There are certain signs that Fall has arrived in the Bay Area. October brings cooler temperatures (not this year), Baseball Play Offs and the beginning of the Mill Valley Film Festival. MVFF is always the first U.S. festival to showcase the films that everyone will be seeing during Award Season. MVFF is always my favorite. The festival always chooses great films. They also are known for their celebrity tributes and Q&A’s which helps the audience to experience a major film festival intimate setting.
MVFF49 opened with a reception and red carpet. The festival has been using the Outdoor Art Club in Mill Valley would be best captured as intimate, elegant, and distinctly Northern Californian a blend of independent-film glamour and the relaxed, artistic spirit of Marin County.
Rather than the overwhelming spectacle of a major Hollywood premiere, the setting lends itself to a more personal kind of film festival experience, filmmakers, actors, festival guests, and film enthusiasts coming together in a historic, garden-like setting. The red carpet was help in the back with red wood trees in the area. Filmmakers always comment what a nice setting it was for a carpet. The relaxed atmosphere seems to make the actors and filmmakers feel at ease. I have personally seen that when some of the actors act differently from when I photographed them in Southern California.
The 2026 festival kicked off on October 1 and ran till October 11. The festival featured The 49th Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF49) in 2026 screened 177 films in total! The list included 97 feature films, 80 short films represented by 45 countries.
Wild Horse Nine – Red Carpet
The festival kicked off with Wild Horse Nine, the film is a dark comedy and political thriller written and directed by Martin McDonagh. The cast includes Sam Rockwell, John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi, and Parker Posey, with musician and actor Tom Waits. Due to the 101 flooding McDonagh, Rockwell and Posey were delayed. I was so glad I had tickets to the film the next night because the guests arrived at the carpet as the movie was already playing. Everyone looked great on the carpet they seemed like a very close cast. The film which is very good opens in theaters on November 6, 2026.
All photos © Jonathan Scott Shensa Photography
Tribute to Sam Rockwell
The highlight of day 2 brought back some familiar faces. The tribute to Sam Rockwell was one of the standout events of the festival,held on Friday, October 2, 2026, at the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael. It was both a celebration of his acclaimed career and a homecoming for the Bay Area native.
The tribute featured clips from Rockwell’s career followed by an in-depth conversation with moderator Randy Myers. It celebrated his versatility, from independent films to major Hollywood productions.
One of the evening’s special moments was Rockwell receiving the Mill Valley Film Festival Award from filmmaker Martin McDonagh and longtime collaborator Parker Posey. Their involvement highlighted the creative partnerships that have shaped his career.
Eariler in the day to celebrate Rockwell’s career I attended s screening of the Martin McDonagh film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri that earned Rockwell the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. It was a natural career highlight, show of his most celebrated performances
All photos © Jonathan Scott Shensa Photography Photos taken with google pixel 8
“Elsinore” Screening And Spotlight On Andrew Scott
“Elsinore” tells the story of Scottish actor Ian Charleson and his final months. Andrew Scott’s acclaimed performance, his emotional portrayal of a real-life actor confronting mortality,and the special recognition he received from the festival. The film also stars Olivia Colman, Billie Piper, Joe Locke, Johnny Flynn and Luke Thompson. The film which has a strong chance of being an award winner, the film won the audience award at MVFF49.
All photos © Jonathan Scott Shensa Photography
“Paper Tiger” Screening
On October 5, 2026 the festival Spotlight screening of “Papper Tiger”, featuring director James Gray in conversation with filmmaker Rian Johnson. Gray also received the festival’s Maverick Director Award for his filmmaking career.
The director discussed the film in an onstage conversation moderated by Rian Johnson after the October 5 screening at the Smith Rafael Film Center. The film cast included Adam Driver, Miles Teller and Scarlett Johansson lead this crime thriller set in 1986New York. I really enjoyed the film. Great acting and directing. The film will be released in U.S. theaters on November 13, 2026, in a limited release. The nationwide is scheduled for November 20, 2026.
All photos © Jonathan Scott Shensa Photography
Josephine Red Carpet
Eight-year-old Josephine (Mason Reeves 1o-year old), gives an Oscar performance. She is running through San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park with her father when she witnesses a brutal sexual assault. The horrifying experience shatters her sense of safety and changes how she sees the world.
As Josephine struggles with fear, anger, and disturbing behavioral changes, her parents grapple with how to help her recover. They must also confront their own fears, disagreements about parenting, and the difficult question of how to pursue justice while protecting their daughter.
U.S. theatrical release: November 20, 2026, in limited release, with a wider rollout planned for December4.
All photos © Jonathan Scott Shensa Photography
“I Play Rocky” Centerpiece Red Carpet
The festival chose I Play Rocky as its Centerpiece film, screening Wednesday,October 7, 2026, at 7 p.m. The biographical drama is directed by Peter Farrelly and stars Anthony Ippolitoas Sylvester Stallone
The film explores how Stallone fought to get Rocky made while insisting on playing the title character himself.Anthony Ippolito’s breakout performance. Ippolito portrays Stallone during the early, struggling years of his career, before Rocky made him a household name.The inspiration behind Rocky. Stallone is inspired by the 1975 heavyweight boxing match between Muhammad Ali and underdog challenger Chuck Wepner.
This film was my favorite feature film I saw at the festival. Wonderful acting with great directing. The film plays AFI FEST on Saturday, October 24, 2026 and opens in theaters on Friday, November 6, 2026, in select theaters, with a wider release later in November.
All photos © Jonathan Scott Shensa Photography
Tribute to Linda Perry
The Mill Valley Film Festival celebrated her remarkable journey from lead singer of 4 Non Blondes to one of the most influential songwriters and music producers in popular music.
The tribute featured clips highlighting Perry’s work as a singer, songwriter, record producer and film composer. The festival also celebrated her more personal, reflective work, including the documentary Linda Perry: Let It Die Here and her 2026 solo album of the same name.
Perry closed the evening with the Bay Area Music Project Youth Chorus, making music a fitting finale to the celebration.
All photos © Jonathan Scott Shensa Photography
“Everything Digs Bill Evans” Red Carpet
“Everything Digs Bill Evans” had it’s North American premiere and an intimate portrait of the legendary jazz pianist. actor Bill Pullman and executive producers Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa in attendance.
Directed by Grant Gee, the film opens around Evans’s celebrated 1961 Village Vanguard performances and explores his grief following the death of bassist Scott LaFaro. Rather than a conventional musical biopic, it focuses on the pianist’s emotional withdrawal and family relationships.
All photos © Jonathan Scott Shensa Photography
49th Mill Valley Film Festival – Closing Night Premiere Of “The Debut”
The festival closed on Sunday, October 11, 2026, with the West Coast premiere of “The Debut”a comedy and musical written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg. The screening was one of the festival’s headline events, with Eisenberg in attendance. Julianne Moore who also sings in the film. The film comes out in U.S. theaters on December 11, 2026
All photos © Jonathan Scott Shensa Photography
The 2026 film festival had over 40,000 attendees. Next up, the festival will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2027!
If you don’t want to miss year-round screenings with the California Film Institute, the Institute offers screenings and special guests throughout the year.
For more information and to become a member of the California Film Institute, visit http://www.cafilm.org/.
