The Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF) is happy to announce our newest film category: the Animated Short Films,  sponsored by Amazon Web Services (AWS).

The category, officially announced on May 9, 2013, will feature the best of the best in animated short filmmaking. Created to support digital filmmakers and provide a platform for launching their work, the category aims to highlight Animated Short Films and the leading-edge technologies used to create them. NVFF and AWS have teamed up to provide filmmakers unparalleled access to the AWS cloud, industry contacts and technological support in an effort to help filmmakers bring their vision to life. Best of all, filmmakers will be given free trial credits for AWS services to complete their films.

Much like the U.S. Narrative and Documentary Short Film competitions already in place at NVFF, the winners of both the Juried and Audience Awards in the Animated Short Films category will be selected and announced at the Closing Night Awards Ceremony on November 17, 2013.

Have an animated film that’s just waiting to come to life? Apply to NVFF’s Animated Short Filmscategory, sponsored by AWS, here. The deadline to submit your short film (20 minutes or shorter, in any stage of completion) is June 30, 2013, so get moving!

~ Kelsey R Frazier, Marketing Intern, Napa Valley Film Festival

Last Tuesday, May 7th, we had the esteemed honor of screening Twenty Feet From Stardom at 500 First in Napa with both director Morgan Neville and one of the film’s star subjects, Lisa Fischer in attendance. This rollicking, enlightening documentary reveals the never-before-told life stories of six female backup singers whose astounding voices and considerable soul have enhanced many of the biggest musical hits of the last 50 years.

Following the film, a standing ovation from the sold-out house segued perfectly into a charming Q&A session. Neville and Fischer were dynamic, personable and eloquent during the conversation with Senior Programmer Herb Stratford. And as if the crowd could not possibly be more enchanted, the luminous and warm Fischer completely wowed the audience by breaking into song, lending her extraordinary voice and presence to “The Look of Love,” making the night unforgettable.

To enjoy Fischer’s special performance, click here.

If you missed this screening, watch for the film’s theatrical release through  RADiUS-TWC on June 14. Watch the trailer here; this film is a must-see that’s already generating early Oscar buzz.

Stay tuned for more incredible year-round film events from NVFF! Sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Facebook & Twitter.

Photo Credit(s): Bob McClenahan

Video Credit(s): Rick Baraff

~ Kerry Hardy, Senior Marketing Manager, Napa Valley Film Festival

Napa, California, May 9, 2013… The Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF) announced Amazon Web Services will sponsor a new category as part of this year’s Festival: the Animated Short Films, sponsored by Amazon Web Services (AWS). The new category will encourage animated short film submissions, and the use of technology that helps bring the filmmaker’s vision to life. By showcasing the best in animated filmmaking, NVFF & AWS will provide the digital animation community with a platform for their artistic concepts and vision within this medium. Working together, the companies will shine a light on the raw talent of the filmmaker/artists and incorporate the use of cloud technology as they complete their digitally-animated short films. NVFF and AWS are also providing filmmakers with an educational forum with access to industry mentors and game-changing technology to help nurture their careers.

Similar to the U.S. Narrative and Documentary Short Film competitions currently featured at NVFF, both Juried and Audience Award winners in the Animated Short Films category will be selected and announced at the Closing Night Awards Ceremony, November 17, 2013.

NVFF Executive & Artistic Director Marc Lhormer said, “We welcome the opportunity to work together with Amazon Web Services and look forward to showcasing cutting-edge animated films at the Napa Valley Film Festival.”

Matt Wood, General Manager, Data Science for AWS said, “AWS is helping filmmakers from around the world to power the rendering of digital effects or entire digital animated movies.  In the past, if a filmmaker wanted to make a film they had to gain capital to acquire the technology. Then, to render digital images they had to buy farms and farms of servers to handle the large compute capacity.  But with AWS, filmmakers can get started with near-instant infrastructure, use AWS’s massive computing power to drive higher quality effects, letting digital effects artists and digital filmmakers focus on the creativity of their craft versus the infrastructure required to run it.  We’re excited to support NVFF and the film community, and to see the types of dynamic new films that will be developed with AWS.”



PRIZES & AWARDS 
The Animated Short Films, sponsored by Amazon Web Services category is a competitive juried section of the third annual Napa Valley Film Festival (November 13 – 17, 2013), and is presented in collaboration with Amazon Web Services.

1st Place” 
Best Animated Short Film, as chosen by the NVFF Jury.

Audience Award: Favorite Animated Short Film, as chosen by audience votes.

CATEGORY RULES;
Films entered in the Animated Short Films sponsored by Amazon Web Services category must be under 20 minutes in length and contain a significant amount of animation. All submitted films must utilize free trial credits provided by AWS for the purpose of accessing their products and services in order to complete the films.  Film submissions are accepted through Without A Box (WAB) where filmmakers will also have instructions on how to set up a free AWS account and access the free credits as part of their registration for the competition. Note: filmmakers may enter their film in any stage of completion, utilizing AWS to create a new film from scratch, or to do a final polish on a short film near exhibition-ready, or anything in between.  Entry through WAB must take place by the final deadline of June 30, 2013, and completed films must be received by NVFF by July 31, 2013.



Festival Overview

The ultimate celebration of film, food and wine, the third annual Napa Valley Film Festival, November 13 – 17, 2013, will light up the picturesque towns of Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga at the most colorful time of year. NVFF features over 100 new independent films screening in 12 eclectic venues throughout 4 walkable villages, as 300 visiting filmmakers interact with audiences at screenings and intimate events. Enjoy film industry & culinary panel discussions, wine tasting pavilions, Festival Gala, Celebrity Tributes, Awards Ceremony, and an array of parties, VIP receptions and winemaker dinners.  For information or to buy passes, visit www.napavalleyfilmfest.org or call 707-226-7500.  Advance lodging reservations are strongly recommended.

About the Napa Valley Film Festival
The Napa Valley Film Festival is produced by Cinema Napa Valley, a registered 501c3 non-profit organization headquartered in Napa, California. Recent Festival highlights included the world premiere of the highly anticipated wine documentary Somm, screenings of Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut Quartet and the Oscar-winning Silver Linings Playbook, Celebrity Tributes honoring heralded actors Alan Cumming, James Marsden and Rising Stars Imogen Poots & Adam Driver.  In addition to producing the annual Festival, Cinema Napa Valley presents special film events throughout the year and provides support to student filmmaking efforts in Napa Valley schools via its Education & Outreach Programs.

Media contacts: Erin Cain, erin@glodownead.com and Danielle Mayer, Danielle@glodownead.com at Glodow Nead Communications, (415) 394-6500.

Download the full press release here.

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Amazon Web Services is pleased to be sponsoring the Napa Valley Film Festival’s Animated Short Films category as part of the 2013 festival, by providing animators and filmmakers free access to the AWS cloud.

The new category will showcase the best in animated filmmaking, as well as the technology that helps to bring the filmmaker’s vision to life and builds community around the art of digital animation and storytelling. Working together, AWS and the Napa Valley Film Festival will shine a light on the raw talent of the filmmakers/artists and incorporate the use of cloud technology as they complete their digitally animated short films. To register, submit your details here and AWS will be in touch the next business day to discuss how to take your cinematic vision to the next level.

In conjunction with their sponsorship of the Napa Valley Film Festival’s Animated Short Films category, AWS launches the AWS Filmmakers Program. The program aims to help filmmakers from around the world do what has traditionally been cost prohibitive – develop a film on a shoestring budget and see whether there is something meaningful.

In the past, if a filmmaker wanted to make a film they had to gain capital to acquire the technology. To render digital images they had to buy expensive farms of servers to handle the large compute capacity. But with AWS, filmmakers can get started with near-instant infrastructure and run all their digital rending in the cloud in a much quicker and cost-effective manner. AWS is excited to launch the Filmmakers Program in support of the Napa Valley Film Festival and the larger film community and looks forward to seeing the dynamic new films that will be developed with AWS.

To register for the AWS Filmmakers Program, click here, and AWS will get in touch to discuss how they can support both the development and final cut of your film, with free usage of the high performance rendering engines of the AWS cloud. You can then submit to the Napa Valley Film Festival Animated Short Films Category, sponsored by AWS, available online through Without A Box (WAB), and join AWS at the Napa Valley Film Festival in November.

Click here for complete category rules and requirements. Entry through Without A Box (WAB) must take place by the final deadline of June 30, 2013, and completed films must be received by NVFF by July 31, 2013.

Not surprisingly, the Uptown Theatre in Napa did not disappoint. Newly wired to screen films (among other live venue options) making it the perfect scene for this rock ‘n’ roll flick. Fans lined up down the street, hours before doors opened, all vying for the best seats in the house.

VIP ticket holders were welcomed with a fabulous pre-screening spread of Bouchon Bistro canapés and Miner Family Winery libations. Mingling through the crowd you could feel the energy mount, especially as the wine flowed…and flowed.

Knocking housekeeping out of the way, Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF) Co-Founder and Artistic Director Marc Lhormer welcomed everyone and introduced the night’s ringmaster, NVFF Senior Programmer Herb Stratford who in turn introduced BottleRock Founder Gabriel Meyers who brought the man of the hour onto the stage, Dave Grohl! {Huge Round Of Applause}

“I have to honestly say that this is probably the thing that I am most proud of that I have ever done creatively in my life,” exclaimed Grohl… “It’s not for me, it’s for you, so I hope you like it.”

The crowd raved and the lights dimmed. It was showtime and just as quickly as the crowd lost it when they laid eyes on Grohl, did they whoop it up when the film started rocking and rolling.

Fast forward 108 minutes. The audience was back on their feet roaring as if they just watched the most epic rock ‘n’ roll concert of the decade! And if you could expand your imagination even further, Dave Grohl entertained the audience with a 45-minute Q&A session unlike any other. Dave Grohl preferred to address the audience himself, turning the usual Q&A routine into a causal conversation you would more likely have in a pub rather than in an 850+ event space.

Rock god Grohl, one of the biggest names of all time was humble, funny, raw, and strangely familiar, dropping f-bombs galore, and proving he’s one of the biggest music fans alive, as he talked about jamming with his idol, Paul McCartney.

It’s pretty safe to say Dave, that we LOVED it!

We can’t wait to welcome you back in November for the Film Festival. Cheers!

Watch Grohl’s Q&A, here!

*Photo Credit(s): Bob McClenahan

*Video Credit(s): Rick Baraff

~ Kerry Hardy, Senior Marketing Manager, Napa Valley Film Festival

The Napa Valley Film Festival gives an enthusiastic round of applause to Chef Christopher Kostow on his recent Best Chef: West Award granted by the James Beard Foundation on Monday, May 6th.

Chef Kostow joined The Restaurant at Meadowood in 2008, and has since played an integral part in putting Meadowood on the culinary map. Soon after joining the restaurant, Kostow was deemed one of Food & Wine Magazineʼs Best New Chefs 2009, followed closely by a rare four stars in the San Francisco Chronicle. In 2011 he garnered the renowned three Michelin Stars, a rating heʼs maintained ever since. Did we mention heʼs the only other American-born chef besides Thomas Keller to earn the three-star Michelin rating, and did it all before turning 30?

For those who may be unfamiliar, the James Beard Awards take place each year in New York City and are hailed as ʻThe Oscars of the Food Worldʻ. The Bay Area had strong representation at this yearʼs awards, Chef Kostow being joined by the likes of San Franciscoʼs State Bird Provisions, Danny Bowlen of Mission Chinese, and Merry Edwards of Merry Edwards Winery in Sebastopol. This most recent award of Best Chef: West is a testament to Chef Kostowʼs consistent innovation and quality in the kitchen, and solidifies The Restaurant at Meadowood as one of the Valleyʼs top foodie destinations.

Meadowood is the host of the Napa Valley Film Festivalʼs Artist in Residence Program each year, and sponsors the $10,000 cash prize for Best U.S. Narrative Feature. The program hosts ten directors of films in competition for the Best U.S. Narrative Feature category at the luxury resort for five nights and includes special events and workshops for the directors and their industry mentors. Looks like they can now add meals crafted by the Best Chef of the West to their Festival agenda.

The Napa Valley Film Festival could not be more enthused for Chef Christopher Kostow and The Restaurant at Meadowood.

Cheers to you Chef!

~ Kelsey R Frazier, Marketing Intern, Napa Valley Film Festival

The Ultimate Napa Valley Block Party!

This Saturday, May 4th, wine and food lovers alike will descend upon the Pavilion Lawn at Vintage Estate for the fifth annual Sense Yountville hosted by V Wine Cellar. Hailed as ‘The Ultimate Napa Block Party’ this event will feature tastings from over 20 premium Napa wineries and food pairings from 14 of the Valley’s all-star chefs. A celebration of Napa Valley’s finest right here at home, this event is sure to tantalize your taste buds and is not one to be missed!

Brush shoulders with world-renowned winemakers and chefs, sip on small-production pre-released wines, and chow down on gourmet bites from the likes of Hurley’s Restaurant, Bouchon Bistro, Bottega, and more. At the end of the day take a bottle (or two, let’s be real) home with you at special event prices, all for the benefit of a good cause. Proceeds from the event will go to The Pathway Home, a Yountville-based residential National Veterans Program.

But that’s not it! Following the tasting, don your big-rimmed hat (flowers and feathers optional) and head over to the Groezinger Estate House for a cocktail party and viewing of the Kentucky Derby. All Sense Yountville ticket holders will receive free admission.

~ Kelsey R Frazier, Marketing Intern, Napa Valley Film Festival

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