We believe that strength lies in community partnerships, and in the adage that ‘what goes around comes around.’

Over the past 25 years, the Martha’s Vineyard Film Society has collaborated with many island non-profits in presenting films together to raise money and awareness for those organizations’ missions. In the past 12 months, it has helped raise over $10,000 for other non-profits by hosting film screenings and events at the MV Film Center.  Below is an alphabetical listing of those we have collaborated with.. 

Auburn Seminary – MVFS hosted the Auburn Seminary Dancing in the Darkness: Spiritual Lessons for Thriving in Turbulent Times event, donating $2,825, from its box office to its foundation.

American Red Cross – MVFS screened the film AXE IN THE ATTIC to raise money for its Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, donating $531 from its box office.

ASPCA MV Chapter – MVFS collaborated on a screening of SHARKWATERS, in protest to shark killing during the OB Monster Shark Fishing Contest.

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History—MV Chapter— MVFS screened the film VETERANS OF COLOR to support its mission to promote, research, preserve, interpret and disseminate information about Black life, history, and culture to the global community.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod & the Islands – MVFS contributed to their Holiday Party for Bigs and Littles on the Island by donating tickets and memberships to the Film Center.

The Bunch of Grapes Bookstore– PARSA – MVFS screened the film OSAMA to raise money for a girls’ school in Kabul, donating $500 from its box office.

Camp Jabberwocky – MVFS has screened private films on multiple occasions for this program’s children with cerebral palsy as part of its summer camps’ entertainment.

Chappaquiddick Community Center – MVFS has contributed Film Festival Passes as a silent auction item for its community center building projects.

Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 11-9 – MVFS screened THE FINEST HOURS in collaboration with the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 11-9, the MV Times, and the MV Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby committee to a sold-out crowd. Speakers at the event included Nelson Sigelman of the MV Times, Captain John Kondratowicz, Commander of Sector Southeastern New England, and Robert Reimer, Officer in Charge at Station Menemsha.

Falmouth Academy – MVFS has contributed Film Festival Passes as a silent auction item for its academic programs.

The FARM Institute – MVFS has organized several outdoor film screenings in the summer at its Katama Farm location to help raise money for its programs.

Featherstone Center for the Arts – MVFS screened the film CHIMPANZEE to members of the center’s “Shoots and Roots” children’s program. The center also collaborated with MVFS by curating the Feldman Family Artspace at the Film Center.

Habitat for Humanity – MVFS screened a film on the home building to support Habitat’s mission.

Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard – MVFS collaborated for a screening of BEING MORTAL. We also hosted a free screening of THE BUCKET LIST.

IMP for Kids – MVFS screened the film TRUST US, THIS IS ALL MADE UP as a fund-raiser for the kids’ trip to Chicago to perform improv at a national convention.

Iraq Paper Scissors – MVFS helped organize a preview screening of this island produced a movie to raise post-production financing.

Island Housing Trust – Held a special screening of MENDING THE LINE in support of Veterans Housing Project (Affordable rental units for MV Veterans) with panel discussion. Raised $1560 for project from box office and other audience donations.

League of Women Voters of MV – Collaborated with the group in hosting Freddie Kay, Esq., Chair of the MA Women’s Suffrage Celebration Committee [WSCC] for a special screening of SUFFRAGETTE.

Martha’s Vineyard Libraries Association — provide a venue and hosted interactive movie events (Polar Express, Harry Potter).

Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School – MVFS has supported the Charter School’s annual Scarecrow Event

Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center – MVFS has contributed All-Access Film Festival Passes to its on-line summer auctions; The Film Center is now the summer home of the Summer Institute’s Jewish Film Series.

Mass Audubon’s Felix Neck– MVFS screened THE MESSENGER, a documentary about Earth’s depleting songbird populations and the people working to turn the tide. Joan Walsh, the Director of Bird Monitoring at Mass Audubon, led the post-film discussion.

Media Voices for Children – Helped with funding and awareness for Len and Georgia Morris’s films and end poverty programs.

MV Agricultural Society – MVFS has screened several films at the Ag Hall as part of the Society’s Spring Barn Potluck; these films have been focused on agricultural issues.

MV Center for Living – MVFS screened the film AWAY FROM HER in a collaborative effort with the MV Center for Living in order to incite a discussion on Alzheimer’s, which was facilitated by organization president, Karen Achille.

MV Clergy Association – MVFS hosted Nomad’s Oasis – featuring the Karam Belly Dance troupe. This event was hosted at the Film Center as a fundraiser for MV Clergy Association’s benefit for Island homeless. In addition to dancing, the event included a silent auction. Altogether, the event raised $4100.

MV Community Services – Hosted a fund-raising event with Judy Belushi and the screening of LIVING ON THE EDGE that raised over $11,000 for Community Services; MVFS collaborated with CONNECT to screen SEARCHING FOR ANGELA SHELTON, a film dealing with domestic and sexual violence against women and its prevention. MVFS has contributed silent auction items, Film Festival passes, and complimentary tickets to MV Community Services for numerous auctions and fundraisers.

MV Cultural Council –  MVFS has worked with the MV Cultural Council to host the MV Cultural Council’s Grant Recipients Receptions several times.

MV goes Pink – MVFS has contributed Film Festival Passes as a silent auction item for raising money for this breast cancer awareness organization.

MV Fish Farm for Haiti Project – MVFS screened the film THE PRICE OF SUGAR to raise funds for the Project’s on-going support of the poor in Haiti and to raise awareness of the plight of Haitian laborers in the Dominican Republic.

MV Museum/Historical Society – MVFS has screened several of Linsey Lee’s Oral History of Martha’s Vineyard short films, has collaborated with the MV Museum in presenting a film series at the Katharine Cornell Theatre that complements the museum’s exhibits, and has also organized special screenings of THIS IS OUR ISLAND and INTO THE DEEP with Ric Burns in support of their mission to preserve and interpret collections that engage and connect the public to the Island’s history, art, and culture.

MV Peace Council – MVFS has collaborated several times with the Peace Council to offer stimulated films and discussions pertaining to achieving peaceful solutions to conflict.  Recently is hosted Dr. Ira Helfand, a member of the International Steering Group of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapon, ICAN, the recipient of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, and Immediate Past President of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, the founding partner of ICAN and itself the recipient of the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize.

MV Preservation Trust – MVFS has contributed Film Festival Passes as a silent auction item for its Taste of the Vineyard event to support its mission.

MV Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby Committee – MVFS screened THE FINEST HOURS in collaboration with the committee, the MV Times, and the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 11-9 to a sold-out crowd. Speakers at the event included Nelson Sigelman of the MV Times, Captain John Kondratowicz, Commander of Sector Southeastern New England, and Robert Reimer, Officer in Charge at Station Menemsha.

MV Times – MVFS screened THE FINEST HOURS in collaboration with the MV Times, the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 11-9, and the MV Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby committee to a sold-out crowd. Speakers at the event included Nelson Sigelman of the MV Times, Captain John Kondratowicz, Commander of Sector Southeastern New England, and Robert Reimer, Officer in Charge at Station Menemsha.

MVRHS/MVPCS – MVFS has opened its doors to a number of screenings for students at various times throughout the academic year. These screenings feature both new and old films and are accompanied by post-screening discussions related to their academic studies. MVFS collaborated with the MV Times and Harbor View Hotel in a free-to-students screening of SPOTLIGHT, which included a talk led by Globe investigative reporter Todd Wallack. In March 2016, MVRHS History Department Chair Elaine Weintraub brought 120 students into the Film Center for a special screening of the film RACE.

MVRHS Film/Video Club – MVFS has sponsored the high school video club, paying a small stipend to Chuck Noonan in order to instruct students on camera operations, editing, and writing of short films.

MVRHS Minnesingers – MVFS has sponsored the Minnesingers organization, benefitting the high school’s long-standing musical tradition, and their seasonal performances.

MVY Radio – Hosted at the film center a fund-raiser screening of THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ICE for their community based radio.

NAACP MV Chapter – MVFS Collaborated with NAACP to screen the film RUSTIN, about the civil rights leader Bayard Rustin. A majority of the box office proceeds, $1050, went to support the chapter’s work on the Vineyard. MVFS Collaborated with NAACP to screen the film BLACKOUT in recognition of Black History Month and to further the awareness of NAACP’s mission.

NOW MV Chapter – MVFS screened the film IRON JAWED ANGELS to raise money, awareness, and promote the goals of the local chapter of NOW.

Oak Bluff’s Public Library – MVFS sponsored a hole in the library’s “Library Mini Golf” program.

Polly Hill Arboretum – MVFS screened the film THE FRUIT HUNTERS to raise awareness of our relationship with the natural world and to support the Polly Hill Arboretum.

Red House Peer Recovery Support Center – MVFS hosted a screening of the film THE WISDOM OF TRAUMA, followed by a panel discussion to raise money for Red House in honor of Recovery Awareness Month. We successfully raised $2640 for Red House from the event.

Rotary Club of MV – MVFS collaborated to support a free afternoon screening of QUEEN OF KATWE to Island Youth.

The Safe Haven Project – MVFS has screened films on several occasions for the Children with AIDS program as part of the Project’s entertainment activities while the children were visiting the island.

Sail MV – Hosted several films at the Film Center in support of Sail MV’s mission to protect and perpetuate our Island’s maritime heritage and culture. MVFS hosted a screening of IN THE HEART OF THE SEA with special guest Matthew Stackpole in order to raise money for Sail MV’s programming. In April 2016, MVFS teamed up with Sail MV to present THE NAVIGATORS with special guest, anthropologist/film-maker Sam Low.

Slow Food – MVFS screened the film GENETIC ROULETTE twice to support their mission to provide food that is good, clean, and fair for all.

Tisbury Business Association – MVFS partnered with the association for their “Tiz the Season” holiday event and offered a free screening of POLAR EXPRESS.

Tisbury Elementary School – MVFS donated $200 towards the 8th Grade Class trip to Washington D.C.. It also has screened TWO SONS OF FRANCISCO, a Brazilian film that shows a side of Brazilian culture that most Vineyard students do not understand. MVFS has also donated gift certificates and movie passes.

Tisbury Volunteer Ambulance Assoc. – MVFS screened a free film three years running as part of the “Last Night, First Day” celebration for Island residents.

Tisbury Waterways – MVFS raised $2419 for Tisbury Waterways at a screening of A PASSION FOR OYSTERS, followed by a panel discussion and Oyster Raw Bar! Sandy Cannon-Brown’s film led to a lively discussion with panelists from our community (see slide) who work to ensure oysters and other shellfish are abundant in our local waters.

Vineyard Baseball – MVFS has screened several movies in the summers at the MVRHS baseball field to help raise over $6000 for purchasing the ballfield’s bleachers.

Vineyard Committee on Hunger – Raised funds at the screening of A PLACE AT THE TABLE.

Vineyard Conservation Society – MVFS screened the film THE ISLAND PRESIDENT in an event sponsored by The Center for Biological Diversity, highlighting the emerging environmental problems facing our world today. MVFS collaborated for the second time with Vineyard Conservation Society in Nature as Inspiration: Martha’s Vineyard Environmental Film Festival, which centered around different aspects of environmental health and protection. MVFS also offered a free-to-members screening of ROOTED IN PEACE on Earth Day and also presented a free community screening of BAG IT, which included a post-screening talk led by VCS’s Samantha Look. VCS also collaborated for a screening of A PLASTIC OCEAN. For our 2017 Environmental Film Festival, VCS provided 35 reusable canvas bags, all of which were decorated by Vineyard youth prior to a screening of THE LORAX.

Vineyard Haven Public Library – Hosted a stage reading of I AND YOU, performed by the Peter Luce Playreaders, as a fundraiser for the library and their mission to build a new community space. $3,280 was raised for this endeavor. In December of 2022, we also collaborated with the library and hosted an interactive screening of THE POLAR EXPRESS.

Vineyard Knitworks – MVFS collaborated to screen YARN to spotlight the artists who are redefining the tradition of knit and crochet.

Vineyard Montessori School – MVFS showed a screening of MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED in order to raise money for the school. During the post-screening discussion, Island educators talked about some leading ideas in education and how to improve students’ experiences in island schools.

Vineyard Nursing Assoc. – MVFS collaborated on a screening of HAPPY-GO-LUCKY to introduce the VNA mission to the film society’s audience.

West Tisbury Library Foundation – Hosted several authors and poets readings during the renovation of the community’s library.

Windemere  MVFS screened YOUNG AT HEART to raise funds for Nursing and Rehab Center, donating $480 from box office.

Women Empowered  MVFS screened a film to raise money for this local island non- profit that helps island women in need.

WYOB FM – Collaborated with WYOB FM in hosting an event that included Jamaican- themed food, music from a local band, and a screening of the cult classic HARDER THEY COME. More than 100 patrons showed up in order to show their support for the high school radio station. On April 1, 2017, MVFS collaborated with WYOB FM again for a special fundraiser, with a screening of the film MARLEY.

The Yard  MVFS has contributed Summer Film Season Passes as a silent auction item for its auction to support its “Artists in the School” Program.

Women In Film New England MVFS has collaborated with Women In Film New England (WIF NE) for our first annual Women in Film Festival in Oct. 2019.  MVFS was able to provide subsidized tickets to our festival for WIF NE members and also invited their President for an open lecture and discussion at our festival.