Napa Valley Film Festival Announces Inaugural Festival Dates With a Trio of Events During the 2011 Sundance Film Festival

NVFF pairs with renowned Chef Michael Chiarello and Napa Valley boutique wineries for a series of food and wine-infused special events sponsored by The St. Regis Deer Valley

Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF) Co-Founders and Directors Brenda and Marc Lhormer have announced a series of launch events – sponsored by The St. Regis Deer Valley – taking place January 23 and 24 during the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.  Featuring acclaimed Napa Valley Chef Michael Chiarello of Bottega restaurant and NapaStyle as well as 16 of Napa Valley’s finest wineries, the events are designed to introduce NVFF, an official Sundance Institute Associate, to Sundance Film Festival industry guests and attendees from around the world.  Showcasing the best of new independent cinema while embracing the epicurean pleasures of Napa Valley, NVFF will debut November 9-13, 2011 with a five-day festival spread over four of the Napa Valley’s postcard-perfect towns.

“We couldn’t think of a more appropriate venue for announcing the new NVFF than at the world’s pre-eminent independent film festival, the Sundance Film Festival,” said NVFF Co-Founder Brenda Lhormer. “We are thrilled to partner with the team at the exceptional and prestigious St. Regis Deer Valley, which shares our goal of creating extraordinary guest experiences.”

“We are so pleased to welcome NVFF into our community and are grateful for their support,” said Sarah Pearce, Director of Operations, Sundance Film Festival. “Our hope is that many of the artists we support here in Utah each January will have the opportunity to present their works in Napa Valley in November.”

The NVFF events at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival kick off with a reception and an exclusive VIP dinner at The St. Regis Deer Valley on Sunday, January 23.   On Monday, January 24, invited guests will be treated to an unparalleled food and wine tasting experience in downtown Park City at the NVFF Launch Party, sponsored by The St. Regis Deer Valley.  The party will feature a taste of Napa Valley’s finest food, wine and hospitality – a preview of what to expect at the first annual NVFF in November 2011.  Renowned Chef Michael Chiarello, of Bottega restaurant in Yountville, as well as Top Chef Masters finalist and Emmy-winning host of the Food Network’s Easy Entertaining, will design the multi-course menus.  The area’s world-famous wines will be represented by an array of premium Napa Valley wineries, including Cimarossa, Farella Park Vineyards, John Anthony Vineyards, Allora Vineyards, David Arthur Vineyards, Gemstone, Parallel Napa Valley, Raymond Vineyard and Cellar, Salvestrin, Staglin Family Vineyard, Terlato Wine Group, Tom Eddy Winery, Chiarello Family Vineyards, Gargiulo Vineyards, Matthiasson, and Schramsberg Vineyards.

“The St. Regis Deer Valley is delighted to help launch the Napa Valley Film Festival,” stated Michael Zaccaro, managing partner of Deer Crest Janna, LLC, the owner of The St. Regis Deer Valley.  “We applaud the pairing of fine food and great wines with the art of independent film.”

The St. Regis Deer Valley, a stunning hotel on the slopes of the Deer Valley Resort, will host the invitation-only Napa Valley Film Festival Reception and VIP Dinner on Sunday, January 23.  The Reception will take place in the lobby of The St. Regis Deer Valley, where guests can enjoy Napa Valley wines and Chef Chiarello’s appetizers.  The exclusive VIP dinner will take place in The St. Regis Deer Valley Wine Vault – with a cellar of more than 8,000 bottles of wine – offering an intimate setting for guests to experience Chef Chiarello’s five-course dinner.

On Monday, January 24 the NVFF Launch Party, sponsored by The St. Regis Deer Valley, will be held at the “Sundance House presented by HP,” which will be turned into a “Napa Valley Barrel Cellar” for one night only.  Designed to give invited Sundance Film Festival attendees a hint of Napa Valley in a snowy location, the venue will be transformed into a wine cellar tasting room featuring food stations with Chef Chiarello’s famous dishes and a selection of award-winning wines from the Napa Valley wineries.  Guests will have the opportunity to mingle with Chef Chiarello as well as the many winemakers in attendance.  Providing party guests a sample of the luxurious St. Regis Deer Valley experience, the hotel will recreate its signature St. Regis Wine Vault dining area within the NVFF Launch Party space.  In St. Regis tradition, this exclusive area will be attended by the legendary St. Regis Butlers, known for their flawless personalized attention.

The inaugural NVFF (November 9-13, 2011) plans to present more than 50 new films, including narrative features, foreign films, documentaries, short films, and student works.  Discussion panels with industry executives, Q&A sessions with the filmmakers, food and wine tastings, opening and closing night premieres and parties, awards ceremonies, VIP receptions, and celebrity tribute programs are all key ingredients rounding out the full NVFF experience.  NVFF will also feature a unique community-focused footprint, with screening and hospitality venues clustered in four walk-able villages in Napa Valley’s distinctive small cities and towns:  Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga.  Films and filmmakers will travel from village to village, while festival attendees can choose whether to remain in one community or to sample the different venues.

Participation opportunities for the inaugural NVFF are available now, with Passes on sale at discounted rates until March 31.  Also available are a limited number of Founding Patron Packages ($2,500) that offer a fully immersive VIP experience.  Visit www.napavalleyfilmfest.org for full details.

About the Napa Valley Film Festival

The Napa Valley Film Festival is produced by Cinema Napa Valley, a registered 501c3 non-profit organization headquartered in Napa, California.  The festival’s co-creators – and Cinema Napa Valley’s co-chairs – are Brenda and Marc Lhormer, producers and distributors of the feature film Bottle Shock, about the historic upset victory by Napa Valley wines over the French at the famous 1976 wine-tasting competition in Paris.  Bottle Shock premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival before going on to international theatrical distribution. The husband-and-wife team also ran the successful Sonoma Valley Film Festival from 2001 through 2008.  In addition to producing the annual film festival, Cinema Napa Valley presents special film programs throughout the year and provides support to student filmmaking programs in Napa Valley schools.  To learn more, visit www.napavalleyfilmfest.org.

About The St. Regis Deer Valley

The St. Regis Deer Valley features 181 guest rooms, including 67 exquisite one bedroom suites and 114 luxurious rooms which can be paired with the suites to form spacious two, three, and four bedroom combinations.  The Residences at St. Regis Deer Valley also has 26 grand private residences on premises.  The most luxurious amenities of any mountain resort in the world are offered.  These include the iconic 24-hour St. Regis butler service; J&G Grill, a signature Jean-Georges restaurant; ski valets; a 14,000 square-foot Reméde spa with pools; a Val d’Isere style “ski beach;” a world class 8,000 bottle wine cellar; and year-round recreational activities.  The slope-side resort is located at Deer Valley Resort®, just 39 miles from Salt Lake City International Airport and one mile from Main Street in Park City.  St. Regis Deer Valley is owned by Deer Crest Janna L.L.C.  For additional information on the privilege of ownership, please explore www.stregisdeervalleyresidences.com.

About Michael Chiarello

Michael Chiarello is an award winning chef and owner of the critically acclaimed Bottega restaurant in Napa Valley.  He is a three-time Emmy-winning Food Network host, Top Chef Masters finalist, a highly rated vintner of Chiarello Family Vineyards, author of six noted cookbooks including the just released Bottega Cookbook (Chronicle Books, 11/2010), and owner/tastemaker of NapaStyle, which showcases handcrafted and exclusive artisanal foods and home goods through its catalogue, website and retail stores.

About Napa Valley

The Napa Valley is home to the founders of America’s fine wine industry and is prized for its natural beauty, phenomenal culinary scene, world-class hotel accommodations, robust arts community, and one-of-a-kind wellness experiences including the region’s famed spas, mud baths and healing geo-thermal springs.  The word Napa means ‘land of plenty’ in the language of its first known inhabitants, the Wappo Indians, and the Valley itself is one of the most precious agricultural preserves on earth – a place that moves in perfect synchrony with the seasons.  Internationally recognized as one of only nine “Great Wine Capitals,” the Napa Valley was voted the World’s #1 Food & Wine Destination in the recent 2010 TripAdvisor® Travelers’ Choice® Awards and boasts 14 Michelin Stars – the most per capita of any wine region in the world.  Visit www.LegendaryNapaValley.com for more information or to download the free Visit Napa Valley iPhone App, and join The Napa Valley community on Facebook and YouTube.