Sonoma friends Carolyn Stolman and Jerry Seltzer ideated and laid the groundwork for the Sonoma International Film Festival (SIFF).

SIFF’s festival moved to the spring and included a tribute to John Lasseter with a screening of his early animated works.

The festival highlighted restored film classics, with a special tribute to Richard May, noted film historian and preservationist.

World Cinema selections were added to the festival, with six feature films from six different countries highlighted, including Oscar-nominated THE MAN WITHOUT A PAST from Finland. Oscar-winning Director John Lasseter hosted the first Imagery Honors, a talk-show style tribute to three outstanding writer-directors--Alexander Payne, Mark Romanek and Agnieszka Holland.

SIFF honored Saul Zaentz with a special Lifetime Achievement Award and the Imagery Honors Program welcomed multi-talented Jon Favreau talking one-on-one with Joe Pantoliano.

The 10th annual Sonoma Valley Film Festival featured a special tribute to John Lasseter and Pixar for inspiring the entire film industry with 20 years of artistic innovation.

Bruce Willis was presented with SIFF's Lifetime Achievement Award with a screening montage of his body or work and a Q&A with the actor. His Tribute Gala followed at Jacuzzi Winery. The Opening Night Film was THE ANSWER MAN directed by John Hindman and starring Jeff Daniels, and the Closing Night Film was NECESSITIES OF LIFE directed by Benoit Pilon. Industry Media participants included People Magazine and Entertainment Tonight

SIFF again welcomed actor Demián Bichir, this time with actor Jude Law, for our Opening Night Film DOM HEMINGWAY. Historically based character film BELLE was featured as the Closing Night Film. Another festival highlight was the screening of BORN IN CHICAGO followed by a live concert with some of the film’s featured musicians including Nick Gravenitas, Barry Goldberg, Harvey Mandel, Rick Reed and Gary Malleber, among others.

A LITTLE CHAOS, Alan Rickman's directorial debut, opened our 2015 edition. Festival films with local connections and added appeal were the David Arquette vehicle SOLD, DIOR AND I, THE CONNECTION, ARTOO IN LOVE and KARA WOMEN SPEAK. SIFF continued to deliver on entertainment with high energy themed parties including: Whisky A Go Go, Prom Night, and a Salsa Swing Party with live music by Despues de la Fiesta.

SIFF reached its landmark 20-year anniversary as a cultural gem in Sonoma Valley and beyond. We screened a record number of films (135) at seven venues and hosted over 200 filmmakers from around the world. The Taiwan Tourism Bureau sponsored the Sonoma Community Center screening venue and served food and drinks representative of their country. SIFF’s Friday Night Party in the Backlot Lot Tent--Taiwanese Night Market—made for rave reviews. Returning sponsor, Celebrity Cruises, created a popup mobile theatre with 91 seats, digital projection and served truffle popcorn to festivalgoers. VIP Lounge for select passholders at the SIFF Backlot Tent featured the best in food, wine and fun with Tito’s Vodka, Nespresso coffee service, Makers Mark, and culinary delights from Sonoma’s best caterers, restaurants and markets. Front and center in the SIFF Backlot Tent were more than 50 premium local wineries with tastings available from 11 AM to closing each day.

This year, we dedicated our festival to Sonoma Firefighters and First Responders as we sought to rebuild our Sonoma and North Bay communities from the devastating wildfires of October 2017. The exclusive SIFF | Devour! Chefs & Shorts special culinary event, produced by Michael Howell and Lia Rinaldo in partnership with SIFF, made its debut. This instant hit brought together five renowned chefs, inspired by short food-focused films, who each prepared a course accompanied by a topflight wine and their assigned short film. Another new event introduced during our 21st festival was the SIFF Plaza Stroll, which gave our passholders access to seven select Sonoma restaurants, and tasting rooms for drink and food specials created especially for them.

SIFF2020 was shaping up to be our best fest yet, but with less than three weeks before it was to begin, the pandemic hit. Slated were more than 120 films from over 30 countries, appearances by acclaimed directors Lasse Hallstrom and Agusti Villaronga, and actors Karen Allen, Kate Bosworth, Christanne de Bruijn, Louis Gossett Jr, Robert Kennedy Jr, Lena Olin, Edward James Olmos, David Strathairn, and D.B. Sweeney. Two new events—the SIFF | Screen & Cuisine Lunch event featuring FANTASTIC FUNGI and our SIFF Sip Trips, featuring complimentary tastings and transportation to select festival wine sponsors, were also created to delight festivalgoers. The festival was set to end with the US Premiere of SUZI Q and a live concert from 70s rock icon Suzi Quatro and the Runaways’ Cherie Currie.

And in light of the unprecedented global situation, and in the spirit that is #sonomawoodstrong, we quickly pivoted and launched SIFF 2.0, our first virtual online film festival, which featured 100+ films from 20 countries, and reached an international audience which consumed the equivalent of 4,000 hours of media in just four days.

2021 SIFF introduces Summerfest -- a mini festival featuring outdoor winery screenings, live music, food trucks and select new films -- becoming one of the first live gatherings to bring the Sonoma community together.

SIFF2023 was the highest-attended festival in the organization's 26-year history; and welcomed Sir Ben Kingsley, Harriet Sansom Harris, Zoe Winters, Jade Quon, director Marc Turtletaub, and writer Gavin Steckler to Sonoma for the Opening Night World Premiere of the film Jules.