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AVFilm annual Film Festival: AVFest 2024 logo

Mark your calendars for the 10th annual AVFest!

APRIL 26 - MAY 5, 2024

If you plan on joining us for the full experience (as you should), Early Bird passes are a great way to save! You will receive 10% off any regularly priced pass. Early Bird Passes will be available until March 31.

 Tickets will be available for purchase on March 31st. 

10th annual written in a rainbow sky over mountains and vineyards with the words AVFEST2024
Now open for submissions!

THAT’S A WRAP!

What a wonderful, exhilarating, fulfilling, and whirlwind AVFest 2023!

Thank you to everyone who came out to support us and make our 10-DAY festival the best yet! Thank you to our sponsors, pass holders, ticket purchasers, staff, crew, board members, volunteers, vendors, restaurants, wineries, screening venues, chefs, servers, photographers, students, teachers, parents, filmmakers, screening team, tech assistance, programmers and all of the many, many people it took to create #AVFest2023.

Click here to see all of the pictures from the Festival.

AVFest 2023 Award Winners

AVFest Audience Award – Feature-Length Documentary (cash prize $1,000)
26.2 TO LIFE Directed by Christine Yoo

AVFest Audience Award – Feature-Length Narrative (cash prize $1,000)
OUR FATHER, THE DEVIL Directed by Ellie Foumbi

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) AWARD (cash prize $1,000)
OUR FATHER, THE DEVIL Directed by Ellie Foumbi

AVFest Audience Award – Short (cash prize $500)
CHASIN’ BUTTERFLIES directed by Joshua Harding, Adam Hobbs, and Matt Klug

AVFest 2023 Student Film Winners

JOSEPH CARNATION, JR. STUDENT FILM AWARD ($1000 cash prize for student)
STRAY Directed by Ryn Hare

The 2023 Festival lineup has been announced! Click here for film descriptions.

Don’t miss AVFest 2023, Northern Sonoma County’s Film Festival, celebrating its ninth year of the best in independent film, with visiting filmmakers from across the globe, foot-stomping local music, sumptuous farm-to-table dinners, and exquisite wines. The Festival runs Friday, 4/28, through Sunday, 5/7, for ten days of singular wine-country experiences with a Hollywood flare. 

NEW THIS YEAR: We’re streamlining the Festival schedule to play one town, one venue at a time to simplify the Fest adventure for attendees, pack our houses, and give visiting filmmakers a richer experience. 

THE BROCHURE

Access the Fest brochure below using the arrows on the left and right to turn the pages.​

 

AVFest2022 – April 29-May 8 – is shaping up to be the homecoming we all deserve! With more than 100 screenings, Q&As, panels, and special events in Cloverdale, Geyserville, Healdsburg, Windsor, and Santa Rosa, AVFest2022 promises to be a 10-day celebration of healing, humanity, and art. This year, submissions grew 200% and half of AVFest’s final lineup will be programmed from those submissions. AVFest will also feature Sonoma County student works in the annual Student Film Competition.

This year’s regular screening venues will be The Clover Theater, Orsi Family Vineyards in Healdsburg, and the Healdsburg Community Center. Special events are scheduled for each night of the Fest, with additional panels and Q&As taking place during the days.

STUDENT FILM AWARDS

MIDDLE SCHOOL – SCHOOL PROJECT FILM
  • HOW TO BE SUSTAINABLE (Surjin Banwait) – Best technical achievement in filmmaking – $50 cash prize for teacher’s classroom
  • BATTLE FOR THE PANCAKES (Aston Rashap) – Best storytelling – $50 cash prize for teacher’s classroom
  • A PICKLES LIFE (Aleks Radomski, Timbre Davis, Lily Werret, Chris Lindeman) – AND – SUSTAINABILITY (Jembe Persinger) – Best overall film – $100 cash prize for teacher’s classroom
HIGH SCHOOL – SCHOOL PROJECT FILM
  • SPACE THINGS ( Matty Denison) – Best technical achievement in filmmaking – $50 cash prize for teacher’s classroom
  • GONE FISHING ( Jackson Sheibal) – Best storytelling – $50 cash prize for teacher’s classroom
  • HOURS (Andre Achacon, Cocome McKamey, Alexandra Van Holt) – Best overall film – $100 cash prize for teacher’s classroom
HIGH SCHOOL – INDEPENDENT FILM
  • ART OF MUSICAL PRODUCTION (Zach Case) – Best technical achievement in filmmaking – $100 cash prize for student
  • MILK (Zach Case & Ian Shine) – Best overall film – $250 cash prize for student
COLLEGE – CLASS PROJECTS & INDEPENDENT FILM
  • BOOGIE BAR (Crysta Andrews) – Best technical achievement in filmmaking – $100 cash prize for student
  • SUMMERTIME (Max Belove) – Best storytelling – $100 cash prize for student
  • SUMMERTIME (Max Belove) – Best overall film – $250 cash prize for student
JOSEPH CARNATION, JR. OVERALL STUDENT FILM AWARD
  • OUT FOR DELIVERY(James Domizio) – $1,000 cash prize for student

AVFEST WILL CELEBRATE TENTH YEAR IN SPRING 2024

AVFilm is celebrating 10 years! We are a nonprofit organization providing film & media education to local students in public schools and lifelong learners. AVFilm exhibits free outdoor movies for the Healdsburg and Cloverdale communities, a year-round, independent film series, and produces an annual Film Festival now in its 10th year. AVFest 2024 will be April 26-May 5 in Healdsburg, Cloverdale, Geyserville, Windsor, and Santa Rosa.

AVFest regularly showcases and hosts new and emerging talents from all over the world. The Fest creates opportunities for the community to gather, celebrate film, and meet and learn from visiting artists. The Fest also offers deeply discounted tickets to include students and low-income neighbors.

AVFest features cutting-edge indie films and selections of diverse works from and about underrepresented artists and communities. We actively seek socially conscious films that depict characters in the richness of their cultures and identities; works from directors of color; Latinx, LGBTQIA+, and women-driven narratives; and youth-oriented stories. 

AVFest will also feature Sonoma County student works in the annual Student Film Competition.

Below is the final schedule for you to start making your AVFest 2023 plans! CLICK HERE for the pdf version.

A grid with festival screening times and locations

2024 Donors & Sponsors

Thank you to these donors and sponsors whose contributions make all of our work possible!

PLATINUM SPONSORS

 
Cartograph
Merriam Vineyards
 

BRONZE SPONSORS

 
Karma Dog
Reuser
 

PRODUCER'S CIRCLE

Anonymous
Carol Beattie
Susan Campbell & John McKinney
Colibri Vineyard
C. Frederick & Dinna V. Eisenhart
Barbara Grasseschi & Tony Crabb
Stu Harrison & Dave Ring
Hillary & Michael Kambour
Kim & John Lloyd
Kevin & Rosemary McNeeley
Winky & David Merrill
Wendy Mogel & Michael Tolkin
Care Morgenstern
Lisa & Michael Rhodes
Renn Rhodes & Marty Roberts
Tricia Tanoury

 
Resting Bitch Face Productions
 

GRANT FUNDERS

 
National Endowment for the Arts
Creative Sonoma
California Arts Council
Sonoma County Vintners
 

OFFICIAL HOTEL SPONSOR

 
Hotel Trio
 

BELIEVER SPONSORS

 
Healdsburg Tourism Improvement District
Memorial Beach Vet
Cloverdale Chamber of Commerce
Vanguard Properties
Summit State Bank
 

SUPPORTER SPONSORS

 
Erickson Fine Art Gallery
 

The Arabian Family
Dobie Edmunds

FRIENDS OF AVFILM

MEDIA PARTNERS

 
Cloverdale Connect
Press Democrat
Yelp
Shop Local Healdsburg
Bohemian
 

IN-KIND PARTNERS

 
Medlock Ames
Catelli’s
Lo & Behold
Joseph Cohen & Del Vecchio, P.C.
Seghesio
Sutro Wines
Smith Story
Longboard Vineyard
 

Click the tiles below to view prior year’s brochures!

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