Editor

The 19th Malibu Film Festival returns to Malibu on Saturday February 15th with a curated selection of thirteen well crafted, visually profound new and award winning films premiering and screening at Malibu Civic Theater followed by the Awards Cocktail Reception hosted by Casa Escobar Malibu.

The 2020 Malibu Film Festival opens with the festival premiere of “Johnny Strange: Born to Fly” a feature documentary from Malibu local award-winning filmmakers John Watkins and Eamon Harrington, telling the story of 23 year old adventurer Johnny Strange, who at 17 was the youngest person to climb the tallest mountain in all 7 continents before becoming one of the world's elite BASE jumpers.

Benjamin Pollack’s short documentary “Out of Malibu” and Rebecca Carpenter’s short documentary “The Game Was On” will screen at Malibu Festival sharing a few Malibu locals experiences fighting the Woolsey Fire and in some cases losing everything only to find they have much more to loose.  This screening is free to attend while tickets are available at www.malibufilmfestival.eventbrite.com

Matt Bass’s feature documentary “SK8FACE” about the history and evolution of skateboard art and culture will hold its world premiere at Malibu Film Festival sponsored by Juice Magazine.

Matthew Mendenhall’s feature documentary “Greetings From Unicorn California” will hold its world premiere at Malibu Film Festival, providing a unique behind-the-scenes journey of The Chris Robinson Brotherhood. Affectionately known as the CRB, Chris Robinson (legendary front man and founding member of the hugely successful rock band The Black Crowes), has cultivated a group of immensely talented musicians focused on bringing their independent Farm-to-Table, psychedelic project to the masses. Through the lens of their longtime friend, discover the vulnerable moments sketching out original material and the diverse individuality of each musician as they take their California Space Boogie across the country in this 6+ year trip of Vibration, Love and Light.

The Los Angeles premiere of Steven Latham’s feature documentary "The Mustangs: America’s Wild Horses" will close the Malibu Film Festival, taking audiences on an odyssey throughout America to places few people have seen or even know about. There are more than 80,000 wild horses on our federal lands and more than 50,000 in holding facilities. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Philipps says, "The wild horse is so ingrained in the American imagination that even for those who have never seen one know what it stands for: fierce independence, unbridled freedom, the bedrock ideals of the nation. From car ads to high school mascots, the wild horse - popularly known as the mustang - is the enduring icon of America. But in modern times it has become entangled in controversy and bureaucracy, and now its future is in question." Whether you are a horse person or not, this film will make you fall in love with America all over again.

The 19^th Malibu Film Festival will wrap up in style with the Awards Cocktail Reception hosted by Casa Escobar Malibu sponsored by Golden Road Brewery and Tito’s Vodka. Ticket includes select vegetarian appetizers, craft beer, signature cocktails and live entertainment.

OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

• Johnny Strange: Born To Fly (Festival Premiere)
• Greetings from Unicorn California (World Premiere)
• SK8FACE (World Premiere)
• The Game Was On
• Out Of Malibu
• The Liquor Store Incident
• Cannonball
• Butterfly
• Porch Light
• Content Guidelines
• Confessions of a Whittler
• Mandala
• The Mustangs: America's Wild Horses (L.A. Premiere)

TICKETS & PASSES

http://www.malibufilmfestival.eventbrite.com

Opening Film ($20) *
Film Screening ($15)
Film Pass ($50)
Closing Films ($15)

Closing Films & Awards Reception ($40)
Awards Cocktail Reception ($40)

All-Festival Pass ($100)
 

EVENT SCHEDULE

DATE: SATURDAY FEBRUARY 15, 2020

11:00AM  - OPENING FILM

FEATURE FILM: Johnny Strange: Born To Fly

Q&A with filmmakers following screening

PRICE: $20

FEATURE PREMIERE STATUS: Festival

SHORT FILMS: Mandala, Confessions Of A Whittler

1:00PM  - SCREENING

WOOLSEY FIRE DOCS: Out Of Malibu, The Game Was On

Q&A: with filmmakers Benjamin Pollack and Rebecca Carpenter

MODERATOR: Cece Woods, Editor in Chief – The Local Malibu 

TICKET: Free (must RSVP on eventbrite)

SHORT FILM: Butterfly

2:30PM  - SCREENING

FEATURE FILM: SK8FACE

Q&A: with filmmaker Matt Bass

TICKETS: $15

FEATURE PREMIERE STATUS: World

SHORT FILM: Cannonball, Content Guidelines

5:00PM  - SCREENING

FEATURE FILM: Greetings From Unicorn, California

Q&A: with filmmaker Matthew Mendenhall

PRICE: $15

FEATURE PREMIERE STATUS: World

SHORT FILM: The Liquor Store Incident

7:00PM  - CLOSING FILM
FEATURE FILM: The Mustangs: America’s Wild Horses

Q&A: with filmmaker Steven Latham

TIME: 7:00PM
PRICE: $15 ($40 w/ Cocktail Reception)

FEATURE PREMIERE STATUS: L.A.

SHORT FILM: Porch Light

AWARDS COCKTAIL RECEPTION

DATE: Saturday 2/15

TIME: 7:30PM – 10:30PM

VENUE: Casa Escobar Malibu

VENUES

Malibu Civic Theater 23825 Stuart Ranch Rd. Malibu, CA 90265

Casa Escobar Malibu 22969 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265

SPONSORS

Malibu Film Festival is a 501c3 non-profit arts and education organization made possible by the generous support of our sponsors: City of Malibu, Dolby, VER, Golden Road Brewing, Wolk & Levine, AbleCine, The Local Malibu, JUICE magazine, Scotty Firefighter, SharkBite, Phos-check, Canna-Pet, Tito’s Vodka, FireFree Coatings, Husky Portable Containment, PODS, Wooden Camera, Red Digital Cinema, Black Magic Design, Sound Devices, Denecke, Barricade, Vulcan Vents and Mixafied.

MENTION US & TAG

#malibufilmfestival @malibufilmfestival

*A portion of the ticket sales proceeds benefit the construction of the Johnny Strange Memorial skate park in Malibu, CA.

More information is available at festival website: MalibuFilmFestival.com