The Sonoma Intl. Film Festival kicks off with the U.S. premiere of Thomas Napper’s “Widow Clicquot,” starring Haley Bennett. The film, which world premiered to strong reviews at the Toronto Film Festival last fall, tells the story of the formidable Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot, who flouts conventional and turns the family Champagne business into a global success — the perfect film for a festival set in California’s wine country. The festival runs March 20-24.
Other festival highlights include the Centerpiece Film, Ethan Hawke’s “Wildcat,” starring Maya Hawke, while Luc Besson’s “Dogman,” with Caleb Landry Jones, will close the fest. Oscar-nominated animated feature “Robot Dreams” screens as a special closing night presentation at Sonoma Academy’s new Community Performing Arts Center in Santa Rosa, supported in part by the KHR McNeely Family Fund, featuring Dolby Atmos and Meyer Sound with a 4k Christie Laser Projector.
“Extremely Unique Dynamic,” directed by Harrison Xu, Ivan Leung and Katherine Dudas world premieres at Sonoma and is the Gay-La Spotlight Film, with a party to follow hosted by actor, director, screenwriter, producer and musician John Cameron Mitchell.
Beau Bridges will be honored with the SIFF Lifetime Achievement Award. A tribute to the actor includes an on-stage conversation and a 35th anniversary screening of hit “The Fabulous Baker Boys,” in which he starred with brother Jeff Bridges and Michelle Pfeiffer.
“Building off last year’s festival, the highest attended in the history of SIFF, we are excited to welcome veteran actor Beau Bridges, and provide a showcase for premieres and extraordinary films from notable filmmakers and talent,” said Carl Spence, SIFF artistic director.
Chef Susan Feniger will be presented with the Culinary Excellence Award at a special dinner and screening event of director Liz Lachman’s “Susan Feniger. Forked” and a multi-course dinner curated by Feniger.
Other special events include a live episode of the “The Film That Blew My Mind” podcast, with co-hosts Sundance director emeritus John Cooper and Tabitha Jackson, featuring guest Mitchell, and parties at wineries including Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery, Buena Vista Winery, Hopmonk Tavern, and the Lodge at Sonoma.
The festival film lineup also includes Thea Sharrock’s “Wicked Little Letters” with Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley); Tony Goldwyn’s “Ezra” starring Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Robert De Niro, Vera Farmiga, Whoopi Goldberg and Rainn Wilson; Daina O. Pusic’s “Tuesday,” with Julia Louis-Dreyfus; Gilles Legardinier’s “Mr. Blake at Your Service,” with John Malkovich and Fanny Ardant; Giorgio Diritti’s “Lubo.” Starring Franz Rogowski; Bertrand Bonello’s “The Beast” featuring Léa Seydoux and George MacKay; Bob Byington’s “Lousy Carter,” with David Krumholtz and Olivia Thirlby; and Stephen Soucy’s “Merchant Ivory.”
once again, the fest highlights its Food Insecurity Awareness Initiative in which festivalgoers are encouraged to make cash donations throughout the festival, with a portion of matched funds from SIFF and PG&E going to the Redwood Empire Food Bank and the California Restaurant Alliance-Restaurant Cares, while local restaurants will provide small bites and beverages at a free community event. The SIFF box office is also set up to collect non-perishable items for local food pantries.
The five-day festival is curated by Spence, along with senior programmers Amanda Salazar, and Ken Jacobson, and shorts programmer Oscar Arce Naranjo.
