Vanessa McMahon

FESTIVAL SLATE AND SPECIAL EVENTS 

ANNOUNCED FOR 25TH ANNIVERSARY SONOMA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL MARCH 23-27

Special Guests Karen Allen, Jacqueline Bisset, 

Jacques Pépin, Aaron and Adam Nee, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Joanne Weir

And More Than Fifty Filmmakers Converge on Sonoma for Festival

 

Sonoma, CA— A festival 25 years in the making, Sonoma International Film Festival celebrates this milestone with a slate of more than 120 independent, international films screening—including 79 premieres—during the 25th Anniversary Sonoma International Film Festival (SIFF) March 23-27.

 

The fun-filled, completely walkable festival in the heart of Sonoma Valley Wine Country, will also play host to two one-of-a-kind culinary events, special parties, panels, a Virtual Reality experience, live music and free public events including the ever-popular Sonoma Valley High School Media Arts Showcase, the UFO Program, Chaplin Silent Film, and a Free Family Screening Event. 

 

“This landmark festival is designed to showcase the best in new films from around the world, international film talent, unbelievable culinary events, local favorite free public events, and a whole lot of fun for festivalgoers in between,” said Kevin W. McNeely, SIFF Artistic Director. 

All information about the 25th Anniversary festival films, special events, passes and tickets can be found at sonomafilmfest.org/festival. Festival collateral materials can be found at 2022 SIFF Press Materials here: (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4ad61xxfxmrqmef/AABTY-qI3FvpluuFZgFPg9fna?dl=0).

SIFF Cinematic Excellence Awarded to Film Star Jacqueline Bisset:

At the LOREN & ROSE screening | Friday, March 25 | 6 PM | Sebastiani Theatre

Actress Jacqueline Bisset will be awarded the SIFF Cinematic Excellence Award for her body of work at the festival’s 25th Anniversary edition on Friday, March 25 in conjunction with the screening of her most recent role in the Northern California premiere of LOREN & ROSE directed by Russell Brown

"I am honored to be the recipient of the SIFF Cinematic Excellence Award,” said Jacqueline Bisset. “I am thrilled to be seeing Loren & Rose in this environment after such difficult years of waiting for genuine cinema screens. Thank you to SIFF for this recognition.

LOREN & ROSE | Feature | Director Russell Brown in attendance

The appetizer is an introduction, the dessert is a farewell in this story of an indelible bond forged between a promising young filmmaker and an iconic actress.

 

FILM PROGRAMMING Highlights:

 

Opening Night Film | Wednesday, March 23 | Sebastiani Theatre 5 PM and Vets #1 5:45 PM

 

THE LOST CITY | PREVIEW Two Days Before Released to General Public | Directors Aaron and Adam Nee in Attendance

From Paramount Pictures starring Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe and Brad Pitt

Brilliant, but reclusive author Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock) has spent her career writing about exotic places in her popular romance-adventure novels featuring handsome cover model Alan (Channing Tatum), who has dedicated his life to embodying the hero character, “Dash.” While on tour promoting her new book with Alan, Loretta is kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire (Daniel Radcliffe) who hopes that she can lead him to the ancient lost city’s treasure from her latest story. Wanting to prove that he can be a hero in real life and not just on the pages of her books, Alan sets off to rescue her. Thrust into an epic jungle adventure, the unlikely pair will need to work together to survive the elements and find the ancient treasure before it’s lost forever. Directors Aaron Nee and Adam Nee will be in attendance for post-screening Q&As.

 

Closing Night Film | Sunday, March 27 | Vets #1 7:30 PM and Sebastiani Theatre 8 PM

 

THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER (TENDRE ET SAIGNANT)

North American Premiere from Les Films du Cap starring Arnaud Ducret and Geraldine Pailhas

Charly is the editor in chief of a fashion magazine. When her father dies, she inherits the family business: a butchery. Not exactly her passion in life… She’s about to sell it when Martial, who worked for her father, wants to take it over, but she is having second thoughts. These two opposite characters will have to get used to one another. The film is sponsored by Bar None’s Canyon Old Vine Zin.

Premieres:

Seventy-nine films are making their premieres at SIFF 2022. Below are World, North American and U.S. premieres. All films and information can be found at sonomafilmfest.org/festival.

 

World Premieres

 

Children Of The Vine | Documentary | Director Brian Lilla

A global nightmare is unfolding as Monsanto continues to mislead the public on the safety of Roundup. Children Of The Vine peels back the curtain on how the most widely used herbicide in the world wreaks havoc on public health while non-toxic farming methods prove we don't need Roundup to feed the world.

 

Fair Play | Documentary | Director Jennifer Siebel Newsom

Fair Play takes a deep look at domestic inequity, making visible the invisible care work historically held by women. The film aims to inspire a more balanced and equitable future.

 

Mixtape Trilogy: Stories Of The Power Of Music | Documentary | Director Kathleen Ermitage

An entertaining and impactful documentary that examines the relationship between music artists and their fans, featuring Indigo Girls, Vijay Iyer, and Talib Kweli.

 

The Cheaters | Feature | Director Louis Godbout

A friendly game of golf is disrupted by the arrival of a stranger.

 

North American & U.S. Premieres

 

Criollo | Documentary | Director Pablo Banchero

Is there a true Uruguayan cuisine identity? Criollo explores the cuisine of a country build by immigrants. Flavors, aromas and legacy are shown also through the life of a renowned chef, who was born in the country side.

 

Goodbye Happiness | Feature | Director Ken Scott

To commemorate the passing of their beloved father, four brothers very much at odds congregate for one final week at their summer house in the Magdalen Islands. As they bid their final goodbyes, the four brothers revisit their past joys and hardships as each one of them struggles to give meaning to their very different lives.

 

 

North American & U.S. Premieres (continued):

 

Harvest Moon | Documentary | Director Alfred Oliveri

A dream chaser and his family become winemaker masters in the pursuit of new challenges and territories.

 

Open Season | Feature | Director Michel Vandewalle

As CFO, Alexander Meier fights for the survival of the long-established Walser company – dutifully, quick and perfectionist to the point of self- abandonment. When Hans-Werner Brockmann, an unscrupulous top manager, is appointed CEO, he gets involved in a power struggle that increasingly throws him off track. Before the ruins of his existence, Alexander sees only one possibility left to take revenge on Brockmann.

 

The Butcher’s Daughter | Feature | Director Christopher Thompson 

Charly is the editor in chief of a fashion magazine. When her father dies, she inherits the family business: a butchery. Not exactly her passion in life… She’s about to sell it when Martial, who worked for her father, wants to take it over, but she is having second thoughts. These two opposite characters will have to get used to one another. The film is sponsored by Bar None’s Canyon Old Vine Zin.

 

Till Sun Rises | Feature | Director Cara Sander

Despite being both happily married, Peder and his old flame Hanna are still attracted to each other. When an ancient book allows them to enter the dreamworld, they can live a life together where anything is possible, but as their dreams start to enter reality, they experience some unforeseen consequences.

 

Films by Talent/Director:

Features:

 

Charlotte | Directors Tahir Rana and Eric Warin | Starring Keira Knightly, Marion Cottillard, Brenda Blethyn, Jim Broadbent

An account of German-Jewish artist Charlotte Salomon living in the south of France between 1941 and 1943.

 

Goodbye Happiness | Director Ken Scott (Starbuck, Unfinished Business, Delivery Man)

To commemorate the passing of their beloved father, four brothers very much at odds congregate for one final week at their summer house in the Magdalen Islands. As they bid their final goodbyes, the four brothers revisit their past joys and hardships as each one of them struggles to give meaning to their very different lives.
 

Jump, Darling | Director Phil Connell | Starring Cloris Leachman in her last film

A rookie drag queen, reeling from a break-up, escapes to the country, where he finds his grandmother in steep decline yet desperate to avoid the local nursing home.

 

Juniper | Director Matthew Saville | Starring Charlotte Rampling

When a self-destructive teenager is suspended from school and asked to look after his feisty alcoholic grandmother as a punishment, the crazy time they spend together turns his life around.

 

Olga | Director Elie Grappe (shortlisted for Foreign Oscar, Switzerland)

When Olga arrives in Switzerland, she is just an athlete, about to compete in the Olympics. But the upheavals taking place in her homeland, Ukraine, will turn her world upside down.

 

The Pact | Director Bille August (Pelle The Conquerer, The House Of The Spirits)

It's 1948 and 63-year-old "Out of Africa" author Karen Blixen (pen name: Isak Dinesen) is a lonely literary sensation devastated by syphilis and mourning her lost love, until she meets talented 30-year-old poet Thorkild BjÀrnvig. She offers him a Faustian bargain and promises him stardom if he will obey her unconditionally. As her demands become more and more pernicious, Thorkild must choose between Blixen’s promise of fame or his family.

 

There's Always Hope | Director Tim Lewiston | Starring Colm Meaney and Kate Ashfield

When destiny seeks to destroy, can hope save the day?

 

Films by Talent/Director (continued):

Documentaries:

 

Exposure | Director Holly Morris (The Babushkas of Chernobyl, World's Apart)

Eleven novice women explorers from the Arab World and the West embark on a physically and emotionally demanding journey to the top of the world on the rapidly disappearing Arctic Sea ice.

 

Fair Play | Director Jennifer Siebel Newsom (The Great American Lie, On the Record) in Attendance

Fair Play takes a deep look at domestic inequity, making visible the invisible care work historically held by women. The film aims to inspire a more balanced and equitable future.

 

Harvest Moon | Director Alfred Oliveri (Tegui, A Family Affair)

A dream chaser and his family become winemaker masters in the pursuit of new challenges and territories.

 

Jagged | Director Alison Klayman | Starring Alanis Morissette

A documentary about Alanis Morissette's seminal album Jagged Little Pill.

 

We Feed People | Director Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13, Parenthood)

A chronicle of how Andrés and his nonprofit rebuilds nations in the wake of disaster, providing healthy food to those affected.

Films by Categories of Interest:

More than half of the 120 films slated for the festival are making their premieres in Sonoma. The 25th edition slate includes full length features and documentaries, in addition to shorts programming in animation, culinary, drama, documentary, foreign, social causes and virtual reality. The following are some of the full-length films by category interests. All films and information can be found at sonomafilmfest.org/festival.

 

Animals:

A Dog Named Palma

Birds Of America

Roise And Frank

Storkman

The Falconer

 

Art, Design & Music:

Alumination

Buddy Guy

Charlotte

Down With The King

Exposing Muybridge

Jagged

Mixtape Trilogy

Quant

Rickshaw Girl

Tailor

Tell Them We Were Here

The Art Of Making It

 

Culinary:

Criollo

Lemon And Poppy Seed Cake

Mascarpone

Peace By Chocolate

The Automat

The Butcher’s Daughter

The Kitchenistas

We Feed People

 

Environmental:

Children Of The Vine

 

Literary:

Jack London’s Martin Eden

Inhabitants

The Lost City

The Pact

There’s Always Hope

Till Sun Rises

To Olivia

 

LGBTQI:

Jump, Darling

Mascarpone

 

Local Interest (Topic or Filmmaker):

Finding Snow White

Jack London’s Martin Eden

Pretty Problems

Rickshaw Girl 

Sonomawood

Sweetwater

 

Spanish Language:

Backstreet To The American Dream

Criollo

Harvest Moon

Lemon And Poppyseed Cake

The Kitchenistas

 

Sports Action:

Denizens Of The Steep

Exposure

From Hero To Zero

Groundswell

Olga

Stoke The Fire

The Cheaters

Winter Ball

Pepperwood: Rising From The Ashes

 

CULINARY EVENTS Highlights:

 

SIFF | Devour! Chefs & Shorts Dinner | Thursday, March 24 | 5:30 PM | Cogir Hospitality Tent

Honoring Chef Jacques Pépin

Internationally acclaimed Chef Jacques Pépin will be feted in person with the inaugural SIFF Culinary Excellence Award. The SIFF honorarium also includes a $10,000 donation to the Jacques Pépin Foundation. 

The five-course dinner will be prepared by notable chefs Ken Frank (La Toque), Michael Howell (Devour!), Roland Passot (Left Bank, La Folie), Seadon Shouse (Timber Cove Resort), Ari Weiswasser (Glen Ellen Star) and Ensan Wong (Cogir). Each course is served with a short food film and are paired with wines from Anaba, Bee Hunter, Breathless, Chateau St. Jean and Viansa.

 

“I am very much looking forward to attending SIFF in March of 2022 and honored to be receiving the first ever SIFF Culinary Excellence Award,” said Chef Pépin. “I also thank SIFF for their generous contribution to the Jacques Pepin Foundation. It will be wonderful to celebrate together in person and I’m sure I’ll be reminded of the excellent time I had with Michael and Lia of Devour back in 2017. I know the Chefs & Shorts meal will be one to remember.” 

 

Limited capacity tickets are now on sale at SIFF Honors Chef Pépin (https://2022siff.eventive.org/schedule/61d4cbd5a7de6b00c8a55576). SIFF Silver Patron passholders receive a ticket as part of their passholder benefits.

Joanne Weir’s Plates & Places Lunch | Friday, March 25 | 11 AM | Cogir Hospitality Tent

Presented by Northern California Public Media | Supported by Marin Magazine and MacArthur Place Hotel

Joanne Weir, the James Beard Award winning chef, will showcase “Joanne Weir’s Plates & Places” lunch, presented by Northern California Public Media, on Friday, March 25. This new event features Weir introducing select segments from her award-winning television series, paired with a three-course meal she has curated representing those places. The event is presented by Northern California Public Media, and Supporting Sponsors Marin Magazine and MacArthur Place Hotel.

“Filmmakers open our eyes to worlds beyond any borders,” said Chef Joanne Weir. “Their films can inspire curiosity and conversation-- not unlike a delicious meal-- and it’s an honor to be part of this incredible festival with my Plates & Places lunch.”

 

Limited capacity tickets are now on sale at Joanne Weir's Plates & Places Lunch at SIFF (https://2022siff.eventive.org/schedule/61d4eca5c0b34a0095ba94df). SIFF Silver Patron passholders receive a ticket as part of their passholder benefits.

 

Chef Duskie Estes Appearance with Kitchenistas Screenings 

Thursday, March 24 at 2:30 PM and Saturday, March 26 at 2:30 PM | Burlingame Hall

Presented by Sonoma Index-Tribune and Sonoma Magazine

TV chef, farmer, restauranteur and activist Chef Duskie Estes will be at the screenings of the documentary KITCHENISTAS to talk about her nonprofit Farm To Table organization, which gleans Sonoma County farms to provide food to underserved communities. Attendees will also be treated to her gourmet popcorn during the screenings. The screening events are sponsored by Sonoma Index-Tribune. Additionally, her Black Pig Meat Company food truck will be outside the Cogir Hospitality Tent on Friday, March 25.

FREE PUBLIC EVENTS Highlights (based on seating availability):

 

SVHS Media Arts Showcase | Wednesday, March 23 | 9 AM | Sebastiani Theatre | Karen Allen to Speak

Command Performance Sunday, March 27 | 3 PM | Andrews Hall

Actor/director Karen Allen will speak to filmmaking students at the first of two Sonoma Valley High School Media Arts Program Showcases during the festival on Wednesday, March 23 at 9 AM at Sebastiani Theatre. Started more than 20 years ago, SIFF’s signature program inspires student filmmakers and provides ongoing financial support totaling more than $725,000 to date. The SVHS Media Arts Showcase events are sponsored by Poppy Bank.

 

 

 

FREE PUBLIC EVENTS Highlights (based on seating availability, continued):

 

UFO Program: The Phenomenon

Friday, March 25 | 9 AM | Sebastiani Theatre

 

Sonoma UFOlogist Jim Ledwith will host the screening of his film THE PHENOMENON

This documentary, narrated by Peter Coyote, assembles the pieces of the UFO puzzle spanning over 70 years. Revealing a shocking "hidden history" that began in the late forties and early fifties, fleets of UFO's appeared in the skies over nearly every state in the U.S., culminating in a flyover of Washington, D.C. in 1952.

 

Charlie Chaplin Silent Film Accompanied by Live Music from Musician John Partridge

Friday, March 25 | 7 PM | Burlingame Hall

THE IMMIGRANT

This 1917 American silent romantic comedy short, written, directed and starring Charlie Chaplin's Tramp character is about an immigrant coming to the United States who is accused of theft on the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean and falls in love with a beautiful young woman along the way. Composer and musician John Partridge will accompany the film.

 

Free Family Event: ANDY and A DOG NAMED PALMA

Saturday, March 26 | 9 AM | Sebastiani Theatre

Presented by Pets Lifeline

 

ANDY (Animated Short) 

An uplifting story of how one puppy overcomes a series of obstacles to find his purpose in life. Film courtesy of nonprofit Canine Companion and Executive Producer Jeanie Schultz.

 

A DOG NAMED PALMA (Feature Film)

The film is inspired by an incredible true story of a shepherd dog named Palma who was inadvertently left in the airport by her owner. 

 

SPECIAL EVENTS Highlights:

Additional 25th Anniversary special events at the Cogir Hospitality Tent (unless otherwise noted) include:

 

SIFF 25th Anniversary Opening Night Party | Passholder Only Event

Wednesday, March 23 | 7 PM

Kicking off the 25th experience, festivalgoers will enjoy music and each other, with food provided by local restaurants, caterers and Cogir Executive Chef Ensan Wong; and beverages provided by Tito’s, Gordon Biersch, Lagunitas and a number of local wineries.

 

Joanne Weir Cookbook Signing | RSVP Only Limited Capacity Event

Thursday, March 24 | Noon | MacArthur Place Hotel

Chef Joanne Weir will sign a collection of her James Beard award-winning cookbooks, for sale on site, at this special RSVP only event. The event is sponsored by MacArthur Place Hotel.

 

SIFF Industry Mixer | Industry Only Event

Friday, March 25 | 4 PM | Anaba Wines

This private event for visiting filmmakers, jurists and industry guests provides a backdrop for networking, mentoring and sales opportunities among stakeholders. The event is sponsored by Cinelease and Film Mare Island.

 

SIFF Funk It Up Party | Passholder Event | Limited Tickets Available at the Door

Friday, March 25 | 7 PM

Get down to the beats of AFROLICIOUS, a dance-fusion collective based in San Francisco, California. Founded by brothers Joe "Pleasuremaker" McGuire and Oz "Señor Oz" McGuire, the group's weekly residency at the Elbo Room in the Mission District has established Afrolicious as an integral player in the San Francisco live music scene. The party is sponsored by Avelo Airlines.

 

 

 

 

 

SPECIAL EVENTS Highlights (continued):

 

SIFF Industry Panel | Passholder Event

Saturday, March 26 | 10:30 AM 

Filming in the Time of Covid

With the pandemic two years old, COVID costs can add up to 20% to a films budget. Hear from our panel of entertainment professionals on the changing production landscape and what content buyers, streaming services and distributors are looking for during these uncertain times. 

Panelists: Olivier Albou (Producer & Distributor | Other Angle Films), Nate Bolotin (Partner | XYZ Films), Elisabeth Costa DeBeauregard (Partner | Storyboard Entertainment), Miles Fineberg (Director of Acquisitions | Samuel Goldwyn) and MJ Peckos (President | Dada Films). The event is sponsored by Cinelease, Film Mare Island and Film Shasta. Moderator: Cinematographer Andrew Shulkid (Madison Square Garden Companies).

 

Granko VR Lounge | 254 First Street East | Limited Tickets Available at the Door

Saturday, March 26 | 11 AM – 5 PM

New for the 25th anniversary, festivalgoers can experience Virtual Reality with three short films playing throughout the day--Samsung’s THE ATOMIC TREE and SANCTUARIES OF SILENCE, along with THE QUEST: EVEREST EXPERIENCE.  

 

SIFF Saturday Night Awards Celebration | Passholder Event | Limited Tickets Available at the Door | 7 PM

Who will win the Bay Area Filmmaker Award presented by Cinelease and Film Mare Island? Who will win our Best Of films categories as selected by our film industry jurists and audience? Who will win best wines selected by Christopher Sawyer and wine industry judges at the 5th annual SIFF Wine Awards, presented by Safe Harbor Wine Storage, San Francisco Magazine and StaVin? Find out at the SIFF Saturday Night Awards Celebration.

 

ADDITIONAL FESTIVAL Information:

 

SIFF Awards:

The SIFF Bay Area Filmmaker Award, presented by Cinelease, will name one Bay Area filmmaker to receive a $10,000 filmmaking package from Cinelease and Film Mare Island. The winner will be announced at the SIFF Saturday Night Awards Celebration on Saturday, March 26 in the Cogir Hospitality Tent.

 

Additional SIFF film awards, as selected by industry jurists, to be named at the awards party ceremony include Best of Categories: English Language Feature, Foreign Feature, Documentary, Short: Animation, Short: Comedy, Short: Documentary, Short: Drama and Short: Foreign categories.

 

Audience Awards, as voted on after each film screening and which include cash prizes, will be awarded in the Stolman Award (Best Feature) and A3 Award (Best Documentary) categories.

 

The 5th Annual SIFF Wine Awards, presented by Safe Harbor Wine Storage, San Francisco Magazine and StaVin, will also be named. Best of Categories include: Aromatic White, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Dessert, Merlot, Pink Still, Pinot Noir, Port, Red Wine Blend, Rhone Varieties, Sparkling and Zinfandel.

 

Industry Jurists:

Attending jurists from the film industry judging this year’s slate of films for awards consideration are:

 

Olivier Albou (Producer and International Distribution | Other Angel Pictures): In addition to producing the SIFF Closing Night film THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER, Albou’s company has produced and distributed dozens of films worldwide, including THE LAST MERCENARY and SPOILED BRATS, both released worldwide with Netflix last year.

Nate Bolotin (Partner | XYZ Films): Bolotin co-founded XYZ Films with Nick Spicer and Aram Tertzakian in 2008. XYZ Films, is an independent studio, fully integrated with production, financing, global sales, talent management and US distribution. XYZ Films’ titles include The Raid franchise, 2017 Sundance winner I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore and cult hit Mandy. Recent productions from the company include Joe Penna’s sci-fi thriller Stowaway, starring Anna Kendrick and Toni Collette, and Gareth Evans’ action thriller Havoc, starring Tom Hardy and Forest Whitaker. 

 

Industry Jurists (continued):

 

Ferne Cassel (Principal | Ferne Cassel Casting): Cassel’s credits include more than 50 films such films as DIE HARD 1 and 2, MONSTER, TAKEN, ANOTHER 48 HRS, RED HEAT, DICK TRACY, NATIONAL LAMPOON’S LOADED WEAPON, MAJOR LEAGUE 2, ACE VENTURA: WHEN NATURE CALLS.  PREDATOR 2, BODY SNATCHERS, RICOCHET and DEMOLITION MAN. She has also cast award winning shorts and TV projects for HBO, Comedy Central, Showtime, TNT and Lifetime Television. In 2004 Cassel was the recipient of the Artios Award presented by CSA (Casting Society of America) for Outstanding Achievement in Casting for MONSTER, for which Charlize Theron received an Academy Award.

Nancy Collet (Principal | Cinema Collet): A 30-year industry veteran, she founded Cinema Collet in 2007 and offers strategic consulting services to independent filmmakers, film festivals, conferences, educators, distributors and art house theaters around the world. Services include festival and sales strategy for independent films, film festival start-up, programming, large-scale event management, production and marketing and film acquisitions. 

Elisabeth Costa DeBeauregard (Co-Founder | Storyboard Entertainment): Storyboard Media is a production, finance and global sales company. The company has been involved in films such as 20th Century Fox’s German horror film, HEILSTATTEN, which did close to $10 million in global markets and is working on a sequel. Storyboard went on to produce ARKANSAS, starring Liam Hemsworth, Vince Vaughn, John Malkovich and Michael Kenneth Williams; and sold and produced the large budget film, THE COMEBACK TRAIL, starring Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Zach Braff and Tommy Lee Jones.  Currently, Storyboard is in post-production on MARLOWE, a Raymond Chandler inspired character and world directed by Neil Jordan and starring Liam Neeson, Jessica Lange and Diane Kruger. 

 

Miles Fineberg (Director of Acquisitions | Samuel Goldwyn): Fineburg oversees the acquisitions department which has acquired titles such as Oscar winner ANOTHER ROUND and Oscar nominee THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN. Prior to joining Samuel Goldwyn Films, he was at Terror Films; and began his career with independent production company Sunrise Pictures. 

 

Nick Ogiany (Agent | CAA): Since joining CAA in 2009, Ogiony has packaged and arranged financing and distribution for such films as GOOD LUCK TO YOU, LEO GRANDE; THE ICE ROAD; WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS; SEARCH; GAGA: FIVE FOOT TWO; THE GUEST; IMPERIAL DREAMS; INSIDIOUS; KODACHROME; THE WIFE; FIRST REFORMED; and BOSS LEVEL, among others. Prior to CAA, Ogiony was in the independent feature division of William Morris Agency (WMA). He began his career in entertainment at HBO Films.

 

MJ Peckos (President | Dada Films): Dada is a full-service distribution, marketing and publicity agency specializing in quality narrative and documentary films for the U.S. marketplace. Recent releases include the award-winning documentaries Torn, The Last Forest, and Old Henry starring Tim Blake Nelson, Confetti starring Amy Irving, Language Lessons starring Marc Duplass and the Nathalie Morales documentaries Picture of His Life, For the Birds, narrative features The Cuban and Raven. 

 

Jennifer Siebel Newsom (Documentary Filmmaker | Activist): Siebel Newsom is a filmmaker, advocate, thought leader, and the First Partner of California. She wrote, directed, and produced the 2011 award-winning documentary Miss Representation. As a result, she launched The Representation Project, a nonprofit organization that uses film and media as a catalyst for cultural transformation. Her second film as a director, The Mask You Live In, explores how America’s narrow definition of masculinity is harming boys, men, and society at large. And, her third film in the trilogy, The Great American Lie, unveils the underlying cultural causes of inequality in America. She also executive produced the Emmy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated documentary The Invisible War and was an executive producer on the Emmy Award-winning documentary The Hunting Ground. She lives in Sacramento, California with her husband, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and their four young children.

COMMEMORATIVE MERCHANDISE:

The artwork appearing on the SIFF 25th Anniversary Festival Guide and Poster was painted by Chef Jacques Pépin and used with his permission to promote this year’s milestone festival.

 

Veteran screenwriter Robert Kamen has lent some of his most memorable lines from his iconic films (KARATE KID, TAKEN, THE FIFTH ELEMENT and TRANSPORTER) for a set of limited-edition plates. Proceeds from sales support SIFF and are available here. (https://2022siff.eventive.org/schedule/61f5a07c712c9f00360fd995).

 

 

 

ADDITIONAL FESTIVAL Information (continued):

 

OFFICIAL SPONSORS:

More than 150 sponsors and donors have signed on to support Sonoma International Film Festival. New Premiere sponsors for the 25th edition include:

 

Avelo Airlines: Named the Official Domestic Airline of SIFF, Avelo Airlines will be integral in providing air transportation for attending filmmakers and talent scheduled to appear. They are also sponsoring the SIFF Plaza Banners, Friday night SIFF Funk It Up Party and additional films and events throughout the festival.

 

Cogir Senior Living: The SIFF Backlot Tent, the festival’s hub, will be named the Cogir Hospitality Tent. Cogir is a senior independent, assisted living and respite care facility in Sonoma and Rohnert Park. Cogir Executive Chef Ensan Wong will lend his culinary skills at the SIFF | Devour! Chefs & Shorts dinner, and SIFF’s Wednesday, Friday and Saturday parties. Classically trained in Paris, Wong worked at the French Laundry and was the Executive Chef at Porsche’s headquarters prior to his role at Cogir.

 

Northern California Public Media: Sonoma Valley’s local PBS television, radio and digital station is the Presenting Sponsor of Joanne Weir’s Plates & Places Lunch on Friday, March 25 at 11 AM, in addition to providing broadcast coverage promoting the 25th edition festival.

 

Sonoma Raceway: The Sonoma Raceway VIP Lounge, located inside the Cogir Hospitality Tent, will be named after the prominent motor sports race course and dragstrip. Hopmonk will provide complimentary food for the lounge, and the Hopmonk food truck will be on site at the Cogir Hospitality Tent and open to the public Thursday-Sunday, March 24-27 9AM-6 PM.

These sponsors join longtime Premiere sponsors Dolby, The Manitou Fund, San Francisco Chronicle, Sonoma Magazine and Spritz. Star sponsors include Cinelease, Devour!, Fandor, Farm Fresh To You, Film Mare Island, Shiftboard and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. All sponsors and donors can be found here. (sonomafilmfest.org/sponsorship/#our-sponsors).

About Sonoma International Film Festival 

The Sonoma International Film Festival is a 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to promoting independent film, supporting filmmakers around the world, and inspiring film lovers. Blending a program of international film, food, wine and fun, SIFF hosts its annual festival each March, as well as year-round live and virtual events including SIFF Summerfest live, and SIFF Saturdays, monthly virtual films screened on the last Saturday of every month.

 

SIFF’s signature initiative--the Media Arts Program started at Sonoma Valley High School in 2002--introduces students to the process of storytelling and provides the resources for them to create films. SIFF has granted more than $725,000 to the program since its inception. 

 

Passes and tickets are on sale now at sonomafilmfest.org.

 

Festival collateral materials can be found at 2022 SIFF Press Materials here: (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4ad61xxfxmrqmef/AABTY-qI3FvpluuFZgFPg9fna?dl=0).