Archive of the Society of the Films We Have Enjoyed.
Mountain Shadow’s September show was our 12th Annual Short Film Competition, featuring 8 volunteer jury selected animated, live-action/narrative and documentary short films (out of 474 submissions this year). Finalists came from far and wide, engaging our audiences with post-screening Q&A. Click on the image above to read more about it.
Read MoreMountain Shadow launches a pledge campaign to create our first-ever short film documentary, right here in Walnut Creek. Click on the image above to read all about it!
Read MoreMountain Shadow’s selection for August, 2026, was a pre-theatrical release from France; in which a quadruple amputee and his newfound love find the strength and courage for him to swim the English channel. It is a true story, and our audience rated it highly. To read more about “into the Blue,” click on the image agove.
Read Morecelebrates the country’s remarkably diverse culture and cuisine. A celebration of Peru’s culinary heritage, Mistura explores the origins of Peru’s modern culinary identity through a story of social transformation and cultural discovery. “Mistura” was Mountain Shadow’s selection for July. Click on the image above to read a brief film review and more info!
Read MoreWith humor, heart, and universal resonance, ”Hello Betty” recounts the true story of Emmi Creola, the visionary advertising pioneer who created the Swiss culinary icon Betty Bossi in 1956. It was Mountain Shadow’s audience-pleasing pick for June 2026. Click on the image above to read a brief review!
Read MoreIn Mountain Shadow’s film selection for May, Meg Ray is the owner of the beloved Bay Area Miette pastry empire in the San Franciso Bay Area. But in this charming documentary there’s a tiny café on a remote island in the Baltic Sea where Meg and a small team of islanders can strive to preserve it. Meg rediscovers lost joy, community and the powerful alchemy of sourdough in this multi-award winning feature documentary.. Click on the image above to read an interview with the filmmakers.
Read More“Life is Life” - (La Vita va Cosi) is a drama/comedy film from Italy ,which Mountain Shadow selected for our show in April, 2026. It had not yet been theatrically released elsewhere in the U.S. You can read more about the film by clicking on the picture above.
Read MoreAn annual Mountain Shadow tradition — in advance of the Academy Awards each year —Mountain Shadow presented a variety of short film Oscar nominees from the three categories; documentary, live-action and animation. You can view the six selections; as well as the nine other nominees that were not shown HERE. Our audiences completed paper ballots of their favorites, which can be seen HERE. In addition, those who completed our online survey, HERE, with comments HERE.
Mountain Shadow’s feature film for February was the docu-drama that went on to be chosen as an Oscar nominee for the Academy Awards March 15th. Click on the image above to read a brief Mountain Shadow commentary of the film.
Read MoreMountain Shadow Film Society’s selection to kick off our 13th Season in January 2026 was “THE TALE OF SILYAN.” It’s a poignant and visually arresting docu-drama, set in the heart of rural Macedonia. To read a brief review and commentary of the film, click on the image above.
Read MoreOur December film that concluded our 12 Season in 2025 was the pre-theatrical release from italy, ‘Trifole.” Click on the image above to read the filmmaker’s statement.
Read MoreMountain Shadow’s November selection in 2025 was “Calle Malaga.” The film was voted as “Audience Favorite” in the World Cinema category at the Mill Valley Film Festival in October, 2025. You can read a brief Mountain Shadow commentary and the Director’s Statement by clicking on the image above.
Read MoreOur October, 2025 film selection: Checkpoint Zoo documents a daring rescue led by a heroic team of zookeepers and volunteers who risked their lives to save thousands of animals trapped in a zoo behind enemy lines during the initial Russian invasion of Ukraine. Click on the image above to read more about this moving film.
Read MoreOn Sept. 20th Mountain Shadow held its 11th Annual Short Film Competition before a record audience of over 425 attendees! Our 16-member volunteer jury selected our ten Finalists from 477 submissions this year for this one-day event; presenting their animated, live-action and documentary short films. Click on the image above for more details.
Read MoreEmmanuel Courcol’s film, “The Marching Band” was Mountain Shadow’s selection for August, 2023. This pre-theatrical release is described as a French drama/comedy. It could also be described as a “mellow-drama.” Click on the image above to read a brief review.
Read More“The Last Class” was Mountain Shadow’s July selection; that included a ‘live’ Q&A with the film’s producer. The documentary is a nuanced and deeply personal portrait of master educator Robert Reich teaching his final course and reflecting on a period of immense transformation, personally and globally. To read a Mountain Shadow film review, click on the image above.
Read More“The Time It Takes” was Moutain Shadow’s selection for June, 2025. A pre-theatrical release from Italy, the filmmaker tells a touching personal story about a father and his daughter, with a collage of memories; from childhood through a final life chapter. To read a brief Mountain Shadow review, click on the image above.
Read MoreMountain Shadow’s film selection for May, 2025: Based on Bill Bennett’s best selling Camino memoir, “The Way, My Way” is the charming and captivating true story of an Australian who decides to walk the 800 kilometre-long Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route through Spain. He doesn’t know why he’s doing it, but one step at a time it will change him and his outlook on life forever. To read a brief Mountain Shadow commentary and review of the film click on the image above.
Read MoreOur April’2025 film was a pre-theatrical release comedy/drama from Italy. A grade-school teacher from Rome moves to a remote village in the Abruzzo National Park and discover a different world that faces many of the challenges as the world “out there.” Click on the image above to read a brief Mountain Shadow review.
Read MoreWhen a widow in Paris hears on the radio that an NGO is putting in touch homeless migrant refugees with people who are willing to welcome them -- she decides to welcome Reza who is a young Afghan broken by war and exile. Our March selection was a pre-theatrical release from France. Click on the image above to read a Mountain Shadow review of this film most appropriate for the times in which we find ourselves.
Read MoreEach month will not only bring a top-tier mix of either a foreign or independent feature film otherwise unavailable in our locale, but an award-winning short film, as well. Nowhere else in our area will you find this kind of cinematic experience for $12 per show!
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