International Wine Film Festival Attracts Innovators in Winery Communications

The International Wine Film Festival, now in its third year, announces the addition of multimedia workshops for wine industry professionals, along with the existing lineup of wine and film pairing events.

The next events are to be held in California's Santa Maria Valley on Friday, June 29.

An afternoon workshop will bring together winery managers, filmmakers and innovators in video production from across the country to share practical tips for incorporating video into a winery's communication mix.

"As the format of the Wine Film Festival continues to evolve, our aim remains the same; to spotlight the best in wine-themed video content each year," explained Wil Fernandez, founder and director of the festival. "With the addition of our workshops, I hope to help budding filmmakers by encouraging the wine industry to invest in film production to educate and inspire their customers."

The seminar will take place at Graciosa Hall, located on the second story of the historic Far Western restaurant in Old Town Orcutt. The well-appointed ballroom and conference space can accommodate up to 200 people.

Seminar speakers include: Kendall Busby, a winery marketing and communications professional based in Sonoma, California; Jack Kauffman, a documentary filmmaker known for his profile of the Finger Lakes wine region; and Dina Mande, a creative director based in Paso Robles, California.

Santa Maria's Radisson Hotel will provide accommodations for the speakers, as well the filmmakers presenting their official selections that evening.

As the sun sets, a wine and film pairing event at Presqu'ile Winery will offer audience-goers a stunning vineyard backdrop to showcase the Wine Film Festival's official selections, narrowed down from over 400 short films and feature film trailers submitted from around the world. Films will be introduced by their producers, giving attendees a glimpse behind the scenes before viewing their work. In previous years, filmmakers from as far as Australia have headlined alongside winemaking neighbors in Sonoma and Napa Valley.

"To watch wine-themed films while sipping the wines up on the big screen? It's the perfect pairing," explains Jennifer Harrison, Director of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber and Visitors Bureau. "Our climate can be enjoyed year-round. The Wine Film Festival not only introduces the high-quality wine we enjoy here to the rest of the world, but it's the prime location to sip wine while watching a film, no matter the season - from bud break in the spring to harvest in the fall."

While local Santa Barbara County wines are always showcased, internationally known brands are also introduced through the festival's wine and film pairings. Previous events have been sponsored by France's Billecart-Salmon Champagne, Tyrrell's from Australia, as well as California wines from acclaimed Jordan and Martinelli wineries.

In addition to the events on June 29th, the International Wine Film Festival continues its partnership with the annual World of Pinot Noir event held at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara each March.

For more information please visit: http://WineFilmFestival.com

ABOUT THE WINE FILM FESTIVAL
Established in 2015, the International Wine Film Festival is the only film festival completely dedicated to showcasing the best in video content entirely focused on wine. Live screening events pair selected wine films with tastings of international wines in idyllic vineyard settings.

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