Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival Begins Tonight

The Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival (MVIFF) may be going into its seventh year, but this year is a real first for the festival. This year, MVIFF will screen a large portion of its movies in the brand new . The building, conceptualized and brought into being by Richard Paradise and the – the same folks who bring you the MVIFF, was a mere thought just last year.  In fact, as of February, Paradise was still fundraising, but tonight, the hard work comes to fruition as the MVIFF opens with the 2012 winner of the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival “Searching for Sugar Man” in what Paradise called, “a legitimate film center.”

Attendees of the four-day festival can expect to see films from all across the globe. There will be shorts, animation, locally made films, parties and events. There will also be a number Q&A sessions with directors, filmmakers and film subjects.

Tonight’s opening night reception will take place on the lagoon adjacent to in the Tisbury Marketplace. There will be live music provided by Jonathan Auerbach and Carole Charlin. Searching For Sugar Man begins at 8 pm.

The festival continues through Sunday, September 9th with films running throughout the day at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center and other locations around Vineyard Haven. In addition to the films, there will be the fifth annual Reel Food MV at Saltwater Restaurant on Friday night with festival filmmakers and notables at the restaurant for a local MV raw bar and a three-course dinner with dessert prepared by chef Joe DaSilva.

There will also be a number of collaborations with local businesses and organizations including a screening of “Nothing Like Chocolate,” with and “Girl Model” with .

Finally on Sunday, the Think Globally Shoot Locally event celebrates established and budding Vineyard media artists and includes a program of new, exciting works by local artists.

For a complete list of films, events at the Martha's Vineyard International Film Festival and to purchase tickets, visit the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival website