The annual MV International Film Festival kicked off last evening under blue skies atop the Mansion House Inn with more than 200 participants enjoying the acoustic sounds of Phil DaRosa and fabulous food provided by Zephrus Restaurant and Net Result.  The spirits of the opening night reception were heighten by serving of Charles de Fere champagne (provided by Bossiet America), Stella Artois, and sparkling water provided by San Pellegrino.   And then movie-goers were treated to the sights and sounds of modern day Saigon with the screening of Stephane Gauger's film THE OWL AND THE SPARROW at the historic Capawock Theatre on Main Street.

With over 30 separate programs and events over the next three days/nights, The MV International Film Festival offers you a strong and broad selection of filmmaking that is sure to please any taste, and brings together artists and our Island community in celebration of the moving image.

Festival passes (Full-Access and One-day) and individual film tickets are on sale at our box office today at 10 a.m. at the Mansion House Inn.  Box Office Hours are 10 am to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.  Credit card, personal check and cash are accepted.

For information about our programs and films, our box office hours and locations, and to purchase tickets and merchandise, visit http://www.mvfilmsociety.com/ or click here to download a PDF Festival Guide.

BEST BETS FOR FRIDAY

2:00 p.m. "INTO THE WILD"

Director/Writer: Sean Penn

Written for the screen and directed by Sean Penn from Jon Krakauer's acclaimed bestseller, the film tells the story of 22 year-old Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch), a fresh college grad with a promising future ahead who walked out of his privileged life and into the wild in search of adventure. What happened to him on the way transformed this young wanderer into an enduring symbol for countless people. Was McCandless a heroic adventurer or a naive idealist, a rebellious 1990's Thoreau or another lost American son, a fearless risk-taker or a tragic figure who wrestled with the precious balance between man and nature? The film also stars Academy Award winners Marcia Gay Harden and William Hurt, Tony and Emmy Award winner Hal Holbrook and Academy Award nominee Catherine Keener.

7:00 p.m. "Direktoren for det hele" (a.k.a. The Boss of It All)

Introduced by MV humorist Marty Nadler

THE BOSS OF IT ALL is set in Denmark, and revolves around Ravn (Peter Gantzler), the unassertive founder of a popular technology company. Ravn has invented a fictional, svengali-like boss ("Svend") of the company, whom he claims is pulling the strings from America. In fact, Svend is a front that the lily-livered Ravn uses whenever he has to make an unpopular decision. But when Ravn decides to sell the company, he has to corral an unemployed actor, Kristoffer (Jens Albinus), into playing Svend, thus introducing him to a group of co-workers who all have wildly different expectations of what this shadowy figure will be like.

7:00 p.m. Crossing the Bridge

Introduced by singer/songwriter Kate Taylor

Infused with cultural and political concerns, this film weaves together a rich tapestry of musical styles that celebrate the diversity that makes up contemporary Turkish life. A European musician and composer sets out to capture the musical diversity of Istanbul. A lover of experimenting with sound, Alexander Hacke (of the German avant-garde band Einsturzende Neubauten) roams the streets of Istanbul with his mobile recording studio and "magic mike" to assemble an inspired portrait of Turkish music. His voyage leads to the discovery of a broad spectrum ranging from modern electronic, rock and hip-hop to classical "Arabesque".

4:00 p.m. Vitus - An Excellent Film for Families!

Director Fredi M. Murer

Genius weighs heavily on a child prodigy, whose dream is to be like other boys, in this charming Swiss import.

Born of the makers own childhood fantasy to be a genius, "Vitus" is a gifted 12-year-old pianist who pushes against the ambitions of his over protective parents to find solace and refuge in the home of his eccentric grandfather, played by Bruno Ganz.

The film is also a vehicle for the brilliantly talented star and true - life child prodigy Teo Gheorghiu. Filmmaker Fredi M.Mure's portfolio extends back to the late 1960's making him one of Switzerland's most renowned directors.

"Vitus" was Switzerland's official 2006 Academy Awards entry for Best Foreign Language Film.

9:00 p.m. 12:08 East of Bucharest

Director: Corneliu Porumboiu

The 12:08 in the title refers to the time that the announcement of Ceausescu's deposition was made on Romanian national television on 22 December 1989, and hence the moment that revolution freed Romania from dictatorship and communist rule. Sixteen years later, in an unnamed small town 'somewhere east of Bucharest', Jderescu, a producer at the impoverished local television channel, is desperately looking for a program idea to commemorate the event.

The guests he recruits recount on air their memories of that day when they stormed the town hall, calling "down with Ceausescu", only to be countered by phone-in viewers, who claim they may In fact have been boozing in a bar rather than rebelling in the streets.

What follows, in this Cannes Camera d'Or-winning gem, is an absurdly comic farce in the best Eastern European tradition.

9:00 p.m. -midnight - Che's Lounge, Main Street, Vineyard Haven

Duck into our Parisian hideaway to the sounds of Balkin & Buddha Bar Beats by DJ Di

Sweet bites and killer coffee by Scottish Bake House, Wine bar & Zentini cocktails provided by Boisset America. Stella Artois Beer and Waters by San Pellegrino provided.