/24-7PressRelease/ - SONOMA, CA, March 13, 2008 - The Sonoma Valley Film Festival announced today a star-studded program of all-new independent films for its 11th Annual celebration of film, food and wine, which will take place in an all-new, all-walkable Festival Village in Sonoma, California, and run from Wednesday, April 9 through Sunday, April 13.
This year's festival will screen more than 75 films from around the world, including premieres of powerful dramas, sizzling romances, hilarious comedies, inspiring documentaries, and innovative short films and animation.
The 11th Annual Festival has also announced that it will honor award-winning actor Michael Keaton for his outstanding work in film. The special Tribute event, with Mr. Keaton appearing in person and showing clips from his new, unreleased directorial debut The Merry Gentlemen, will take place on Saturday, April 12 at the Sebastiani Theatre. As a special treat, the Tribute will be followed by a 35mm screening of one of Keaton's most beloved films, Beetlejuice, directed by Tim Burton and starring Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis and Catherine O'Hara and Sonoma County-native Winona Ryder.
This year's festival films will showcase exciting and in some cases career-topping work by heralded stars and breakthrough talent, including Alan Alda, David Lynch, Matthew Broderick, Helen Hunt, Gwyneth Paltrow, Bruce Dern, Brittany Murphy, Martin Sheen, James Brown, Virginia Madsen, Winona Ryder, Bette Midler, Orlando Bloom, Jeremy Sisto, Colin Firth, Matthew Modine, Mary Stuart Masterson, Bill Pullman, Michael York, Max Minghella, Joe Mantegna, Blake Lively, Mary Steenburgen, Matthew Lillard, D.B Sweeney, Kristen Bell, John Ratzenberger, Malcolm MacDowell, and Liev Schreiber.
The Festival, presented this year by sponsor MBT The anti-shoe, takes place in an intimate, all-walkable Festival Village around the beautiful Sonoma Plaza, where Festival attendees can casually meet and mingle with more than 200 trailblazing filmmakers, heralded stars and a number of surprise celebrity guests.
"We are looking forward to an incredible 11th year," said Festival Executive Director Marc Lhormer, "We believe this April's festival will take our celebration of film, food and wine to a whole new level of pleasure, with top-tier film premieres, along with pairings of award-winning regional wines before film screenings, and cuisine created by nationally-famous and locally-revered celebrity chefs to delight every taste bud. The 2008 Sonoma Valley Film Festival will offer a true feast of cinematic pleasures, including inspiring documentaries, innovative animation, thrilling dramas, and hilarious comedies."
The Film Festival will kick off on Wednesday night, April 9 with evening Sneak Preview screenings, and will be followed on Thursday evening, April 10, in glamorous style at the Opening Night Gala, a spectacular party of food, wine, dancing and entertainment to be held at the stunning new Jacuzzi Winery in Sonoma.
Other great films of note playing at the 2008 festival include: The gothic West Texas love story Elvis and Anabelle, directed by Will Geiger, starring Joe Mantegna, Blake Lively (Gossip Girl), Max Minghella and Mary Steenburgen; Love and Other Disasters, a sexy comedy about an obsessive matchmaker with a fast-paced life at British Vogue, directed by Alek Keshishian (Madonna: Truth or Dare), and starring Brittany Murphy, Matthew Rhys, Orlando Bloom, and Gwyneth Paltrow; Diminished Capacity with Alan Alda and Mathhew Broderick; and Lynch, a rare behind the scenes glimpse into the life and mind of award-winning cinematic genius, David Lynch, director of contemporary classics like The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive.
The 2008 Festival will culminate at the Closing Night Awards Ceremony on Sunday, April 13 when awards will be given in the form of cash, prizes and custom hand-blown glass wine decanters by master artisan Ryan Blythe, in the following categories: Best Animated Short, Best Live Action Short, Best Documentary Feature, the $10,000 cash THX Award for Best Narrative Feature, and Audience Awards for Favorite Narrative Feature and Favorite Documentary Feature.
A great ticket option for every taste and budget! The Sonoma Valley Film Festival offers a great variety of ticket options for attendees, including $10 Door Tickets and $60 All-Day Passes, as well as great value all-week Festival Passes, VIP Premier Passes, and VIP All-Access Patron Passes.
The Festival also welcomes parents to take advantage of "KIDZONE," the festival's fun and inexpensive Childcare program, for kids of all ages. (See Festival website for details).
Tickets are already selling fast. To order tickets, and also for complete film listings, screening times, events, child-care and celebrity appearances, visit http://www.SonomaFilmFest.org, or call the Festival office at (707) 933-2600.
SELECTED PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS (For complete Festival film listings, visit http://www.SonomaFilmFest.org):
Love and Other Disasters - US Premiere stars Brittany Murphy, Orlando Bloom, Gwyneth Paltrow.
Young at Heart - the exploits of a Seniors-Only Choir as they stun and amaze with covers of Radiohead, Sonic Youth and James Brown!
Captain Abu Raed - The first-ever independent film from the nation of Jordan - 2008 Sundance World Cinema Award-winner!
Jar City, a brilliant, twisted murder mystery from Iceland
The Village Barbershop, with star John Ratzenberger appearing in person!
Lynch, a rare glimpse into the life and mind of award-winning director David Lynch
Adjust Your Color: The Truth of Petey Greene, the true story of the first shock jock, narrated by Don Cheadle.
Elvis and Anabelle - a West Texas gothic love story, stars Joe Mantegna, Blake Lively, Max Mingella, and Mary Steenburgen
Tellin' It Like It Is, directed by Kevin Gordon
Diminished Capacity - Wonderfully quirky odd-couple comedy stars Alan Alda and Matthew Broderick .
Beetlejuice - the Michael Keaton classic, directed by Tim Burton
Then She Found Me - directorial debut of Helen Hunt, stars Hunt with Bette Midler
The Journey Makes Us One - Family-Friendly screening event with LIVE musical performance.
Amal - An unforgettable classic tale set in a very contemporary India.
The Cake Eaters, directorial debut by Mary Stuart Masterson, stars Bruce Dern
A Promise to the Dead: The Exile Journey of Ariel Dorfman - an inspiring portrait of the political exile and homecoming of the famous Chilean activist, novelist, screenwriter and playwright, author of the award-winning "Death and the Maiden".
Riding Solo to the Top of the World - a visually stunning odyssey.
Unsettled - a brilliant, nuanced look into the struggle over settlements in Gaza.
Flatland: The Movie - An innovative animated film based on the mind-bending classic mathematical novella, and stars Martin Sheen and Kristen Bell.
Presented by MBT The anti-shoe, and produced by the non-profit local Sonoma Valley Film Society, the Sonoma Valley Film Festival welcomes filmmakers and film lovers from Sonoma and around the world to an inspiring, intimate and pleasure-filled extended weekend, pairing great food, fine wine and over 75 new independent films.
For complete film listings and screening times, celebrity guests, event schedule, FAQs and to order tickets please visit: http://www.SonomaFilmFest.org or call (707) 933-2600.
Editors Note: Filmmaker and celebrity interviews and high-resolution images are available upon request.
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