Founded in February 2002 by Richard Paradise, the Martha’s Vineyard Film Society, Inc. is a member-funded 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization dedicated to screening the best in independent films, movie classics, documentaries, and world cinema for diverse audiences of all ages throughout the calendar year.

In September of 2012, the Film Society completed construction of the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center at the Tisbury Marketplace (Vineyard Haven). The Film Center consists of the Marilyn Meyerhoff Theatre–a 177 stadium seat digital cinema and stage–The Gretchen V. Feldman Artspace, and offices to carry out its mission.

Since opening in 2012, the MVFS has shown over 450 feature films to 80,000 patrons.

In 2015, the MV Film Society partnered with the Martha’s Vineyard Theater Foundation to renovate and re-open the historic Capawock Theatre (Built in 1913) in Vineyard Haven, and the Strand Theater (Built in 1915) in Oak Bluffs.

The Film Society also presents film-related speakers, educational programs, and special events to enhance this main mission all while increasing the public’s appreciation of fine cinema in all of its forms. Finally, the Film Society conducts five festivals annually: SPECTRUM (LGBTQ+S) in April, Nature as Inspiration in May, FILMUSIC in June, Documentary Week in August, the Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival in September, and the Women In Film Festival in October