April 24-27 are the dates of the very first Napa Valley StreamFest. If one is wondering just what a StreamFest is, they are not alone.
We reached out to festival co-founder and executive director Fearon DeWeese and her fellow fest co-founder, Juliana Folk (who is also the fest’s artistic director), to get the scoop on the star-studded event.
Both DeWeese and Folk worked for years at film festivals including Sundance, Mill Valley and Napa Valley. So, is StreamFest a film, TV, podcast or comedy festival? DeWeese clarified by saying it’s a combination of those things and more.
“After being at Sundance and feeling like I spent more time standing in line and riding buses than I actually did seeing films, it left me feeling like there has to be a better way to do this,” she astutely noted.
Folk added, “We’re calling it the festival of the future. No rushing, built-in time to explore Napa and connect with other guests, and a programming lineup that reflects modern storytelling.”
The inaugural fest is leaning heavily on buzzy stars including Jason Segel, star of Apple TV’s incredibly popular Shrinking, as well as Meredith Hagner, who one may have seen in Apple TV’s Vince Vaughn detective show, Bad Monkey.
Segel and Hagner will be receiving honors at the fest, as will Raven Goodwin (Hulu’s Ryan Murphy show, Grotesquerie), Saagar Shaikh (Deli Boys and Ms. Marvel), Katie Cassidy (WB TV’s Green Arrow, as well as the fan obsessive show, Supernatural) and honestly, too many more guests to roll out in this article.
When asked how the duo secured such a star-studded list of invitees, DeWeese said, “We’ve been incredibly lucky, but also intentional. This industry is built on relationships, and Juliana and I have spent years cultivating real connections.”
Said Folk, “A lot of the artists attending responded to the idea of a curated, thoughtful weekend that wasn’t about press junkets or red carpet chaos. It’s a chance to connect with audiences in a meaningful way—and enjoy Napa while they’re at it.”
This all ties into the StreamFest’s notion of a more chill vibe without all the racing around to venues to catch a film or panel. As a veteran of countless film festivals myself, this is a welcome change. “We’re calling it the festival of the future,” noted Folk.
DeWeese dug in a bit deeper, adding, “We asked, what would it look like if you could capture the soul of a film festival—the storytelling, the conversations, the moments of surprise—but design it as a curated experience, one location a day, where you get to just immerse and take it all in?”
As if this mission isn’t enough to get one in the many doors, the lineup of films, comedy and live podcast tapings should definitely do the trick.
Anyone who’s paid any attention to independent film and television over the last 20 years has heard of Jay and Mark Duplass, a.k.a. The Duplass Brothers. The two work constantly as actors, producers and directors. StreamFest’s Saturday night feature film is Jay Duplass’ film, Baltimorons, which sounds truly great.
Pitched simply and brilliantly, the film is about a newly sober man’s Christmas Eve dental emergency, which leads to an unexpected romance with his older dentist as they explore Baltimore together. Duplass Bros unofficial sister, Mel Eslyn, who executive produced the film, will also be on hand, as will lead actor Michael Strassner in conversation with fellow festival guest Sam Jones.
If that name sounds familiar, he directed, for my money, two of the best music docs one can see, 2002’s Wilco doc, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, and 2023’s Jason Isbell doc, Running With Our Eyes Closed. But Jones won’t just be there to run a Q&A; he’s also world premiering his new docu-music series, Talent Show, at the fest.
Talent Show is an in-depth interview show with a twist being that, at the end of each episode, each guest will then do a set of music with Jones and his band, The Spoilers. While it’s a mystery which episode will screen at StreamFest, guests on the first season include Mandy Moore, Ed Helms, Aimee Mann and Michael Shannon, who just got off the road touring his band that covers R.E.M. Jason Segel is also a guest on the show, so my money is on a tie-in.
When asked if this lineup was personally curated by DeWeese and Folk or if there was a wider net cast, DeWeese said it was both.
“As much as it is a curated lineup, we did take submissions on FilmFreeway,” DeWeese noted. “We’ve also been tracking storytellers, reaching out to artists we admire and building relationships with platforms, podcasts and creators that align with our vision. We wanted everything on the lineup to feel intentional, not filler.”
Folk drove the notion of intentionality home, adding, “Just like a traditional film festival, there’s discovery baked into every moment. You might not recognize every name on the lineup, but you’ll leave with a favorite new filmmaker, podcast host or comedian. It’s about uncovering talent. That’s always been the magic.”
Many festivals—be they music, film or otherwise—are a slog of trying to make it to the next event, with attendees typically surviving on energy bars and bottled water. But Folk pointed out that there’s downtime each day, in which she and DeWeese hope people take the time to chill, talk, and above all, eat an actual meal.
With that in mind, each day typically starts with a breakfast followed by an array of entertainment in the form of short films, comedians, panels or live podcast tapings such as the award-winning Was I In a Cult? with hosts Liz Iacuzzi and Tyler Measom. The podcast is pretty self-explanatory and is also less about death cults than it is about smaller, more nefarious ones like those involving people who were really into selling Mary Kay Cosmetics.
And after the morning programming, each day features a break in the action from 1-3pm for unwinding, connecting and conversing.
In talking with DeWeese and Folk, one thing kept shining through. That was the notion of supporting creators of all stripes and levels. “This isn’t just a festival—it’s a mission,” Folk passionately said. She went on to speak about the idea of giving back to the community.
“Through our nonprofit, we’re supporting creatives 35+ who are pivoting mid-career into entertainment,” said Folk. “We’re building a mentorship program to give them access, tools and encouragement to chase dreams they thought might’ve passed them by. This is personal for us—and it’s the kind of ripple effect that makes a real difference.”
Schedule and tickets at napavalleystreamfest.com.
