Set amidst spring in wine nation, yearly the twenty eighth Sonoma Worldwide Movie Competition gives a festive fusion of meals, movie, and neighborhood. Opening March 19, the competition wrapped issues up on March 23 after 5 days of specialty screenings and culinary pleasures with its Grand Jury and Viewers awards (see under). This celebration of cinema showcased 93 movies from 21 nations, accompanied by an array of movie expertise and culinary stars. The competition’s numerous lineup included 39 narrative options, 16 documentary options, and 38 quick movies.
The competition opened with the World Premiere of documentary “Candy Störy” (Utopia), directed by Sarah Justine Kerruish and Matt Maude, about saving a colourful café in a distant space of Sweden. The Centerpiece Movie was “On Swift Horses” (Sony Footage Classics), a interval relationship drama starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi, and Will Poulter, and the competition closed with Andrew Ahn’s “The Wedding ceremony Banquet” (Bleecker), starring Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, and Joan Chen, who accepted the SIFF Profession Achievement Award on Closing Night time.
Among the many competition premieres had been the North American debut of Strand Releasing’s Berlinale Golden Bear Winner “Desires (Intercourse Love),” the California premieres of “Apollo 1,” “The Surfer,” and “The Ugly Stepsister,” and the world premieres of “Ali Eats America,” “Café Chairel,” and “Deadly Watch.”
Meals lovers had been handled to the extravagant Marcella Hazan tribute dinner alongside a particular screening of “Marcella” and a grasp class in Japanese delicacies by Michelin-starred chef Yoshinori Ishii. “This yr’s competition was a feast for the senses, mixing extraordinary movies with immersive meals and wine experiences,” stated SIFF Creative Director Carl Spence.
2025 marked the debut of SIFF Pop-Ins, a program providing competition cross holders unique culinary and wine experiences at prime native venues. Over three days, six areas—together with The Bar at MacArthur Place, Wit & Knowledge, Capo Isetta Tasting Room, Enoteca Della Santina, Williams Sonoma, and Sonoma Cheese Manufacturing unit—hosted packed occasions that includes chef-curated bites and wine pairings.
SIFF additionally marked the twentieth anniversary of Gregg Araki’s “Mysterious Pores and skin” and offered a Highlight on Italian Cinema and a Scandinavian Movie Showcase. Among the many panels, this yr’s “Movie Veterans Inform All” featured an all-star lineup: Sundance Director Eugene Hernandez, who moderated, Strand Releasing chief Marcus Hu, Oscar-nominated producer Christine Vachon (“Previous Lives”), Morelia FIlm Competition Director Daniela Michel, Vidiots founder Maggie Mackay, and Cinetic Media advertising whiz Brian Brooks.
Vachon additionally participated in a reside taping of “The Movie That Blew My Thoughts” podcast with ex-Sundance administrators John Cooper and Tabitha Jackson.
GRAND JURY FILM AWARDS:
Grand Jury Award | Greatest Narrative Characteristic:
“DJ Ahmet” (Georgi M. Unkovski | North Macedonia)
Jury Assertion from the Narrative Characteristic Grand Jury: Angelo Acerbi (Fred Movie Radio),
Maggie Mackay (Vidiots) and Rajendra Roy (Chief Curator of Movie, MoMA).
“We selected a movie with sure-handed directing, good casting – A traditional love story reimagined – A movie stuffed with dangers and wealthy rewards – we’re honored to award Greatest Narrative Characteristic to DJ Ahmet.”
The movie beat out the opposite Narrative Competitors Movies: “Café Chairel” (Director: Fernando Guillermo Barreda Luna/Mexico), “Gloria” (Director: Margherita Vicario/Italy), “Lengthy Good Thursday” (Director: Mika Kaurismäki/Finland), “Mexico 86” (Director: César Diaz/France), “My Favourite Cake” (Director: Maryam Moghaddam, Behtash Sanaeeha/Iran), “The Get together’s Over” (Director: Elena Manrique/Spain), and Oscar-shortlisted “Waves” (Director: Jiří Mádl/Czech Republic).
Grand Jury Award | Greatest Documentary Characteristic:
“Mistress Dispeller” (Elizabeth Lo | China/USA)
Jury Assertion from the Documentary Characteristic Grand Jury: Brian Brooks (Cinetic Media), Jaie Laplante (DOC NYC), and Rachel Rosen (New York Movie Competition). “For combining impeccable craft with a novelistic strategy to nonfiction storytelling whereas all the time being empathetic to its topics, this yr’s Documentary Prize goes to Elizabeth Lo’s Mistress Dispeller.”
Particular Point out | “Suburban Fury”
“For its daring ambition coupled with its probing analysis and daring strategy, a Particular Point out goes to director Robinson Devor’s Suburban Fury.”
“Mistress Dispeller” beat out the opposite Documentary Characteristic Competitors Movies: “Ali Eats America” (USA) Directed by: Roush Niaghi, Greg Morris, “Apollo 1” (United Kingdom) Directed by: Mark Craig, “Deadly Watch” (USA) Directed by: Mark Benjamin, Katie Carpenter, “Free Leonard Peltier” (USA) Directed by: Jesse Brief Bull, David France, “Candy Störy” (United Kingdom) Directed by: Sarah Justine Kerruish, Matt Maude, “Tokito: The 540-Day Journey of a Culinary Maverick” (Japan) Directed by: Aki Mizutani.
Grand Jury Award | Brief Movies and Jury Statements
All 38 Official Choice quick movies competed for 3 Grand Jury Brief Awards.
The Brief Movie Grand Jury included Gregory Ellwood (The Playlist), Daniela Michel (Morelia Worldwide Movie Competition), and Mike Plante (Sundance Movie Competition).
Grand Jury Award: Dwell Motion Brief
“Trokas Duras” (Director Jazmin Garcia | USA)
“For shining a light-weight on underheard voices in an period of contagious misunderstanding, we want to give the Greatest Dwell Motion Brief Movie to Trokas Duras.”
Grand Jury Award: Documentary Brief
“Embracing Instability” (Director Nathan Willis | USA)
“For its insightful highlight on an artist persevering by means of overwhelming change, we want to give the Greatest Documentary Brief Movie to Embracing Instability.”
Grand Jury Award: Animated Brief
“Como si la Tierra se las Hubiera Tragado” (Director Natalia León | France)
“For a surprising and emotionally resonant inventive achievement, we want to give the Greatest Animation Brief Movie to Como Si La Tierra Se Las Hubiera Tragado.”
Particular Jury Point out for Directing
“Candy Talkin’ Man” (Directed by Spencer Wardwell & Dylan Wardwell | USA)
¨For its good and concise grasp of comedic filmmaking, Candy Talkin’ Man, directed by Spencer and Dylan Wardwell.“
AUDIENCE FILM AWARDS:
The Stolman Viewers Award for Greatest Characteristic
“Meet The Barbarians” (France) Directed by: Julie Delpy
1st Runner-up: “DJ Ahmet” (North Macedonia) Directed by: Georgi M. Unkovski
2nd Runner-up: “Mistura” (Peru) Directed by: Ricardo de Montreuil
third Runner-up: “Waves” (Czech Republic) Directed by: Jiří Mádl
4th Runner-up: “Unhealthy Shabbos” (USA) Directed by: Daniel Robbins
The A3 Viewers Award for Greatest Documentary
“The Final Journey” (Sweden) Directed by: Filip Hammar, Fredrik Wikingsson
1st Runner-up: “Checkpoint Zoo” (USA) Directed by: Joshua Zeman
2nd Runner-up: “One to One: John & Yoko” (United Kingdom) Directed by: Kevin Macdonald
third Runner-up: “Apollo 1” (United Kingdom) Directed by: Mark Craig
4th Runner-up: “Candy Störy” (United Kingdom) Directed by: Sarah Justine Kerruish, Matt Maude
The McNeely Award for Greatest Brief Movie
“Jane Austen’s Interval Drama” (USA) Directed by: Julia Aks, Steve Pinder
1st Runner-up: “Teen Mary” (USA) Directed by: Ali Rosenthal
2nd Runner-up: “Foxhole” (USA) Directed by: Nick Dugan
third Runner-up: “Wingspan” (USA) Directed by: Matthew Fabiano
4th Runner-up: “Our Neighbors, The Peacocks” (USA) Directed by: Callie Barlow