2016 Napa Valley Film Festival Festival Award Winners

Winners include Katie Holmes’ “All We Had” and George Kosturos for “American Wrestler”

Napa Valley, CA (November 12, 2016) – The 6^th Annual Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF) announced this year’s juried and audience award winners at the Lincoln Theater in Yountville on Saturday, November 12, 2016.  The Festival, held from November 9-13, screened the 120 films, including the 20 in NVFF’s core competition categories, throughout the four postcard-perfect towns of Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga.

“The Napa Valley Film Festival always has the highest level of film selection and the curation done by Marc and Brenda is absolutely exceptional,” said Michael Winokur (Filmmaker and NVFF Narrative Shorts Jury Member). “We always look forward to seeing some gems here, which made it a very difficult to make a decision.” Festival Co-Founders and Directors Marc and Brenda Lhormer added, “We are thrilled to have been able to share such wonderfully compelling stories from these amazing filmmakers with our audience. Getting to know these storytellers over the past few days has been an amazing experience, and we are so glad they were able to enjoy all that the Festival and Napa Valley has to offer.”

Each of the festival winners received a large format wine bottle from one of the festival’s esteemed Vintner Circle winery partners. The two winners of the 20 films that vied for the title of Best Narrative Feature and Best Documentary Feature, as determined by the respective juries, were awarded $10,000,presented by Meadowood Napa Valley.

Directors of the Narrative and Documentary films in competition participated in NVFF’s unique Artists-in-Residence Program where they received a six-night stay at the luxury resort Meadowood Napa Valley. The residency included master classes with industry leaders and networking opportunities with their peers and festival patrons at lavish receptions and winemaker dinners.

The full list of Juried Awards is below:

• Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature presented by Materra | Cunat Family Vineyards, and with a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of Meadowood Napa Valley, goes to Heaven’s Floor.                   
• Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature presented by Vitus Wines, and with a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of Meadowood Napa Valley, goes to Big Sonia.
• Jury Award for Best Screenplay presented by The Hess Collection goes to Love Is All You Need?
• Jury Award for Best Ensemble Cast presented by Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley goes to Folk Hero & Funny Guy.
• Jury Award for Best Narrative Short presented by Flora Springs Winery goes to Twinsburg.
• Jury Award for Best Documentary Short presented by Beringer Vineyards goes to Think of Calvin.
• Jury Award for Best Lounge Feature presented by Taken Wine Company goes to All We Had.
• Jury Award for Best Lounge Short presented by Reynolds Family Winery goes to Madam Black.
• Special Jury Award – For Compelling, Provocative & Timely Content in a Documentary Featurepresented by Rombauer Vineyards goes to Accidental Courtesy.
• Special Jury Award – For Innovative Treatment of a Social Issue in a Documentary Featurepresented by Priest Ranch goes to God Knows Where I Am.
• Special Jury Award – Best Performance in a Lounge Feature Film presented by Trinchero Napa Valley goes to George Kosturos for his work in the film American Wrestler: The Wizard.

A full list of Audience Awards is below:

• Audience Award for Favorite Actor presented by Italics Winegrowers goes to George Kosturos for his work in the film American Wrestler: The Wizard.
• Audience Award for Favorite Actress presented by Wolf Family Vineyards goes to Kyla Kenedy for her work in the film Love Is All You Need?
• Audience Award for Favorite Documentary Feature presented by Duckhorn Vineyards at Paraduxx goes to Big Sonia.
  • Honorable Mention goes to Until 20.
• Audience Award for Favorite Documentary Short presented by Beaulieu Vineyard goes to 1-800 Give Us Your Kidney.
• Audience Award for Favorite Narrative Feature presented by Eleven Eleven Winery goes to American Wrestler: The Wizard.
• Honorable Mention goes to Unleashed.
• Honorable Mentions go to Game and Friday Night.
• Audience Award for Favorite Narrative Short presented by Favia Erickson Winegrowers goes to Madam Black.
• Audience Award for Favorite Short Feature presented by Liana Estates goes to Good Business.

Narrative Features Jury: Sheri Linden, Anthony Lucero, Ralph Macchio

Documentary Features Jury: Hooman Khalili, Marcia Jarmel, Dierk Sindermann

Narrative Shorts Jury: Ken Schneider, Gren Wells, Michael Winokur

Documentary Shorts Jury: Neil Berkeley, Meghan O’Hara, Richard Keith

The Lounge Jury: Nancy Collet, Brent Emery, Scott Manville

For information or to buy passes for the 2017 festival slated for November 9 – 13, 2017, visit NVFF.ORG or call 707-226-7500. 

About The Napa Valley Film Festival

The ultimate celebration of film, food and wine, NVFF lights up wine country at the most colorful time of year, November 9-13. NVFF presents over 120 new independent films and studio sneak previews in 13 beautiful venues throughout the picturesque towns of Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga. Attendees interact with over 300 filmmakers at screenings, and enjoy industry panels, wine tastings, culinary demos, winemaker dinners, Celebrity Tributes, the Awards Ceremony and Festival Gala, Opening and Closing Night parties and more.  Check out highlights from the 2015 NVFF here. http://bit.ly/NVFF15Sizzle. The Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF) is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization headquartered in Napa, California. Visit www.nvff.org for more information or call 707.226.7500