The 29th Sonoma International Film Festival ended on March 29 with the Spanish queer drama Maspalomas claiming the Grand Jury Award for best narrative feature. Directors Aitor Arregi and Jose Mari Goenaga's film earned praise from the jury for its authentic portrayal of an elderly man facing personal and physical crises at the start of the COVID pandemic. The event drew record attendance amid screenings of 104 films from 37 countries.
Over five days in Sonoma, Northern California, the festival featured filmmaker talks and panels with guests such as Barry Jenkins and Lulu Wang, alongside culinary pop-ups. Julian Schnabel received the Visionary Artist Award and presented his film In the Hand of Dante, joined by special guest Tom Waits. SIFF artistic director Carl Spence highlighted the event's success, stating, “This year’s record-breaking attendance and ticket sales underscore the extraordinary appetite for bold, international cinema and immersive cultural experiences here in Sonoma.” Packed screenings and community celebrations marked the festival as a landmark gathering of film, food, wine, and fun, Spence added in the statement from Variety reporting on the awards.
