Events
"Heal" wins Frank Capra Award
Heal tells the story of a young boy whose special gifts enable him to help his beloved teacher rise above the shattering effects of the conflict in Afghanistan and Pakistan to recapture hope. Pakistani student Ahmad made Heal while he was a Fulbright Scholar at Chapman University’s graduate program in film, in Orange, Calif. He has since returned to Pakistan where he is pursuing a feature length adaptation of Heal.
Heal will be shown Friday, April 8th as a part of Screening Four beginning at 6:30 pm.
Opening Night Filmmakers' Reception
SPECIAL EVENT - Friday, April 8, 9:00 pm: Our opening night reception honoring our attending filmmakers will be held at Z-Cafe in River Village Plaza. As it has been in the past, this will be a fun, informal party where local filmgoers can meet, greet and mingle with our visiting festival filmmakers. There will be plenty of food, drink and music so be sure to attend. Admission is free with a VIP pass or $20 at the door.David Ellis at Screening of "Cellular"
Saturday, April 9th, 4:00 pm: Award winning stuntman-turned-director and this years recipient of our Spotlight Tribute Award, David R. Ellis will be introducing his 2004 thriller, “Cellular” starring Kim Basinger and William H. Macy. Entertainment Weekly said this film was "pure chase-thriller excitement". USA Today called it a "well-paced action film in the vein of ‘Speed’. As 2nd Unit Director, he directed all the action sequences in “The Matrix Reloaded” and “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”. David’s latest film “Final Destination 3D" has grossed over 200 million dollars world-wide. In all, he has directed seven films including "Snakes on A Plane" and the huge Disney hit, "Homeward Bound 2, Lost in San Francisco”. David will also be conducting a workshop just prior to this screening and a Q&A, so if you action fans want to know more about the making of this popular film, don’t miss this event.
Shirley Jones at Screening of "Elmer Gantry"
Sunday, April 10th, 1:00 pm: Academy Award winning actress, Shirley Jones, will be at the UltraStar Cinema in Bonsall for our festival’s celebrity screening of the Hollywood film classic, “Elmer Gantry”, which was nominated for six Academy Awards and walked away with three. Shirley Jones will be at the Fallbrook Film Festival to receive a Career Achievement Award honoring her long and varied career in film, on stage and, of course, on television as the singing matriarch of the popular, long-running hit show, “The Partridge Family”. Shirley will conduct a Q&A after the film and tell us how America’s singing sweetheart of “Oklahoma” and “Carousel” fame ended up in the role of a prostitute in her first straight acting film. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet and greet with Shirley Jones in person.
Mary Perhacs to be honored at Awards Ceremony
Sunday, April 10th: Mary Perhacs, Executive Director of the Fallbrook Art Center will be honored with our Patron of the Arts Award, given each year to a member of our community who promotes the arts in the greater Fallbrook/Bonsall area.
Mary personally produces seven to ten art shows a year, featuring local and national artists who subjects range from wildlife exhibits to a watercolor exhibition that makes you think you're in the middle of Manhattan. Her goal is to make art accessible to everyone. To this end, she has brought in shows that include jewelry, antiques, large and unusual pieces of all kinds, even motorcycles for her very popular motorcycle exhibit.
Mary single-handedly accounts for over 5,000 visitors to Fallbrook each year, both artists and art lovers. Without her, the arts in our friendly village would be much diminished. We thank you Mary!
Awards Ceremony at Pala Casino
SPECIAL EVENT - Sunday, April 10th, 7:00 pm: The Fallbrook Film Festival is proud to announce that we have moved our gala closing party and awards ceremony to the beautiful Grand Ballroom at Pala Casino. The gorgeous setting and spectacular buffet will be a fitting backdrop to the Awards Ceremony itself. All of the winning films will be announced and the awards will be presented, this will include Audience Choice, so you may want to be there just to see if your favorite film wins!
The prestigious Frank Capra Award will be presented by Frank Capra III, to the film that most uplifts the human spirit. The Patron of the Arts Award will be given to Mary Perhacs, Executive Director of Fallbrook Art Center, for her tireless support of the arts in Fallbrook/Bonsall. Academy Award winning actress Shirley Jones will be there to receive the Career Achievement Award for her many contributions to the entertainment industry. David R. Ellis, award winning stuntman turned prolific special effects film director, will be there to receive the Spotlight Tribute Award.
Pala Casino is conveniently located on Hwy 76, just 5 miles East of the I-15 and 10 ½ miles East of the UltraStar Cinemas in Bonsall. There is plenty of free parking. Admission is free for VIP Pass holders, but RSVP’s a must. Individual tickets are $50, including dinner, and are available at our Festival Headquarters right next to the UltraStar Cinema.
