She Likes to Watch

Sorry, “Easy Rider” fans.

Peter Fonda has canceled his appearance at the Avila Beach Music Festival on Tuesday, June 10.

No specific reason was given for Fonda’s absence. He was slated to act as master of ceremonies for the concert, which features rock supergroup Crosby, Stills and Nash.

Peter Fonda last visited the Central Coast in March when he was honored at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival.

Fonda, star of “Easy Rider” and “Ulee’s Gold,” received the King Vidor Career Achievement Award, named after the prolific director of “War and Peace” (and former SLO County resident). It honors excellence in filmmaking.

Is your kid the next Steven Spielberg? Soderbergh? Sayles?

Young filmmakers have a chance to learn the craft this summer with a two-week workshop organized by the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival.

Organizers will offer classes from July 14 to 24, thanks to a grant from the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation.

“Young people are so inventive and have a different take on the world than adults do, so we are hoping to give them the skills they need to go out and make their own films,” said Wendy Eidson, the film festival’s executive director. “We are trying to encourage collaboration so that they learn how a ‘real’ film is made.”

Each workshop will be limited to ten young people. They’ll learn the basics of filmmaking by writing, producing, directing, editing and acting in their own short films, Eidson said.
The results will be screened for family and friends on the final day of the workshop. Audiences can also catch the short films at next year’s San Luis Obispo International Film Festival.

Two local filmmakers will lead the classes.

Aaron Metchik, a UCLA film school graduate, directed his first professional feature-length film this summer.

Alan Fraser teaches video production and photography at Arroyo Grande High School, and film courses at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria. His feature film “Next Time” won best picture awards at the Hollywood and Long Beach Film Festivals.

Each session costs $200, with a limited number of half-tuition scholarships available.

Kids entering grades 3 to 6 will attend class from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday through Thursday.

Those entering grades 7 to 9 have class from 1 to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday. And future 10th, 11th and 12th graders will attend workshops at 6 to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

For more information or to register, visit www.slofilmfest.org or call Wendy Eidson at (805) 546-3456.

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Wendy’s daughter, Hanna Eidson, is pictured above with the camcorder.

“Easy Rider” star Peter Fonda must dig “the SLO life.”

The Oscar-nominated actor will act as master of ceremonies this summer at the Avila Beach Music Festival, organizers announced Wednesday.

Classic rockers Crosby, Stills and Nash will perform at the June 10 concert, which benefits local non-profit OPTIONS. The group works with people with disabilities.

It’s Fonda’s second visit to the Central Coast this year.

In March, Fonda, 68, appeared at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival to accept the King Vidor Career Achievement Award. (Named after former county resident King Vidor, the prolific director of “War and Peace,” it honors excellence in filmmaking.)

Part of the famed acting family that includes father Henry, daughter Bridget, and sister Jane Fonda, Peter Fonda’s recent films include “Ghost Rider,” “Wild Hogs,” and “3:10 to Yuma.”

David Crosby presented the award to Fonda and shared stories about his Hollywood pal. He spent most of the presentation raving about 1969’s “Easy Rider.”

“This film changed everything,” Crosby said. “Every young person in America saw this film, without exception, and it changed all of us. I know it (changed) myself.”

In fact, Crosby said, he and his band mates in Crosby, Stills and Nash passed up a chance to do the soundtrack to “Easy Rider” — opting to work on their first, self-titled album instead.

“Peter is quite a man who has had quite an impact on the film industry,” Crosby said.

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Crosby, Stills and Nash perform June 10 at the Avila Beach Golf Resort, 6464 Anna Bay Rd. in Avila Beach. Gates open at 5 p.m., with the concert starting at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $65 to $95, available via Vallitix.

For more information, call (805) 772-6066, ext. 101, or visit www.avilabeachmusicfestival.org.

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The above photo is by Tribune photographer Jayson Mellom. Pictured are rock musician David Crosby (left) and actor Peter Fonda.

Ah, spring. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and spring cleaning is upon us.

While emptying the recycling bins here at Movies HQ, I found a few movie-related tidbits.

HopeDance magazine offers two more movies this month in its HopeDance FiLMs series.

First up is “Everything’s Cool”, a look at the history of global warming.
Filmmakers Daniel B. Gold and Judith Helfand examine the movement from the viewpoints of scientists, activists and politicians. Hear interviews with Bill McKibben, Ross Gelbspan and others.

“Everything’s Cool” will be screened at 7 p.m. Monday at the San Luis Obispo library, in San Luis Obispo. A $5 donation is encouraged.

On Wednesday, the film series takes a look at health care with “Cuba: An Accidental Revolution.”

The documentary, narrated by scientist/environmentalist David Suzuki, looks at the island nation’s surprisingly strong health care system.

It’s paired with the PBS documentary “Critical Care,” about U.S. health care.

Moviegoers are encouraged to donate $5 to $10.

“Cuba: An Accidental Revolution” and “Critical Care” play at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the San Luis Obispo library.

More information about both films is available at www.hopedance.org.

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The Palm Theatre in San Luis Obispo kicks off its new movie series on Wednesday with “Trainspotting.”

Palm Wednesdays will offer a different flick each Wednesday. The emphasis here is on cult classics: quirky comedies, action flicks and thrillers with a strong following among Generations X and Y.

Few movies fall into that category better than “Trainspotting,” Danny Boyles’ darkly comic look at the Edinburgh drug scene. It’s smart, slick and frequently pretty damn unsavory.

“Trainspotting” will screen at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Palm Theatre, 817 Palm St. in San Luis Obispo.

Tickets are $7.50. You can also snag a six-movie pass for $35 — provided you buy it before Wednesday.

The series continues May 7 with the big-wave surfing documentary “Billabong Odyssey.” Check out the full list at www.thepalmtheatre.com.

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The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival drew more than 7,500 moviegoers, organizers said this week, the “best ever” in the festival’s 14-year history.

About 12 percent came from outside the county, said Wendy Eidson, the film festival’s executive director.

Top events at the film festival, which ran March 7 to 16, included a train-themed opening night, an awards ceremony honoring “Easy Rider” star Peter Fonda and Surf Night, featuring a tribute to pioneer surf filmmaker Bud Browne.

This year, festival organizers introduced Western Night and the Hollywood and Vines series, which pairs movies with local wineries. They also added venues in Santa Margarita, Paso Robles and Shell Beach.

For more information, visit www.slofilmfest.org.

This just in:

Michael Madsen can’t make it to the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival this weekend.

Due to “personal issues,” the actor best known for his roles in “Reservoir Dogs” and “Kill Bill” will have to skip his scheduled appearances on Saturday and Sunday, Executive Director Wendy Eidson announced this morning.

However, organizers will screen two of Madsen’s films: the boxing drama “Strength and Honor” (noon, Saturday, Downtown Centre Cinemas) and “Through Your Eyes,” a documentary about deaf-blind triplets (4 p.m., Sunday, Palm Theatre).

“No Country for Old Men” star Josh Brolin is still scheduled to appear this afternoon at a screening of his short film “X.”

The movie, Brolin’s directorial debut, co-stars his daughter, Eden Brolin, and features music by his son, Trevor.

Vincent Riverside stars as a guilt-ridden, escaped inmate searching for his murdered wife’s body.

Meet Brolin and get insights from SLO County’s former native son this afternoon at 4 p.m. at Downtown Centre Cinemas, 888 Marsh St., San Luis Obispo.

– Sarah L.