Inside Sonoma Valley: Tickets and More On Sale Now For 13th Annual Sonoma International Film Festival
Press Release - Thirteen will be the Sonoma International Film Society’s lucky number as it holds its13th annual Sonoma International Film Festival, April 15 to 18, 2010. The festival is scheduled to screen over 65 films, including features, documentaries and shorts, in four locations within walking distance of the Sonoma town square. Passes and information are available at www.sonomafilmfest.org, and 707-933-2600. The Festival will lead off April 15th at the Sebastiani Theatre with the world premiere of Coals to Newcastle, a documentary on one of the British music scenes cutting-edge funk bands, the New Mastersounds.
Friday night will feature the world premiere sneak peek of the documentary, The Singularity Is Near, by Raymond Kurzweil, one of the most creative scientific minds of the past 50 years. He is the primary creator of current optical scanning technology, Kurzweil music synthesizers, and artificial intelligence research.
The film examines the near future, in which artificial intelligence transcends biology and genetics and creates an entirely new world. Featuring interviews with modern thinkers as diverse as legal scholar Alan Dershowitz, Electronic Freedom Foundation founder Mitch Kapor, environmentalist Bill McKibben, and Future Shock author, Alvin Toffler. The film is fascinating, inspiring, and above all, thought-provoking. It will be followed by an equally thought-provoking panel discussion led by Mr. Kurzweil, and featuring participants from the film.
Documentaries have seemingly become one of Sonoma’s specialties, having previously shown the groundbreaking Food Inc. and this year’s Academy Award winner, The Cove.
The Joneses, starring Demi Moore, David Duchovny, and Lauren Hutton, has been chosen as the Closing Night film and will screen on Sunday the 18th. The Joneses concerns the perfect American couple, who move into a suburban neighborhood. With their conspicuous good looks, perfect marriage, and financial achievement, they’re the ideal…until the truth starts oozing out.
Other highlights include the Sundance Festival hit, Douchebag. a low budget feature, as original as it is hilarious and the Canadian film, Smoke and Ashes, winner of the Jury Award for Best Feature at Slamdance.
The Festival is – being Sonoma, after all – about more than just the worship of celluloid. Food and wine –will also be the order of the day. The premiere venue will remain the historic Sebastiani Theater, and the newest venue, Ramekins, will feature gourmet food and wine, elegant café seating and culinary themed films. Presentations will include Eating Alaska (the Alaska Wilderness League is providing the salmon), and the locally produced, Pinot Escape from Wall Street. A classic Fred MacMurray film will be followed by a Q&A with his daughter, Kate, and a tasting of MacMurray Ranch wines. The New Belgium Indie Lounge will be housed at the Sonoma Community Center. The SCC venue will feature New Belgium beers and truly independent movies.
The Sonoma Valley Woman’s Club will once again become the House of Docs, showing world premiere documentaries as well as high profile documentaries from around the world.
Behind City Hall on the Plaza will be The Back Lot, a large enclosure with a living room environment featuring great local food and wine. The wine was arranged by the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance, and the wine country cuisine is being curated by local food maven, Kathleen Hill.
A serious festival brings not only films but filmmakers to its audience. “From Script to Screen” will feature a lively panel discussion by experts on all aspects of filmmaking. Also on Saturday, April 17, is the popular Pitch Panel. There will also be a panel sponsored by Dolby in conjunction with the student filmmaker showcase. Dolby Labs will also award an internship to the most promising film student.
The Festival’s educational outreach helps support the state-of-the-art film program at Sonoma Valley High School.
Sonoma International Film Festival is a 501( c ) 3 organization.
Media Contacts: Michael Coats (707) 935-6203 or Michael@Coatspr.com or
Dennis McNally (415) 648-4832 or DennisMcNally@mac.com