Festival start: 20 September 2017
Festival end: 25 September 2017
Located just 50 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Wine Country Film Festival is wine country's original and longest running film festival. It features more spectacular Festival screenings under the stars - Films al Fresco™ - than any other festival in North America.
A top tier event, the festival is slow paced and friendly with time to enjoy a wonderful recreation region.
Praised for its carefully curated program, the Festival takes pride in the discovery and exposure of new talent and broadening the ‘film literacy’ of our audience. It is your film and your voice that create the tone of each edition.
There are seven main sections: World Cinema, U.S. Cinema, Arts in Film, Music in Film, CineLatino, Cinema of Conscience (humanity and social issues), and EcoCinema, plus a special mini-section of Food On Film. We program shorts, documentaries, animation and dramatic features.
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 sheltered emerald arena at Muscardini Cellars Winery.
Awards include (partial list)
Best Feature and Short Film in various categories, WCFF / Humanitarian Award, Best First Feature Film, Jack London Screenplay Award, Jack London Spirit Award, Margrit & Robert Mondavi Peace & Cultural Understanding Prize, the WCFF David L. Wolper Documentary Film Prize. Competition will be held during the Festival, and the GAIA Film Prize for best film related to the environment. Prizes may include cash and services.
GENERAL INFORMATION / REGULATIONS
Send entry form, fee, and viewing copy (and CD of photo stills if available) to: Wine Country Film Festival, P.O. Box 303, Glen Ellen, CA 95442 if using Mail.
Or if by courier use Print Shipping address: Wine Country Film Festival, 12000 Henno Road, Glen Ellen, CA 95442.
Send in strong containers with return address. Participants are responsible for all freight, customs and handling charges.
Arrangements are to be made with our Print Traffic Department for Shipping Details for Exhibition copies. Screening Entries will not be returned unless prior arrangement is made and an additional charge is paid.
1) DATE and PLACE
The 31st Annual Wine Country Film Festival is Sept 20– 25, 2017 in Sonoma Valley, Ca. 50 miles north of San Francisco, in the heart of California’s premium wine country.
2) PURPOSE
The Festival promotes the development and appreciation of fine film and the arts and stimulates cultural understanding and exchange. The Festival provides rich materials for our Cinema In Education® Project that encourages and facilitates the use of film as an educational asset.
3) PRINCIPAL CATEGORIES
The Festival accepts feature films, shorts, documentaries, experimental, animation and student films in all formats. There are five categories including: World Cinema, U.S. Cinema, CineLatino, Eco Cinema (includes Food on Film), Cinema of Conscience (films of Political or Social Comment, particularly Human Rights,) and Arts in Film.
4) OTHER EVENTS- COMPETITIONS
The Festival also organizes Forums, Seminars, Master Classes, special programs and Tribute presentations. COMPETITIONS: Best Feature and Short Film in various categories, WCFF / Humanitarian Award, Best First Feature Film, Jack London Screenplay Award, Jack London Spirit Award, Margrit & Robert Mondavi Peace & Cultural Understanding Prize, the WCFF David L. Wolper Documentary Film Prize. Competition will be held during the Festival, and the GAIA Film Prize for best film related to the environment. Prizes may include cash and services.
5) SELECTION
The Program Director is responsible for establishing the selection of films and special programs. Entry in Festival constitutes agreement to participate if the film is selected.
6) UPON ACCEPTANCE
(but not with the Preview Entry), entrant must submit a press kit and exhibition copy.
7) A digital copy of the film will be kept in the Festival library for all selected films.
First Feature
Feature Films >60'
Fee-8%
Early35$32.2$
30 Jan 17
Standard45$41.4$
30 Mar 17
Late50$46$
30 May 17
Extended55$50.6$
04 Aug 17
Submissions deadline
04 Aug 17
Save up
3.6$
Submit
Open to all filmmakers worldwide. First time director of feature length film (60 minutes or more). Your feature length film will also 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 (includes Food on Film) or Latin Cinema. Don't worry if you are not sure which category your first feature may be.
Documentary
Short and Feature Films
Fee-8%
Early35$32.2$
30 Jan 17
Standard45$41.4$
30 Mar 17
Late50$46$
30 May 17
Extended55$50.6$
04 Aug 17
Submissions deadline
04 Aug 17
Save up
3.6$
Submit
A runtime of any length is permitted
Your documentary will also be included in one of our categories: Arts in Film, U.S. Cinema (produced in the U.S.), Cinema of Conscience, World Cinema, EcoCinema, or CineLatino. It is OK if you are not sure which category your documentary may be in.
Arts In Film
Short and Feature Films
Fee-8%
Early5$4.6$
30 Jan 17
Standard45$41.4$
30 Mar 17
Late50$46$
30 May 17
Extended55$50.6$
04 Aug 17
Submissions deadline
04 Aug 17
Save up
3.6$
Submit
Arts In Film Arts In Film are films made about the "Arts." Included are: literature, opera, dance, painting, photography, music, filmmaking, culinary arts, theatre, sculpture, etc. The great power of cinema is that it can bring us inside the soul and passion of artists at work. The Arts In Film fills a void that is missing from much of our education system these days. Any length.
Shorts
Short Films 35'<
Fee-8%
Early35$32.2$
30 Jan 17
Standard45$41.4$
30 Mar 17
Late50$46$
30 May 17
Extended55$50.6$
04 Aug 17
Submissions deadline
04 Aug 17
Save up
3.6$
Submit
Your short (35 minutes or less) can be fiction or non-fiction. It 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 or CineLatino. Please use the appropriate category for your short film entry. Thanks!
Cinema of Conscience
Short and Feature Films
Fee-8%
Early35$32.2$
30 Jan 17
Standard45$41.4$
30 Mar 17
Late50$46$
30 May 17
Extended55$50.6$
04 Aug 17
Submissions deadline
04 Aug 17
Save up
3.6$
Submit
A runtime of any length is permitted
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.
Food on Film
Short and Feature Films
Fee-8%
Early35$32.2$
30 Jan 17
Standard45$41.4$
30 Mar 17
Late50$46$
30 May 17
Extended55$50.6$
04 Aug 17
Submissions deadline
04 Aug 17
Save up
3.6$
Submit
A runtime of any length is permitted
Films that entice, enlighten and inform us on all matters related to the Culinary Arts, Food Production, Water, the Wine World, and farming.
World Cinema
Short and Feature Films
Fee-8%
Early35$32.2$
30 Jan 17
Standard45$41.4$
30 Mar 17
Late50$46$
30 May 17
Extended55$50.6$
04 Aug 17
Submissions deadline
04 Aug 17
Save up
3.6$
Submit
A runtime of any length is permitted
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
Short and Feature Films
Fee-8%
Early35$32.2$
30 Jan 17
Standard45$41.4$
30 Mar 17
Late50$46$
30 May 17
Extended55$50.6$
04 Aug 17
Submissions deadline
04 Aug 17
Save up
3.6$
Submit
A runtime of any length is permitted
Eco films (features, shorts, docs, animation) have an environmental message. They should increase public awareness of environmental problems, present solutions and inspire personal action. The environment can also be in some way a "character" in your film. In this section we include "Food On Film" - particularly 'sustainable' foods and farming.
CineLatino
Short and Feature Films
Fee-8%
Early35$32.2$
30 Jan 17
Standard45$41.4$
30 Mar 17
Late50$46$
30 May 17
Extended55$50.6$
04 Aug 17
Submissions deadline
04 Aug 17
Save up
3.6$
Submit
A runtime of any length is permitted
CineLatino is a showcase of films (shorts, docs, features, animation) from Latin America, South America Cuba, Portugal, and Spain. We are deeply interested in cultural diversity and our audiences love these films!
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