THE FILMMAKERS ARE COMING TO NAPA VALLEY
There is a crisp chill in the air, the leaves are starting to change, and while some are thinking of Pumpkin Spice and cozy sweaters, the people of Napa valley have two different things on their mind: harvest, and of course, the Napa valley Film Festival. when the vineyards explode with fall colors, it’s a sign: the filmmakers are coming. For five days, the four walkable villages of Napa valley are transformed into a mecca for independent film fanatics, foodies and wine lovers. Between Napa, yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga, there are 13 unique venues set up for film screenings. Some venues are established performing arts centers and movie theaters such as the Cameo Cinema in St. Helena, which has been in operation since 1913 (yes, really!); other locations include an old airplane hangar, a cooking school, a local jazz club and winery barrel rooms that are transformed into state of the art pop-up theaters. This year there are over 120 new independent (and sneak preview) films programmed to fill those screens. The Festival will play host to an incredible selection of films, including many of this year’s awardcontenders, like The weinstein Company’s Lion (featuring performances by Nicole Kidman and Dev Patel), which will be this year’s Opening Night film, and Open Road Films’ Bleed for This (starring Aaron Eckhart and Miles Teller). The 2016 film lineup also includes heartfelt and entertaining new films starring Eddie Murphy (Mr. Church), Christina Applegate, Frank Langella and Billy Crudup (youth in Oregon), viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic), vera Farmiga and Jacob Tremblay (Burn your Maps), to name a few.
The Celebrities Are Coming, Too
This year’s Celebrity Tributes will be held on Thursday, November 10 at 6:00pm, at the glorious Lincoln Theater in yountville. The Charles Krug Legendary Filmmaker and Actor Tributes will be accepted by Lee Daniels and Kurt Russell, respectively; Dev Patel and Chloe Grace Moretz will be presented the Raymond vineyards Trailblazer honors; viggo Mortensen is this year’s Spotlight Tribute; and Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell will receive the Chandon Rising Star tributes. Access Hollywood’s Natalie Morales and Kit Hoover host this entertainment event and lead the on-stage conversations. Other notable celebrities expected to attend include Jessica Biel, Ian Bohen, Josh Charles, Aaron Eckhart, Gordon Getty, Meredith Hagner, Katie Holmes, Sam Huntington, Sam Jaeger, Alex Karpovsky, Rose Leslie, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Joel David Moore, Matt Ross, wyatt Russell, Madeline Zima and many more. Keep checking nvff.org for more updates. The beauty about the Napa valley Film Festival is how easy it is to share in the red carpet moments, and get up close and personal with some of the biggest stars attending the event.
Food, Wine and Parties
The filmmakers may be coming, but the food and wine were already here. To make each day and night more delectable, the festival showcases the best food, chefs and wine throughout the festival, which adds to the lively interaction between audiences, filmmakers and celebrities and the richness of the conversations. It’s laid back, inspiring, fun and addictive. There is no other festival, or any event for that matter, that offers attendees the opportunity to taste as many hard-to-find and cult wines, for no extra fee. All passholders are invited to sample 10-15 wines every afternoon from Thursday through Sunday between 3:00pm – 5:00pm in the festival wine Pavilions in the village Centers of Napa, yountville, St. Helena, and Calistoga. wine flows freely for attendees on a break from the movies, and the energy is infectious. And the parties never end. There’s the Opening Night vIP party at Ottimo!, hosted by Chef Michael Chiarello; Opening Night Indian Springs pool party for filmmakers and attendees with a Pass Plus; the raging Friday Night Martin Bash in St. Helena; the over-thetop Festival Gala that follows the Awards Ceremony on Saturday; a casual celebration at Eiko’s in Napa on Saturday night; and Closing Night wrap Party in Napa, following the world premiere of the film Pisco Punch: A Cocktail Comeback Story that celebrates our shared humanity.