arts + entertainment Dustin Wilson rehearses blind tasting at RN74 restaurant in San Francisco for the documentarySOMM SnEAk and Brenda Lhormer roll out the second annual PEEbyEVY wARShAwSkISkarcmo-Founders-DirectorscDown to the wire, napa Valley Film Festival, november 7–11, 2012 Ithe Napa Valley, over a five-day period. Add in artisan wine and four young sommeliers as they attempt to pass the grueling and difficult, a documentary that followsSOMMWe’re screening the world premiere ofand documentary features/shorts.magine the nightmare logistics of screening 100 new-to-Napaindependent films, day and night, in eleven venues throughout boutique food tastings, educational programs, four town villages, juried Master Sommelier exam, a test with one of the lowest pass rates in the world. film competitions and a host of hip hospitality parties. Get the picture? Guests appearing with the film will be the film’s four subjects, plus top food As cinephiles anticipate this remarkable feat, I asked the Lhormers for a and wine personalities. “splice” of backstory, and what’s in the can for 2012: And we’re hosting the West Coast premiere of Rising from Ashes, about the first Rwandan national cycling team, in their bid to make history by Is it true that you will preview 700 film submissions to choose representing their country at the 2012 Olympics. the final 100? It’s insane. This year we received some excellent submissions, and we What’s the best way to experience the Festival? requested a couple hundred that we have been following from other festivals Buy a pass, so you can always get in to the movies you want to as well as sneak previews from our studio partners. see, and you will gain access to the wine pavilions. Visit our website (napavalleyfilmfest.org) and study the program guide, available October 1. Are there more filmmakers out there now, in this economy? Decide if you want to stay in one town or travel around, then map out It seems there are many more filmmakers, and so many inexpensive your personal Festival. Take chances, mix it up. Go to a short program. ways to make a movie. We saw submissions that were clearly shot on an See a Lounge film at Hatt Hall/Napa River Inn. See documentaries about inexpensive camera —with lightweight equipment, minimum or no lighting subjects and topics that are unfamiliar. Check out as many of the narrative and just good sound. You don’t need a big or expensive crew, and you can features in competition as possible. Stay for the Q&A’s, and meet the get a film done so quickly. It just comes down to, ‘Is it a good story, and are filmmakers. Come to the awards ceremony on Sunday, November 11. It’s the characters sketched out, and is the acting good?’ If so, the filmmaker has truly inspirational! made a good film submission. We received several well-made and well-told films from teenagers. I was shocked. For up-to-the-minute information on all nVFF activities, What are you excited about in 2012? visit www.napavalleyfilmfest.org. Don’t miss one of napa Valley’s most stellar cultural events! We’re thrilled to have acclaimed film critic and historian Leonard Maltin on site, overseeing juries for the film categories of narrative features/shorts S E P T E m B E R / o c T o B E R 2 0 1 2 61
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