Join us on Saturday, March 19 at the Fremont Theatre to pay tribute to one of Hollywood’s most talented and beautiful “triple threats” – Ann-Margret! 2010 King Vidor Award recipient Alan Arkin will be back to present the award to her before the George Sidney Independent Film Awards and TCM’s Ben Mankiewicz will sit down with her for a conversation too! Get tickets here: http://slofilmfest.org/tickets-passes/
(Featured Photo Credit: DeepestDream.com)
Our internationally renowned “Surf Nite in SLO” is back for its 11th year with a new documentary about Big Wave surfer Chris Bertish and the day that changed big wave surfing forever. The famed Maverick’s champion and professional speaker will travel from his home in South Africa to join Maverick’s pioneer, Jeff Clark on the stage of the historic Fremont Theatre in downtown San Luis Obispo on Friday, March 18 after the Central Coast premiere of “Ocean Driven,” scheduled for a 7:30 PM screening. A few tickets are still available here: http://slofilmfest.org/tickets-passes/
Directed by Santa Cruz filmmaker Nadia Tarow and Adrian Charles from Cape Town, OCEAN DRIVEN is a true and gripping story that chronicles the deve
lopment of South African big wave surfer Chris Bertish. At Mavericks, a famed surf break just south of San Francisco, his refusal to let seemingly insurmountable obstacles stand in his way culminates with his winning the world’s most prestigious big wave surfing contest in the largest waves ever seen in a competition. “Ocean Driven” is a tale of overcoming obstacles and fears, redefining what is possible, and inspiring viewers to never give up in pursuit of their dreams.
Bertish travels the world as a motivational keynote and Ted-X guest speaker, and is also the author of “Stoked!” We are delighted to host such an accomplished and articulate sports hero at Surf Nite in SLO.
Local surf legend, “Pismo” the surfing goat will also be in attendance with owner Dana McGregor. A short film will illustrate Pismo’s amazing talents as a surfer, and the celebrity goat will meet his fans and “sign” copies of McGregor’s new children’s book, “Goatee, the Surfing Goat.”
Also in attendance will be Gary Linden, VP of the Big Wave World Tour, along with more big wave surfers TBA. Beer and wine will also be available in the Fremont Theatre lobby beginning at 7pm, with an After-party in the Hollywood & Vines Festival Tent (behind the Fremont Theatre.)
MANY THANKS TO OUR LOYAL SURF NITE SPONSORS:
Apple Farm, City of Pismo Beach, Cliffs Resort, Creeky Tiki, Mother’s Tavern, Q104.5, Quality Suites of San Luis Obispo, Saint Archer Beer, Sea Venture Resort, SLO Wine Country, and Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort.
See you there!
(Press materials from slofilmfest.org)
Markus Horn, A German pianist/composer, mesmerized the audience on a baby grand piano with an original musical score accompaniment to the classic German Expressionist silent film masterpiece, Nosferatu (link to my full review) at the Spanos Theatre on the Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo campus, Tuesday, March 15, 2016. Nosferatu was presented by SLO Film Fest sponsors BHE Renewables, Union Bank and KZOZ. Film goers arrived early to witness this exciting and noteworthy event and to cast ballots for original art works in competition for for Official SLO Film Fest Poster status.
(Photo Credit: Kevin J. O’Connor/HollywoodGlee)
Throughout the evening’s film Horn brilliantly matched the photographic score in creating a dream like atmosphere for the minimalized intertitled narrative. Horn’s intense symbiosis of film and music culminated in a rousing, standing ovation by an enraptured audience at the film’s end.
(Photos courtesy of San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce)
(Featured photo provided courtesy of San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce)
SLO Film Fest kicked off with an Opening Night Party in the new Hollywood &Vines Festival Tent, located directly behind the historic Fremont Theatre in the heart of downtown San Luis Obispo. The Black Market Trio provided live jazz music.
An added feature this year to the festival’s venue, the Hollywood & Vines Tent will serve as hospitality headquarters and a meeting place for filmmakers, media and passholders. In addition, the tent will host several parties including Surf Nite Meet-and-Greet, Surf Night After-Party, a Saturday Happy Hour and Sunday’s Closing Night Party. The tent is being generously sponsored by dozens of local Central Coast restaurants, wineries, breweries and more. For more details on daily/nightly access click here: http://slofilmfest.org/
(Photo Credit: Kevin J. O’Connor/HollywoodGlee)
The complete 2006 digitally restored version of Nosferatu the surreal German Expressionist classic silent film by renowned director, F.W. Murnau, served as the Opening Night film for the 22nd SLO Film Fest with a new piano soundtrack performed live by German composer and pianist, Markus Horn. Most recently, Horn has performed his musical talents to another silent German film, Metropolis, directed by Fritz Lang. Interestingly, Horn created this composition in the Spanos Theater specifically for Nosferatu . Nosferatu, is similar in a stylistic vein to the classic example of German Expressionism, the 1922 silent film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, with its use of unusual, odd-looking characters, geometric mise-en-scen and its abundant use of light and shadows in its storytelling. A storied production, Nosferatu, an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” was shot in 1921 and released the following year in 1922. It is very similar to “Dracula,” retaining its core characters of Jonathan and Nina Harker and the Count while omitting some of the secondary characters. A court ruling ordered all copies of the film destroyed after Prana Film, a short-lived, silent-era German film studio was unable to get the rights to the novel, was sued Bram Stoker’s widow and eventually declared bankrupted in defending itself from copyright infringement. A few copies of the film survived as the studio undauntedly had gone forward with the production changing names and details from the original novel. For example, Count Dracula became Count Orlok, played brilliantly by Max Schreck (Schreck in German translates to terror, fitting for the roles Max Schreck undertook throughout his acting career) and the term vampire became nosferatu. In addition, Count Orlok doesn’t create new vampires. Instead he killed his victims with the town folk blaming the deaths on a black plague. And, while Count Dracula was weakened by sunlight, Orlock sleeps by day as any exposure to sunlight would cause his death. In the end, Count Orlok meets his demise in drinking the blood of a young maiden, Mina, who sacrifices herself by allowing Orlok’s copulation while enticing him to do so into the day’s sunrise culminating in Orlok’s death.
Murnau prided himself on utilizing various angles in his productions and Nosferatu’s cinematographer, Fritz Arno Wagner, delivers. Several shots capture the eye including a film ending low angle shot of a castle in ruin representing the demise of Count Orlok. In addition, several shots on board the ship of stacked wooden coffins and the frenzied scrambling of ship rats as a coffin is opened and its contents spilled become etched in memory. All this withstanding, the evening belonged to Markus Horn, as he mesmerized the audience with a soundtrack that brilliantly matched the photographic score in creating a dream like atmosphere for the minimalized intertitled narrative. Horn’s intense symbiosis of film and music culminated in a rousing, standing ovation by an enraptured audience at the film’s end.
This version of Nosferatu with the Markus Horn accompaniment and a run-time of 94 minutes left the audience wanting more. Much more. An exceptional opening film. Highly, highly recommended.
(Macao, March 16, 2016) – The Asian Film Awards (AFA), organized by the Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA), hosted a star-studded welcome dinner at Conrad Macao, Cotai Central tonight as a prelude to the gala awards event which will be held on Mar. 17, 2016. The event saw celebrities, sponsors and VIP guests came together to celebrate the film industry in Asia and enjoy an evening of celebration and entertainment.
Inaugurated in 2007, the Asian Film Awards (AFA) celebrates excellence in Asian cinema through the annual presentation of awards to the many diverse talents and films that make up the dynamic film industries across the region. This year, the AFA is sponsored by Sands Resorts Cotai Strip Macao and The Venetian® Macao, with Cotai Water Jet as the official ferry operator. The ceremony will be held on March 17, 2016 (Thursday) at The Venetian Theatre at The Venetian Macao, one of the most luxurious entertainment venues in Greater China.
AFA is once again supported by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) along with the collaboration of various Macau organizations, including Macao Foundation, Macau Artistes Association, Suncity Group, Macau Group, MBL and Taipa Village who will jointly present “The 10th Asian Film Awards Welcome Dinner”, in order to welcome the honourable nominees, guests, co-organizers, partners, and industry representatives who will join us at this year’s Award Ceremony. Representatives of the three founding organizations of AFA, including Dr. Wilfred Wong Ying-wai,GBS,JP, President of AFA Academy and Hong Kong International Film Festival; Mr. KIM Dong-ho, Honorary Director of Busan International Film Festival; as well as Mr. Yasushi Shiina, Director General of TIFFCOM, also attended the welcome dinner to celebrate the spectacular event.
This year, Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA) for the first time will partner with the acclaimed U.S. luxury jewellery brand ‘Hearts On Fire’ to present the Hearts On Fire-AFA Special Awards to recognize the achievements of outstanding legends and icons in the Asian film industry. Two Rising Star of Asia Awards will go to Hong Kong singer-cum-actor Pakho Chau and Korean actress Clara Lee. Receiving his first movie award, Pakho started as a teenager modeling for many luxury brands, and he made his debut as a singer back in 2007. Passionate about both music and writing songs, his talent and creativity have earned him numerous awards over the years, establishing him as one of the top singers in Hong Kong. Pakho made his screen debut in Love Is Elsewhere in 2008, and soon took up various challenging leading roles. His roles as a fervent young doctor in I Sell Love, a cheating husband in S for Sex, S for Secret, and a billionaire in Love Detective made a lasting impression on his audiences. 2015 was a breakthrough for him and he was highly acclaimed for his role as Elephant Man a cold-blooded killer in Guilty, and recently, he created a theme song for My Wife is a Superstar, singing the voice of the husband.
Meanwhile, Clara had starred in many TV drama series since 2005, and made her big-screen debut in Five Senses of Eros in 2009. A sexy icon, she also ranked second in Mode Lifestyle Magazine – 100 Most Beautiful Women In The World in 2014 and has been regarded as “the most beautiful Asian woman” since she was the only Asian star on the list. Her lively performance as a medical intern in the popular TV drama series Emergency Couple further strengthened her fan base. Clara also made a spectacular presence in Hong Kong by starring in her first action film Line Walker produced in Hong Kong, and Prince, in which she partnered with actors from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, which will also be in theatres soon. The promising actress will serve as the hostess of the 10th Asian Film Awards Ceremony to be held on Thursday, March 17. With a great passion for acting, Pakho and Clara are thrilled to receive the honors and will strive to master every role with excellence.
For further information on Hearts On Fire-AFA Special Awards, please visit the official website: http://www.asianfilmawards.asia/
(Press release and photos courtesy of Asian Film Awards Academy)
We have confirmed the dates for the next two editions of the Wave Film Festivals. The first segment will run from Wednesday, May 11th through Sunday, May 15th, and will highlight new Pan-Asian films. The second segment will run from Wednesday, July 13th through Sunday, July 17th, and will highlight new French films. Each Wave Festival will take place at the historic Riviera Theatre.
“With increasingly diverse lineups each year, The Wave has become a pivotal tradition of SBIFF,” stated Mickey Duzdevich, director of the Wave Film Festival. “The Pan-Asian and French film canons are filled with countless classics, and we have no doubt that this year’s lineup will continue to dazzle and inspire audiences.”
In addition, we have announced Wednesday, February 1st through Saturday, February 11th as the dates for the 32nd annual festival.
“Though we are just wrapping up this year’s festival, we are already looking forward to what 2017 has in store for us in Santa Barbara” said Roger Durling, Executive Director of SBIFF. “We are incredibly proud of what we have accomplished thus far, and we plan to make our 32nd installment the best festival yet.”
In addition to screening numerous films over the years, including countless US and World Premieres, SBIFF is known for programs such as the prestigious Tribute honor which counts Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Alicia Vikander, Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Sylvester Stallone among recipients, and the acclaimed Panel Series, where accomplished industry guests come together for lively and revealing discussions, which make the festival a key stop in the award season race.
Passes and tickets for each Wave will be available once the lineup is announced. SBIFF passes are offered at 25% off beginning August 1st.
(Courtesy of Santa Barbara International Film Festival)
For the seventh consecutive year, thousands of movie lovers from around the globe will descend upon Hollywood for the TCM Classic Film Festival. The 2016 festival is set to take place Thursday, April 28 – Sunday, May 1, 2016. Over four packed days and nights, attendees will be treated to an extensive lineup of great movies, appearances by legendary stars and filmmakers, fascinating presentations and panel discussions, special events and more.
TCM host and film historian Robert Osborne will once again serve as official host of the TCM Classic Film Festival, with TCM’s Ben Mankiewicz introducing various events. The festival’s official hotel and central gathering point for the sixth consecutive year will be The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which has a longstanding role in movie history and was the site of the first Academy Awards® ceremony. The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel will also offer special rates for festival attendees. Screenings and events during the festival will be held at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX, the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres and the Egyptian Theatre, as well as other Hollywood venues.
Description of the 2016 festival theme Moving Pictures:
The magic of movies isn’t just motion, it’s emotion. As we watch cinematic stories play out, they feel like our own. In 2016, the TCM Classic Film Festival explores MOVING PICTURES—the ones that bring us to tears, rouse us to action, inspire us, even project us to a higher plane. In the heart of historic Hollywood we’ll gather to share the big-time emotions of big screen stories, from coming-of-age pictures to terminal tearjerkers, from powerful sports dramas we feel in our bones to religious epics that elevate our spirits. These are the films that that set our love of cinema in motion.
Passes for the 2016 TCM Classic Film Festival are on sale now. Fans are able to purchase them through the TCM Classic Film Festival website. As the number of passes available is limited, fans are encouraged to purchase their passes as soon as possible. www.tcm.com/festival
The “Spotlight” Festival Pass: $1,649 – Includes all privileges available to “Classic” and “Essential” passholders, priority entry to all screening events; plus entry to the exclusive opening-night party following the red-carpet gala screening at TCL Chinese Theatre; meet-and-greet events with TCM friends, including Robert Osborne and Ben Mankiewicz; and a limited edition TCM Classic Film Festival poster.
The “Essential” Festival Pass: $749 – Includes all privileges available to “Classic” passholders, plus entry to the opening-night red-carpet gala screening at TCL Chinese Theatre and official TCM Classic Film Festival collectibles.
The “Classic” Festival Pass: $599 – Includes access to all film programs at festival venues Thursday, April 28 – Sunday, May 1 (does not include admittance to the opening-night red-carpet gala screening at TCL Chinese Theatre or the opening-night party); access to all Club TCM events, panels and poolside screenings at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel; an opening-night welcome reception at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel; and the closing-night event. www.tcm.com
The “Palace” Festival Pass: $299 – Includes access to all screenings and events at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre (excluding the opening-night red-carpet gala) and the Egyptian Theatre Friday, April 29 – Sunday, May 1, as well as poolside screenings at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. www.tcm.com
(Press release courtesy of TCM Pressroom)
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will open the 7th annual TCM Classic Film Festival on April 28th with a 40th Anniversary screening of the Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman political thriller All The President’s Men (1976). Investigative journalist Carl Bernstein, Oscar winning director/ screenwriter Tom McCarthy (Spotlight), along with Oscar Winning screenwriter Josh Singer (Spotlight), join the festivities for opening night’s 40th Anniversary screening of All The President’s Men (1976)
The festival, set to take place April 28 – May 1 in Hollywood, will also include tributes to the following screen legends:
Renowned actor Burt Reynolds is set to participate in a sit-down interview about his life and career. In addition to the interview, Reynolds will be on-hand to introduce a screening of The Longest Yard (1974), for which he received a Golden Globe® nomination for Best Actor. The interview will be taped Saturday, April 30 in front of a live audience of festival pass holders at The Ricardo Montalbán Theatre.
Director-writer Carl Reiner featuring a screening of Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982) and an extended conversation
Actor Elliott Gould featuring screenings of his Golden Globe nominated performance in M*A*S*H (1970), The Long Goodbye (1973) and a conversation in Club TCM.
Beloved Oscar® and Golden Globe® winner Angela Lansbury joins the festival with a screening and conversation of The Manchurian Candidate (1962), the combination satire and political thriller.
Oscar winning actress and singer Rita Moreno will introduce a 60th anniversary screening of the cherished musical The King and I (1956).
Emmy nominee Billy Dee Williams will present a screening of Brian’s Song (1971), the true story of friendship between Chicago Bears’ player Gale Sayers (Williams) and Brian Piccolo (James Caan).
This year’s festival will include appearances by:
The 2016 TCM Film Festival will also feature special live events including:
TCM is also pleased to announce the return of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures as an official festival partner as well as the co-host of the opening night screening and party. Returning once again as the festival’s exclusive founding partner, Delta Air Lines will serve as the official airline of the TCM Classic Film Festival. Additionally, DIRECTV, The Hollywood Reporter and Bonhams all return as official sponsors of the festival.
Complete bios for each of the artists appearing at the 2016 TCM Classic Film Festival can be found at filmfestival.tcm.com
(Press release courtesy of TCM Pressroom)
Nosferatu, the classic 1922 German Expressionism film will open San Luis Obispo’s 22nd Annual SLO Film Fest on Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at 8 PM at Cal Poly’s Spanos Theater. German composer and pianist, Markus Horn, has composed an original score to accompany the film. For tickets and for more information click here: SLO Film Fest 22 Tickets/Passes.
