The Ninth Annual Catalina Film festival will be held at various locations in Avalon this weekend.
All Avalon residents living on Catalina (and one guest) can see all of the festival’s filmmakers’ films for free on Friday and Saturday at any venue.
Residents can get their e-tickets online, and turn them in at the Box Office locations with proof of residency to get their film passes https://catalinafilm.org/ticket-window.
Friday, Sept 27.
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.: LIONS DEN, Avalon City Hall
Stacked with prospective film investors, this pitch-fest matched accredited investors with filmmakers seeking funding for their projects. Featuring industry notables: Shawn Nightingale, Producer; Grady Craig, Bondit Media Capital; Jennifer Bergeron, Private Equity Investor and Producer; Viviana Zarragoitia, VP of Three Point Capital and Producer; Barbara Bickham, Trailyn Ventures.
11 a.m.–3:30 p.m.: Short blocks of film named for Islanders:
The full schedule of film screenings is available at www.catalinafilm.org.
• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.—CONSERVATION BLOCK, ACC Theater
• 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.—BLANNY SHORTS BLOCK, Overlook
• 1 -3 p.m.—PATRICK K. WILLIS SHORTS BLOCK, ACC Theater
• 1:30-3:30 p.m.—JON BURCOMBE SHORTS BLOCK, Overlook
• 3-5 p.m.—RWANDA, International Feature Film, ACC Theater
A man, a woman, and their families. The fastest and most systematic genocide in history. He is Hutu, she is Tutsi. He must kill. She must die.
• 4 p.m.—RED CARPET CALL TIME – AVALON THEATRE
• 4 p.m.-5 p.m.—Filmmakers Red Carpet, Avalon Theatre
• 5 p.m.—Red Carpet Arrival CICADA SONG, LOLO THE BARBERSHOP, ROAM, Avalon Theatre
• “Lolo” cast/crew confirmed to attend: Lolo will be arriving with Chuck Lidell. Story Bank Productions team includes: Alison Armstrong, Bill Banning, Jack Piatt, Michael “Nomad” Ripol, Beth Rigazio
• “Cicada Song” confirmed to attend: Michael Starr (writer-director-producer), Tom Bellos (producer – tentative), John Kellogg (producer), Lyndsey Lantz (Karen), Kim Reed (plays Judith and is exec producer), Joseph Bottoms (Kurt), Jenny Mesa-Oliva (Annabelle), Rob Tepper (Richard), Cesar Ramos (Javier), Ryan Griswold (director of photography), Alex Williamson (composer), Greg Curtis (post sound supervisor), Robert Leon (production sound), Rusty Tinder (music contributor), Bert Rotundo (Neibaum), Clementine Leger (USC SCA festival office – credited) Amy Laboube (Lyndsey’s wife), Leo Oliva (Jenny’s husband), Myra Arias (John’s girlfriend), Amanda Griswold (Ryan’s wife), Kathy West (financial contributor – uncredited), Asli Yildirim (Alex’s girlfriend), Katherine Bottoms (Joseph’s daughter), Peter Roth (Greg Curtis’ Studio assistant), Melanie DiPietro (Brain Academy Studios exec)
• 6 p.m.–LOLO & THE BARBERSHOP, ROAM & CICADA SONG Screenings, Avalon Theater
“Lolo & The Barbershop” Captures the essence of Catalina Island from the view behind a barbers chair. Lolo Saldana was born on the island 90 years ago and has been the barber for over 50 years. His personal story and the stories connected to the barbershop come to life in this heartfelt documentary about community, family and a lifelong passion of giving back.
• “Roam:” A bouncing ball, a momentary distraction, a mistaken train, a prayer. A 5-year-old girl becomes separated from her father at a train station in Switzerland. She finds her way onto a train where her adventure begins and ends in Italy. The little girl is left to Roam with confidence and curiosity as her only companions.
“Cicada Song:” Karen is a tough, corn fed, outspoken, farm manager who cares about the people she works for and the migrant people who work for her. When one of her farmhands approaches her about a little girl that has recently disappeared, she becomes closer to her employees than she ever thought possible. But, when her lover, Annabelle, disappears, the bubble Karen lives in bursts and she begins an investigation only to uncover something dark in the town.
9 p.m.—After Party at TOYON GRILLE
Saturday, Sept. 28
• 11 p.m. – 4 p.m.—SHORT BLOCKS ALL OVER ISLAND. Many film blocks are named after Avalon community members.
• 11 a.m.-1 p.m.—BRANNOCK’S HIGH SCHOOL SHORTS BLOCK, ACC THEATRE
• 11:30a.m.-1:30 p.m.—VAL SHAFER’S SHORT BLOCK, OVERLOOK
• Noon-2 p.m.—PAM ALBERS SHORT BLOCK, AVALON CITY HALL
• 1-3 p.m. SCHMECKPEPPER’S SHORT BLOCK, ACC THEATRE
• Actor Kevin Alejandro (“Lucifer,” “True Blood”) produces short film SMILE, confirmed to attend with Director Leslie Alejandro and star Emerson Basco
• 1:30-3:30 LESLIE AND MEL’S ADVANCE STUDENT BLOCK, OVERLOOK
• 2 -4 p.m.—LLOYD’S OF AVALON ANIMATION BLOCK, AVALON CITY HALL
• 3 -5 p.m.—WHERE THERE IS DARKNESS, documentary feature, ACC THEATRE
Having devoted his life to helping the less fortunate, Father Rene Robert was regarded as a “living saint” in the tight-knit community of St. Augustine, Florida. But when Father Rene began helping ex-convicts get their lives together after prison, the people closest to him worried that he was putting his life at risk.
In April, 2016, when Father Rene failed to show up at a church service, Sheriff Shoar immediately put his best detectives on the case and local residents joined in searching for the beloved priest. It quickly became apparent, however, that Father Rene was not just missing—someone had taken him against his will.
• 4 p.m.—RED CARPET CALL TIME – AVALON THEATRE
• 4-5 p.m.—Filmmakers on carpet
• 4:45 p.m.—RED CARPET ARRIVAL FOR KEVIN ALEJANDRO (“The Talk,” “Smile”– also known as actor in “Lucifer,” “True Blood”), Leslie Alejandro (director, “Smile”), Dani De Jesus (Producer Alejandro Films), Kaden Alejandro (actor, “The Talk”) Emerson Basco (actor, “Smile”)
• 5 p.m.–RED CARPET ARRIVAL FOR AVALON AWARD RECIPIENT, ACADEMY AWARD WINNING ACTRESS, MIRA SORVINO
• 5:15 p.m—RED CARPET ARRIVAL FOR BADLAND
“Badland” cast/crew onfirmed to attend: Kevin Makely (lead actor), Jennifer Ambrose, Allison Mcatee, Christy Makely, Jay Jakubowski, Shawn Nightingale, Amanda Wyss, Tammy Gottran, Josh Hancock, Idan Menin, Laura Menin, Jarred Forman, C.J. Forman, Sara Risher, Tineka Becker.
• 6 p.m.—Best of Fest Awards and World Premiere of “Badlands,” Avalon Theater
• “Badland:” Set in the unincorporated areas of the West, where renegade factions have replaced law and order. In the ashes of the Civil War, one of the first African American Senators commissions hardened Detective Matthias Breecher with the impossible task of hunting down a trio of war criminals who have eluded capture for more than a decade.
Starring Mira Sorvino, Kevin Makely, Trace Adkins, Bruce Dern, Tony Todd, Wes Studi, Jeff Fahey and Amanda Wyss
9 p.m.—After Party at TOYON GRILLE
