When Will Smith strolled across the stage to take his seat for the Film Festival’s Day Three Event — the Modern Master Award Tribute — he was bubbling with energy, and quickly got the crowd on board, earning laughs as he pointed down to the piece of paper stuck to his shoe, which read, “Reserved for Friends of Will Smith.”
For once, the traffic in Montecito wasn’t during the afternoon rush or comprised of Venturenos and Angelenos trying to make it home after a Santa Barbara workday or vacation. Nope, last night, the cars lining up onto 101 were jammed because the Olive Mill off-ramp served as the pearly gates to the film fest’s post-Will Smith-as-Modern Master-event bash at the Biltmore. See J’Amy Brown’s photos from the night inside.
This documentary and entry in the 2007 SBIFF follows a man’s obsession with such pop culture aspects as Disneyland can turn into something larger – including a closer bond with his son.
Martha Sadler reviews this documentary that tries to get to the bottom of mountain biking history, while sidestepping many of the controversies inherent to the sport.
Our top fest watcher Josef Woodard provides the inside take on the Borat event, and reviews three foreign films that you should all go see.
Shannon Kelley Gould delivers the scoop on last night’s events, and J’Amy Brown provides a slideshow well worth your while.
Hundreds lined up to see Sacha Baron Cohen (pictured), aka Borat aka Ali G, on Friday at the Lobero. The British comedian behind this year’s mockumentary hit, Cohen is supposedly a tough guy to get to do interviews, but SBIFF managed to get him. And although he threatened to not do the gig if he had his photo taken, our photog managed to snag a shot as he left the building.
Welcome to The Indy‘s first report from the hard streets of the 22nd Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival. As you know, last night was Opening Night, which means a couple thousands folks got to see Factory Girl at the Arlington and then mosey on down to Paseo Nuevo, where the mall had been transformed into a debaucherous wonderland. What follows is a take on the night from Shannon Kelley Gould, some photos by J’Amy Brown, and some more thoughts — including a critique of the film fest trailer — by Matt Kettmann. Expect lots more to come.
Anna Davison no longer works for the Santa Barbara News-Press.
On Tuesday, January 23, News-Press owner Wendy McCaw’s attorney Barry Cappellosent a second letter to the Lawyers Alliance for Free Speech, the group of 50 or so well respected attorneys from diverse backgrounds and distinct practices who banded together last fall to help those whose speech has been silenced by McCaw’s legal threats.
