2008 SONOMA VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES OPENING NIGHT FILM

Sonoma, CA, USA(SANEPR.com) March 25, 2008 -- The 2008 Sonoma Valley Film Festival will kick off on Wednesday, April 9th with its Sneak Preview Film, the U.S. Premiere of Love and Other Disasters, starring Brittany Murphy, Matthew Rhys, Orlando Bloom, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Directed by Alek Keshishian, the cult director of Madonna: Truth or Dare and presented by Luc Besson and David Fincher. A stylish, sexy comedy about an obsessive matchmaker (Murphy) with a fast-paced life at British Vogue. Don’t miss Alek Keshishian and star Matthew Rhys who will be in attendance at this year’s festival!

The Film Festival will officially open on Thursday, April 10 with premiere and encore screenings of Fugitive Pieces, starring international film star Rade Sherbedgia, Stephen Dillane, Rachelle LeFevre, Ayelet Zurer, Rosamund Pike and directed by Jeremy Podeswa, many of whom will be in attendance at this year’s festival to support their film.

Fugitive Pieces is a lushly executed poetic epic, dramatically gripping and deeply moving, and features a powerful international ensemble cast. A powerful and unforgettably lyrical film about love, loss and redemption, FUGITIVE PIECES tells the story of Jakob Beer (Stephen Dillane), a man whose life is transformed by his childhood experiences during WWII. As a child in Poland he is orphaned then saved by a compassionate Greek archeologist (Rade Sherbedgia.) Over the course of his life, he attempts to deal with the losses he has endured. Through his writing, and then through the discovery of true love, Jakob is ultimately freed from the legacy of his past.

Young@ Heart, the 2008 Closing Night Film on Sunday, April 13, will bring the Festival to a show-stopping finale. Garnering huge buzz across the country, Young@Heart is a musical documentary that follows the seniors-only choir “Young@Heart” as they amaze and stun with their unexpected covers of artists from Jimi Hendrix to Sonic Youth to James Brown. This is a film not to miss!

The Sonoma Valley Film Festival will also honor actor and debut director Michael Keaton with the 2008 Tribute on Saturday, April 12 at the Sebastiani Theatre in Sonoma. Keaton will talk about his extensive work in film and as well as his new project Merry Gentleman which marks his directorial debut.

A great ticket option for every taste and budget! The Sonoma Valley Film Festival offers a great variety of ticket options for attendees, including $10 Door Tickets and $60 All-Day Passes, as well as great value all-week Festival Passes, VIP Premier Passes, and VIP All-Access Patron Passes.
Tickets are already selling fast. To order tickets, and also for complete film listings, screening times, events, child-care and celebrity appearances, visit www.SonomaFilmFest.org, or call the Festival office at (707) 933-2600.
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Editors Note: Filmmaker and celebrity interviews and high-resolution images are available upon request.