SLO Film Festival kicks off today. Here’s a preview of the highlights
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Lights, camera, action! The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival is back this week for more movies and magic.
Highlights include a celebration of gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, a horror movie marathon, the popular Surf Nite in SLO event and red-carpet tributes to Oscar-winning production designer Rick Carter and “Taxi” TV star Judd Hirsch.
Also in store are retrospective screenings of cinematic classics “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” “Party Girl” and “Roman Holiday.”
Now in its 29th year, the fest named one of the Top 50 Film Festivals Worth The Entry Fee by MovieMaker magazine kicks off Tuesday with a screening of “BlackBerry,” about the rise and fall of the titular smart phone.
Tuesday’s screening at the Fremont Theater in downtown San Luis Obispo is preceded by an opening night reception at Luna Red restaurant with wine, beer, appetizers and live music by The Taproots.
The third annual Music Video Showcase, held Wednesday at the Fremont Theater, pairs a celebration of music videos with live tunes by Caleb Nichols, Connect the Coast, The Honeyboys and Peaking Lights.
“E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” arrives at the Sunset Drive-In theater in San Luis Obispo for a special outdoor screening. Steven Spielberg’s science fiction classic follows a gentle alien who becomes stranded on Earth and is befriended by a young boy.
Surf Nite in SLO returns to the Fremont on Friday.
This year, in lieu of a movie, the festival will screen the first episode of HBO’s “100 Foot Wave,” starring legendary big wave surfer Garrett McNamara.
He and partner Nicole McNamara will chat about the documentary series, which just launched its second season, during a question-and-answer session following the showing. Also in store are music by the Boomer Surf Band and screenings of the surf shorts “Queens of the Break” and “Life of Kai.”
Those seeking a different kind of thrill can check out “Red Eye Cinema: A Night of MicroHorrors,” Friday at the Palm Theatre in downtown San Luis Obispo.
The late-night scarefest features a screening of the 1980s slasher flick “Intruder,” in which supermarket workers are stalked by a mysterious maniac, as well as four spooky shorts.
Sunday brings A Tribute to Hunter S. Thompson, featuring screenings of “Breakfast with Hunter, Vol. 2: Animals, Whores & Dialogue,” “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and “Gonzo: The Life & Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson” at the Palm Theatre.
David S. Wills, founder of the literary journal Beatdom and author of “High White Noise: The Rise and Fall of Gonzo Journalism,” will introduce each film and talk about Thompson’s art of living. There’s also
The stars come out on the weekend, as the festival awards two major entertainment industry talents.
Carter, who won Oscars for his work as a production designer on “Avatar” and “Lincoln,” is slated to accept the film festival’s highest honor on Saturday at the Fremont Theater.
He’ll receive the King Vidor Award, named after the Oscar-winning director of “War and Peace,” as part of the festival’s Awards Gala. That’s followed by a screening of “Back to the Future 2” and an after-party at the nearby Festival Lounge.
Hirsch, a two-time Oscar nominee who recently wowed audiences in “The Fabelmans,” will receive the festival’s Spotlight Award on Sunday at the Fremont prior to a Closing Night Gala screening of the Holocaust survivor dramedy “iMordecai.”
Those aren’t the only highlights in store at the film fest, which features a multitude of movie screenings, Q&As and more.
Out of 1,120 submissions, festival organizers selected a total of 129 films to screen at this year’s festival, spokesman John Wildman said. That includes short and feature-length narrative films and documentaries, as well as music videos.
The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival runs Tuesday through Sunday, with an encore festival on Sunday through May 7 featuring virtual and in-person screenings of festival favorites.
Admission costs $12 to $15 for regular screenings or $20 to $25 for special events, while festival fan packs are $40 to $90 and passes cost $120 to $400. One event — R.A.C.E. Matters’ Textures of Love showcase on Saturday — os free.
For more information, call 805-546-3456 or visit slofilmfest.org.
