Cecilia Miniucchi’s romantic comedy NO PLACE LIKE ROME receives two special Kinéo Awards at the Venice Film Festival
Cristiana Capotondi received the award for Best Italian Actress in an International Film, and Miniucchi received a special award for being the first female Italian director to begin and continue her career in the U.S.
NO PLACE LIKE ROME
The renowned Kinéo Awards presented two special prizes to writer/director Cecilia Miniucchi’s latest film, No Place Like Rome on August 30 at the 82nd Venice Film Festival (August 27-September 6). Italian actress Cristiana Capotondi received the Kinéo Award for Best Italian Actress in an International Film, while Miniuccchi received a special Kinéo Award for being the first and only female Italian director to begin and continue her career in the U.S. The awards highlight the anticipation for the love story, which is set to make it’s festival debut later this Fall.
Capotondi received the honor for her first international role in English for No Place Like Rome in which she stars with Stephen Dorff, Radha Mitchell, and Sebastiano Pigazzi. Miniucchi’s previous work includes Life Upside Down, which starred Bob Odenkirk, Mitchell and Danny Huston, which launched from the 2022 Venice Film Festival, and was released by IFC in the U.S. Miniucchi’s first feature film, Expired, starred Samantha Morton, Jason Patric and Teri Garr, and debuted at the Sundance Film Festival, and earned her a Cannes Camera d’Or nomination.\
No Place Like Rome’s Cristiana Capotondi and Cecilia Miniucchi with their Kineo Awards
Filmed in Rome, No Place Like Rome is a tribute to the city’s magical beauty especially around the Christmas holidays. The film follows a well-known photographer (Stephen Dorff), working for a New York based high-end magazine on an assignment in Rome, Italy. As the Christmas holidays approach, Connor, still broken from a nasty divorce from his ex-wife, prepares for his teenage son to join him. However, when he learns that his son will no longer come to Rome, he decides to stay through the holidays, alone, and accepts a new assignment that requires for him to photograph the parts and events of the city that are not commonly thought of during the festivities. With the help of his local assistant (Cristiana Capotondi) an attractive, extroverted museum curator, and a psychic’s unsolicited predictions, Connor starts his venture discovering many hidden gems of the Eternal City, while learning, with Scintilla, that maybe love can be found again.
Additional Kinéo Award winners included:
Best Italian Film
The Boy With the Pink Trousers Story and screenplay – Roberto Proia
Best Actor
Massimiliano Gallo (These Ghosts)
Best Actress
Ginervra Francesconi (Una Figlia)
Best Supporting Actor
Corrado Fortuna (Fuori)
Best International Film
Conclave Director – Edward Berger
Best International Actress
Karla Sofia Gascon (Emilia Perez)
Best First Film Incanto Director – Pier Paolo Paganelli
Young Revelations Award
Andrea Arru (The Boy With the Pink Trousers)
Clotilde Esposito (Mare Fuori)
Best Italian Series I Delitti del Bar Lume
Creator – Lucia Mascino
Best International Series Actor
Aras Aydin (Betrayal, The Night in the Heart, Perfect Strangers)
Best Italian Series Actress
Monica Guerritore (Inganno)
Kineo & GCHR (Global Campus of Human Rights) Award
Monica Guerritore
Revelation Award
Tatiana Luter
Kineo 2025 Honoree
Morena Gentile (The Protagonist)
Kieran Culkin, Harris Dickinson, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Clarence Maclin, Mikey Madison, and John Magaro to be Honored!
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2024
{November 19, 2024] SANTA BARBARA, CA – The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is delighted to announce this year’s recipients of the Virtuosos Award, an honor created to recognize a select group of talent whose noteworthy performances in films this season has propelled them into the forefront of national cinematic conversation. Kieran Culkin, Harris Dickinson, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Clarence Maclin, Mikey Madison, and John Magaro will discuss their work and receive their awards in person on Sunday, February 9 during the 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The evening will be moderated for the 15th year by Dave Karger, Turner Classic Movies host.
Dave Karger moderates Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Virtuosos Award, an honor created to recognize a select group of talent whose noteworthy performances in films this season has propelled them into the forefront of national cinematic conversation.
“It’s my 15th consecutive year hosting this event, and this year’s lineup is as impressive as ever, ranging from megastars like Selena Gomez and Ariana Grande, to veteran actors like Kieran Culkin and John Magaro, to true breakouts like Clarence Maclin, Mikey Madison, Harris Dickinson, and Karla Sofía Gascón. I can’t wait to gather them all in front of the wonderful Santa Barbara audience,” remarked Dave Karger.
SANTA BARBARA, CA – FEBRUARY 05: Moderator Dave Karger, Sam Elliot, Steven Yeun, John David Washington, Thomasin McKenzie, Richard E. Grant, Claire Foy and Elsie Fisher speak onstage at the Virtuosos Award Presented By UGG during the 34th Santa Barbara International Film Festival at Arlington Theatre on February 5, 2019 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SBIFF)
The last four year’s Virtuosos honorees were Lily Gladstone, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Greta Lee, Charles Melton, America Ferrera, Andrew Scott, Austin Butler, Kerry Condon, Danielle Deadwyler, Nina Hoss, Stephanie Hsu, Jeremy Pope, Ke Huy Quan, Jeremy Strong, Caitriona Balfe, Ariana DeBose, Jamie Dornan, Alana Haim, Ciarán Hinds, Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur, Simon Rex, Saniyya Sidney, Riz Ahmed, Maria Bakalova, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Andra Day, Sidney Flanigan, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim, and Zendaya.
The 40th Santa Barbara International Film Festival will take place LIVE February 4 – February 15, 2025. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, will be held at SBIFF’s Riviera Theatre and its new Film Center, plus the historic Arlington Theatre.. Passes for the 2025 Festival are on sale now at sbiff.org.
Last year, the festival had a program of 200+ films from over 48 countries with honorary awards feted on Robert Downey Jr., Bradley Cooper, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Giamatti, Jeffrey Wright, Martin Scorsese, Justine Triet, Billie Eilish, and Ludwig Göransson.
A-list and industry guests will once again ascend to Santa Barbara, making it a must-stop location on the awards circuit, and delivering a record number of films with many World and U.S. premieres. The film lineup and schedule will be announced January 2025.
About the Santa Barbara International Film Festival
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best in independent and international cinema. Over the past 39 years, SBIFF has become one of the top 10 film festivals in the United States – attracting 100,000 attendees and offering 11 days of 200+ films, tributes and symposiums, fulfilling their mission to engage, enrich, and inspire the Santa Barbara community through film.
SBIFF continues its commitment to education and the community throughout many free educational programs and events. SBIFF’s programs support over 18,000 kids, students and families in our local community by introducing film as an art form to young children with programs like AppleBox and Mike’s FieldTrip to the Movies; teaching film analysis to highschool and college students with programs like Rosebud and the Film Studies Program; and teaching the craft of screenwriting and filmmaking with Film Camp and 10-10-10 Mentorship programs. Most importantly SBIFF’s programs are always directed towards the under-represented and under-served communities within Santa Barbara County.
More recently, SBIFF secured a long-term lease for the iconic multi-plex at 916 State Street in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. This landmark acquisition paves the way for the creation of a state-of-the-art Film Center — a vibrant, year-round destination that will serve as a central hub for cinema enthusiasts and the heart of SBIFF’s renowned Film Festival. Building on the success of the Riviera Theatre revitalization in 2016 and the opening of its own Education Center in 2019 in the downtown area, SBIFF continues to strengthen its commitment to the cultural fabric of Santa Barbara.
Stay tuned!
Patrica Chidlaw unveils her artwork for the Official 2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival Poster. (Photo by Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)
The San Pedro International Film Festival returns to the Warner Grand next month (November 2-5)
Highlights include special presentation of Nick Broomfield’s THE STONES AND BRIAN JONES, and Croatian film focus including Dubravka Tulic’s TRACES, the country’s Academy Awards submission for Best Foreign Film
Special appearances include veteran producer Carol Baum with screening of Robert DeNiro/Ed Harris 1989 starrer JACKNIFE, and a reading/signing of Evelyn McDonnell’s The World According to Joan Didion
Los Angeles, CA (October 25, 2023) – The San Pedro International Film Festival (SPIFF) returns next month for screenings, panels, and events, November 2-5. Highlights include a special presentation of Nick Broomfield’s documentary The Stones and Brian Jones, and a focus on Croatian films, including Dubravka Tulic’s Academy Awards Best Foreign Film submission Traces (Tragovi). Special appearances include veteran producer Carol Baum, who will do a book signing following an Closing Night screening of the Robert DeNiro/Ed Harris starrer Jacknife (1989), and a book reading and signing of Evelyn McDonnell’s The World According to Joan Didion.
The rest of SPIFF’s schedule will include a lineup of curated shorts programs – including SPIFF’s eco-documentaries section, a special filmmakers’ panel looking at intimacy coordinating, the festival’s screenplay competition, and the festival’s traditional San Pedro Art Walk presentation, which this year will feature a film block of locally produced and student films.
SPIFF Festival Director Ziggy Mrkich, said, “It will be wonderful to return to the Historic Warner Grand Theatre and the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium with a great lineup of independent films, eco-documentaries, and events that celebrate the film artists that put their lives into making them. This film festival works to bring together the San Pedro business and arts community and film festival fans in a way that builds upon the movie watching experience to inspire each other – filmmaker and film fan alike.”
The Stones and Brian Jones
Saturday, November 4 will feature the highly anticipated presentation on Nick Broomfield’s documentary The Stones and Brian Jones. The film includes revealing interviews with all the main players and unseen archive released for the first time, as it explores the creative musical genius of Jones, key to the success of the band, and uncovers how the founder of what became the greatest rock ‘n roll band in the world was left behind in the shadows of history.
TRACES
Earlier that day, highlighted screenings will include Zeshaan Younus’s The Buildout, an inventive feature debut that seamlessly and intentionally blends a multi-camera narrative approach (Sony VENICE, GoPros, and a Sony Handycam) as it tells the story of a friendship between two women tested by a strange experience in the desert. Two Croatian films will also be featured, including Lana Pavic’s Opera Selecta about three friends who decide to organize a classical music festival featuring a concert with famous soprano Olga Peretyatko who has never been to Croatia. Dubravka Tulic’s Traces (Tragovi) focuses on an anthropologist who experiences an identity crisis following the death of her father. Her research on ancient symbols begins to bleed into her new life until the traces she now follows slowly unravel a portal to her future.
Jacknife (1989)
On Closing Night, Sunday, November 5, SPIFF will present a special screening of David Jones’ Jacknife (1989) with veteran film producer Carol Baum, and one of the film’s stars Kathy Baker. Based on Stephen Matcalfe’s play, “Strange Snow,” the film features Robert DeNiro and Ed Harris as two Vietnam War veterans searching for the strength to face up to their horrific war experiences. However, their friendship faces a crossroads when one becomes romantically involved with the other’s sister. Baum will be on hand to talk about her experiences on the film as well as a career that included such notable films as Fly Away Home (1996), Dead Ringers (1988), and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992). Baum will be doing a signing of her book, Creative Producing: A Pitch-To-Picture Guide to Movie Producing, during the appearance.
On Thursday, February 2, SPIFF will co-present a book reading and signing of Evelyn McDonnell’s The World According to Joan Didion at Sheikh/Impact (455 W 6t Street) as part of SPIFF’s traditional participation in San Pedro’s Art Walk.
SPIFF will also screen a film block of local and student films which will include Ron Placone’s Left At Wall follows a struggling Hollywood writer who takes on his Wall Street investor brother after learning about his latest short sell scheme, John launches an online effort to thwart his brother and fight back against the Wall Street machine. The film will be preceded by screenings of Danilo Dayani’s short film Unforgotten: JD Smith about the local veteran and artist in Venice, CA who does spec drawings of WW2 battleships, and What’s The Difference, a student film project by Port of Los Angeles High School (POLAHS) which looks through the eyes of society as we delve into the captivating world of adolescence and uncover the fascinating disparities in the experiences of teenage boys and girls.
Saturday will also include the Eco Documentary presentation at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. Featured films include Matthew Williams-Ellis’ short film Karibu Nyumbani which follows the wildlife in Africa’s Mara North Conservancy, including lions Lola, Half Tail, Lola’s cubs and the other iconic members of the Marsh Pride, Kweli the Cheetah and her three cubs as they prepare for adulthood, and an impressive elephant named Edwin. Joseph Nizeti’s Fungi: Web of Life explores the kingdom of fungi through the eyes of passionate biologist and writer Merlin Sheldrake. James Q Martin and Chris Burkard’s Finding Hetch Hetchy looks at the reservoir that is part of the Yosemite Valley, and Joe (‘Wáats’asdiyei) Yates’ Indigenous Resistance: Now and Then takes a look at what the director’s people endured to go through statehood, blood quantum, ANCSA, boarding schools, stripping our language and dance away, and how they persevered through it all.
The 2023 San Pedro International Film Festival official selections:
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Jacknife (1989)
Director: David Jones
Country: United States, Running Time: 102 min
Two Vietnam War veterans search for the strength to face up to their horrific war experiences. However, their friendship faces a crossroads when one becomes romantically involved with the other’s sister.
The Stones and Brian Jones
Director: Nick Broomfield
Country: UK, Running Time: 93 min
Candid interviews and never-before-seen footage reveal how Brian Jones, the founder of the Rolling Stones, was left behind in the shadows of history.
CROATIAN FILMS FOCUS
Opera Selecta
Director: Lana Pavic
Country: Croatia, Running Time: 73 min
At Trogir’s main square, 3 associates are sitting in a cafe, talking about the organization of the classical music festival. They are thrilled since it will begin with the concert of Olga Peretyatko. This excellent soprano has sold out concerts on the most prestigious stages. She had never been to Croatia, but she is excited to perform in the Kamerlengo tower. Peretyatko is particularly intrigued that such a large space does not need sound system. However, she was warned that she must be louder of aircrafts that operate over Trogir. Mass tourism, in fact, does not care about the classics. Traces (Tragovi)
Director: Dubravka Tulic
Country: Croatia, Running Time: 98 min
After the death of her father, anthropologist Ana experiences an identity crisis, finding herself the last surviving member of a once big family. Her research on ancient symbols begins to bleed into her new life until the traces she now follows slowly unravel a portal to her future.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
The Buildout
Director: Zeshaan Younus
Country: United States; Running Time: 70 minutes
A friendship is tested as two women experience something strange in the desert. The Buildout is the debut feature film from Zeshaan Younus and aims to seamlessly and intentionally blend a multi-camera narrative approach (Sony VENICE, GoPros, and a Sony Handycam). Convergence
Director: Perry Gershkow
Country: United States; Running Time: 44 minutes
The latest film from 805 Beer unites surf icons Conner Coffin and Nate Tyler alongside Greyson Fletcher from the gilded Fletcher surf and skate family. Convergence is a captivating story of passion, perseverance, and family. The film follows Conner, Greyson, and Nate as they travel up the coast of California to surf, skate, share cold ones, and reflect on the journey their passions have taken them on. Ecosophia
Director: Peter Charles Downey
Country: Australia; Running Time: 77 minutes
Ecosophia means ecological wisdom in Latin and this documentary explores the interrelation between energy, the economy, resources, population, psychology, spirituality, the biosphere, and nature’s limits. A simpler world is coming and what’s needed is as much a spiritual revolution as a physical one. Fungi: Web of Life
Director: Joseph Nizeti
Country: United States; Running Time: 40 minutes
Much of life on Earth is connected by a vast, hidden network, that we are only just beginning to understand. Out of sight, between the world of plants and animals, another world exists – the kingdom of fungi. Through the eyes of passionate biologist and writer Merlin Sheldrake, the filmtakes us on a brilliant round-the-world journey into the secret world of fungi. Through dazzling images of fungi under the microscope, and all around us in the forest, Merlin unravels the many secrets of these essential organisms in the web of life. Left At Wall
Director: Ron Placone
Country: United States; Running Time: 61 minutes
John Saber is a struggling Hollywood writer in constant competition with his Wall Street investor brother, Don. After learning about Don’s latest short sell scheme, John launches an online effort to thwart his brother and fight back against the Wall Street machine. Based on the Robin Hood/Gamestop event that occurred in January of 2021. Smile as You Kill
Director: Michael Sarrow
Country: United States; Running Time: 86 minutes
With only a few months to live, a desperate man kidnaps a successful advertising director and makes one demand: Create an online campaign to pay for treatment or share his fate.
SHORT FILMS
A Beautiful Shadow
Director: Jiayang Liu
Country: United States; Running Time: 6 minutes
A male escort mistakes a disfigured narcissistic for his client.
Adapt Or Die
Director: Brandon Michael Watts
Country: United States; Running Time: 7 minutes
Generations collide as two hit-men grapple with their future in a rapidly evolving underworld. Adventures With The Caretaker
Director: Peter Gardner
Country: United States; Running Time: 25 minutes
A man has a secret job taking care of creatures like Bigfoot, The Loch Ness Monster, and The Abominable Snowman. Agents of Change, Project: Polymer
Director: Jett Garrison
Country: United States; Running Time: 15 minutes
Agents of Change, Project: Polymer is a spy-genre film that centers a fully queer and transgender cast while bringing issues facing the environment to the forefront. Rookie secret agent Guy Longani is on a take-along mission to expose the ringleader of an illegal plastic dumping scheme, but when the operation goes awry, he must earn the trust of his more experienced partner if they’re going to bring an evil mastermind to justice. All Eyes
Director: Claudia Sheng
Country: United States; Running Time: 15 minutes
A girl group of four in an isolated training camp discover their true purpose while dealing with interpersonal problems. Awal Kelmi
Director: Elie Fahed
Country: Lebanon; Running Time: 5 minutes
Beirut 2078, the word “Love” is being removed from the dictionary due to the lack of its use, Zef is a sound engineer in an almost deserted TV station want to revolt against that. Black Velvet
Director: Josie Hull
Country: United States; Running Time: 12 minutes
A hugely successful 1940s Hollywood movie star, in an attempt to regain a sense of control in her life, turns to scamming a kind man at a bar. Bonding
Director: Luke Rex
Country: United States; Running Time: 13 minutes
A solitary figure at an empty bar, CIA clinical and forensic psychologist, Dr. John Flemington, is planning to visit his girlfriend in Mexico when he is pressured by mysterious underground operatives to join them on a secret mission. He really doesn’t have a choice. Dirty Thirties
Director: Perry Bigelow
Country: United States; Running Time: 8 minutes
A young woman on her birthday realizes someone put one too many candles on her cake and is willing to go to any length to figure out who did it. Finding Hetch Hetchy
Directors: James Q Martin, Chris Burkard
Country: United States; Running Time: 10 minutes
Yosemite Valley is well-known as the epicenter of American climbing. Its sister valley to the north, has long been left in the shadows of Yosemite’s reputation. The Hetch Hetchy Valley, similarly home to towering granite walls and the majestic beauty for which the Sierra is known, stays well out of the limelight despite being part of Yosemite National Park. This is in part because of the controversy surrounding The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and it being the source of San Francisco’s water supply. Hysteria
Director: Zachary Alturas Spitz
Country: United States; Running Time: 15 minutes
A young woman loses control of her life when an uninvited guest takes control of her home. Imposter, The Series
Director: Shayda Frost
Country: United States; Running Time: 6 minutes
A down-on-her-luck painter, desperate to get noticed, steals an outrageous idea from her ex-boyfriend and turns it into an extra feminist performance art piece that makes her go viral for all the wrong reasons. In Robbie’s Words
Director: Matthew Pyne
Country: United States; Running Time: 6 minutes
When a young boy in speech therapy develops a crush, he must gain confidence in his voice to take his shot or forever hold his peace. Indigenous Resistance: Now and Then
Director: Joe (‘Wáats’asdiyei) Yates
Country: United States; Running Time: 15 minutes
The film explores how it was for our people to go through statehood, blood quantum, ANCSA, boarding schools, stripping our language and dance away, and all that has done to our mental health. With that, we try to have a hopeful spin on this narrative and show how resilient our people are. Insects in the City (series pilot)
Director: Mark Polish
Country: United States; Running Time: 14 minutes
Dr. Magdalena “Maggie” L’Amour is a Love Bug and highly sought-after “sex therapist” who navigates her love life through a society driven by sex, which is rife with wicked rituals, disturbing behaviors, and carelessness. But in the midst of it all, Maggie manages to find humor in the absurdity of her surroundings. Along with her tight-knit group of friends, she works to navigate the complexities of love and life in this hilarious and sex-filled world. Karibu Nyumbani
Director: Matthew Williams-Ellis
Country: United Kingdom; Running Time: 12 minutes
‘Karibu Nyumbani’ translates as ‘Welcome to my Home’ in Swahili. Guides in the Maasai Mara have a deep-rooted pride, knowledge, and love for wildlife. This film encapsulates that passion from the perspective of George Osono, a guide in Mara North Conservancy, who completely embodies this spirit of caring for nature. Throughout the film, you meet Half Tail, Lola’s cubs and the other iconic members of the Marsh Pride, Kweli the Cheetah and her three cubs as they prepare for adulthood, and an impressive elephant named Edwin. Marcie Hernandez – Easy On Me (Official Music Video)
Director: Trish Denton
Country: United States; Running Time: 4 minutes
A dusty dreamscape where prismatic colors conspire to piece back together the inner quiet of a divine, desert gatherer. New Moon – Episode 1
Director: Ken Forman
Country: United States; Running Time: 3 minutes
Alan Twombly wins a contest to go to the moon, but when the private company backing the trip goes bankrupt, he’s stuck there. Ocho de Oro
Director: Jon-David Carollo Carollo
Country: United States; Running Time: 16 minutes
A young boy reunites with his absent father, they celebrate with a drink…maybe two. The Odyssey of Cleve & Mike
Director: Kevin A. Webb
Country: United States; Running Time: 6 minutes
Animated musical tribute to bass legend Cleveland “Cleve” Eaton with Mike Watt on an odyssey of surreal bass-centric salvation. Ohskenten Owra (Little Deer)
Director: Jonathan Elliott
Country: Canada; Running Time: 34 minutes
On Christmas Eve, 1967, two young Indigenous girls are forced to battle the elements, confront their darkest secrets and work together in order to return home to their families after a daring escape from the Mohawk Institute Residential School. Reconcile
Director: Gabriela Matarazzo
Country: United States; Running Time: 16 minutes Reconcile follows a day in the life of Blake, a recovering alcoholic father and his teenage son, Benji, as they struggle to come together on the one-year anniversary of Benji’s mom’s passing. Rite of Passage
Director: Michael A. Krehan
Country: United States; Running Time: 16 minutes
A teenage boy must endure a series of challenges and trials on his quest to become a man. Silent Skies – The First Electric Plane Flyover
Directors: Matthew Troy, Casey Hogue
Country: United States; Running Time: 18 minutes
Silent Skies follows the groundbreaking journey of three Pennsylvania college students who orchestrated and piloted the first ever fully electric airplane stadium flyover. Stunning fans with a whisper-quiet show, this event signaled the dawn of America’s transition to electric aviation. Sketch
Director: Zachary Galen
Country: United States; Running Time: 9 minutes
Reserved and isolated art student Michelle sketches herself into the campus life she wishes she could be part of. Stay
Directors: Dexter Hemedez, Allan Ibanez
Country: United States; Running Time: 25 minutes
For Filipino filmmaker Andre Santos, winning the Grand Jury Award at a film festival in Los Angeles for the short film he directed, wrote, and produced, is the realization of his dreams. He is ready to return home to the Philippines to celebrate his triumph with family and friends. However, on his last night in LA, he falls victim to a “professional” scammer. Determined to retrieve his stolen money, Andre vows not to leave until he finds the swindler. Three Ninety Five
Director: Nicholas Thurkettle
Country: United States; Running Time: 7 minutes
The world has gone quiet. With no home and no memory, a nameless traveler searches for fellow survivors along a remote highway.
To The Moon
Director: Richard E
Country: United States; Running Time: 5 minutes
Visual representation of a song about the digital worlds of the Blockchain and cryptocurrency, hope and greed, also referencing a cosmic Chinese myth about the Goddess of the Moon and her husband who lived in the sun. Twenty
Director: Jason Hogan
Country: United Kingdom; Running Time: 16 minutes
Twenty is the story of the girl behind the number. Made in partnership with the charity SHELTER, the film follows Emily, a homeless ballet dancer undertaking a potentially life-changing audition. In the audition room, identified by the auditioners as the girl wearing the number twenty, Emily is graceful and poised. Still, in the real world, she struggles to find somewhere to sleep, let alone focus on her artistry. Unforgotten: JD Smith
Director: Danilo Dayani
Country: United States; Running Time: 8 minutes
JD Smith is a local veteran and artist in Venice, CA who does spec drawings of WW2 battleships.
Unkind Cut
Director: Marc G Pitre
Country: United States; Running Time: 14 minutes
A vasectomy consultation goes awry as an unsure patient faces a quirky doctor and aggressive medical staff who don’t want him to remain intact.
Unrest In Peace
Director: Thomas Jiang
Country: United States; Running Time: 13 minutes
Dan and Ashley discover that their home is haunted by the ghost of Liz, Dan’s former girlfriend. Liz becomes determined to scare Ashley out of her relationship with Dan with a series of supernatural pranks. Ashley’s resolve will be tested as she must find a way to make peace with Liz before one of her pranks goes too far.
Wawa By The Ocean
Director: Ryan Walker Page
Country: United States; Running Time: 5 minutes
A dance narrative that explores inner and outer landscapes‚ emphasizing the overlap of pain, sensuality, and joy. What’s The Difference
Director: Various (Advanced Production at Port of Los Angeles High School (POLAHS))
Country: United States; Running Time: 27 minutes
Get ready to dive into a thought-provoking journey through the eyes of society as we delve into the captivating world of adolescence and uncover the fascinating disparities in the experiences of teenage boys and girls. This documentary will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions as you explore the unique challenges and triumphs faced by each gender during their formative years. The Young King
Director: Larin Sullivan
Country: United States; Running Time: 5 minutes
A drag king on her way to reconnect with her father gets ready.
SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
Corey’s Hand
Writer: Jim Norman
Country: United States
A high school boy born with a deformed hand is determined to pitch for his school, like his father. His dream seems impossible until someone very unusual appears and coaches him. Curds
Writer: Michael Blomquist
Country: United States
In Ancient Mesopotamia, a group of poor teenagers are the first to accidentally discover cheese, but their schemes to keep it all to themselves and monopolize a lucrative new market have unforeseen consequences for both their friendship and the trajectory of the Bronze Age. The Familiar Ferry
Writer: William Scott Williams
Country: United States
A struggling actor on the run from her cheating husband learns to parent her precocious teenage daughter with the help of her dying mother and her famously narcissistic grandmother. Family
Writer: Victor David Caballero
Country: United States
Inspired by true experiences, Family is a cultural horror film about a mother, Vanessa, of two young daughters who is frequently experiencing horrifying episodes that she believes are related to her separation from her husband, Nicolas. But after an encounter with a healer, Vanessa begins to believe that the evil presence is coming from someone close to them. In order to protect themselves from the malevolent force that threatens to destroy them, the family must confront their past secrets and fears.
Fleet Week/Chopper Chick
Writer: Theodore Carl Soderberg
Country: United States
Fleet Week opens a new chapter for call girl, A.I./Computer whiz BLAZE, when she takes on the US Navy as a helicopter pilot during San Francisco’s Fleet week, when North Korea threatens to launch ICBMs, and San Francisco is struck by a meteor and asteroid shower. Gallatin
Writer: Ryan Skinner
Country: United States
A famous author goes on a quest of revenge as he tracks down and plans to murder the priest who molested his daughter. Mo Vaughn Fights the Devil
Writer: Richard William Hoffman
Country: United States
Cooper, a ten-year-old boy with big dreams, lives with his mother at a motel on the outskirts of Area 51. When an ominous man pays the motel a visit, he makes a wager with Cooper that sets off a series of violent and cosmic events. The Pickleball Killer
Writer: Jim Carroll
Country: United States
Brigg, an aging pickleball sensation, with supernatural speed, and dark mysterious origin, becomes the target of the Cartel after he inadvertently rescues a young trafficked girl from their clutches. In an attempt to give Amy a better life, he becomes her father figure and she his daughter. The two develop a touching relationship that turns dangerous when they rescue her sister and other enslaved girls. The cops are closing in, but the cartel beats them and reclaims the girls. Brigg must use his special abilities and all his resources in a suicidal mission to free the girls.
ABOUT THE SAN PEDRO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
SPIFF is a nonprofit organization that exhibits independent film, documentaries, and shorts that inspire everyone and celebrate the diverse San Pedro community. The festival welcomes films that express fresh voices and differing global perspectives and connects the local community with regional and international film professionals.
PRESS CONTACT
John Wildman
Wildworks PR
FilmsGoneWild.com jswildman@hotmail.com
323.600.3165
Poolside screenings of BEACH PARTY (1963) with actor Frankie Avalon in attendance, A MIGHTY WIND (2003) with actors Michael McKean and Annette O’Toole in attendance, and the previously announced HAIRSPRAY (1988) with actor Ricki Lake in attendance
A 35th anniversary screening of STAND AND DELIVER (1988) with actors Edward James Olmos and Lou Diamond Phillips and author Luis Reyes in attendance
A 40th anniversary screening of RISKY BUSINESS (1983) with actor Rebecca De Mornay in attendance
A 75th anniversary screening of THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (1948) with Danny Huston in attendance
A screening of the Sam Peckinpah Western THE WILD BUNCH (1969) presented in 70mm
The CLUB TCM presentation THE EVOLUTION OF HENSON PUPPETRY with Brian Henson – producer, director and son of the legendary Jim Henson – and a team of master puppeteers in attendance
WARNER NIGHT AT THE MOVIES, a recreation of the typical moviegoing experience from Hollywood’s golden age, complete with cartoons, short subjects, and trailers from the era, followed by a new restoration of the feature film THE STRAWBERRY BLONDE (1941)
And much more!
To view the full schedule including films and presentations, click here.
The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival (SLO Film Fest) has announced its newest addition to the SLO Film Festival family! Following her participation in the most recent festival, Chelsea Baumberger has been hired as the new Development Director at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, responsible for expanding fundraising efforts.
The SLO County native, 32, has worked as the festival’s Development Assistant since December 2021. Before joining the SLO Film Festival, Baumberger worked as an Account Manager in New York City where she built and cultivated relationships with over 250 independent and corporate retail buyers across North America, and as a store and eCommerce manager with a focus on growing brand presence.
“We are very excited to have Chelsea on board in this position. She jumped right in as the Development Assistant late last year, and helped us exceed our fundraising goal for the 2022 Festival and is already hard at work developing new prospects” said Film Festival Board President, Paul Metchik.
Alex Liu’s comedic sex education documentary Arrives on TVOD June 7 On all major streaming and cable platforms in the U.S. and Canada
A FILM THAT TALKS ABOUT SEX IN A WAY YOU LIKELY
HAVEN’T SEEN AND WITH PEOPLE YOU WOULDN’T EXPECT
To right the wrongs of his all-American sex education, 36-year-old health reporter Alex Liu goes on a quest to uncover naked truths and hard facts—no matter how awkward it gets. From neuroscience labs to church pews, A Sexplanation features provocative conversations with psychologists, sex researchers, a Jesuit priest, and several generations of Alex’s own family. With humor and grit, Alex takes audiences on a playful, heartfelt journey from a shame-filled past to a happier, healthier, sexier future.
Not your typical queer, Asian American, comedic sex education documentary about the universal search for love, connection, and family acceptance. A SEXPLANATION is an award-winning film that has been screened at 32 film festivals on four continents, eight countries, and 18 states. Festival awards include Audience Award, Feature Documentary (Cinequest, Inside Out LGBTQ, Asian American International, ReelQ, Paris International), Jury Award, Feature Documentary (DC Asian Pacific, Honolulu Rainbow), Jury Award, Best First Time Film (Tallgrass), and Audience Award, Feature Film (Phoenix).
Directed by Liu, A Sexplanation is written by Leonardo Neri and Alex Liu, produced by Steven Flynn, and edited by Brian Emerick and Alex Liu. Brian Emerick serves as Cinematographer.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 22: <> attends the Hand and Footprint Ceremony honoring Lily Tomlin during the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival at the TCL Chinese Theatre on April 22, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for TCM)
Day 2 at the 13th TCM Classic Film Festival picked up right where Day 1 left off. Ben Mankiewicz and Jane Fonda introduced comedic legend Lily Tomlin outside the world-famous TCL Chinese Theatre for Lily’s Hand and Footprint Ceremony. One would have needed a knife to slice through the energy generated not to mention a saber to disperse the bursts of laughter and humor elicited from the audience. Later in the day, the 4K Restoration screening of Giant (1956) and to hear Ben Mankiewicz, Steven Spielberg, Geroge Stevens, Jr., and Margaret Bodde, Executive Director of The Film Foundation, discuss the film and the importance of restoration. Giant is considered a seminal film, progressive for its day, and its relevance holds up today. A must-see!
Check out some of the highlights!
TCM host Ben Mankiewicz and special guest Jane Fonda honor esteemed comedienne Lily Tomlin at the TCM Classic Film Festival Hand & Footprint Ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 22: (L-R) Special guest Jane Fonda, TCM host Ben Mankiewicz, special guest Lily Tomlin, and General Manager of Turner Classic Movies Pola Changnon attend the Hand and Footprint Ceremony honoring Lily Tomlin during the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival at the TCL Chinese Theatre on April 22, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for TCM)
Special guests Steven Spielberg, George Stevens Jr., and Margaret Bodde join TCM host Ben Mankiewicz to showcase the world premiere of a 4k restoration of “Giant”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 22: (L-R) TCM host Ben Mankiewicz, special guests Steven Spielberg, George Stevens Jr., and Margret Bodde speak onstage at the screening of “Giant” during the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival at the TCL Chinese Theatre on April 22, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for TCM)
TCM host Alicia Malone welcomes two-time Oscar nominee Bruce Dern for a tribute screening of “Coming Home”
Leonard Maltin and Floyd Norman speak onstage at the screening of The Jungle Book (1967) at the El Capitan Theatre during the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, California.
Disney legend Floyd Norman joins film critic Leonard Maltin for a tribute to Norman’s work on “The Jungle Book”
The 13th TCM Classic Film Festival got underway with a full day of events, films, and talks. Kicking it all off was the “Meet TCM,” an event designed specifically to share staffer insight into the network, how it’s produced and what is coming up. In addition, the wildly popular, “So You Think You Know Movies,” was filled to the rafters at the Roosevelt Hotel as movie buffs and film fanatics battled it out in this fun-filled annual quiz competition headed up by Bruce Goldstein, founder of Rialto Pictures and the repertory program director of New York’s Film Forum. The Opening Night Reception this year was held poolside at the Hollywood Roosevelt. And without further adieu, the 40th anniversary of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX officially opened the 2022 festival.
Check out some of the highlights!
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 21: (L-R) President of Kids, Young Adults, and Classics for Warner Bros. Entertainment Tom Ascheim, Chairman and Chief Content Officer, U.S. Networks Group, for Warner Bros. Discovery Kathleen Finch, special guest Steven Spielberg, General Manager of Turner Classic Movies Pola Changnon, and TCM host Ben Mankiewicz attend the 40th Anniversary Screening of “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” during Opening Night at the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival at the TCL Chinese Theatre on April 21, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for TCM)
Opening Night screening of “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” featuring a conversation with director Steven Spielberg
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 21: <> on April 21, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for TCM)
Film historian and author Cari Beauchamp celebrates the 90th anniversary of “The Jewel Robbery” with a sold-out screening
TCM host Dave Karger and special guest Topher Grace speak at the screening of Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) Poolside at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel during the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, California.
Special guest Topher Grace and TCM host Dave Karger attend the poolside screening of “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”
Stay tuned for Day 2 including the Lily Tomlin hand and footprint ceremony!
Larry Gleeson attends the hand and footprint ceremony for Lily Tomlin at the TCL Chinese Theatre during Day 2 of the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Stars Dee Wallace and Robert Macnaughton Join TCM Classic Film Festival Opening Night Screening
More Exclusive Programming and Stars Announced
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) today announced Emmy-nominated actor Dee Wallace and actor Robert Macnaughton will appear at the 40th-anniversary screening of the iconic film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial during the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival. They will join director Steven Spielberg, producer Kathleen Kennedy, and stars Drew Barrymore and Henry Thomas on the red carpet during Opening Night of the Festival, held in Hollywood from April 21 – 24, 2022. The 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival will feature more than 100 screenings, special events, and panels over the course of four days.
As a special treat for fans, the TCM Classic Film Festival will also feature a live script read of the 1958 B movie I Married a Monster from Outer Space, presented by TCM Underground and SF Sketchfest, on Sunday, April 24. The cast will include Dana Gould, Charlene deGuzman, David Koechner, Laraine Newman, Jonah Ray, Eban Schletter, Janet Varney, and Baron Vaughn.
Plus, director and choreographer Adam Shankman will appear at the screening of The Gay Divorcée on Friday, April 22, to discuss the 1934 Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film.
TCM recently updated the health protocols and safety measures for the event. Get the latest guidelines here: tcm.com/festival.
About the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival
Movie lovers from around the globe will descend on Hollywood for the 13th edition of the TCM Classic Film Festival. The 2022 Festival will take place Thursday, April 21 – Sunday, April 24, 2022. 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 Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz will serve as official host of the TCM Classic Film Festival. The Festival’s official hotel and central gathering point will be The HollywoodRoosevelt Hotel, which has a longstanding role in movie history and was the site of the first Academy Awards® ceremony. Screenings and events during the Festival will be held at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX®, the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, the HollywoodLegion Theater at Post 43, and the El Capitan Theatre. For the latest news and information, follow us on social at #TCMFF.
This year’s theme is “All Together Now: Back to the Big Screen.” In 2022, reunite with fellow fans, the movies, the memories, the stars, and the glamour. It’s all back live and in person, just as it should be and where it all began in Hollywood. From high school reunions to homecomings, TCM will celebrate milestones from the past as we look forward to making new memories together.
