***COVID19 UPDATE***
Hey folks,
We hope you are safe and well. We have no idea what the future holds, but we do have a sneaky feeling September might still not be safe to gather. What does that mean for you? Your submissions are still welcome through the June 30th deadline. They WILL be reviewed, and they WILL be considered for whatever festival we produce next.
Let's stay in touch. If anything changes on your end, let us know. We pledge to do the same. FYI: As a policy, we will not give refunds at this point, but if you're hard up for cash, don't hesitate to reach out and let us know.
We need you and your stories more than ever!
So stay safe, stay home, and take care of one another.
All our best and with a lot of love,
AVFF Team
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Here at the Alexander Valley Film Festival, we want filmmakers to have an awesome experience working with us and cultivating life-long relationships.
In addition to screening cutting-edge films like FREE SOLO (2018) and PARASITE (2019), we select diverse works from and about underrepresented artists and communities. We actively seek:
* Socially conscious films that depict characters in the richness of their culture and identities;
* Works from directors of color;
* Latinx- , LGBTQ+-, and female- driven narratives; and
* Youth-oriented stories.
Please do NOT submit to us if:
* You want to meet distributors at the fest
* You must have a screening fee for us to share your film
* You have a slasher film
* You feature gratuitous sexual content or blood and guts
Still interested? YAY! Below is an overview of our festival. But before you submit, please read the basics:
We exist to bring content to our community to which they would not otherwise have access. We're 80 miles north of San Francisco in rural wine county. The nearest arthouse cinema is 45 miles away. We ARE the arthouse of Northern Sonoma County.
We will show ~50 films for the festival, 15-20% of which will be from unsolicited submissions.
We have three staff people year-round. We staff a handful of contractors and a hundred volunteers during festival time.
Our festival budget is $95,000 of a $360,000 year-round budget.
Three people from our anonymous, all-volunteer, community-based screening team will watch your film in the screening process. Shorts are watched all the way through. Features are given at least 30 minutes. Screeners can bow out after 30 minutes but are then not allowed to judge the film. Staff make the final decisions.
All filmmakers will hear from us either way by early August.
Campaigning for your film does not hurt but your communications will not reach the screeners.
All accepted films will be offered at least a $100 travel stipend, complimentary housing in a host home for either the director or subject, and two filmmaker passes. Additional passes may be purchased for $50.
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The ALEXANDER VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL (AVFF) is the best-kept secret for food, film, and fun in the North Bay. We welcome more than 2,000 patrons for the unique mix of independent cinema with a Hollywood flare. The Festival features domestic and international narrative features, documentaries, and short films; the best in Sonoma County hospitality, chefs, cuisine, and wineries; a student film competition amplified by visiting professional filmmakers; community events and screenings in the vineyards, and more!
AVFF showcases and hosts new and emerging talents from all over the world. We create opportunities for our community, students and adults alike, to meet, interact with, and learn from visiting artists. We also offer deeply discounted tickets to students so that no one will be turned away.
This event is dedicated to bringing films and experiences to Northern Sonoma County to which the community would otherwise not have access. The 2020 Festival will take place September 23-27, 2020 (Wednesday-Sunday) and anchors between The Clover Theater in Cloverdale and Raven Film Center in Healdsburg plus other venues throughout Northern Sonoma County.
For more information about the Alexander Valley Film Society, visit www.avfilmsociety.org or call 707.893.7150.
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**********ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS: For student rules, regulations, and awards, please visit: https://www.avfilmsociety.org/student-film-competition
AVFF Audience Award - Feature-Length Narrative
This prize will be awarded to one feature narrative film that receives the highest marks from AVFF audiences. Cash value: $1,000
AVFF Audience Award - Feature-Length Documentary
This prize will be awarded to one feature-length documentary film that receives the highest marks from AVFF audiences. Cash value: $1,000
AVFF Audience Award - Short
This prize will be awarded to one short film across narrative and documentary categories that receives the highest marks from AVFF audiences. Cash value: $1,000
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**********ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS: For student rules, regulations, and awards, please visit: https://www.avfilmsociety.org/student-film-competition