Now in year 31, the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival (SLOIFF) had its biggest attendance ever with over 8,000 attendees. The festival ran from Thursday, April 24, through Tuesday, April 29.
With a slate of 113 films, including narrative features, short films, documentary features and doc shorts, the festival is known for its dedication to diversity and inclusivity, highlighting both emerging and established filmmakers from around the globe.
Festival highlights included a sold out screening at the Fremont Theater of Daryl Hannah’s documentary feature on Neil Young, Coastal, and standing room only at the presentation of the King Vidor Award to honoree and legendary costume designer Bob Mackie. All screenings of the documentary about his career, Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion were sold out. A full house was present for a Q & A with Director/Writer/Producer Jay Duplass where he received the festival’s Spotlight Award, and a screening of his new film, The Baltimorons. The Baltimorons went on to win SLOIFF’s “Best of the Fest” audience award.
Other highlights of the festival included the popular local favorites, Surf Nite and Community of Skate, as well as the Central Coast Filmmaker Showcase, Cal Poly Short Cuts and Music Video Showcase.
The main category winners in both the George Sidney Independent Film Competition and the Audience Award Winners are as follows. For full information about the winning films, please visit slofilmfest.org
George Sidney Independent Film Competition:
Best Narrative Feature: Aontas (Damian McCann, Director)
Best Documentary Feature: Middletown (Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine, Directors)
Best Narrative Short: Ragamuffin (Kaitlyn Mikayla, Director)
Best Documentary Short: Tiger (Loren Waters, Director)
Best Music Video: Booked A Room (Kris Lefcoe, Director)
Central Coast Filmmaker Showcase:
Best Central Coast Narrative Feature: Hidden Creek (Julian Mercado Avila and Darien Jewel, Directors)
Best Central Coast Narrative Short: Son-Mat (Haaram Kim, Director)
Best Central Coast Documentary Short: Wonders of the Wolf (Angie Ruiz, Director)
Audience Awards:
Best of Fest: The Baltimorons (Jay Duplass, Director)
Favorite Narrative Feature: Paper Flowers (Mahesh Pailoor, Director)
Favorite Documentary Feature: Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion (Buddy Farmer, Director)
Favorite Narrative Short: Zari (Shruti Parekh, Director)
Favorite Documentary Short: Motorcycle Mary (Haley Watson, Director)
Favorite Music Video: Booked A Room (Kris Lefcoe, Director)
Favorite Central Coast Feature: Unearth (John Hunter Nolan, Auberin Strickland, and Dunedin Strickland, Directors)
Favorite Central Coast Narrative Short: Toledo (Alyssa Toledo, Director)
Favorite Central Coast Documentary Short: The Monday Club (Robin Smith, Director)
