CALL for Entries
Wine Country Film Festival (Santa Rosa Int. Film Fest) Film Entries for 2013 are NOW OPEN. WE HAVE REDUCED OUR ENTRY FEES SO ENTER NOW!
WCFF / SRIFF Films Al Fresco are spectacular screenings in the vineyards and wine cave at Deerfield Ranch Winery.
Click HERE to submit through Withoutabox
Click HERE TO SUBMIT your film Directly. Download the Entry Form : WCFF / SRIFF_Entry_Form_2013 Get your Entry Form or Call us for Details. +1 707-935 3456
The 27th Annual WINE COUNTRY FILM FESTIVAL (also know as the Santa Rosa International Film Festival) brings the best cinema from around the world to the Wine Country of Sonoma County, California. Keep an eye on this site and subscribe to our Facebook page to get updates regarding next year’s festival.
Each year for the last quarter century the Festival has featured impressive lineups of films and filmmakers, many of which have gone on to great success at other film festivals in the US and abroad, and have received commercial successes. The Festival is proud to be the recipient of praise regarding its special programming.
”From Hitchcock to Coppola, Santa Rosa has served as a picturesque setting for many films. We were thrilled to host the Film Festival. The Festival brought visitors to Santa Rosa from all over California, many of whom were experiencing for the first time the wonderful array of activities, wineries and restaurants they could visit between film screenings. We look forward to hosting this event into the future.”
Santa Rosa Mayor Ernesto Olivares
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL – MISSION & OBJECTIVE
Located just 50 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Wine Country Film Festival (aka Santa Rosa International Film Festival) is wine country’s FIRST – the area’s original, largest, and longest running film festival. It features more spectacular Festival screenings in wine caves and under the stars – Films al Fresco™ – than any other festival in North America.
The Festival, is celebrating its 27th Anniversary in 2013. The Festival is dedicated to bringing the finest international cinema to the community and providing a cultural resource for filmmakers, artists and the public at large. We believe that film can broaden our appreciation of the arts, engender social conscience, create international cultural understanding and expand multi-cultural awareness.
A top tier event, the festival is leisurely paced and friendly with time to enjoy a wonderful recreation region.
There’s nothing rote about our Festival. Every year we are amazed by the quality of films that are submitted for consideration. It is your film and your voice that create the tone of each edition.
There are seven sections: World Cinema, U.S. Cinema, Arts in Film, Music in Film, CineLatino, Cinema of Conscience (humanity and social issues), and EcoCinema. We have, in addition, Special Sections of FOOD ON FILM and Paseo de España. We program Shorts, Documentaries, and Features.
Share your passion and unique vision
Share your passion and unique vision with us. At the Festival your film will be received by an enthusiastic public. You may be invited to participate in Master Classes that are lively and informative. Often we feature Filmmaker personalized tours to wineries and local attractions.
Many supporting events bring a greater appreciation to the art of filmmaking such as performances, readings, exhibitions of paintings, sculpture and photography. Films are screened in local venues and outdoors under the stars in spectacular wine country settings such as the Grand Room in the wine Caves of Deerfield Ranch Winery.
SPECIAL GUESTS
Over the years the Festival has hosted and Tributed In Person such luminaries as Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn, Jonathan Demme, Richard Shepard, Philip Kaufman, Ron Shelton, Rita Moreno, Nicolas Cage, Dennis Hopper, Theresa Russell, Anthony Edwards, Vilmos Zsigmond, Chuck Workman, Elliott Gould, Teri Garr, Richard Harris, Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, international filmmakers Percy Adlon, Mika Kaurismaki, Nana Djordjadze, Anant Singh, Eliseo Subiela and Gregory Peck to our unique cinema event.
Our purpose is, through film and the arts, to recognize their talents, their humanity, their compassion, and their sense of justice to create a more equitable world.
Your Film can fit into one or more of our Special Categories.
First Feature
Open to all filmmakers worldwide. First time director of feature length film (60 minutes or more). Your feature length film will fall into one of our categories: Arts in Film, U.S. Cinema (produced in the U.S.) Music in Film, Cinema of Conscience, World Cinema, EcoCinema, Food On Film, Paseo de España or CineLatino.
Documentary
Your documentary will be included in one of our categories: Arts in Film, U.S. Cinema (produced in the U.S.), Cinema of Conscience, World Cinema, EcoCinema, Food On Film, Paseo de España or CineLatino. Please indicate the appropriate category for your film entry. Thanks!
Arts In Film
Arts In Film are projects made about the “Arts.” Included are: literature, opera, dance, painting, photography, music, filmmaking, culinary arts & wine, theatre, sculpture,etc.
Cinema of Conscience
Features, docs and shorts that you made regarding human rights, civil liberties, social justice and/or issues you feel passionate about. If your film is about the environment go to EcoCinema. We favor films that have artistic merit as well as relevancy.
Shorts
Your short (30 minutes or less) will be included in one of our categories: Arts in Film, U.S. Cinema (produced in the U.S.) Music in Film, Cinema of Conscience, World Cinema, EcoCinema, Food On Film, Paseo de España or CineLatino. Please use the appropriate category for your short film entry. Thanks!
U.S. Cinema
For Independent films (shorts, docs, features, animation) that are produced in the U.S. All lengths and all genres considered. Remember, you can indicate more than one category.
World Cinema
For features, shorts, docs, animation produced outside of the U.S. This is our Specialty! We seek out films that express what we call “The Terroir of Cinema”, that is… films that reveal something of the roots of the filmmakers land and culture.
It is through film and the arts that we experience Cultural Understanding and Appreciation, key elements to a peaceful world.
All languages are welcome, as long as they have English subtitles.
EcoCinema
Eco films (features, shorts, docs, animation) have an environmental message. In some way they should increase public awareness of environmental problems and solutions and inspire personal action. Or the environment is in some way a “character” in your film. In this section we include “Food On Film” (particularly ‘sustainable’ foods and farming) although Culinary Arts are also considered to be in the “Arts In Film” section.
CineLatino
CineLatino is a showcase of films (shorts, docs, features, animation) from Latin America, Cuba, Portugal, and South America. We are interested in cultural diversity. We are interested in all genres. Spain has a Special Sub-section known as PASEO DE ESPANA and Catalan films are part of CATALAN FOCUS.
Paseo de España
PASEO DE ESPANA IS A CELEBRATION OF IBERIAN CINEMA FROM, SPAIN AND BASQUE COUNTRY. ALL GENRES ARE WELCOME. CATALAN FILMS fall under our CATALAN FOCUS Special Section.
FOOD ON FILM
This section includes films that are usually touching on other categories as well, but seeing that we are in one of the great culinary areas of the world, we showcase films that include Food or Wine as themes, and we frequently have cooking demonstrations that accompany the screenings! DO YOU COOK? If you like, you too can do a cooking demo! Let us know! It is lots of fun.
Awards include (partial list)
BEST OF THE FESTIVAL
BEST FIRST FEATURES for Best International and Best US First time directing efforts.
HUMANITARIAN AWARD which is given to an individual who has significantly impacted our world – Past recipients include Nobel Peace laureates His Holiness the Dalai Lama Jose Ramos Horta (“The Diplomat”) and Jody Williams (“Disarm”) and to Martin Sheen for his extraordinary contributions to social justice and peace.
The DAVID L. WOLPER AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY in various categories.
The JACK LONDON SPIRIT AWARD
AUDIENCE AWARDS for Best Shorts and Features.
GAIA Awards for Best Eco films
The CHARLIE CHAPLIN AWARD to an exceptional multi-dimensional film artist.
The Festival includes a host of Special Events that include culinary events, art exhibitions and Life Achievement Awards and Tributes. Past honorees include Kirk Douglas, Richard Dreyfuss, Nicolas Cage, Elliott Gould, Dennis Hopper, David Carradine, Rip Torn, Richard Shepard, Anthony Quinn, Rita Moreno, Gregory Peck, Dudley Moore, Lynn Redgrave, Jonathan Demme, Philip Kaufman, Ernest Borgnine, Teri Garr, Harry Shearer, Richard Harris and other notables.
Other Special Awards and Award Sponsors may be issued at the discretion of the Festival Directors.