Mill Valley Film Festival Moves Opening Night Party to Corte Madera

By Jim Welte

One year after celebrating its 35th anniversary year with a star-studded bash in downtown Mill Valley, organizers of the 36th Mill Valley Film Festival are holding their opening night party at the Town Center Corte Madera.

This year's opening night event, set for Oct. 3 after the pair of opening night screenings, will feature food from a host of Town Center eateries, including Il Fornaio, Teacake and the Counter, as well as Mill Valley spots likeCantina and Balboa Cafe and San Rafael's Big Jim's BBQ, among others, under a big tent at the Town Center.

This year is the first time MVFF has held its opening night party at Town Center Corte Madera since 1986, one year after the mall, built in 1958, underwent a massive renovation.

Jim Jarmusch and Roberto Benigni appeared at the MVFF opening party in 1986 in conjunction with the debut of their film, Down by Law.

Festival organizers will announce the lineup of films and star appearances on Sept. 10. They unveiled one of the traditional tribute events last week, noting that they'll be honoring Academy Award-winning French filmmaker Costa-Gavras with a special tribute.  

That event, set for Oct. 4, will feature clips from the filmmaker's past work as well as the Bay Area premiere of his latest film,Capital, a "breakneck thriller" in which he "explores a world of economic turmoil in which a young CEO of an investment bank, set up to be a patsy figurehead, finds his survival instincts while navigating through treacherous international waters buffeted by money, power, sex and vengeance."

Stay tuned for more coverage of MVFF36...