Mill Valley Film Festival Announces Opening Night and Tribute to Sam Rockwell

The 49th Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF49) has announced its opening night film and a tribute to actor Sam Rockwell.

The festival will open with Martin McDonagh's *Wild Horse Nine*, a tense drama set in the run-up to Chile's 1973 coup. The film follows two CIA operatives, played by John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell, who are sent to Easter Island by their bureau chief, played by Steve Buscemi. As the mission unfolds, one agent's bond with two young activists sends the mission sideways.

Mark Fishkin, Founder and Executive Director of the Mill Valley Film Festival, said that opening night is always a moment when the festival comes alive. He believes that bringing *Wild Horse Nine* to the audience first, with a filmmaker as bold as Martin McDonagh and a cast featuring a fearless performance by Sam Rockwell, is exactly the kind of moment Mill Valley exists to create.

On Friday, October 2, MVFF49 will pay tribute to Sam Rockwell, timed to his performance in *Wild Horse Nine* and recognizing a career built on some of the boldest character work in American film.

Sam Rockwell has established himself as one of the most versatile actors of his generation. He has won numerous awards for his performances in films such as *Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri* and *Vice*. He has also received recognition for his television work in *Fosse/Verdon* and *The White Lotus*.

The festival will also feature a New Directors Section, which spotlights bold, distinctive first and second features from emerging American and international filmmakers. The section will include a selection of films from around the world, including *ÁRRU*, *BEDFORD PARK*, *BRIAN*, and *CLARISSA*.

The full lineup for the festival will be announced in early September.

## New Directors Section

The New Directors Section will feature a selection of films from emerging American and international filmmakers. The section will include films such as *ÁRRU*, *BEDFORD PARK*, *BRIAN*, and *CLARISSA*.

| Title | Director | Country | Year | Runtime | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | ÁRRU | Elle Sofe Sara | Norway, Sweden, Finland | 2026 | 94 min | | BEDFORD PARK | Stephanie Ahn | US | 2026 | 121 min | | BRIAN | Will Ropp | US | 2025 | 94 min | | CLARISSA | Arie Esiri, Chuko Esiri | US, Nigeria | 2026 | 125 min | | ELEPHANTS IN THE FOG | Abinash Bikram Shah | Nepal, Germany, Brazil, France, Norway | 2026 | 108 min | | EXTRA GEOGRAPHY | Molly Manners | UK | 2026 | 94 min | | HOLD ONTO ME | Κράτα Με | Myrsini Aristidou | Denmark, Greece, Cyprus | 2026 | 102 min | | LA GRADIVA | Marine Atlan | France, Italy | 2026 | 145 min | | LADY | Olive Nwosu | UK, Nigeria | 2026 | 93 min | | THE MELTDOWN | Manuela Martelli | Chile, Spain, Mexico, US | 2026 | 108 min | | MOUSE | Kelly O’Sullivan, Alex Thompson | US | 2026 | 120 min | | A PRAYER FOR THE DYING | Dara Van Dusen | Norway, Greece, UK, Sweden | 2026 | 95 min | | SAD GIRLZ | Fernanda Tovar | Mexico, Spain, France | 2026 | 99 min | | TAKE ME HOME | Liz Sargent | US | 2026 | 99 min | | WICKER | Eleanor Wilson, Alex Huston Fischer | US | 2026 | 105 min |