(Sonoma, Calif. April 6, 2009 ) – The Twelfth Annual Sonoma International Film Festival presented by Wall Street Journal, announced the winners of its competition tonight at the Highway 12 Lounge in downtown Sonoma, Calif. This year’s Festival featured more than 66 films including features, documentaries and short films from 18 countries. Bruce Willis was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award on Sat. April 4.
“We are extremely proud of these filmmakers and actors accomplishments and honored to have had these films as part of our Festival,” said Louisa Percudani, executive director of the Sonoma International Film Festival.
“It’s especially gratifying and exciting to see that the members of our juries selected a diverse group of films from filmmakers and actors who are all at an early stage of their careers,” said Cevin Cathell, director of programming for the Festival.
Following are the awards, winners and their prizes:
Best Narrative Feature
Karen Kingsbury's LIKE DANDELION DUST
3L bottle of Schug 2003 Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Heritage Reserve Bottle 11 of 12
Best World Feature
THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE
Magnum of St. Francis Winery & Vineyards 2001 Behler Reserve Merlot
Best Lounge Feature
SPOONER
Signed 3L bottle of Roessler Cellars 2006 Santa Rita Hills Peregrine Pinot Noir
Best Actor
Ethan Peck in ADOPT A SAILOR
Magnum of St. Francis Winery & Vineyards 2004 "Old Vines" Zinfandel
Honorable Mention Best Actor
Maxwell Perry Cotton in Karen Kingsbury’s LIKE DANDELION DUST
Best Actress
Mira Sorvino in Karen Kingsbury’s LIKE DANDELION DUST
Magnum of St. Francis Winery & Vineyards 2004 "Old Vines" Zinfandel
Best Documentary
UNDER OUR SKIN
3L bottle of Moon Mountain Vineyard 2004 Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Best Short
NEXT FLOOR
3L Bottle of O'Brien Estate 2006 Seduction Napa Valley Red
Best Animated Short
TERMINUS
Magnum of Larson Family Winery 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Best Local Short
SUNSET
Signed 3L Bottle of Petroni Vineyards 2006 Poggio Alla Pietra
Audience Award - Narrative Feature
Karen Kingsbury's LIKE DANDELION DUST
3L bottle of Kenwood Jack London Vineyards 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
Audience Award - Doc Feature
SPEED AND ANGELS
3L bottle of Kenwood Jack London Vineyards 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
Special Jury Prize Local Short
The D.D.
Magnum of Gundlach Bundschu 2004 Rhinefarm Vineyard Merlot
Special Jury Prize Shorts Category
8TH SUMURAI
3L bottle of Benziger Family Winery 2005 Merlot
Carolyn Stolman Award
A Grandmother's Tribe
The THX Award for Best Creative Award
PUNCHING THE CLOWN
Winner received a Professional 5.1 studio monitor Mackie System set.
2009 Sonoma International Film Festival Jurors
A distinguished and diverse panel of jurists selected the winning films in this year’s Festival.
Jurors included:
Narrative Feature Jury
Derek Power
Robert Mark Kamen, Veteran Hollywood Screenwriter
Documentary Jury
Catherine Ryan, Documentary Filmmaker
Gary Weimberg, Documentary Filmmaker
Highway 12 Winery Lounge Features Jury
Melanie D. Miller
David Garber, Lantern Lane Entertainment
Shorts Jury
Donn Finn, Mali Finn Casting
Jason White
