Hurray for Sonomawood!

The lack of a tribute movie star at the 18th annual Sonoma International Film Festival didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of a full tent of film fans on Wednesday night, March 25, for the opening night reception. In fact the role was ably played by Kate Winslet, resplendent in a red dress and an aloof if bemused expression, holding center stage on a red carpet.

Winslet, 39, star of the opening night film “A Little Chaos,” recipient of an Oscar, an Emmy, three Golden Globes and a Grammy award, was reportedly traveling in Europe and unable to make the film festival; nor was her director for “A Little Chaos,” Alan Rickman. But thanks to the miracle of wax modeling, and the generous cooperation of Madame Tussauds San Francisco, a full-life model of the English actress – accurate in every detail of 300 measurements, we are told – commanded the attention of hundreds of enthusiastic filmgoers at the festival’s Backlot Tent on the Plaza.

Ropes and nets were decorously draped from the tent’s canvas walls, leading to speculation as to the theme of the night’s décor – Pirates? Island Castaways? “Fifty Shades of Grey”? Events manager Melanie King was coy, but promised more exceptional decorations for Thursday’s Whisky a Go-Go party, Friday’s Prom Night and Saturday’s Vamos al Cine Fiesta.

Botanical beverages were all the rage, with attendees greeted by bright-eyed representatives of Jardesca California Apertif, promising “the perfect opening night palate-cleanser,” a distilled blend of three whites macerated with pink grapefruit, pink peppercorn and California bay. Farther into the more-than-a-little-chaos of the Big Tent, celebrity beverage personage Ben Flajnik served his latest passion, the digestif Fernet Francisco blended from a dozen herbs and spirits, served over ice with ginger beer.

Many other sponsoring beverages were served – from Lagunitas to Gloria Ferrer, Hanson Organic Vodka to U.S. Pure Water (an increasingly rare commodity in drought-struck Sonoma), and a veritable plethora of local wines. Specialty food items were also plentiful, including grape truffles from the Chocolate Cow, ices from Café Scooteria and strange little snackie thingies from Mr. Cheese O’s.

But the glamor of the attending filmmakers, film lovers, local enthusiasts, and media correspondents – early in the evening flashing cameras far outnumbered even wine glasses - was the fuel for the festivities. Aside from Ms. Winslet, formal wear was rare, though artist and masseuse Don Mahoney wore a timelessly fashionable men’s suit made 60 years ago for screenwriter Oscar Saul, who worked with Tennessee Williams on the screen adaptation of “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

Footwear – that reliable metric of high fashion – was disappointingly déclassé, in part because Kate’s black pangolin pumps were obscured by her red gown. Hush puppies, running shoes, even flip-flops were noted as more the norm than the exception. Thankfully the festival’s Executive Director, Kevin McNeely, embroidered his slippers with a Celtic motif, elevating the average by sheer audacity.

Sergey V. Petrov, consul general of the Russian Federation, was there with his wife Olga, and the both talked for some time with City Councilmember Laurie Gallian. She has attended every festival since 2007, she told us, when she first entered Sonoma’s public life, but for the Russian diplomat it was his introduction to Sonoma.

“We are government servants, but of course we are humans also,” said Petrov. “We are interested in many things, and have noticed how important the film business is in California – it is huge, huge.”

Petrov has been stationed in San Francisco’s consulate for two years, “This is an amazing place, with its mixture of wine, films, music – and even Russian history, like Ft. Ross just two hours away.” He emphasized how hospitable he’s found Californians, saying he’s never had a bad experience with the people in his two years. “We are all of us in the world looking for peace,” he said.

“You never know when you need an ambassador,” said Gallian. “After all, it is an international film festival!”

Filmmakers from the 100 festival entries held their own in the festive company, though sometimes overshadowed by the more gregarious locals. Shirhari Aathe, one of the producers of Pakistan’s “Dukhtar” (screening Friday at 12:30 and Saturday at 8:00 p.m.), had been to Mill Valley late last year for another festival, but upon his first visit to Sonoma said, “It’s a crazy town around here!”

As the party wound down, and the wine glasses and aperitif glasses and ice cream cups accumulated, many attendees had formed a personal relationship with the waxy Winslet. They had their iPhone pictures taken with the smooth-skinned, green-eyed actress, confiding their secret passions to her in urgent whispers – telling her that “Titanic” changed their lives, and that she deserved her Oscar for “Revolutionary Road” over “The Reader,” and asking - what the heck “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” was about, anyway?

Through it all she remained remote, mute and tolerant, the consummate professional.

By 7:15 the Opening Night party was winding down, and the line outside the Sebastiani Theatre for “A Little Chaos” stretched down to Lisa Kristine. The line quickly disappeared into the theater once the doors opened, and by 7:30 there wasn’t an empty seat to be found.

McNeely welcomed the attendees and thanked his sponsors, then read a note from actor-director Rickman who sent his regrets at not being able to attend, but promising that his film was not a dry chronicle of the past, but “historically inaccurate and completely implausible.”

Then the lights went down, and the 18th annual Sonoma International Film Festival got under way at last. It continues through Sunday with 104 films in seven venues, and an awards ceremony Sunday at 8 p.m. in Andrews Hall. For more information, visit sonomafilmfest.org.