Brings the story
An emerging independent filmmaker screens their work and stays for a relaxed conversation about how it was made.
Santa Ynez Valley Film Festival
Bringing movie magic to the Santa Ynez Valley.
Independent film, made localTwo hours from L.A. — a world awayFive valley towns, one festivalScreens in cellars, barns & open-air lawnsFilm + chef + winemakerTalkbacks, salons & long tablesFall 2027 · Santa Ynez Valley
THE VALLEY ON FILM
A reel of possibilities.
Every frame is a night the festival is being built around.
The Perfect Pairing:Cinema, Vines & Valley Tables
The Perfect Pairing is our signature pilot program. Each selected film is matched with a valley chef and a local winemaker, who respond to the story with a dish and a pour. You watch the film, meet the people who made it, and taste the valley’s answer, all in one evening.
Film+Chef+Winemaker
Answers with a plate
A valley chef creates a course inspired by the film’s setting, mood, or characters, served right after the screening.
Pours the mood
A local winemaker selects a wine that echoes the film and shares the story behind the bottle and the vineyard.
THE EVENING / 01
Arrive & welcome
Guests gather at a winery, barn, or cellar for a welcome pour and introductions.
Golden hour
For guests
A complete evening: a film you won’t see elsewhere, a meal made for it, and time to meet the people behind both.
For filmmakers
A warm, engaged audience and real connections with valley hosts, press, and industry guests.
For the valley
A stage for local chefs, wineries, and venues to be part of the festival’s story.
Pilot program · Participating films, chefs, wineries, venues, and dates will be announced as they are confirmed.
One valley. Many stories.
The SYVFF is dedicated to spotlighting independent film and enriching the Santa Ynez Valley by providing invaluable exposure for creators. We aim to create a vibrant space where filmmakers can learn, inspire, collaborate, and share their work, fostering a community of creativity and connection over a glass of wine…or two.
- Los Alamos
- Los Olivos
- Santa Ynez
- Solvang
- Buellton
Lights down. Sky up.
Scheduling approach
01Discover & connect
We envision shorts, local and student voices, and intimate workshops or salons: space to discover emerging talent and talk about the craft.
02Watch & discuss
Features and documentaries can anchor the day, with filmmaker conversations after selected screenings and breathing room between sessions.
03Gather & linger
Outdoor cinema is planned around dusk. The Perfect Pairing brings wine, culinary talent, and film together through tastings, winemaker salons, and shared tables.
Dates, times, venues, and lineup are still being confirmed — this is our intended approach, not a bookable schedule.
Six strands of the program.
Film guide
Narrative Features
Character-driven stories from independent voices — the kind of films that spark conversation long after the lights come up. Expect intimate dramas, sharp comedies, and bold first features.
Documentaries
True stories with stakes: portraits of people, places, and ideas, with a soft spot for films rooted in California and the American West.
Short Films
Big worlds in small runtimes. Curated shorts blocks pair emerging filmmakers with adventurous audiences — the beating heart of any festival.
Local & Student Films
A dedicated showcase for valley filmmakers, Santa Barbara County students, and hometown stories — because this festival belongs to its community.
Music & Arts on Film
Concerts, artists, and craft captured on screen — films that celebrate creativity in every form, often paired with live performances.
Family & Outdoor Cinema
All-ages screenings under the stars: blankets, string lights, and films the whole valley can share on warm summer nights.
Program illustrations · AI-generated, not confirmed films or festival photographs.
Three seats at the table.
Filmmakers and film enthusiasts, plus an enthusiastic local community encompassing Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, Solvang and Buellton.
Film Enthusiasts
Filmmakers and film lovers who come for the premieres, the Q&As, and the discoveries you cannot stream at home.
Local Community
Neighbors from all five towns — the restaurants, wineries, and gathering spaces that turn the valley itself into the venue.
Industry VIPs
Writers, actors, producers, and studio partners who already treat the valley as a second home and want the work closer to it.
Where we’re taking it.
Fall 2027 is our proof-of-concept year: a small, well-curated festival that shows what the valley can hold.
- ◆Secure celebrity involvement
- ◆A robust program of long and short form films, with winners in each category
- ◆Exclusive opening and closing night events featuring local culinary stars
- ◆Capture the content and earn the press
The Santa Ynez Valley has long been a getaway — and often a second home — for Los Angeles filmmakers. Let’s bring that art to the valley.
- ◆A permanent home: a local theatre for screenings year round
- ◆Continued growth and recognition of a stellar film program
- ◆Entertainment workshops and salons sponsored by studios and corporations
- ◆Visibility as a stop on the festival circuit by year three
Valley businesses, join us.
- Main Films Partner
- Spotlight Films Partner
- Signature / Gala Partner
Package details are shared personally.
Talk sponsorshipWhat we know so far.
- When
- Fall 2027, our first annual festival
- Where
- Across Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, Solvang and Buellton
- What
- Six film strands, plus The Perfect Pairing film, chef and winemaker evenings
- Still coming
- Dates, times, film lineup and pass pricing
Stay in the loop
Be the first to hear when dates, films and passes are announced.
YOUR STORY BELONGS HERE
Submit your film