FILM 28 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 1-7, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com Movie composer Mark Mancina sits by a wall studded with sound equipment. He is filling in notes but at the same time offers his thoughts on the role of music in a movie. “A film’s score enhances all the sensibilities around it,” he says. “Your senses, your ability to cry, your ability to laugh, your ability to feel—the score will take you right back to the feelings you had in the theater.” The three-time Grammy winner’s scores raced hearts in Speed, punched guts in Training Day and swept feet away in Twister. “I can increase your senses through my music,” he adds. “Now, if a score is memorable on top, that’s a home run. Look at Raiders of the Lost Ark and Psycho, where we can barely separate the scores from the films.” The Carmel International Film Festival will celebrate the extraordinary talent of Mancina with a retrospective of his sonic career in filmmaking, followed by a session where he will field audience questions. Running from Oct. 1-4, the festival will screen 45 captivating features, shorts, animations and documentaries. Many of the film presentations are from up-and-coming filmmakers who’ve been piling up awards on the film festival circuit. Others are important box office features. Beyond screenings, the lineup also includes dozens of Q&As and six panels with the filmmakers, giving audiences unprecedented insight into their creations. Having composed scores for more than 60 films and television series— including Clint Eastwood’s latest films, Cry Macho and Juror #2—Mancina’s music has certainly proven memorable. His big break came while working under legendary composer Hans Zimmer on The Lion King, which won Zimmer the Oscar in 1994 for Best Original Score. Mancina arranged and produced the film’s three Oscarnominated songs for Elton John and Tim Rice, with “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” receiving the Oscar for Best Original Song. Over his career, Mancina has composed his own animated and live action scores, as well, including both versions of Moana. He says the challenges vary from one style to the other—often dramatically. “I probably spend three times as long on animation compared to live action,” Mancina says. “When I score an animated film, the most important thing is giving the characters life. I have to convince you that these things are real and that they exist.” The Carmel International Film Festival’s co-directors, Annette Andersen and Lawrence Roeck, met at a film festival. Andersen, who worked for many years for The Simpsons and Futurama creator Matt Groening, attended the San Diego Film Festival in 2015. Roeck—a writer, producer and director—was also there, in his case to screen his western Diablo, which went on to win best feature at the festival. (See more, p. 32.) From there, they became producing business partners. But it took a worldwide pandemic to provide the catalyst needed to restart the Carmel festival. The festival concept dates back to 1929, founded by Mildred Taylor, a journalist and advocate for women’s rights. The films she selected were controversial at the time, including the cutting-edge psychological silent film Life and Death of 9413—A Hollywood Extra. Seventy-nine years later, in 2008, the annual festival began and was an immediate success. Fifteen films shown at the event between 2008 and 2017 went on to earn Academy Award nominations. But a combination of factors led to the curtain falling after a nine-year run. After working together in Hollywood, Roeck resettled in his hometown of Carmel when Covid hit. As he and Andersen searched for ways to connect with others during this isolated time, they found that many lamented the void left after the film fest closed. So they opted to bring it back. At last year’s event, legendary cinematographer Dean Cundey talked about his long career filming the movies Jurassic Park, The Thing, Apollo 13 and dozens more. The momentum continues this year. “We have so many wonderful and amazing films,” Andersen says. “Yo! Love is a Rebellious Bird is absolutely a beautiful story. And My Father and Gaddafi is an exceptional documentary.” The festival highlights the different qualities that make films worthy of attention. The cinematography in Out of the Woods, for example, is remarkable. Beneath the Blue Suburban Skies is a character-driven feature. Something Pointless is from the short film genre. Chapter 51 makes use of every available film format. On the final day of this year’s festival, Frank Darabont and his filmmaking will be honored. He wrote and directed The Shawshank Redemption, which many consider one of Hollywood’s finest. Darabont followed up with The Green Mile, among others, and then created and produced The Walking Dead television series. A special screening of Shawshank will be followed by a discussion with him about his career as a filmmaker. The Carmel International Film Festival runs Thursday, Oct. 1-Sunday, Oct. 4. Golden Bough Playhouse, 851 Monte Verde St., Carmel. $150-$500. (858) 829-7722, ciffest.com. Screen Time The revived Carmel International Film Festival brings big players to local enthusiasts. By Dan Linehan “I have to convince you that these things are real.” In a recording session, film composer Mark Mancina (right) composes the score of Juror #2 with director Clint Eastwood. Mancina will attend a retrospective at the Carmel International Film Festival in honor of his career. Director Frank Darabont (right) will join film festival co-directors Annette Andersen and Lawrence Roeck for a special screening of Darabont’s The Shawshank Redemption. COURTESY OF MARK MANCINA COURTESY CARMEL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
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