A Short History of the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival

View 2007 Film Schedule Here. To watch slide show highlights of the 2007 Festival, click on Quicktime or Windows Media.

The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival was founded in 1993 by Mary Harris, Cathy Peacock, Jim Dee, Patty Dee and Lee Cogan. Originally a week-long celebration of classic films, it included 32 screenings and a tribute to film director, George Sidney. He won the King Vidor Lifetime Achievement Award that year and began the annual tradition of awarding a successful motion picture industry personality with the lifetime achievement award on the stage of the beautiful Fremont Theatre in downtown San Luis Obispo.

Mary Harris continued to spearhead the festival for the next nine years, growing it to include the George Sidney Independent Film Competition which brought exciting, independent cinema to San Luis Obispo helping to promote independent filmmaking and young up-and-coming talent. She also added filmmaking seminars to the festival which attracted a wide variety of filmmaking professionals from nearby Hollywood and all over the country.

The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival continues to grow and thrive as an oasis for independent filmmakers to screen their films and have face to face contact with enthusiastic audiences in talk-back sessions and workshops.

In 2004, the festival moved from October to March and the 2006 SLOIFF was held just two days after the Academy Awards and included more independent films than ever before. Over 25 filmmakers attended the 6 day festival with 29 films competing for awards. The red carpet was rolled out for Greg Noll, Stacey Peralta, and Jeff Clark attending a special sold-out screening of Riding Giants and later that week, the King Vidor Lifetime Achievement Award went to actor, Morgan Freeman who was applauded by yet another sell-out crowd at the Fremont Theatre after the pre-release screening of his newest film, "Lucky Number Slevin." In attendance were good friends Malcolm McDowell, Phil Alden Robinson and Academy Award-winning editor, Neil Travis. Awards were also presented to independent filmmakers by actors Keith Carradine and Zac Efron.

The 2007 festival played host to over 85 visiting filmmakers, close to 100 independent and classic films, and many special events, workshops and parties. Irving Thalberg recipient, Norman Jewison was honored with a King Vidor Award on the first weekend of the festival along with a screening of one of his great films, "Moonstruck." Academy Award nominee, James Cromwell was awarded a King Vidor award on the second weekend and participated in an acting panel. Henry Jaglom, Melissa Joan Hart and many other excellent new and veteran filmmakers won awards in the George Sidney Independent Film Competition, and the famous surf filmmaking family, Bruce, Dana and Wes Brown were on hand for the second annual Surf Night in SLO.

Plans are underway for yet another epic festival in March 2008. There are great sponsorship opportunities still available - be a sponsor of a film, a reception or even a Red Carpet event. For more information, please call Festival Director, Wendy Eidson - (805) 235-1507.