2nd Annual Ultimate Laughing Championship

Sponsored by Kathleen Forster

So you think you can laugh? Laughing contests are a new craze taking off worldwide due to the rise of Laughter Yoga and other laughter-based exercise trends. The Ultimate Laughing Championship is the brainchild of “Laughologist”, Albert Nerenberg, the director of Laughology, a breakthrough documentary about laughter, screened at  the 2011 SLOIFF.

Join us at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival for the 2nd Annual Ultimate Laughing Championship, hosted by SLO resident/2011 contestant, PJ Novotny. Based on contests like “Best Diabolic Laugh” and “Most Contagious Laugh,” the “Best Laugher in California” will be crowned and the winner will be eligible to attend the World Championships: London 2013. The ULC will be held immediately after the screening of HAPPY on Saturday, March 10. To enter the contest, just show up, raise your hand, and bring your best laughter!

Happy & Ultimate Laughing Championship
Saturday, March 10, 2:00pm       Downtown Cinemas, SLO
All 2012 SLOIFF Passes will be accepted for admission.
Individual tickets will also be sold at the door.

Pre-Fest Event: 50th Anniversary of THE MUSIC MAN

RED CARPET EVENT
Presented by the City of Atascadero and the Galaxy Theatres

Saturday, March 3, 2012
Galaxy Theatre, Atascadero
6:00pm reception in the City of Atascadero lobby (adjacent to theatre)
7:30pm movie at the Galaxy Theatre

The City of Atascadero is proud to host a pre-screening reception, with fine local wines, food and beer, and some of the best musical theatre performers in the area, singing selections from The Music Man. Then join the procession as a local marching band leads reception attendees to the nearby Galaxy Theatre for the movie, showing in two theatres (VIP and regular).  Continue reading

2012 King Vidor Award Event

Presented by Denise Dudley
and Carol & Vic Ascrizzi

Also Sponsored by New Times, Tribune,
KSBY-TV, Q104.5/Krush

Saturday, March 10, 2012
Fremont Theatre, San Luis Obispo

The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival will present its annual King Vidor Career Achievement Award to Sir Richard Taylor. Mr. Taylor and his wife Tania Rodger will be making an extremely rare public appearance outside their New Zealand based WETA WORKSHOP, which he shares with partner/director Peter Jackson, to accept the award on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at the Fremont Theatre. Continue reading

Opening Night – The Shot Felt ‘Round the World

Presented by Rotary Clubs of San Luis Obispo County:
Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Nipomo, Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo de Tolosa,
Los Osos, Paso Robles, Santa Maria Breakfast, Templeton and Paso Robles Sunrise

Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Cuesta College Cultural & Performing Arts Center
Cuesta College, Hwy. 1, San Luis Obispo
6:00pm  Reception
7:00pm  The Shot Felt ‘Round the World screening and Q&A

The SLOIFF is proud to present the new documentary, The Shot Felt ‘Round the World, which tells the surprisingly riveting story behind the development of the polio vaccine. Continue reading

Sports Nite in SLO

RED CARPET EVENTSports Nite in SLO
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Fremont Theatre, San Luis Obispo
Presented by: Yahoo! and the Boutique Hotel Collection:
Sycamore Mineral Springs, Apple Farm, SeaVenture Resort and Cliffs Resort

Also sponsored by: City of Pismo Beach,
Quality Suites of San Luis Obispo, Red Bull, Woodstock’s Pizza, Stella Artois,
SLO Brewing Company, SLO Bike Coalition,
SLO Bucket Busters, Q104.5 and Blue Steel Airstream Photo Booth

Surf Nite in SLO has now morphed into something even bigger and better! Sports Nite in SLO encompasses a trilogy of great sports films that will appeal to a multitude of passions, athletes and sports voyeurs alike. Continue reading

SOUTH PACIFIC Sing-Along at the Galaxy Theatre

Presented by Marilyn Blake and Sheila Blake

Thursday, March 8, 2012
Galaxy Theatre Atascadero
6:00pm  Reception and Costume Contest in VIP Lounge (age 21+)
7:00pm  Movie/Sing-along (all ages)

Shake your coconuts and sing to your hearts content while enjoying the 1958 musical classic, SOUTH PACIFIC on the big screen at the Galaxy Theatres. Wear a costume and compete for prizes at the reception in the VIP Lounge (age 21+) or just come for the film which will be screened in the VIP and regular theatres (all ages welcome.) This is going to be “Some Enchanted Evening”, so we hope to see you there!

$20/$15 for reception, costume contest and movie (age 21+)
$10/8 for the movie only
Go to Tickets/Passes to purchase tickets now.
Only Movie Mogul passes will be accepted for this Hollywood & Vines Event.

Dinner and Movie Night at Buona Tavola

Presented by Buona Tavola, Sharon & John Dobson and The Krush

2011's BIG NIGHT at Buona Tavola was an instant hit!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012
6:30 – 8:30pm
Join us at the popular Italian restaurant, Buona Tavola, for a pre-festival event that is back for it’s second year! Enjoy a sumptuous five-course Italian meal, personally prepared by chef/owner Antonio Varia, with specially selected wine pairing, on the romantic (and well heated) back patio of Buona Tavola in downtown SLO. All of this as you enjoy the hilarious and heart-warming Oscar-winner, MOONSTRUCK with 80 other lucky people.
Buona Tavola Menu 2012
Tickets are $95 and include the movie, food, wine, gratuity and a memorable experience.
(Movie Mogul passes cannot be used for this event, sorry!)
To purchase tickets, go to Tickets/Passes.

Hollywood to Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle

VIP EVENT – Hollywood to Hearst Castle
Friday, March 9 – 7:00-10:00pm  SOLD OUT*
Sunday, March 11 – 6:30pm SOLD OUT*
Hearst Castle Theatre at the Visitor Center
San Simeon, CA

San Luis Obispo’s Hearst Castle will relive its Hollywood heydays of the 1920s and ’30s for one star-studded night during the “Hollywood to Hearst Castle” event on Friday, March 9th.

Renowned Hollywood photographer Timothy White, the SLOIFF’s recipient of the inaugural Spotlight Award, will start off the evening’s festivities at 5 p.m. by flying into Hearst Ranch’s private airfield, just as William Randolph Hearst’s high-profile Hollywood friends once did. Continue reading

Citizen Kane Screening at the Hearst Castle

Citizen Kane will be screened at the Hearst Castle Visitor Center Theater on March 9th and 11th as part of the 2012 San Luis Obispo International Film Festival.

It surprised the festival’s organizers somewhat when Steve Hearst—William Randolph Hearst’s great-grandson and a Vice-President of the Hearst Corporation—gave his hearty endorsement to this showing. They thought he might be resistant to the idea, since the film is after all a scathing indictment of Hearst’s life as a press lord. And this occasion is almost certainly the first time Citizen Kane has been shown at San Simeon. Both William Randolph Hearst’s companion Marion Davies and his son William Randolph Hearst, Jr. stated that Hearst himself never saw Citizen Kane. Nearly everyone else saw it, however. And seventy years after its 1941 debut, many people still form their opinions of Hearst, Davies, and La Cuesta Encantada (The Enchanted Hill, Hearst’s formal name for his beloved San Simeon), based solely on this film. Steve Hearst feels it is time to give Citizen Kane an informed viewing at San Simeon, and place it in proper context at long last. Continue reading