The Christophers Wins Narrative Audience Award at Sonoma Film Festival

Key Points:

• The 29th Sonoma International Film Festival (SIFF) took place March 25–29, 2026, featuring 104 films from 37 countries and opening with the California premiere of the comedy "Poetic License" by Raffi Donatich and Maude Apatow.
• Steven Soderbergh’s UK drama "The Christophers" won the Narrative audience award, while "Jane Elliott Against the World" received the Documentary audience award, and Spain’s queer drama "Maspalomas" earned the Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature.
• The festival included special screenings such as Hitchcock’s "Vertigo" and a 4K restoration of John Woo’s "The Killer," alongside premieres like "Winter of the Crow" and "Fork in the Road," and hosted panels on industry topics including casting and diversity in film.
• Julian Schnabel’s period drama "In the Hand of Dante" sparked walkouts during its Sonoma screening, highlighting mixed audience reactions despite its Venice Film Festival entry and upcoming New York premiere.
• SIFF awarded multiple honors across narrative, documentary, and short films, recognizing works for their storytelling, cultural impact, and direction, with notable winners including "State of Firsts" for Best Documentary Feature and "A Very Normal Seeming Man" for Best Live Action Short.