Skye McLennan

San Luis Obispo International Film Festival 2023 Announces Filmmaker Awards and wraps winner of a fest

By John Wildman 3 years ago

Ellie Foumbi’s Our Father, the Devil (Best Narrative Feature) and Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb’s Butterfly in the Sky (Best Documentary Feature) led the jury awards. Audience Award winners were topped by Nardeep Khurmi’s Land of Gold, chosen as Best Narrative Feature, Jesse Rudoy’s Dusty and Stones, Best Documentary Feature, with Matt Johnson’s BlackBerry taking the Audience Best of Fest award.

San Luis Obispo International Film Festival 2023 announces honorees coming off Oscar win and nomination for THE FABELMANS

By John Wildman 3 years ago

San Luis Obispo Film Festival Director Skye McLennan said, “Every year, there is so much anticipation as to who will be the recipients of our King Vidor Award and Spotlight Award. This year, not only do our honorees share achievements recognized by the Motion Picture Academy as winners and nominees, but they also both worked on last year’s The Fabelmans. In fact, this may be the first time SLO Film Fest has had a pair of honorees connected by one of their most recent films. They are both extremely talented–we are excited to celebrate their accomplishments and have them share their stories with the SLO Film Festival attendees.”

San Luis Obispo International Film Festival 2022 celebrates its Central Coast filmmakers on the red carpet

By John Wildman 4 years ago

The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival celebrated Central Coast filmmakers before an exclusive screening of Jessica Hester and Derek Schweikart’s COAST. Local music legends PANCHO & THE WIZARDS, DOG PARTY & BLACK MATCH, performed live as part of the big event. Prior to that, the COAST team dominated the red carpet with the filmmakers, cast members, band members and more, joining other filmmakers in the Fremont Theater lobby.

Dale Dickey and Michael Showalter honored at San Luis Obispo Intl FF 2022 with King Vidor and Spotlight Awards

By John Wildman 4 years ago

San Luis Obispo Film Festival Director Skye McLennan said, “We have been thrilled to return to the SLO Film Fest we have all known and loved for so long and bring back traditions, beloved favorites within our programming and events that this film festival is known for. The King Vidor Award, the Spotlight Award, Surf Nite, moderated talks with Ben Mankiewicz, Jenelle Riley, and more are the things lovers of cinema on the Central Coast have sorely missed. I can speak for everyone here when I say we are counting each day until SLO Film Fest opens next week!”

San Luis Obispo International Film Festival 2022: film lineup and return to theaters for April fest

By John Wildman 4 years ago

San Luis Obispo Film Festival Director Skye McLennan said, “Returning to the theater is something all of us at the film festival have looked forward to for some time now, so we can hardly believe that moment is almost here. Because we knew there would be such anticipation by San Luis Obispo film lovers, we took special care to not simply program the best films available to us, but to also make sure we brought back the signature events like Surf Nite that SLO Film Fest built its reputation on. Now, we cannot wait to welcome everyone back and start screening our movies!”

Cat Daddies, Sirens, Holy Frit, My Dead Dad, Princess: 2022 San Luis Obispo International Film Festival teases 5 titles for the fest’s return to theaters in April

By John Wildman 4 years ago

Fest Festival Director Skye McLennan. “While we are hard at work to nail down the logistics and production details to make sure we come back in-style and with all the fun and all of the great movie-loving energy that this film festival is known for, ultimately everything we do is built on the films we have selected. And we couldn’t be more thrilled with what we have got in store for everyone.”

Skye McLennan takes over for SLO Film Fest, announces 2022 dates and Call For Entries

By John Wildman 5 years ago

Paul Metchik, president of the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival Board of Directors, credited Eidson with many individual achievements, such as holding the first Surf Nite at the Fremont Theater featuring Riding Giants, initiating the Filmmakers of Tomorrow youth competition, staging “Hollywood and Vine’’ events that paid homage to the Festival’s beginnings as a classic film festival, and screening Citizen Kane in 2015 at the Hearst Castle private screening room, garnering worldwide attention.

Xuan Liu’s BLOOM leads San Luis Obispo Intl Film Festival 2021 awards; SLO FF Growth as arts activist event and organization

By John Wildman 5 years ago

San Luis Obispo International Film Festival Director Skye McLennan, said, “We were thrilled to welcome back so many from our film festival family and have the opportunity to see several at the drive-in and in-person, just as it was exciting to once again introduce people from all over the state of California to see our films and get a taste of what makes SLO Film Fest so special. We look forward to some of them making the trip to join us in beautiful San Luis Obispo next year.”

Courtney Haile Short Films, Big Stories: A Program of Diverse Voices at San Luis Obispo International Film Fest puts inclusion and racial equity front and center

By John Wildman 5 years ago

San Luis Obispo Film Festival Director Skye McLennan said, “The intent of this program is to continue to be a platform for diverse voices in our community of San Luis Obispo. The murder of George Floyd last year and the increase in the Black Lives Matter protests that followed only amplified the need for more diversity within the arts and how crucially important representation can be. We designed this program to be free and accessible to all and an opportunity for all audiences to fall in love with film festivals and power of the cinema. This collection of films and panels aims to inspire, stimulate and engage our community and others to participate in creating change. Through the grant received by the City of SLO we are able to pay the filmmakers, programmers and panelists and this is something we hope to continue to expand and grow and be able to offer more opportunities in the future.”

Philippe Falardeau ’s MY SALINGER YEAR Opens 2021 San Luis Obispo Film Fest: hybrid film fest including Surf Nite at the Drive-in

By John Wildman 5 years ago

San Luis Obispo Film Festival Director Skye McLennan said, “Following last year’s whirlwind experience to shift our film festival to an online presentation seemingly overnight due to the onset of the pandemic, it’s a gift to know that the same dedication we put into selecting our films is matched by the SLO Film Fest audience’s anticipation to see them – virtually or in-person. But safety is still the priority, so while we will all go to the drive-in for Surf Nite, the rest of the time, we will once again be coming into our film faithful’s homes to deliver the best movies we could find.”