Famous for its rolling hillside vineyards and world-class wineries, Napa Valley is one of the world’s most well-known destinations for wine, fine dining, resorts, spas, and idyllic landscapes. Those who call Napa home have a special appreciation for the laid-back lifestyle living here affords: from easy access to some of the country’s best wines and fresh seasonal dining to stunning surroundings and a strong sense of community.
Throughout the year, Napa is constantly providing opportunities for locals and visitors to take advantage of the abundance of culture in the Valley through festivals, ongoing events, and more. In addition to its love for wine, food, and music, Napa also has a passion for film and plays host to a number of events year-round showcasing fresh perspectives, independent films, documentaries, and beyond.
As one of Napa Valley’s largest and well-known events, the Napa Valley Film Festival is an annual celebration of independent filmmaking presented by Cinema Napa Valley, a nonprofit dedicated to celebrating cinematic arts and enriching the community. Taking place every November, the Napa Valley Film Festival brings together film, food, and wine for five days of screenings, panels, and conversations with actors and industry executives, vintner circle dinners, and a closing gala that can’t be missed.
The obvious centerpiece of this festival is the films, which are screened throughout the event at various unique screening venues in and around Napa, including the Archer Hotel in Napa, Lincoln Theatre in Yountville, and Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena. Over 90 new films are screened every year at multiple times and different locations during the festival to ensure film-loving ticket holders have the opportunity to view as many films as possible and preserve the festival’s mission of affording the art the platform it deserves. This also allows festival guests to experience the character and spirit of different parts of Napa Valley.
Filmmakers are called upon by organizers to submit their projects months before the festival, and from these films, programmers select a variety to showcase during the festival. Ranging in genre and length, the films chosen are all unique but share the common thread of serving to uplift, entertain, inspire, and enlighten festival audiences. In addition to being a film showcase, directors within the Narrative Features and Documentary Features categories vie for the title of Best Feature within each.
No event in Napa would be complete without a nod to the area’s food and wine culture. Starting with the opening night party, the Napa Valley Film Festival offers interactive food and wine pop-up stations, Wine Intermission tastings, culinary demonstrations, and panel events discussing the role of food in film. Parties and special events are also accessible to certain levels of ticket holders.
LUNAFEST is a film festival dedicated to celebrating, showcasing, and elevating women both behind and in front of the camera. Presented by women’s nutrition company LUNA Bar, this traveling festival serves as an extension of the brand’s mission to support and promote equality and create something specifically for the needs and talents of women. LUNA created LUNAFEST in 2001 after learning that women were highly underrepresented in film, making a commitment to do something about it and demand equality in the industry. The festival began with a small but hopeful screening in California and has since grown to travel to over 200 communities annually.
Every year, organizations, entire towns, cities, or individuals have the opportunity to host LUNAFEST screenings in their community. From the short film submissions they receive, LUNAFEST curates a lineup of 6-10 projects each season—all directed by women—to screen at all events, providing it to hosts in communities across the country along with a toolkit to share best practices and help facilitate screenings. LUNAFEST doesn’t only showcase the work of these female filmmakers—each event serves as a vehicle for raising awareness and funds for causes women and their communities care about. Every screening is structured as a fundraiser to benefit organizations of the hosts’ choice, with 15% of LUNAFEST’s proceeds supporting the Breast Cancer Fund and the remaining 85% supporting the nonprofit chosen by the host.
Since LUNAFEST’s humble beginnings, this national event has grown to reach over 25,000 people annually, raising over $5 million, and working with more than 1,600 women nonprofits since 2001. Every spring in Napa, Soroptimist International of St. Helena Sunrise presents LUNAFEST at the CIA at Copia Theater in Napa, benefitting a number of women and girls organizations, including Girls on the Run Napa & Solano and NEWS - Domestic Violence & Sexual Abuse Services. Napa has hosted LUNAFEST for 11 years and is looking forward to many more years to come!
1229 Adams St. St. Helena CA 94574
1229 Adams St. St. Helena CA 94574