Awards aplenty as Sonoma film fest notches record
“Goodbye Julia,” a Sudanese drama directed by Mohamed Kordofani about two women who form an unlikely bond, and “Invisible Nation,” Vanessa Hope’s documentary about Taiwan’s first female president, Tsai Ingwen, and the perilous path the island nation must walk between China and the West, have won the top jury awards at the 27th Sonoma International Film Festival.
Audience awards went to Patricia Font’s “The Teacher Who Promised the Sea,” a Spanish Civil War-themed film about an idealistic educator; and “Call Me Dancer,” a documentary directed by Leslie Shampaine and Pip Gilmour about a street dancer in India who comes under the tutelage of a septuagenarian Israeli dance teacher.
The winners were announced at an awards brunch on Sunday, March 24, at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa. Organizers also said the fiveday festival, which began Wednesday, March 20, set an attendance record for the second straight year.
The Sonoma International Film Festival, led by Executive Director Ginny Krieger, was the second programmed by Artistic Director Carl Spence, included 107 films — 43 narrative features, 16 documentary features and 48 short films from more than 25 countries — and several Wine Countrythemed parties.
Spence noted that varied programming helped bring in a diversity of audiences.
“The U.S. Premiere of ‘Widow Clicquot’ was a huge hit as our opening night film, and the world premiere of ‘Extremely Unique Dynamic’ was wholeheartedly embraced by audiences of all ages in Sonoma,” Spence said in an email, contrasting an art house film about Champagne in the 19th century and a youth-oriented Asian comedy, which both sold out. “These two films are opposites in style, tone, and execution but both are equally aligned with our curatorial vision for the festival.”
Special guests included actor Beau Bridges, who received a lifetime achievement award; multi-hyphenate performer John Cameron Mitchell; actor Scoot McNairy; chef Susan Feniger; and musician Rob Garza of Thievery Corporation.
The McNeely Audience Award for best short film went to “Save the Cat,” a 24-minute documentary directed by Jordan Matthew Horowitz about a Ukrainian family fleeing war and landing in Sonoma, and the quest to reunite the daughter with her beloved feline.
Juries also handed out awards to short films in three categories: live action (“ILY, Bye,” directed by Taylor James), documentary (“A Part of You/ Made Me Whole Again,” directed by Destyn FullerHope and Andrew Wonder) and animated (“Bug Diner,” directed by Phoebe Jane Hart).