True West Film Festival provides audiences and filmmakers ten days of thought-provoking films, the best of Sonoma County’s food & wine scene, shorts, panels, parties, and special events.
Click here to see all of the pictures from this year’s Festival.
Thank you to everyone who joined us at AVFest 2024, infusing our ten-day film festival with energy and enthusiasm. Your support as sponsors, pass holders, and ticket purchasers has made this our most successful and fun festival yet. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our dedicated staff, crew, board members, volunteers, vendors, restaurants, wineries, screening venues, chefs, servers, photographers, students, teachers, parents, guardians, filmmakers, screening team, tech assistance, and programmers. Your hard work and commitment brought #AVFest2024 to life in ways we couldn’t have imagined.
Thanks again for making our 10th annual film festival our best one yet!
AVFest Audience Award – Feature-Length Documentary (cash prize $1,000)
THE UNREDACTED Directed by Meg Smaker
AVFest Audience Award – Feature-Length Narrative (cash prize $1,000)
GHOSTLIGHT Directed by Alex Thompson and Kelly O’Sullivan
AVFest Audience Award – Short (cash prize $500)
THEN COMES THE BODY Directed by Jacob Krupnick
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) AWARD (cash prize $1,000)
TERRESTRIAL VERSES Directed by Ali Asgari and Alireza Khatami
Elementary School – School Project Film
($100 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
LOST AND FOUND Directed by Ryker Elmer, Sloane Elmer, Quinn Wilton, Clayton Bishop, Jackson Bishop, AVFilm Summer Camp
Middle School – School Project Film
($100 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
NATURAL ? NATURE Directed by Benjamin Ramirez, Parker Eastlake, Archer Barrett, AVFilm Summer Camp
Middle School – Independent
($250 cash prize for the student filmmaker)
GUIDING LIGHT Directed by India Mitchel
High School – School Project Film
($100 cash prize for teacher’s classroom)
INDIGO Directed by Gus Jordan, Analy High School
High School – Independent
($250 cash prize for the student filmmaker)
MOVING ON Directed by Kamryn Hare
College – Class Projects & Independent Film
($250 cash prize for the student filmmaker)
O’S Directed by Rik van Hoorn, UC San Diego
JOSEPH CARNATION, JR. STUDENT FILM AWARD
($1,000 cash prize for student)
GUIDING LIGHT Directed by India Mitchel
Below is the final schedule for you to start making your AVFest 2024 plans! CLICK HERE for the pdf version.
Access the Fest brochure below using the arrows on the left and right to turn the pages.
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.
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.
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.
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
Barbara Lannin
David Levine
Kim & John Lloyd
Kevin & Rosemary McNeeley
Winky & David Merrill
Wendy Mogel & Michael Tolkin
Care Morgenstern
Lisa & Michael Rhodes
Renn Rhodes & Marty Roberts
Tricia Tanoury
Stay up to date on upcoming events, educational programming and the new film center!
Stay up to date on upcoming events, education programming and the new film center!
