VERO BEACH – The Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival, labeled as “The New Summer Sundance” by the Huffington Post, today announced the dates and first details for the highly anticipated, third installment of the burgeoning festival. The 2018 VBWFF will take place June 7-10 in spectacular Vero Beach.
Hosting the 2018 celebration of wine and picture will be legendary film critic Jeffrey Lyons. Lyons, the five time Emmy Award winner, is celebrated for reviewing 15,000 movies, interviewing over 500 actors, writing or co-authoring seven books, and co-hosting national movie review shows on PBS, MSNBC and the NBC stations.
“It’s a wonderful time of year in Florida!” said Lyons. “Mixing film with fine wine is an incredible, unique combination that I’m excited to be a part of.”
“Vero Beach is thrilled to bring back a film festival that fosters connections between talented artists and their audiences,” Festival founder Jerusha Stewart said. “The celebratory vintner dinner by the beach, award-winning film screenings, wine tastings al fresco, and film critiques held around the fire pit under the stars are powerful moments that resonate with our festival theme – ‘A Life Worth Living.’’”
Submissions for 2018 are now officially open. This year’s winners will be judged on three distinguished categories: Feature Film, Documentary Film, and Short Film, showcasing the next up in film makers.
Highlights of the 2017 VBWFF include the honoring of distinguished actor and local resident Burt Reynolds with the 2017 VBWFF Life Worth Living Legend Award. Reynolds attended the VBWFF along with director Adam Riftkin and Producer Neil Mandt as the trio’s picture “Dog Years” won VBWFF’s top award.
Also making the trip to the 2017 festival were the esteemed juror panel including actor Geoff Stults (“12 Strong”), Producer Molly Smith (“La La Land”), Director and Festival Chair Jeff Woolnough (“Vikings”), TV Host Ben Lyons (ESPN, NBA.com), Writer’s Guild Treasurer Aaron Mendelsohn, and Academy Award-winning Director Air Sandel, among others.
With its picturesque beaches and year-round summer climate, Vero Beach will once again provide an ideal destination experience for festival guests.
For additional information on submissions and the event, please visit www.VBWFF.com.