FESTIVAL VENUES
ACCESSIBILITY
At MVFF, we’re dedicated to using venues that are accessible to all our attendees and invited guests.
Do you have any accessibility requests for a screening or event? You can let us know through our Access Request Form or email [email protected] directly.
There may be limitations, including events that don’t have closed captioning or audio description available, but we’ll do our best to accommodate your requests.
BOX OFFICES + SUPPORT
PRE-FESTIVAL
SMITH RAFAEL FILM CENTER – MARK FISHKIN ROOM
SEPT. 10 – 30
Tu – Sa • 2:00 – 7:00pm
SEQUOIA CINEMA – LOBBY
SEPT. 10 – 19
Tu – Sa • 3:30 – 7:30pm
DURING THE FESTIVAL
OCT. 1 – 11
Box Offices open at each venue one hour before the venue’s first screening and close 15 minutes after the start of the final screening of the day.
REMOTE SUPPORT
SEPT. 9 – 30: M – F • 10am – 7pm | Sa + Su • 12 – 5pm
OCT. 1 – 11: Daily • 10am – 7pm
Email: [email protected]
Chat: Click Help in the corner of this page
Phone: 415.818.8757
TICKET ON-SALE DATES
Tickets will be available at noon on the following days to the designated groups:
SEPT. 11 • CINEMA BENEFACTOR, PREMIER PATRON, SPONSOR + ABOVE
SEPT. 13 • DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE + ABOVE
SEPT. 15 • ALL CAFILM MEMBERS
SEPT. 17 • GENERAL PUBLIC
FESTIVAL LOUNGES
Lounges are only available for those with a badge, ticket, or day pass with an |L| designation.
Outdoor Art Club
Sunroom + Deck
1 W Blithedale Avenue • Mill Valley
Smith Rafael Film Center
Mark Fishkin Room
1112 Fourth Street • San Rafael
Lounges are open Oct 2 – 10 from 12:00 – 8:00pm
(Happy Hour 4:00 – 6:00pm)
BADGE PICK-UP
If you have a Festival Badge waiting for you, we encourage you to pick it up before the festival starts. All badges will be available to pick up at the following locations and times:
PRE-FESTIVAL
SMITH RAFAEL FILM CENTER – MARK FISHKIN ROOM
SEPT. 27 – 30
12:00 – 7:00pm
DURING THE FESTIVAL
Badges are available in our Festival Caravans. These are located outside the Outdoor Art Club across the street from the Sequoia Cinema in Mill Valley and outside of the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael.
Festival Caravans will open one hour before the venue’s first screening and close 15 minutes after the start of the final screening of the day.
TICKETS
Standard • $20 | CAFILM Members • $16
Students (with ID) + Seniors • $18
Youth (12 & under) + Shorts Programs • $12
PLEASE NOTE: Ticket prices vary for Opening + Closing Night Screenings, Tributes, Spotlights, Centerpieces, Summits, Special Screenings and Events. Please check individual screening and event pages for pricing details.
AVAILABILITY + STANDBY
If a screening shows as “Standby,” it means tickets are unavailable—for now. We always work to release more tickets closer to the festival and once it all kicks off, we’ll do a daily ticket drop at noon throughout the festival. Check out mvff.com/current/ to quickly check for events with current availability.
Still no luck getting a ticket to that awesome sold-out event? We release Standby Tickets to all sold-out screenings 15 minutes before showtime on a first-come, first-served basis. They’re only available in person at the venue and can’t be purchased online or with vouchers. Get in the Standby Line early for your chance to grab last-minute tickets!
REFUND POLICY
All ticket sales are final. We’re unable to provide refunds, exchanges, substitutions, or reprints. MVFF is not responsible for lost, stolen, forgotten, or damaged tickets. Please contact [email protected] if you believe you have extraordinary circumstances and would like to request a refund.
GROUP SALES
MVFF offers discounted group rates for schools, corporations, nonprofits, film clubs, and community organizations with groups of 10 or more.
Groups must arrange their purchase at least 10 days before the desired screening and pay in full at booking. Group tickets are nonrefundable, reserved for specific screenings, and distributed electronically.
Please contact our Community Engagement Manager at [email protected] or [email protected] for more information and to book.
Pricing:
- Regular Groups • $16 per ticket
- Student/Youth + Senior Groups • $10 per ticket
Group Booking Policies:
- Groups must book at least 10 days before their desired screening.
- Full payment is required at the time of booking.
- Tickets are non-refundable, reserved for specific screenings, and distributed electronically.
- Accessibility accommodations should be requested when booking.
- Availability is limited and subject to Festival Terms & Conditions.
ATTENDING A SCREENING
Please arrive early and get in line at least 30 minutes before the start of your scheduled screening (when theater doors open). Lines open one hour before the film’s scheduled start time.
We’re unable to allow saving seats, so make sure everyone in your party arrives together.
All events, except those at BAMPFA, have lines that follow a priority seating order:
LINE ◆ A – DONOR CIRCLE • Investor, Leadership, Platinum, Silver, Bronze, Press, Publicist, or Studio badge required
LINE ● B – MEMBERS+ • Members with a B badge (Director’s Circle and above), Filmmaker, Guest, Select, Industry, Staff, or Sponsor badge require
LINE ■ C – GENERAL • All other members + General Admission (no badge required)
STANDBY • Right before showtime, we’ll sell tickets to the Standby Line to fill all available seats.
BAMPFA • General Admission only and no Standby Tickets available
The backs of all MVFF49 badges provide details on access and benefits for that badge type. A valid ticket is required to join all lines unless your badge has a QR code that allows for Ticketless Admission.
GUIDELINES + RULES
Outside food and beverages aren’t allowed in any of our venues—but we do sell concessions! BAMPFA has a zero food and beverage policy.
Please turn off phones and all other electronic or noise-making devices while attending screenings and events. The use of cameras and recording devices is strictly prohibited during all screenings and events and may result in removal from the venue.
Oversized bags, with the exception of medical equipment and childcare bags, are not allowed inside any of our venues. Bags 12″ x 12″ x 6″ and smaller are permitted.
Please DO NOT sit in a reserved seat unless it has been pre-arranged for you. Reserved seats are limited to specific donor levels (usually by name or badge type) or for other circumstances, including accessibility requests.
For venue safety, all aisles must be clear unless actively walking to or from your seat. Standing in the back of theater spaces, next to reserved seats that may be released, or sitting in aisleways or stairs is prohibited.
FESTIVAL HUB at the OAC
Nestled in the landmark Bernard Maybeck-designed clubhouse built in 1904, the Outdoor Art Club is MVFF’s home base during the festival. This warm, historic gathering spot is open to everyone, with or without a badge. Stop by to pick up a famed Mill Valley Market sandwich—or even a happy hour drink on the patio—and swap notes with your fellow film lovers between screenings!
Audience Services
Outdoor Art Club – Library
Daily 12–7pm
Open to all
Questions about the festival? Need help with your tickets? Stop by the OAC’s library for support throughout the festival.
Mill Valley Market Lunch Cart
Outdoor Art Club – Patio
Daily 12–3pm from Oct 2
Open to all
Want to grab a bite before your afternoon screening so you don’t end up eating a large popcorn for lunch again? (No judgment!) This year, MVFF will be welcoming Mill Valley Market to the front patio of the OAC! Open to all, there will be sandwiches and drinks available for purchase.
The Patio Bar
Outdoor Art Club – Patio
Daily 4–6pm (Oct 2–10)
Open to all
The OAC will also host a daily happy hour so you can chat with all your fellow film lovers about what you’ve seen! Open daily on the front patio of the OAC, all are welcome, with drinks available for purchase.
Festival Lounge
Outdoor Art Club – Sunroom + Deck
Daily 12–8pm
Badgeholders with Lounge access only
Does your badge give you access to our festival lounges? Stop by this oasis in the heart of Mill Valley for complimentary refreshments throughout the festival. Don’t have a badge? Consider some of our other lunch and drinks options also happening at our Festival Hub at the Outdoor Art Club!
Festival Donor Support
Outdoor Art Club – Library
Daily 12–7pm
Bronze Members and above
Donor Circle member? Drop by the library at the OAC for dedicated support throughout the festival. You can stop in to chat with a Donor Support team member and then grab a drink in our Festival Lounge!
AUDIENCE AWARD VOTING
Make your voice heard! After each screening, you can rate films from 1 to 5 stars directly from your phone’s e-wallet or in your Agile Ticketing account. These awards can have a huge impact for filmmakers and their work, so every vote counts in celebrating the films you love!
Can’t find your ballot? Head to mvff.com/vote/, log in, and rate all the eligible films you’ve seen so far.
CONSENT TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED / FILMED
California Film Institute (CAFILM) and its authorized representatives may photograph, film, and/or otherwise record attendees at any festival event. By attending, you consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and to the unrestricted right to use such recordings—including your image, voice, and name—in any and all media, now known or hereafter devised, throughout the universe, in perpetuity, without compensation. Such use may include, but is not limited to, promotional, advertising, or other purposes deemed appropriate by CAFILM and its affiliates.
CAFILM MEMBERSHIP
