AVFest!

The Eighth AVFest, presented by AVFilm, will be held in-person in Cloverdale, Geyserville, Healdsburg, Windsor, and Santa Rosa, Friday, April 29 – Sunday, May 8. The Opening Night Film is CALENDAR GIRLS, a documentary featuring retirement-aged dancers in Florida who shimmy and flirt through 100 gigs a year. Members from the troupe will be in attendance to celebrate film with a Block party on First Street in Cloverdale. “This year, we start by joyously centering women aging well, something to both honor and normalize,” says Kathryn Hecht, Executive Director of AVFilm. “From opening night to closing, our films and events dig into who we are and our perceptions of one another. ‘Identity’ emerged as the central theme – and this year’s films offer us ways to open our hearts and minds to one another like never before.” AVFest regularly showcases and hosts new and emerging talents from all over the world. The Fest creates opportunities for the community to gather, honor film, meet and learn from visiting artists. The Fest also offers deeply discounted tickets to include students and low-income neighbors by working with our community partners. AVFilm began in 2015 when film lovers in Cloverdale and Healdsburg came together with a goal of bringing the rural North Bay more access to cinema arts events and education. The first AVFest featured 24 films across four days on four screens in two cities. In the eight years since our origin, AVFilm has exhibited more than 500 films and now serves more than 5,000 people, 1,000 public school students, and 600 lifelong learners through year-round educational and cultural programming. The 8th Annual AVFest is a 10-day celebration featuring more than 100 screenings and events across five cities. Through the transformative power of film, AVFilm brings global perspectives into our community, builds partnerships to broaden our impact, and educates, empowers, and engages students of all ages. For more information, visit www.avfilmpresents.org.