Napa Valley Film Festival

ONE OF A KIND: There are, what? Maybe several hundred film festivals in the United States alone? We'll guess a number just to round things out: 847. Are we good with this guess? Okay. So, out of those 847 film festivals, how many do you wager front-and-center wine on their main page? Probably well under a dozen, or maybe a half dozen. And leading that pack? You guessed it. The Napa Valley Film Festival is very much about its world-famous, sippable symbol in addition to celebrating cinema. So already it has won our heart. But the slate of films and events and presentations have caught our eye as well. The much-talked-about "Like Crazy" and "A Beginner's Guide to Endings" will show at the 2011 festival, which is happening from Wednesday, Nov. 9 through Sunday, Nov. 13. And "The Descendants," too. Clooney! One always needs to end with an exclamation point after that particular name. Fact.

ALSO ON SCREEN: "Butter," "The Greening of Whitney Brown," and "J. Edgar" are on the roster. And look for panels that take on music in film and how to pitch. Now. Back to the whole wine end of things. Several of the screenings will serve beverages made in the area. The Oxbow Screening Room, for example, will pour the fruits of Swanson Vineyards; you can see what movie houses are serving what vinos. Shouldn't every film festival do something like this? We can only see attendance go up and up. It's a grand idea, but perhaps it belongs to Napa Valley alone. So thank you, Napa Valley, for combining what you do so well with a great cinema half-week. Appreciation.
 

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