Napa Sonoma Wine Country Film Festival 2008

US Cinema

This gentle film stars young and arrogant Hollywood talent agent, Josh Ross (David Moscow- Big) who is sent reluctantly to Guatemala to find two-time Oscar winner and retired actor Jack Palladin (Ben Gazzara - Dogville, The Big Lebowski, The Spanish Prisoner) to lure him out of retirement. Josh's disregard for the 'old' actor mirrors his disdain for the local community whose help he desperately needs in his search for Palladin. What he hopes will be a quick but lucrative deal propels him on an unexpected journey. Josh, as well as Palladin and his expatriate friends, must confront the pasts they have left behind. And in the process discover new possibilities. Director Andrzej Krakowski and Star David Moscow to attend for Q & A. Please note: Online ticket sales end 24 hours before each event. Tickets may still be available for purchase at the venue.

Once in a while one of the key characters in a film isn't a person, but a town. This short feature Shelly, a young woman working in the local factory in a small town, just going through the motions of her life. When Alex, her high school sweetheart unexpectedly comes back, she's forced to confront the major issues and decisions that she's been avoiding, including her relationship with Kyle, her 12-year-old son. In order for Shelly to move forward, she needs to put the past to rest and the support of her community in this process shows that sometimes, it takes a village to raise an adult. Please note: Online ticket sales end 24 hours before each event. Tickets may still be available for purchase at the venue.

As a Sikh man with a full beard and turban, AMRIT SINGH is often the target of racial profiling. But when he sees his dreams of becoming Chief of Surgery at a state-of-the-art transplant center dwindle because of his appearance, Amrit goes against a tradition he's maintained his whole life and cuts his hair.When his compromises result in the death of a patient, Amrit begins to reexamine the value of the religious traditions he'd turned his back on.

Party Time! -- In this hilarious spoof about party planner wannabes, we follow two ambitious young women as they navigate a gauntlet of Hollywood hangers on who are preoccupied with becoming important players in the hyper-world of Southern California movie culture. Working high stress jobs for other people who are driven by their mega-maniacal need for recognition. Our Heroines long to break away from the drudgery of facilitating other people's ambitions, to start a business of their own. Along the way they have encounters with numerous bigger than life characters whose eccentricities act as a perfect foil for our future party planners naiveté. Strap your seat belts on and come along for the ride. Who knows maybe a star or two may show up? With cast and crew members in person. Please note: Patrons can purchase tickets for Other People's Parties only for $15 , or can purchase a packaged ticket that includes admission to Other People's Parties & Africa Unite for $20 Please note: Online ticket sales end 24 hours before each event. Tickets may still be available for purchase at the venue.

"A woman who having suffered from being the "heavy" friend in college, reunites with her old buddies for a long weekend. After glamorizing her friends for years, she is in for a surprise when she discovers that they all have their less than joyful moments. The film has a good message and doesn't just make fun of the heavy girl, but actually shows that we all have our hang ups, whether it is our looks, or sexual identity, our race, our position in society."

Life is a Beach -- Love has funny ways of bringing strangers together, even over the airwaves. One morning, Sunday, a marine biologist from MIT, is walking on a beautiful beach in Woods Hole, MA, when he meets Jill, a radio interviewer, to whom he is immediately attracted. Sunday is preparing for an important scientific conference and due to be interviewed on the radio that evening about his work and when he shows up at the station, he's more than pleasantly surprised to find that Jill is conducting the interview. But life is not quite that simple. Jill is dealing with the loss of her husband, while also coping with her young teenage daughter, Anna, who is experiencing her first love with a shy and confused boy. At the same time, two other significant relationships are playing out. Sunday's best friend and fellow scientist is preparing for his wedding, and his boss is rekindling her relationship with her ex-husband. Over a five day period, this quartet of stories sorts through the complex nuances of old and new loves. Director Andrew Silver shot his film in the natural light of early morning and late afternoon, allowing a warm, gentle appreciation for the scenic beauty of Woods Hole, the hub of environmental science in Cape Cod. Silver did his undergraduate and masters work in oceanography and earth sciences at MIT and the film subtly implies that the ocean provides a cleansing experience for his characters. As Jill advises her daughter's young boyfriend, love is like a trapeze; at some point, you just have to let go and trust that the other person will catch you. Please note: Online ticket sales end 24 hours before each event. Tickets may still be available for purchase at the venue.

Napa’s local mom and pop shop – Boardgarden – teams up with Hood Games for the second annual REELS & WHEELS at the Wine Country Film Festival. This special event serves local youth by showcasing and validating their talents and interests in skate boarding and video filmmaking. Boardgarden’s film “Skateboards from the Napa Valley” premieres during the event. Categories in the video contest are: Best Skate Tricks, Filming and Editing, Video Soundtracks, and Original Artwork. Youth will view and judge the video submissions. Following the films there will be a Q & A with a professional skateboard and an awards ceremony for the winners in each contest category. For more information about the Skate Video Contest, contact Boardgarden Skate Shop @ 707-253-7949. This special event takes place on August 2nd, 2008 at COPIA from 11AM – 1PM AUGUST 2ND, 2008 11AM - 1PM COPIA THEATER 500 First Street NAPA CA 94558 ADMISSION - FREE Please note: Online ticket sales end 24 hours before each event. Tickets may still be available for purchase at the venue.