-selling, Pulitzer prizewinning poet, whose deep attention to nature continues to offer comfort to millions, and has reshaped how people connect with poetry.
“Following Harry,” by Susanne Rostock, is about activist, singer, and actor Harry Belafonte’s last 12 years spent pushing humanity forward. Ditchfield says, “It’s really about his activism. In this moment, I think it’s going to be more inspiring than ever. Not only the film and Harry’s life, but also the discussion afterward will inspire more active and involved participation in our communities.” Oh observes, “Artists always help heal humanity and culture, and make it a little better.”
Sharon Liese’s documentary “Seized” focuses on a small-town Kansas newspaper that is suddenly thrust into the international spotlight following a police raid on the Marion County Record and the death of its 98-year-old co-owner. A heated debate erupts over issues like abuse of power, journalistic ethics, local journalism, and the U.S. Constitution. Oh notes that the documentary made her view of the hero in the story change over time, emphasizing, “It’s a juicy film.”
Alysa Nahmias’ “Cookie Queens” follows four tenacious girls who strive to be top-selling “Cookie Queens,” navigating an $800 million industry where childhood dreams and ambition collide. Ditchfield shares, “When I saw the film, which was probably not targeted toward me, I was crying by the end. I was so inspired. I think our audience will be, too. You don’t have to be involved with the Girl Scouts or love Girl Scout cookies to want to go to this film. These are inspiring young women. It will uplift everyone.”
Felipe Bustos Sierra’s documentary “Everybody to Kenmure Street” is about a U.K. Home Office dawn raid on a resident in May 2021 that triggers one of the most spontaneous and successful acts of civil resistance in recent memory. In Scotland’s most diverse neighborhood, hundreds of residents rush to the streets to stop the deportation of their neighbors. Oh says, “I knew it happened in Scotland, but it felt like what the community did here when the Venezuelan migrants came. It’s one of those inspiring, happy, uplifting films that pushes the needle forward.”
Oh says that the twists and turns in Steven Soderbergh’s black comedy “The Christophers” keep you on the edge of your seat. The children of a once-famous artist, played by Ian McKellen, hire a forger to complete some unfinished, long-abandoned canvases so they’ll have an inheritance when he dies.
Judd Ehrlich’s documentary, “Jane Elliott Against the World,” centers on the rural Iowa schoolteacher who became a national voice against racism after leading a controversial 1968 lesson on discrimination with her all-white third-grade class, and reveals the sacrifices she and her children made.
Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth’s “Broken English” features the actress Tilda Swinton in an experimental documentary portrait of Marianne Faithfull that explores the theme of not forgetting. Oh feels, “It’s fiction inside a documentary, and exciting, which makes you want to pay attention.”
“Tuner,” the romantic thriller by Daniel Roher, follows a piano tuner whose unusually acute ear leads him to discover an unexpected talent for cracking safes, drawing him into a risky new world that tests his ambition, relationships, and moral limits.
“I’m really excited about our documentary, narrative, and Vineyard-related shorts,” says Ditchfield about the three programs, which round out the full-length offerings.
“What connects all these really strong films,” says Oh, “is that you get to watch great stories, but in a seat that you’re not used to. Maybe it’s someone next to you or two rows back, but it’s through a different lens.”
There will also be appealing food by Chef Nina Levin of Stoney Hill Pizza, along with live music. Creative Director Danielle Mulcahy is hosting “Open Reel” at the Grange Hall, where she is digitizing people’s films for free and featuring an art exhibition by local artists.
“This year, the merger with the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse creates two hubs. Each will have a comfy, hangout vibe where people can come, have drinks and food, and talk about the films,” comments Ditchfield about the up-Island and down-Island venues. “I think that’s what makes the festival so special. It’s more than movies, and it is for everyone.”
For more information and pay-what-you-can tickets, visit tmvff.org.