Preview of the 14th Annual Sonoma International Film Festival

“It’s Internationally Film-a-licious!”

(Sonoma, CA) The 14th Annual Sonoma International Film Festival, April 6-10, 2011, promises to be a lively celebration of film, food and wine. A surprising selection of documentaries, art films, world cinema and talented student film selections will round out this year’s festival. The Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to a deserving recipient whose illustrious career has captured our attention and imagination, a person who is a social activist and someone who has conducted her private life in an admirable fashion – Susan Sarandon. Festival Director Kevin McNeely says, “Get ready to celebrate the very best that Sonoma Valley has to offer!”

Receptions, Tributes and Galas

The Festival begins with a Sneak Preview Reception on Wednesday night, April 6th. On Thursday April 7th, an Opening Night Reception will be hosted in the Backlot Tent at 4:30 pm with an Opening Night After Party at 9 pm. All Star and Premiere Pass holders are included in these exclusive events.

On Saturday night, Academy Award® winning actress Susan Sarandon will be presented with the Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Festival Director Kevin McNeely said, “Susan Sarandon’s impressive ongoing contributions to the motion picture industry, social activism, and the exemplary manner that she conducts her private life makes her a worthy recipient of our Festival’s highest honor. We look forward to welcoming Ms. Sarandon and having her enjoy our unique Festival where we celebrate the very best in film, food & wine.” To this end, the Film Festival will host an evening in recognition of Sarandon’s cinematic accomplishments at the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Hall. The tribute will feature a montage of clips from her films followed by an on-stage discussion with Sarandon about her career and upcoming projects. Immediately following presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award, there will be a reception in Ms. Sarandon’s honor. The evening will close with the Festival Gala at the world-famous Sebastiani Winery.

The Festival will close on Sunday, April 10th with an Awards Ceremony in the Backlot Tent at 8 pm. Winners of the Jury Awards in all film categories including Features, Documentaries, World Cinema, Shorts, and Animation will be presented with their awards. Winner of the New Belgium Cruiser – a raffle that takes place leading up to and throughout the Festival – will also be announced Sunday night.

Programming

“This is the year of the docs!” says Kevin McNeely, Executive Director of the Sonoma International Film Festival. “Of the 600 submissions that came from 14 countries, a majority were documentaries…terrific ones!” Cevin Cathell, Program Director, has selected films that are “World Premieres” as well as festival favorites from Toronto, Mill Valley and Sundance. “I am really excited about this year’s program!” says Cathell.

There are six screening venues that will offer 90 films ranging from feature films, documentaries, and world cinema to shorts & animation. 200 filmmakers are expected to arrive in Sonoma Valley by the start of the Festival.

MISS REPRESENTATION – recently debuted at Sundance – is a documentary by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, wife of Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, that looks at the under-representation of women in positions of power and the limited and often disparaging portrayal of women in the media. Through interviews with some of America’s most influential women in politics, news and entertainment, this film explores the media’s message to young women.

Films such as The Running Fence Revisited about Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s project that swept through Marin County 32 years ago, as well as Not So Still Life about the artist Ginny Ruffner, are examples of art films that will play at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art throughout the five-day Festival.

Deeper is a sensational film about snowboarders who climb the world’s highest peaks and then ride some of the most challenging mountains. Jews And Baseball: An American Love Story and Daytona Dreams (Prototypes and GT-class) will fascinate sports enthusiasts.

A unique ‘side bar’ of films exploring the outer worlds of ET’s – such as the film Crop Circles – will invite festival-goers to reconsider the question: Are we alone?

World cinema will include As If I Am Not There from Juanita Wilson, a female Irish director who made Variety Magazine’s list of ‘Top Ten Directors To Watch In 2011.’ Death By Medicine and Bag It will address the dark side of huge drug companies and how plastic bags are causing the destruction of wild life and the environment, respectively.

There will be beautiful love stories such as FALLING OVERNIGHT, directed by Conrad Jackson, about a 22 year old man who is about to undergo treatment for a brain tumor and falls in love with a photographer who invites him to her art show; dark humor with the British black comedy ACTS OF GODFREY, a film spoken entirely in verse; and inspiring films like KINSHASA SYMPHONY about East Africa’s only symphonic orchestra and PERFECT EFFORT, the long-awaited film about De La Salle’s football team and the longest winning streak in the history of American sports.

A Children’s Film Program on Saturday morning at the Sebastiani Theatre will feature The Black Stallion. The film’s director Carroll Ballard will be on hand to introduce the film and answer questions.

Thursday from 9-4 PM at the Sebastiani Theater the Festival program will be geared towards students, families and the community – including a free film in the afternoon – sponsored by Cuties California Mandarins and Wonderful Pistachios sampled all day. Student films from the Sonoma Valley High School Media Arts Program will be screened at the Sebastiani Theatre that morning. These short films are created by students of Peter Hansen’s Sonoma Valley High School Media Arts program which was founded by the Sonoma International Film Society over a decade ago. Each year, the students produce up to twenty short films which are presented during the Sonoma International Film Festival; many attendees consider this to be one of the highlights of the Festival. “They feel like rock stars,” Hansen says, then adds – “No….they are rock stars, if only for a day!”

Special Panels are planned to complete the program offerings. Topics such as “So You Want To Be A Star?” a “Pitch Panel,” and panel of experts discussing the question of extraterrestrial life are included.

The Festival Hub

The Festival will be centered around The Backlot, an elaborate tent erected on the North side of Sonoma’s City Hall on Thursday, April 7th. The tent, provided by Wine Country Party & Events, will be well-appointed with chandeliers, a chic lounge environment and will debut some of the newest custom designed furniture. Inside the tent Sonoma Valley wineries will be pouring wine, caterers will be serving gourmet food and local musicians will entertain the crowds. All pass holders have access to The Backlot which is a gathering place for patrons, pass-holders and media to engage in lively conversation about film, food and wine. A portion of the tent is reserved for exclusive VIP parties throughout the extended weekend. Passes providing access to The Backlot will also be on-sale throughout the weekend.

Food & Wine

Festival Operations Director, Mary Catherine Cutcliffe, has worked to highlight local businesses during this year’s festival, “I enjoy partnering with the local wineries and restaurants to showcase the best of Sonoma Valley making it more of a community celebration.”

The horseshoe on the South side of City Hall will display an array of street food carts including local restaurants and other Sonoma County food vendors. A rotating selection of wine, beer and gourmet food will be available for purchase throughout the Festival at various screening venues as well as on the Plaza. The Sonoma Valley Vintners and Grower’s Alliance members will be featured in The Backlot with a selection of wines for sale at Historic Plaza Liquors. Wine sales will be complimented by a beer garden near the food trucks. Tickets for wine and beer can be purchased for $5 from the Box Office.

Events and Activities

The Film Festival will reach out to the entire town of Sonoma with community activities, shuttle service between venues and wineries, children’s programming and a lively atmosphere centered in the historic town square. Saturday morning will be especially tailored to families and children with a visit from Clo the Cow, giveaways and activities for the younger crowd. The Sebastiani Winery trolley will provide shuttle service between the various venues. Live music, parties and receptions will complete the Festival experience.

Venues

In keeping with the friendly and small-town feel of the Festival, all screening venues are in walking distance from The Backlot Tent. Festival venues include: Sebastiani Theater, The Community Center, Vintage House, The Woman’s Club, Sonoma Veteran’s Memorial Hall, the Sebastiani Winery Barrel Room, and Sonoma Valley Museum of Art. Both McNeely and Cutcliffe feel strongly about maintaining a local vibe for the festival, “Our hope is that the people of Sonoma will enjoy the film festival weekend as a city-wide festival with world class films at local venues all within walking distance.”

Sponsors

The Sonoma International Film Festival is proud to announce partnerships with the following sponsors, partners and providers: Dolby Laboratories, Comcast, AT&T, Infineon Raceways, Vode Lighting, Luna Bars, pophips, Gloria Ferrer Champagne Cellars, New Belgium Brewing, Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers and Sebastiani Winery. Sponsorship Director, Leslie Carlson says, “These wonderful sponsors have all returned and there will be many more new ones. Additionally, the Sonoma International Film Festival is committed to being good stewards of the environment. We are working with Green Consultants to minimize and measure the environmental impact of our event.”

Staying Connected to the Festival

This year, the Film Festival is excited to announce various programs to connect Festival-goers with each other and with local businesses including “check-in’s” with Foursquare and Facebook Places as well as a live Twitter feed of the festival tweets hashtagged: #siff11, our official Twitter festival hashtag. Be sure to “Like” us on Facebook http://facebook.com/sonomafilmfestival and follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/sonomafilmfest to get festival information as it is announced, including the latest “check-in” hotspots at festival venues as well as local businesses. Subscribe to our YouTube channel http://youtube.com/sonomafilmfestival for all trailers and promotional videos. This year we are incorporating GetGlue.com so festival-goers will be able to “check in” to films, fun and wine too!

The Online Film Guide will make its return this year; stay tuned on our website http://sonomafilmfest.org for the its debut.