Well, it was another Malibu event! Another idea, and a good one, for a film festival. Even better than the 4,000 festivals annually. Malibu’s own celebration of film featuring the best of the best films from the best festivals worldwide.
The prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Foundation joined in, to the tune of $50,000 as rumored on the beach. That attracted a host of other sponsors. The gala dinner honoring legendary Robert Altman was to be hosted by Lilly Lawrence at her landmark Castle Kashan. But Lilly did not attend. Why? Why were so many local VIPs and film celebs among the missing? Why did Malibu have to import an executive director from New York City to run things? And why did the best of the best films not appear as advertised?
More than 100 local citizens were listed as involved in some way, lending their names, prestige, time and effort and resources. But was this the media success it should have been? Did the mainstream press or industry trades even notice? Did the major movers and shakers from Hollywood and Burbank participate or even blink? Or was this just another exercise in using the fair name of Malibu for ego-tripping.
What did Malibu gain from it all? Was this a profit or non-profit event? Rumor has it that the event was in the red. Where did the money go? Concerned citizens need to know more. This script needs a rewrite.
After six or seven years of hearing complaints and rumors about operational oddities and legal nastiness involving that “other” film fest, has this group done any better? Since this was supposedly to be an “official” Malibu event, not a private enterprise by an alleged outsider, it would seem appropriate that a full report and/or audit be forthcoming and made public. Or should we just roll out the well-worn red carpet again and sweep all the gossip and evidence under it.
Alex Collins