The Sonoma International Film Festival is a five-day film festival that focuses on promoting the greatest in independent films and filmmakers. The festival has many other highlights and draws including great food, wine, and fun. 

Thomas Napper’s Widow Clicquot will be the first film that begins the festival. Its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival was met with strong reviews last fall. The film stars Haley Bennett who plays Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot, a bold and fearless woman, who was able to turn her family’s champagne business into a worldwide success. The film makes the perfect opening for the festival set in March from the 20-to-24 and located in California’s wine vineyards. 

The festival includes other notable films including, Ethan Hawke’s Wildcat starring his daughter Maya Hawke as the centerpiece, and Luc Besson’s Dogman with Caleb Laundry Jones will be the one closing the festival. Other notable highlights are Beau Bridges receiving the SIFF Lifetime Achievement Award with an onstage conversation tribute to the actor as well as a 35th anniversary screening of “The Fabulous Baker Boys.” 

The festival will present the Culinary Excellence Award to Susan Feniger at a multi-course dinner curated by the chef and a screening of Liz Lachman’s film Susan Feniger.Forked. The festival has special parties planned at various wineries including Buena Vista Winery, Hopmonk Tavern, Sebastian Vineyards, and Winery, and lastly the Lodge at Sonoma. 

The five-day festival is curated by Carl Spence (SIFF Director), Amanda Salazar and Ken Jacobson (Senior Programmers), and short programmer Oscar Arce Naranjo. The festival encourages and promotes its Food Insecurity Awareness Initiative to festival goers to donate throughout the event. A portion of the money donated will go to Redwood Empire Food Bank and the California Restaurant Alliance-Restaurant Cares. SIFF festival will also have local restaurants provide food and beverages at a free community event.