The Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival, labelled as “The New Summer Sundance” by the Huffington Post, today announced the dates and first details for the highly anticipated, fourth installment of the burgeoning festival. The 2019 VBWFF will take place June 6-9 in spectacular Vero Beach, Florida.

The annual cinematic celebration ranks in the Top 1.5% out of 7000 festivals worldwide. New this year, the Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival partners with Wild & Scenic Film Festival from Yuba City, California, to present visual storytelling which inspires people to heal the earth. This year’s award-winning films focus on nature, community activism, adventure, conservation, water, energy and climate change, wildlife, environmental justice, agriculture, Native American and indigenous cultures. Viewers are transformed into activists dedicated to saving our threatened planet. During the full-bodied long weekend, Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival pairs compelling cinematic storytelling with global fine wines while highlighting the best of Vero Beach – art, natural beauty, eco-awareness, toe-baring lifestyle, emerging chefs and coastal hospitality. And is the largest screening of independent films on the Treasure Coast of Florida.

This year’s festival theme, “A Wide Lens on Life” is inspired by the festival’s mission of connecting diverse visual artists with their audiences at a compelling, captivating cinematic celebration. Award-winning filmmakers from around the world will lead question-and-answer sessions following many screenings putting a personal face on the film-going experience. Submissions for VBWFF 2019 are now officially open. This year’s winners will be judged on five distinguished categories—Feature Film, Documentary Film, Animated, Comedy and Documentary Short Films. Plus award recognition will be given in the NEXT UP! Student Competition and Vero Visions for regional filmmaking the next up in film makers. Highlights of the 2018 VBWFF include the honoring of distinguished actor and author George Takei with the 2018 VBWFF Life Worth Living Legend Award. Takei attended VBWFF and his film, “American” won both the jury and audience awards for Documentary and Dramatic Shorts. Takei provided severable memorable moments when he was onstage by legendary film critic Jeffrey Lyons. Lyons, the five-time Emmy Award winner, is celebrated for reviewing 15,000 movies and co-hosting national movie review shows on PBS, MSNBC and the NBC stations. For 2018 VBWFF photos, credit: Phil Reid Photography -

HERE Proceeds from the festival benefit Suncoast Mental Health Center. The center offers supportive services to children and families along the Treasure Coast, including St. Lucie, Indian River, Martin and Okeechobee counties. 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 The Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival is a 501(c) (3) organization.