SLO Film Fest

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.

Jo Anna Edmison, Allison Rich, Lisa Gold and more SLO FILM FEST 2021 INTERVIEWS: Shorts #2 – 7 filmmakers with truly great shorts

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, we talk about why these filmmakers went through the effort it takes to make any film – feature or short – in the service of something that they, in all blunt likelihood, will never make a dime for their toil. Allison and Keith talk about the challenges and benefits of directing themselves. Finally, I ask each filmmaker to give a name check or shout out to a crew or cast member who was a true lifesaver to either getting the film made or having it turn out as well as it did.

Loretta Todd’s MONKEY BEACH: SLO FILM FEST 2021 INTERVIEWS: taking the novel to the screen and what it meant to the indigenous cast and crew members

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, we talk about the challenges of adapting a popular novel and finding the Zen of accepting the thanklessness of that effort. Todd also discusses the importance of shooting the film in the village where the book’s story was set and what that meant to the production costs, etc. We also talk about the amazing cast of indigenous actors and the rarity of having so many get to come together for a project like this and her efforts to create a safe place for them to bring those characters to life.

Aimee Long’s A SHOT THROUGH THE WALL: SLO FILM FEST 2021 INTERVIEWS: distilling the real life inspiration into the film

By John Wildman 5 years ago

In the interview, we talk about the real life inspiration for the project, and how she worked to achieve a nuance with the approach to the issues interweaved within the plot of the film. Aimee also talks about how she went about the research to get the details right – even the mundane police processing and inter office workings – and where she departed from that to take artistic liberties. We also talk about capturing the realness of the Asian American family dynamic, like the authenticity of expressing love with food.