San Luis Obispo International Film Festival facts for kids
| Location | San Luis Obispo, California, United States |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1993 |
| Language | English |
The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival (SLOIFF) is a cool event for movie lovers. It's a film festival held every year in San Luis Obispo, California. This festival lasts for six days.
It shows many different movies, both new and old. You can watch films at famous places like the Fremont Theater and the Palm Theatre. Movies are also shown in nearby towns like Atascadero, Paso Robles, and the beach towns of Avila Beach and Pismo Beach.
The festival has three main movie contests. These are the George Sidney Independent Film Competition, the Central Coast Filmmakers Showcase, and the Young Filmmakers of Tomorrow Competition.
The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival started in 1993. It was created by Mary Harris, Cathy Peacock, Jim Dee, Patty Dee, and Lee Cogan. Wendy Eidson is the festival director today. She has been in charge since 2007.
Contents
Movie Competitions
George Sidney Independent Film Contest
The George Sidney Independent Film Competition began in 1996. It honors George Sidney, who was the first person to receive the festival's King Vidor Memorial Award. Movies in this contest compete in several groups.
These groups include Best Full-length Story Film, Best Full-length Documentary, and Best Short Film. There is also a category for Best College Student Film. The audience also votes for their favorite films. They pick the Best Story Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Short Film, and Best in Fest.
Central Coast Filmmakers Showcase
The Central Coast Filmmakers Showcase is for local filmmakers. To enter, films must be made, directed, or written by people living in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, or Monterey counties.
Awards are given for the Best Film that is longer than 30 minutes. There is also an award for the Best Film that is shorter than 30 minutes.
Young Filmmakers of Tomorrow Contest
The Young Filmmakers of Tomorrow Competition is for students. It is open to kids from elementary school all the way through high school. There are three age groups: High School, Middle School, and Primary.
Awards are given in each age group. These include Best Individual Film, Best Group Film, Best SLO County Film, and Best Animated Film. Many students who enter this contest also attend the festival's Youth Filmmaking Workshops in the summer.
King Vidor Award for Filmmaking
The King Vidor Award for Excellence in Filmmaking is given out every year. It has been presented since the festival started in 1993. The award is named after the director King Vidor.
King Vidor holds a world record for having the longest career as a film director. He directed 64 movies over 67 years! This award honors a movie professional. It celebrates someone who has made a big artistic impact on the film industry.
Past Winners
Below is a list of people who have won the King Vidor Award. The festival did not take place in 2003 and 2005, so no awards were given then.
2019 - Alfred Molina
2018 - Pam Grier
2017 - Josh Brolin
2016 - Ann Margret
2015 - Peter Bogdanovich
2014 - Jeff Bridges
2013 - John Hawkes
2012 - Sir Richard Taylor
2011 - Greg Kinnear
2010 - Alan Arkin
2009 - Malcolm McDowell
2008 - Peter Fonda
2007 - Norman Jewison and James Cromwell
2006 - Morgan Freeman
2004 - Eva Marie Saint
2002 - Elmer Bernstein
2001 - Howard Keel
2000 - Robert A. Harris and James C. Katz
1999 - Jim Dee
1998 - Stanley Kramer
1997 - Ernest Borgnine
1996 - Robert Wise
1995 - Edward Dmytryk
1994 - Delbert Mann
1993 - George Sidney
Citizen Kane at Hearst Castle
In 2012, the festival did something very special. They arranged to show the movie Citizen Kane at Hearst Castle. This was a big deal because Citizen Kane is a famous film.
The movie was partly based on the life of a rich newspaper owner, William Randolph Hearst. Some people who supported Hearst felt the movie showed him in a bad way. Hearst tried hard to stop the film from being shown. He even banned it from being mentioned in his newspapers. His longtime friend, Marion Davies, said he never even watched the movie.
Ben Mankiewicz, whose grandfather co-wrote the movie, introduced it. The film was shown at the Hearst Castle Visitor Center. This was part of the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival. It was the first time Citizen Kane was shown at Hearst Castle, 71 years after it came out! Before the movie, the festival honored Timothy White. He is famous for his photos of celebrities. He received the festival’s Spotlight Award.
In 2015, the festival showed Citizen Kane at Hearst Castle again. This time, it was shown in the castle's own 50-seat movie room. Tickets cost $1,000 each, and the money went to support the festival. Ben Mankiewicz was there again to host the event.
