Category Archives: NEWS

2nd Annual Ultimate Laughing Championship

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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

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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

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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

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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

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RED CARPET EVENT • Sports 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 →

Film related events in SLO coming soon!

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Cal Poly Arts presents
An Afternoon with Rex Reed
Sunday, March 11 • 3:00pm
Spanos Theatre, Cal Poly campus, Grand Ave.

Rex Reed, the famed acid-tongued film critic and New York Observer columnist
(“On the Town with Rex Reed”) takes the stage at Spanos Theatre
for an afternoon of Hollywood talk and tales.

Sponsored by SLO International Film Festival
Tickets: (805) 756-2787 • www.calpolyarts.org

♦

The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art presents
Michael Childers: Icons and Legends

March 2 – April 2, 2012
SLO Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St. SLO

Icons and Legends, a traveling photo exhibit celebrates forty years of Michael Childers photography. A UCLA Film School graduate, Mr. Childers’ work has focused largely on theatre, dance and film. On Saturday, March 24, Mr. Childers will be the guest of honor at SLOMA’s annual Black & White Gala fundraising dinner.
For more information and tickets to this elegant event, and gallery hours – www.sloma.org

SLOIFF Headquarters Announced

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The SLOIFF will have a new temporary home at Davidson’s Furniture at 669 Higuera St. in downtown San Luis Obispo! Thanks to the generosity of the Davidson family, we will have a portion of their beautiful newly-renovated building (just doors from Kreuzberg Book Bar & Coffee Lounge) which will function as a ticket/pass sales office and information center. We will open the HQ on Tuesday, February 14th. Stay tuned for hours to be posted in mid-February. Stop by and visit our happy, friendly, hard-working staff of volunteers – and while you’re there, peruse the great furniture liquidation sale going on now and throughout the Festival.

If you’ve purchased a festival pass, this will be where you go to pick up your lanyard. Festival guides will be available at the HQ on Feb. 23rd, but we plan to have films, events and our festival schedule online by mid-February!

Dinner and Movie Night at Buona Tavola

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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.

Sunday screening of “Citizen Kane” just added!

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Festival organizers and Hearst Castle management have just confirmed that another screening of “Citizen Kane” will be added to the closing evening of the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival. On Sunday, March 11th, at the Hearst Castle Theatre at the Visitor Center, doors will open at 6:00pm and the movie will begin at 6:30pm, after an introduction by a Hearst Castle representative (to be announced soon.)

Don’t miss the opportunity to see one of the finest films ever made on the 5 story high screen at Hearst Castle’s Visitor Center and be part of movie history! Tickets are on sale now – $35 general / $30 students and SLOIFF Film Society members. Go to Tickets/Passes to purchase now while they last, or call (805) 546-FILM.

Coming to San Luis Obispo for the Festival? We have a wonderful selection of hotels and  B&B’s ready to welcome you to our beautiful county. Go to Visitor Information on our website for suggestions of where to stay!

And stay tuned for more special event and film announcements coming up soon. Click on “Follow blog by email” to get all the latest news as it unfolds.

Second screening of “Citizen Kane” TBA soon!

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Tickets for the Friday, March 9th screening and award tribute event at Hearst Castle were sold out by 8:45am Monday morning, but another screening on Sunday, March 11th will be announced shortly. Stay tuned by clicking the “Follow Blog by Email” button on the right panel of the home page, and become a fan/friend on Facebook and/or our Twitter follower.

There will be lots more exciting announcements to follow as well, so don’t miss out!