On March 24 to 28, Sonoma County held another successful year of the Sonoma International Live and Virtual Film Festival (SIFF). The event showcased over 120 films including over 20 premieres. They held three drive-in live events in Sonoma County and remained an innovative and notable film festival. 

SIFF prides itself on the diversity of filmmakers and films alike. †hey showcase over their five-day festival as, “an entirely walkable and clickable five-day festival, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the best in independent film and filmmakers from around the world, inspiring savvy film lovers, and introducing the power of film to student filmmakers,” SIFF stated on their website.

They have dedicated themselves to upholding “the 50/50 gender party industry initiative, as well as films that cover the gamut of human experience.” It is truly special that Sonoma is home to a festival that is so noteworthy within the world of cinema.

The festival has received a long list of accolades since their origins in Sonoma County back in 1997. The combination of inspiring and experimental film with the beautiful location and treat of being held in wine country has made SIFF to be a very desirable film festival to attend. J.D Heyman spoke to the uniqueness of a Sonoma County based film festival, he said, “SIFF is a jewel of a film festival: serious in its celebration of cinema, but as warm and inviting as Sonoma itself. Somehow, it manages to bring in the best talent that Hollywood and the world have to offer while staying true to the small-town charm of the Valley of the Moon. To be a part of it is to fall in love with the movies all over again-in one of the most beautiful spots on earth”. 

Last year in March of 2020, SIFF was prepared to host another successful festival but three weeks prior to the event the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the United States was put under strict stay at home orders. This presented a new challenge to the festival but they adapted by “quickly pivot[ing] and launched SIFF 2.0, our first virtual online film festival, which featured 100+ films from 20 countries, and reached an international audience which consumed the equivalent of 4,000 hours of media in just four days,” SIFF outlined in a history of their festival.

  With the experience of a virtual festival under their belt and a year’s time to prepare, SIFF in 2021 has taken full advantage of the online experience. Being able to reach wider audiences as well as showcase a broader range of cinema SIFF has made yet another unforgettable event this March. They sold passes virtually and bundles that would allow for viewing of specific genres or near all events being debuted over the five days but people were able to also purchase tickets to single showings. They enabled their resources to allow viewers to stream from a range of different devices to allow for whatever viewing experience an individual craved.

Sonoma County is a lucky community to be home to such a unique and desirable event. The diversity in types of cinema Sonoma International Film Festival offers is very special and not easily found in most places in or around the country. To be home in a gathering that values important art and cinema like Sonoma, has definitely left a mark on our community as well as draws amazing artists to the area to showcase their work that was once inspired by them through the county.