Our Vision

Our Vision

There was a time long ago when we would gather around the fire and listen to the elders tell how it all came to be. Nowadays we sit in a dark room while the magic lantern plays images before our eyes. Surely the power of those moving pictures is as great as the stories of the elders. Having felt that power, we know how film can shed light on the past, show us the present and shape our future.

Here in Mendocino, on the coast of Northern California, we look out upon the unbounded Pacific and live on the edge of possibility. The Mendocino Film Festival also surveys Big River, the quiet redwoods, the ravens and the seagulls circling. Looking out upon such a vast space inspires a looking in and where the two meet, creative waters flow.

The purpose of this festival is to present films that stimulate the creative connection between our inner being and the outer world, films that bring us closer to one another, films that remind us who we are. We seek strong stories and strong characters that move us to laugh, to cry, to pause and wonder about the human experience. We seek work that engages and empowers as it entertains, that ventures into realms beyond worn out conventions.

Mendocino has been inspiration and location for over sixty feature films. It is home to a lively mix of artists, farmers, and activists; students, teachers, and fishermen. We have our disagreements but we weather the storms together. In 2006, our inaugural year, we welcomed over 50
filmmakers from all over the world and invited them into our homes, inns and hotels. Our community and the audience it attracts bring a colorful palette of sensibilities to the dialogue. Come join our conversation.


The Mendocino Film Festival is operated by a volunteer Board of Directors and is a non-profit 501 C 3 corporation.

Federal ID (EIN) #20-2922185