APRIL 28 - MAY 7, 2023
Don’t miss AVFest2023, 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.
Tentative Schedule
Now open for submissions!
THAT’S A WRAP!
What a wonderful, exhilarating, fulfilling, and whirlwind AVFest2022!
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 #AVFest2022.
AVFest2022 Award Winners
AVFest Audience Award – Feature-Length Documentary (cash prize $1,000)
KAEPERNICK AND AMERICA Directed by Tommy Walker
AVFest Audience Award – Feature-Length Narrative (cash prize $1,000)
THE ALTERNATE Directed by Alrik Bursell*
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) AWARD (cash prize $1,000)
WE STILL HERE / NOS TENEMOS Directed by Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi*
AVFest Audience Award – Web/New Media Short (cash prize $500)
WE WEAR THE MASK Directed by Frederick Taylor*
AVFest Audience Award – Short (cash prize $500)
PLEASE HOLD directed by K.D. Dávila*
* Films available this week as part of the ICYMI virtual portion of the Fest.
AVFest2022 Student Film Winners
Middle School – School Project Film
Best technical achievement in filmmaking ($50 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
HEROES OF THE REDWOODS Directed by Evan Foley & Max Schottenfeld, Hillcrest Middle School
Middle School – School Project Film
Best storytelling ($50 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
THE PACKAGE Directed by Owen Carey, Hillcrest Middle School
Middle School – School Project Film
Best overall film ($100 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
HANK THE HERO Directed by Willow Mullen, Petaluma Accelerated Charter School
High School – School Project Film
Best technical achievement in filmmaking ($50 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
HEROES FROM THE RUBBLE Directed by Miles Willover, Windsor High School
High School – School Project Film
Best storytelling ($50 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
LIFE WITH PETS Directed by Alexandra Ruiz Aguirre, Cloverdale High School
High School – School Project Film
Best overall film ($100 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
LOVE OF A CANINE Directed by Maddie Wagner & Jair Valencia, Healdsburg High School
High School – Independent Film
Best overall film ($250 cash prize for student)
MADE OF MEMORIES Directed by Sabrina Bomberg
College – Class Projects & Independent Film
Best storytelling ($100 cash prize for student)
A PERIOD IN TIME Directed by Andrew Carniglia
College – Class Projects & Independent Film
Best technical achievement in filmmaking ($100 cash prize for student)
NIGHT OF A WITCH Directed by Matty David Denison
College – Class Projects & Independent Film
Best overall film ($250 cash prize for student)
THE NIGHTMARE EXPERIMENT Directed by Andrew Wynkoop
College – Class Projects & Independent Film
JOSEPH CARNATION, JR. STUDENT FILM AWARD ($1000 cash prize for student)
LOST AND FOUND Directed by Rik van Hoorn
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.
AVFEST WILL CELEBRATE NINTH YEAR IN SPRING 2023
AVFilm is a nonprofit organization that provides 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 9th year. AVFest2023 will be April 28-May 7 in Cloverdale, Geyserville, Healdsburg, 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.
THANK YOU TO AVFest2023 Sponsors
Delores & Gary Arabian
Doug Chamberlin & Alison Finch
Geri Biehl Clay
Patricia Dahl
Alvin Myers, Edward Jones
Laura Vallejo
QUEER FILM SPONSORED BY
FILM SPONSORS
Sue Campbell & John McKinney
Rachel Brass & Richard Foster
Victor Auito & Calvin Chan
Joanne Menapace & Russ Bertucelli
Renay & Michael Fanelli
Mark Thayer & Jean Herschede
Filmmaker Hosts
Mary Ann Bridenbaugh
Sue Campbell & John McKinney
Cathy Castelli
Wendy & Ed Grudzien
Adrienne Heinz & Barrett Elmer
Hillary & Mike Kambour
Winky & Dave Merrill
Dianne & Mark Vernon
In-Kind Partners
MEDIA Partners
AVFilm Annual Leadership Donors
Artemis Fund
Kim Bender
Susan Campbell & John McKinney
Cartograph
Nora Cregan & Al Pfeiffer
Carol & Manny Diaz
Ann Elston & Larry Lossing
Jenny & Rick Gomez
Barbara Grasseschi & Tony Crabb
Hillary & Michael Kambour
Wendy Conner & Preston Addison of Karma Dog Construction
Jeanne & Stephen Kearns
Barbara Lannin
David and Winky Merrill Fund
Lizbeth Perez
John Perkins
Reuser, Inc.
Randall Schai & Sarah Miller
Scott-McDonald Donor Fund
Tellez Family Vineyard
Dianne & Mark Vernon
Brian Watanabe
Jade Weymouth
Click The Tiles Below To View Prior Year’s Brochures!
