APRIL 28 - MAY 7, 2023
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
Elementary School – School Project Film
Best technical achievement in filmmaking ($50 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
THAT’S NOT ME Directed by Dani Minot and Kora Minto, McKinley Elementary School
Elementary School – School Project Film
Best storytelling ($50 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
TREASURE MAP Directed by Kimberly Chino, Zoey Rothermund, Taytum Bergeron, Alexis Kracht, Shaefer Elementary
Elementary School – School Project Film
Best overall film ($100 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
FEVER DREAM Directed by Delila Stone, Shaefer Elementary
Middle School – School Project Film
Best technical achievement in filmmaking ($50 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
THE JOURNEY WITHIN Directed by Everett Clark and Henry Parkinson, Spring Lake Middle School
Middle School – School Project Film
Best storytelling ($50 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
THE DAY OF THE CLOWN Directed by Danica Labrador, Sjaianee Temperatura, Bella Ortiz, and Alexa Vazquez, La Luz Community Center
Middle School – School Project Film
Best overall film ($100 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
THE INNOCENT Directed by India Mitchell and Ella Hillstead, Kenilworth Junior High School
High School – School Project Film
Best technical achievement in filmmaking ($50 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
A CROW STORY Directed by Sadie Eaton and RileyWatson, Lower Lake High School
High School – School Project Film
Best storytelling ($50 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
INTROSPECTINOL Directed by Ryan Mander, Casa Grande High School
High School – School Project Film
Best overall film ($100 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
SITO Directed by Amelia Dublin, Corazon After School Program
College – Class Projects & Independent Film
Best technical achievement in filmmaking ($100 cash prize for student)
EXPECTATIONS Directed by Andrew Carniglia
College – Class Projects & Independent Film
Best storytelling ($100 cash prize for student)
TWINKLE TWINKLE Directed by Mandy Miller
College – Class Projects & Independent Film
Best overall film ($250 cash prize for student)
ITCHSANITY Directed by Ben Lohrentz
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.
Below is the final schedule for you to start making your AVFest 2023 plans! CLICK HERE for the pdf version.
Now open for submissions!
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 AVFest 2023 Sponsors
Delores & Gary Arabian
Doug Chamberlin & Alison Finch
Geri Biehl Clay
Patricia Dahl
Patrick Houston & M.J. Dell’aquila
Alvin Myers, Edward Jones
Laura Vallejo
QUEER FILM SPONSORED BY
FILM SPONSORS
Sue Campbell & John McKinney
Rachel Brass & Richard Foster
Pat Callahan
Victor Auito & Calvin Chan
Joanne Menapace & Russ Bertucelli
Renay & Michael Fanelli
Mark Thayer & Jean Herschede
Filmmaker Hosts
Dr. Adrienne Heinz & Barrett Elmer
Jan & Brent Stanley
Cathy Castelli
Hillary & Mike Kambour
Dianne & Mark Vernon
Winky & Dave Merrill
Sue Campbell & John McKinney
In-Kind Partners
MEDIA Partners
AVFilm Annual Leadership Donors
Kim Bender
Susan Campbell & John McKinney
Cartograph
Nora Cregan & Al Pfeiffer
Nancy & Geoff Dalwin (Artemis Fund)
Carol & Manny Diaz
Dobie Edmunds
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
Bob Scott & Tim McDonald
(Scott-McDonald Donor Fund)
Tellez Family Vineyard Dianne & Mark Vernon
Brian Watanabe
Jade Weymouth
Click The Tiles Below To View Prior Year’s Brochures!
