The ninth annual AVFest will return to northern Sonoma County Friday, April 28 through Sunday, May 7, bringing 10 days of indie film screenings with wine country flavor to Cloverdale and Healdsburg, promises AVFilm.
Opening in Cloverdale, AVFest kicks off with a block party on First Street and a showing of fast-paced nerd comedy Blackberry, about the early days of smartphones. Director and star Matt Johnson and executive producer and composer Jay McCarrol will be in attendance to talk about the film and to party with moviegoers. First Street will come alive with live music from Sabor de mi Cuba, food trucks and beverage vendors.
This year, executive director Kathryn Hecht’s team restructured the festival to streamline the experience for attendees and visiting filmmakers. It will also ensure fuller houses at each film, Hecht said. “There will only be one screening at one venue at a time, so a patron could buy an all-access pass and go to everything,” she explained.
In past years, as many as four films played simultaneously across Healdsburg, Geyserville, Cloverdale and beyond. Traveling between small cities that are nearly 18 miles apart proved challenging for festival-goers. Instead, this year’s opening weekend concentrates the celebration in Cloverdale, with all screenings at The Clover Theater, while closing weekend all takes place in Healdsburg, popping up at Longboard Vineyards for screenings.
In addition to the regular screenings, AVFest is known for its nightly “Spotlight Events,” which pair a film or collection of shorts with unique venues and elevated food and wine experiences. On Tuesday, May 2, Healdsburg’s Lo & Behold will host an AAPI Heritage Night, featuring a screening of the Indian-American romantic comedy 7 Days, with a multi-course meal prepared by local Asian-American chefs.
Other Healdsburg spotlight nights will include “Arthouse at the Madrona” on Thursday, May 4, with a screening of Italian sci-fi film Freaks Out; a “World Shorts Showcase” at Longboard Vineyards on Friday, May 5; “Plaza Cinema Center Celebration,” plus a screening of the documentary Little Richard: I Am Everything, on Saturday, May 6; and a closing night screening of the critically-acclaimed documentary 26.2 to LIfe, followed by a reception at The Matheson on Sunday, May 7.
In 26.2 to Life, director Christine Yoo sheds a light on San Quentin’s 1000 Mile Club, in which incarcerated runners train for and compete in a marathon doing laps around the prison yard.
New in 2023, AVFest’s programming was led by Mike Traina, the organization’s recently-appointed director of programming. Traina, who also runs Film Fest Petaluma and teaches in the communications department at Santa Rosa Junior College, brings 30 years of film industry experience to the role.
“We’re so proud to be welcoming a few dozen filmmakers to Sonoma County, as connecting guest artists with local filmgoers and regional film students is central to the mission of AVFilm and the festival,” Traina said, noting how excited he is to highlight many first-time filmmakers this year.
Beginning in 2022, AVFilm introduced the J.E.D.I. Award—which stands for justice, equity, diversion and inclusion—to recognize a film and filmmaker championing these principles. The award comes with a $1,000 prize. This year’s J.E.D.I. Award winner is Our Father, the Devil, a French thriller about trauma and forgiveness. Director Ellie Foumbi, who is among the debut filmmakers at the fest, will attend the screening and celebration on Sunday, April 30 at The Clover.
Hecht is also excited about the diverse storytellers showcased at this year’s fest. “We have more women directors this year than men and a lot of wonderful Bay Area directors,” she said.
Many of the regionally-local directors will be featured in a program called “Doc Shorts: Changemakers,” at The Lost Church in Santa Rosa on Monday, May 1. Heather Murray, who is also a teaching artist with AVFilm, will show her Sonoma County short documentary, Beyond the Beta, about teenage climbers at Vertex Climbing Center.
AVFest fan-favorite event “Neighbor Night,” which takes place each year at Geyserville’s Alexander Valley Hall, will also highlight local filmmakers. The documentary feature Jack Has a Plan, directed by Bradly Berman and produced by returning filmmaker Chris Metzler, chronicles a San Francisco musician named Jack who decides to end his life after he is diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor.
According to AVFilm, the film “is both thought-provoking and entertaining, with a surprisingly light and airy touch….”
Neighbor Night will include a barbecue dinner, beer and wine, and family-style seating. Berman and Metzler will attend for a conversation after the film.
Hecht said a mission of AVFest is for locals to embrace the power of film and celebrate cinema in northern Sonoma County. This makes for a balancing act of creating high-end screening experiences that appeal to Healdsburg’s and Cloverdale’s discerning taste for food and wine while also creating some free and affordable screening events everyone can access.
In practice, this means that attendees can choose AVFest experiences ranging from free up to $1,000.
At no cost, guests can gather on the Healdsburg Plaza on Saturday, May 6 for an 8pm showing of the documentary Little Richard: I Am Everything, a family-friendly tribute to the queer Black rock music icon. Tickets to regular film screenings are $12 general admission and $5 for students. Additionally, students can get $5 tickets for AVFest’s World Shorts Showcase on Friday, May 5 and Closing Night screening of 26.2 to Life on Sunday, May 7.
“We really want students to experience film and have access to the filmmakers coming to the fest,” Hecht said.
A Platinum Pass, which costs $1,000, gets one into every AVFest event. Because the festival pared down to one screening at a time, this means a Platinum passholder could actually see all 19 features and 36 short films. For $350, guests can choose an Opening Weekend Cloverdale pass or a Closing Weekend Healdsburg pass. Each includes admission to all regular screenings and spotlight events for their respective three-day weekend. For $180, a Gold Pass offers access to all regularly-priced screenings, plus several meal-less spotlight events throughout the week.
“We want our patrons to expect film to be a part of their elevated experiences. In an area that has high standards for food and wine, we aim to match or exceed that quality with the quality of films we show,” Hecht said.
AVFest passes, tickets and information are available at avfilmpresents.org/film-festival.
Editor’s note: Chelsea Kurnick previously worked for AVFilm.
