Fast, Cheap and In Control: Santa Monica Film Festival

Sasha Stone

Mirror Contributing Writer

   The Santa Monica Film Festival and Moxie Awards cuts out the hype and delivers the goods. 
   On Sunday, September 5, the Festival, along with the Italian Institute of Culture, will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Academy Award-winning film “Cinema Paradiso,” GiuseppeTornatore’s classic.
To celebrate the film's central image of townspeople gathered under the stars to enjoy a movie, the film will be screened out-doors at Bergamot Station. The screening will be followed by a Festival celebration, complete with food, drink and live music.
   The Santa Monica Film Festival is a year-round film screening series that exhibits over 200 new independent films, and hosts 22 year-round events, culminating in the annual Moxie Awards, held in February.
   Opposed to the high prices, crowds and media hype inherent in many other LA-based festivals, the Santa Monica Film Festival charges just $5 per screening. More surprising is that it charges no admittance fee for film submissions, since it’s a festival by filmmakers for filmmakers, which also gives audiences an opportunity to see films that, without a studio or star backing them, might not be seen.
   The Santa Monica Film Festival and Moxie Awards were founded in 1996 by Albert de Quay and Frank Mancini in “smoke-filled bars for an audience of a dozen or so die-hard filmmakers." Soon, the casual showings filled to capacity. With film submissions arriving daily, they were able to advance from library stages to screening rooms, finally landing in the 650-seat Aero Theater on Montana in Santa Monica, now one of their principal bases. 
   The monthly showcase, beginning August 19, splits its time between the Aero Theatre and Bergamot Station. Regular events are held twice a month: The third Thursday of each month. at the Aero, and the third Saturday of each month at Bergamot Station. For a schedule of events, or information on becoming a volunteer production assistant, call (310)289-7144, or visit the website at www.smff.com.

Ticket prices for the CINEMA PARADISO screening are $20 in advance, and $25 the day of the event. For advance tickets, call Ticketmaster at (213) 480-3232.