Napa Sonoma Wine Country Film Festival 2008

Art of the inspired souls whose compulsion to create art in the most dire of circumstances sometimes saved their lives, but also aided thousands of others to touch upon their experiences from within the most oppressive man-slaughter in recent history. Art is indeed a liberation song.

Bliss is a story of modern Turkey, where cultures clash and old customs like honor killings still go on to this day in small villages. When a young woman named Meryem (Özgü Namal) is abused, her village custom requires that she be killed in order for the dishonour to be expunged from her family. A young man named Cemal (Murat Han), the son of the village leader, is given the task but at the last moment he has doubts. director Abdullah Oguz's drama is filled with intensity, vivid cultural clash, fine music and some absolutely stunning scenery (the film was shot on the Sea of Marmara).

Enduring maverick, emergent enigma, ever-evolving Hollywood legend: over the course of five decades, Clint Eastwood has managed to avoid the pitfalls of the star system and wrest creative control of nearly every aspect of the filmmaking process from the corporate powers-that-be. As a young contract player in the era of major studios, he champed at the bit for a chance to prove himself as an artist. Since then he has earned his stripes before and behind the camera: whether acting, producing, composing or directing, he remains unafraid to challenge audiences - continually surprising them and surpassing himself.

After Life, After Death -- Sometimes the nature of reality and meaning of life is revealed in the strangest places, under the most unsuspecting circumstances. A wartime journalist meets a woman who is awaiting his arrival in what seems a beautiful, peaceful setting. Ultimately, their encounter confirms connectivity through death, giving hope that we may indeed be welcomed into a safe and glorious afterlife, regardless of our past. Please note: Online ticket sales end 24 hours before each event. Tickets may still be available for purchase at the venue.

The Ones That Got Away -- In addition to pollution, deforestation and overpopulation, one of the greatest threats to the planet's ecology is the continuing devastation of the world's fisheries. In particular, Third World countries are faced with the almost insurmountable challenge of competing for a precious natural resource with Western countries boasting modern industrial vessels that strip the seas with alarmingly destructive efficiency. Cry Sea examines this growing crisis in the seas of Senegal. Having emptied the European seas of fish, gigantic fishing trawlers are now targeting Africa. Unable to compete with this 'European Invasion', Senegalese fishermen are being driven out of business. Again and again, local fisherman cast their nets into the sea, only to pull them back empty and are now being forced to risk their lives going further into deeper water in search of fish, while some species have disappeared entirely. At a fish processing plant in Kayar, the scale of the industry's collapse is apparent. Why the fishing treaties between European nations and West African nations are so unequitable, also raises the possibility of corruption at the highest government levels. It's believed that 50% of Senegal's fish are now caught by these industrial trawlers shipped to Europe. With the orcountry's population growing and a precious food resource dwindling, the chances of a gigantic human tragedy are being cast out upon the water. Please note: Online ticket sales end 24 hours before each event. Tickets may still be available for purchase at the venue.

"It will inspire others to re-examine a conflict that has waged for generations." ABC 7 News Los Angeles “…Absorbing drama.” Los Angeles Times “Four hundred and eleven years after Shakespeare published 'Romeo and Juliet,' the bard is alive and well." Malibu Times Jerusalem: A city of contrasts and conflicts, where Arabs, Jews, Christians and Muslims all mix but seldom mingle. This is where David, a young Israeli Jew, and Fatima, a beautiful Palestinian Muslim girl, meet and fall in love. In a volatile land that is steeped in tradition and soaked in blood, their love is forbidden. Despite their best efforts to keep their romance a secret, their friends and families find out the truth. Their reactions are swift and violent. David and Fatima must act quickly to avoid losing each other forever. Willing to risk all for the sake of love, they elope in a land where marriage between them is impossible and the consequences of being together - deadly. In this dramatic story of love, destiny, and the search for peace in the Holy Land, David and Fatima struggle to beat the odds and in doing so challenge not only their families but Fate itself. Please note: Online ticket sales end 24 hours before each event. Tickets may still be available for purchase at the venue.

Cinema of Conscience

Hoping for a better life, Andrej and his parents moved from the Ukraine to Germany illegally. Living directly across from a school young Andrej longs for a normal life and companionship with children his age. His parents terrified of being deported have kept him out of school. When the boy runs off to the nearby school, Andrej realizes that he needs to offer his son a future... Please note: Online ticket sales end 24 hours before each event. Tickets may still be available for purchase at the venue.

A soldier of the Iraq war who is disturbed by his president's abuse of power and who is rejected by society, tries to survive under the bridges of Los Angeles. Based on a poem this powerful film expresses the horrible price war has on the psyches of those who endure it. Please note: Online ticket sales end 24 hours before each event. Tickets may still be available for purchase at the venue.