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Press Release

CFI Education And Auberge Resorts Collection Announce Auberge Resorts Student Film Challenge

SAN RAFAEL, CALIF. (January 24, 2018) – CFI Education is pleased to announce the Auberge Resorts Student Film Challenge is open for submissions. One student filmmaker and his/her selected crew (up to five people) will be chosen to produce a series of short, web-based commercial videos for Auberge Resorts Collection’s Napa properties — Auberge du Soleil, Calistoga Ranch and Solage — with a focus on three core areas of the “Napa Experience” — arts & entertainment, outdoor activities and the culinary scene.

 

Created in partnership with Mill Valley-based Auberge Resorts Collection, one of the premier luxury hotel companies in the world, the Challenge will give one student filmmaker the opportunity to capture the essence of Auberge’s distinctive guest experience in the iconic destination of Napa Valley. “The California Film Institute’s continued mission has always been dedicated to partnering with other businesses within our community,” said Mark Fishkin, Founder/Executive Director, “this unique collaboration with Auberge Resorts Collection  gives us the additional exciting opportunity of developing young filmmakers in commercial storytelling and showcasing their unique capabilities and visions.”

 

“We are very excited about this new partnership with Auberge Resorts Collection, which has provided us the rare opportunity to offer our local young, emerging filmmakers the kind of paid, real-world experience that is so often out of their reach—but so critical to their professional development” added CFI Director of Education Joanne Parsont.

 

“With Auberge Resorts Collection and our film companies, Imperative Entertainment and 30WEST, we celebrate creativity and impassioned storytelling,” said Dan Friedkin, Owner and Chairman, Auberge Resorts Collection . “We are delighted to have the opportunity for Auberge to work with CFI to bring these two creative industries together and provide students the chance to showcase their artistic talents.”

 

“Auberge is known for providing exceptional experiences for guests around culinary, arts, adventure and more,” said Craig Reid, President and Chief Executive Officer, Auberge Resorts Collection. “Now, we are excited to partner with CFI to discover the next generation of talented filmmakers. CFI was a natural choice, as they are both an industry leader in supporting film education and produce the prestigious Mill Valley Film Festival which takes place where our Auberge home offices are located.”

 

Contest submissions will be accepted until 11:59 pm (PST) Wednesday, February 28, 2018. Details on how to enter and complete list of rules can be found at cfieducation.org/challenge. Entrants (and their selected crew members) must be 18 years of age or older to participate. Five finalists will be selected by both CFI and Auberge staff to pitch their concept to a review panel of industry and film professionals, who will then select one winner to be awarded a paid production package, which includes:

  • A $5,000 stipend
  • Equipment
  • Local ground transportation and production expenses
  • Professional commercial video content for the winning student’s reel
  • Online promotion of the winning student’s work on this project through the California Film
    Institute and Auberge Resorts Collection

 

Entries must include:

    • A short written treatment (minimum 350/maximum 500 words) detailing the entrant’s creative approach and proposed filmmaking style and which activities, events, or locations the entrant would choose to represent Napa and the three core areas of the Napa Experience, based on the identities of the featured Auberge properties, and how they would showcase these properties in a series of promotional videos.
    • Sample reel of the entrant’s work (minimum 2 minutes)
    • Proof of student status and school affiliation (e.g., copy of student ID)

Each submission will be judged based on its creativity, originality and viability, as well as its perceived value as a marketing resource for the Auberge Resorts Collection properties.

 

The final spots will run from 10 to 45 seconds each and will be used to promote the Napa experience and the properties online via Auberge Resorts Collection’s website, digital marketing, email campaigns, and social media.