David Yakir and Bill McDevitt PHOTO BY JOSHUA KODIS

Vero Beach Strength + Conditioning recently played host to an evening of sophistication and charity as the venue for the Vero Beach Film Festival’s much-anticipated seventh annual White Party. The evening was not just about revelry and glamour; proceeds from the evening were dedicated to supporting the community through the Vero Beach Film Festival, an annual celebration of cinema.

Organizers had challenged attendees to “start right, wear white,” and while the only workout required that evening was on the dance floor, the location inspired many to get into a healthier state of mind.

As in the original Dîner en Blanc in Paris, attendees were adorned in white, from chic couture to lighted overalls and workout clothes, and each had been tasked with creating tablescape designs. They did so with fairy lights, geometric towers, feathers, every white flower imaginable, topiary, and glowing goblets. The table winner was Femme Fatales of the ’40s and ’50s, including film stars such as Lauren Bacall.

Guests mingled about sipping champagne, perusing auction items, and admiring the tableaus before settling in to enjoy dinners curated by each table captain.

Emcee and filmmaker Xaque Gruber amused the crowd with a blanc-themed costume change at every turn, including as an astronaut, sailor and white rabbit. Entertainment included performances by enrollees in the Vero Beach Recreation Department Performing Arts program, karate demonstrations by the Bamboo Dojo, stargazing and music.

As the night drew to a close, people turned their sights toward the upcoming VBFF, occurring April 11-14 this year rather than in June.

“We wanted to have a larger audience and exposure to more of Vero Beach,” explained David Yakir, executive director. He also said they plan to host events spread throughout the year, such as the upcoming VBFF Oscar Party on March 10.

Recently, they partnered with Ballet Vero Beach to celebrate its 10th anniversary with a film screening, and with the Vero Beach Theatre Guild to present free Christmas movies for children.

“We are committed to working with the high schools in town to develop their film program with plans to showing some of the student films at the festival,” Yakir added.

“We’re going to bring in industry insiders, directors, cinematographers and film technology to work with beginner filmmakers,” he explained, referring to it as Vero Beach Film Labs.

They also hope to develop a summer event centered on food and film, challenging chefs to create film-related recipes.

The Film Festival features independent filmmakers in an environment conducive to audience interaction with the artists. In addition to days full of film screenings at various locations, the four-day event includes a Filmmakers Ball, Grand Wine Tasting, Dance Party, and Audience Awards & End of Festival Wrap Party.

For more information, visit vbfilmfest.org.

Photos by Joshua Kodis