The 2026 Sonoma International Film Festival (SIFF), March 25–29, concluded a record-setting 29th edition that transformed Sonoma into a premier destination for film, food, wine, and discovery. Over five immersive days, SIFF presented 104 films from 37 countries—including premieres—while welcoming a unique mix of filmmakers, celebrated artists, and top culinary talent.
The program featured 41 narrative features, 16 documentaries, and 47 short films. “This year’s record-breaking attendance and ticket sales underscore the extraordinary appetite for bold, international cinema and immersive cultural experiences here in Sonoma,” said SIFF Artistic Director Carl Spence. “With packed screenings, dynamic filmmaker engagement, and a festival atmosphere unlike any other, SIFF 2026 has truly been a landmark community celebration of film, food, wine, and fun.”
The festival opened with the California Premiere of Poetic License, directed by Maude Apatow. The Centerpiece Film, The Christophers, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh and starring Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel (the Audience Award winner for narrative feature) and the locally shot closing night film, Under the Lights. The festival featured an evening with Julian Schnabel, honoring him with the Sonoma International Film Festival Visionary Artist Award, and a screening of his film In the Hand of Dante with special guest Tom Waits attending. Alongside these marquee screenings, SIFF audiences experienced an array of premieres, including the US Premiere of Winter of the Crow, the World Premiere of Fork in the Road, special screenings of Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, and a 4K restoration of John Woo’s The Killer…