A Seat at the Table

Spotlight Event: Wine and Filmmaker Dinner
From the moment the festivities kick off with an elevated tasting (featuring local sparkling wines grown at high elevations) at the Madrones on Friday, May 27, to the closing reception following For Grace on Sunday, May 29, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to make it a memorable Memorial Day Weekend in the vineyards. Learn more.

Our Wine and Filmmaker Dinner on Saturday at 7:30 pm at The Madrones features Anderson Valley wines perfectly paired with sumptuous local courses. Following the screening of Somm: Into the Bottle on Saturday, rub shoulders with our celebrity guests and savor succulent dishes from Chef Shannon Hughes, paired with Mendocino Ridge wines. Learn more.

Spotlight Guests: Jason Wise, Leslie Sbrocco, and more
We’re thrilled to welcome two returning Mendocino Film Festival alumni: filmmaker Jason Wise and TV personality and author Leslie Sbrocco, who will present Somm: Into the Bottle at the fourth annual Cinema in the Vineyards. They’re also joined by first-time attendees Casey Beck and Austin Blair, here with The Organic Life.

Jason Wise
Jason’s first feature film SOMM screened at the Mendocino Film Festival in 2013 during the inaugural Cinema in the Vineyards. Since then, his films have won widespread acclaim for their fun and informative look at the wine industry. With his Somm series, Jason delves into the world of wine, going behind the scenes with master sommeliers to explore the romance, the history, and the drama.

Leslie Sbrocco
In her role as host of Check, Please! Bay Area, Leslie Sbrocco has won a James Beard Award, three Taste Awards, and three Emmys. She has also written for the New York Times and published two books, Wine for Women: A Guide to Buying, Pairing and Sharing Wine and The Simple & Savvy Wine Guide. Since she first came to Cinema in the Vineyards in 2014, renowned Bay Area media personality, author, and wine expert Leslie Sbrocco has continued to earn accolades for her insightful observations, and she is currently working on her third and fourth books.

Spotlight Sponsor: Oz Farm 
Oz Farm is the proud sponsor of The Organic Life at this year’s Cinema in the Vineyards, as well as the presenting sponsor of this year’s Point Arena Program. Bordered by redwood forests and situated on the Garcia River near Point Arena, Oz Farm enjoys tranquility, fresh air, and clean water and relies entirely on solar and wind power for its energy needs. 

In addition to fresh organic produce, Oz Farm offers retreats, weddings, and other activities. Read more.

Spotlight Film: Somm: Into the Bottle
Saturday, May 28, 5:00 pm
Sunday, May 29, 12:00 pm
Balo Vineyards

Wine has fascinated the world for thousands of years. Somm: Into the Bottle explores the reasons for wine’s allure, inviting viewers to watch as some of the world’s rarest bottles of wine are opened. Watch Trailer. Read more.

Somm: Into the Bottle is proudly sponsored by Leonard Moore Cooperative.

Spotlight Program: Short Films Program
Multiple Times and Venues
Sunday, May 29, 3:00 pm, Balo Vineyards

Ahead of its county tour on Festival Weekend, catch the first screening of our Short Films Program, featuring nine stories from around the world about the triumphs and travails of being human. This year’s program includes two 2016 Oscar winners (Bear Story and Stutterer). 88 min. Purchase Tickets.

Spotlight Sponsor:
Leonard Moore Cooperative
Bringing a new dispensary model to its patients, Leonard Moore Cooperative prides itself on ensuring the comfort of its members. Named after family friend Leonard Moore, an artist and activist who died of AIDS in 1992, when access to medical cannabis was still illegal, the Leonard Moore Cooperative is dedicated to providing legal medical treatment to patients in need.
Learn more.

Community Partner Spotlight: Good Farm Fund

Founded in 2015, the Good Farm Fund provides direct support to small farmers in Mendocino and Lake County with the goal of increasing local food security. Through grants to small farms and foodstamp-matching programs, the Good Farm Fund provides access to fresh, healthy, and locally-sourced food to all members of our community. A portion of the proceeds from Saturday’s Wine and Filmmaker Dinner and the Farm & Table Fair will benefit the Good Farm Fund and their invaluable work.

Ready, Set, Share!
Join the conversation and stay up-to-date with the latest Festival news. Connect with us on Facebook for the latest announcements, including attending filmmakers and special guests, upcoming radio interviews, film news, and more. 

Film Festivals: the original binge-watching. Grab some popcorn, settle in, and make your 2016 selections with our 2016 Trailer Playlist.

Presented in Partnership with
The Philo Collective