Richard Paradise, founder and executive director of the M.V. Film Society, has curated an exciting lineup for the 21st Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival, running from Sept. 8 through 13, focusing exclusively on world cinema: “We try to deliver a festival that’s filled with narrative films that have the power of creative storytelling, interesting characters, and imagery. This year I tried to find small, independent gems that focused on regions of the world that are often overlooked on American screens.” The recurring theme is “Other Places, Other People,” encouraging attendees to think broadly about the vastness of the world of film and to reflect on the concerns and desires that unite all people.
“Reading Lolita in Tehran” is up first, on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 4 pm. The screen adaptation of Azar Nafisi’s beloved memoir tells the true story of a literature professor in revolutionary Iran who, amid censorship and religious extremism, gathers seven of her most dedicated female students to immerse themselves in banned literary classics.
At 7:30 pm that day is “Filipiñana,” a black comedy-drama that examines postcolonial class disparities in the Philippines through the lens of 17-year-old Isabel, who feels strangely drawn to Dr. Palanca, the president of the country club where she works. However, after piecing together a violent picture of what lies beneath the club’s pristine surface, she realizes that what began as an innocent infatuation is actually rooted in a sinister shared history.
Wednesday, Sept. 9, starts with “Franz” at 4 pm, a biopic of the iconic 20th century Czech writer Franz Kafka. Conceived as a kaleidoscopic mosaic, the film traces the imprint Kafka left on the world from his birth in 19th century Prague to his death in post–WWI Vienna, offering a fresh perspective on the life of the man behind the literary giant.
At 7:30 pm, “The Trail,” from Brazil, is set in a not-so-distant dystopian future where the government sends seniors to isolated colonies under the guise of boosting the economy. However, 77-year-old Tereza decides her story is far from over. Refusing to surrender her independence, she embarks on a journey to pursue the dreams she is not yet ready to give up. Along the way, Tereza discovers freedom, companionship, and the joys of going wherever the river takes her. Paradise comments, “It’s a very passionate film that says you can still have dreams and friendships, and not just be forgotten, because you’re old.”
On Thursday, Sept. 10, “Calle Malaga” screens at 7:30 pm. The film follows an aging Spanish woman in Tangier who resists her daughter’s plan to sell her home. Determined to stay, she does everything she can to keep her home and reclaim the belongings of a lifetime. Along the way, she rediscovers love and desire.
“Complaint No. 713317,” on Friday, Sept. 11 at 1 pm, centers on the relationship between Magdy and Sama, a retired couple in their 60s who live quietly in their Cairo apartment. Their calm routine is disrupted when their fridge breaks down. What should be a simple repair spirals into a bizarre, monthslong battle with a shady maintenance company. As the fridge remains unfixed, so does everything else, pushing them to confront not only the cracks in the system but also in their own sense of purpose. Paradise says the film meets the criteria he seeks for the festival: “It’s character-driven, shows ordinary life, and the culture of the place.”
“Hanging by a Wire” screens at 4 pm. “The film is shot like a documentary, but presented as a dramatic thriller,” says Paradise. “‘Hanging by a Wire’ transports viewers to rural Battagram, in northern Pakistan, to witness a harrowing scene unfold that quickly becomes international news. With the clock ticking and pressure mounting, regional authorities, army commandos, and courageous local community members undertake dramatic risks to save cable car passengers.
At 7:30 pm is the International Short Film Juried Competition. Paradise explains, “From more than 250 entries, our festival selection committee has chosen nine finalists. We will screen each short film, and our jury will select the ‘Best Overall’ at the conclusion of the program. Several of the filmmakers will be in attendance.”
“Life Is Life” plays on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 1 pm. The drama-comedy box-office hit is a classic David versus Goliath tale. A major Milan-based real estate developer wants to build a luxury resort in the fictional town of Beleza Manna on the island of Sardinia. There is one problem: Blocking the development is a shepherd who owns a house and a prime piece of property with beach access.
At 4 pm is “My Father’s Shadow,” a poetic, tender portrait of father-son bonds. Two young brothers explore Lagos with their estranged father during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis, witnessing both the city’s magnitude and their father’s daily struggles as they navigate a city on the precipice of democratic collapse.
The Japanese science fiction drama “Sheep in the Box” screens Sept. 12 at 7:30 pm. In the near future, Otone and Kensuke, a grieving couple who lost their son, welcome a humanoid replica of him into their family. Meanwhile, the new robotic son begins secretly connecting with nearby humanoids. Paradise comments, “The film raises questions about the limits of AI and robots, and whether they could become nearly human in their thoughts, learning, decision-making, and development.”
The period drama “Colors of Time” screens on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 12 pm. A group of strangers, all descendants of a woman named Adèle Meunier, are gathered in Normandy. The town would like to purchase her long-abandoned property, and four cousins are tasked with overseeing the transaction. Thus begins a genealogical journey into the past, taking us to Paris in 1895, with the City of Light on the brink of an industrial and cultural revolution.
“Unidentified” is up next at 2:30 pm. When no one claims the lifeless body of a teenage girl in the desert, Noelle Al Saffan, a newly divorced true-crime aficionado who recently lost a child of her own, gets obsessively involved. Paradise says, “It’s a murder mystery where the female protagonist is working in parallel with the police, who aren’t interested in the death of a young woman. It’s fascinating because it’s set in Saudi Arabia, with imagery of the desert and sand, and provides a sense of a Muslim country.”
“The Siege of Paradise” is the final film at 4:30 pm, followed immediately by the closing-night party at the Wave. In Cinque Terre on Italy’s northern Riviera, fewer than 3,000 locals endure more than 4 million tourists each summer. Across one chaotic season, six very different lives unfold in parallel, revealing a sharply funny and surprisingly tender story of paradise under pressure in the age of social media-driven tourism. Paradise notes, “You think Martha’s Vineyard has an issue with visitors coming in the summer — this is four or five times as many. So it’s a very interesting film about how the people deal with it.”
Paradise shares his ultimate desire for the festival: “I hope people are stimulated by the topics, fall in love with the stories and characters, and come away with a smile on their face.”
For tickets and more information, visit mvfilmsociety.com.
