How it all started

Napa Valley StreamFest is the brainchild of Ashella Productions, founded by Juliana Folk and Fearon DeWeese, in collaboration with The Noisy Kitchen. Juliana and Fearon first met while working at the Napa Valley Film Festival, bonding over their shared love for storytelling. In 2022, they launched Ashella Productions and produced the TV pilot “UnCredited,” inspired by Fearon’s journey managing a film festival while navigating IVF and motherhood.

Taking their pilot on the festival circuit, they realized traditional festivals weren’t adapting to the rise of “streamertainment” and the new ways audiences consume content. Determined to revolutionize the festival model, they returned to Napa Valley, partnered with Ben Mahoney from The Noisy Kitchen to produce, and enlisted Michael Fox as board chair.

Now, they’re ready to launch something truly unique: StreamFest — not just a film festival or a comic con — an immersive celebration of streaming content, coming April 2025!