Santa Cruz may not be the movie capital of California, but it could be in the running as the B-movie capital.
Us, The Tripper, The Lost Boys, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Bumblebee, Sudden Impact and Chasing Mavericks come to mind immediately.
But there’s also a wave of low-budget films that put us on the map. The current project, Poultrygeist 2, at a budget of $9,000, is the topic for Mat Weir’s latest article, for which he jumped all the way into the deep water, acting and helping to film.
He reports firsthand from the blood-stained set, bringing us into a story that many Santa Cruzans missed, from right in our own backyard.
You’ll be the hit of trivia contests reading his article about the movie and Troma films. You’ll also be happy to see just how much varied culture we have in our county, which is the second smallest by size in the state. By culture, I’d put us toward the top. (Trivia contest: what’s the smallest county in the state? Answer next week.)
We’ve got plenty of Halloween-themed stories this week, in print and online at goodtimes.sc, helping you prepare for the most fun holiday. You can read about surfing witches, a remade spooky Nutcracker, and the Festival of Monsters.
And in keeping with the holiday theme, our Foodie File focuses on a great local candy company.
On the news front, you will want to check out Richard Stockton’s reporting on Proposition 50, which is making national news for responding to Donald Trump’s efforts to remake the state districts to help him get more seats in the House of Representatives. His first sentence should draw you in and scare you as much as any costume you’ll see Oct. 31: “The notion that what is happening at our federal government level mirrors Germany in 1933 is not far-fetched.”
I’ll look for the positive in that one: we can do something about this. It’s simple. Fill out the ballot you got in the mail and send it in.
Have a great week!
Brad Kava | Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
BUTTERFLY KING Hitchhiker on Western Drive near UCSC. Photograph by Bellamy Seirios
GOOD IDEA
The Live Oak Refillery and sustainable goods store is celebrating its one-year anniversary and the staff is inviting you to join them. Come celebrate a year of successes, partnerships, community and reducing plastic waste! On Saturday, Oct. 18 from noon to 5pm they will have food, demonstrations, partners, fun community and a raffle for some cool prizes. Location: 1135 17th Ave., #103, Santa Cruz.
GOOD WORK
The streets of Santa Cruz will come alive with music, precision and pageantry on Saturday, Oct. 18, as the Santa Cruz Band Review celebrates its long-standing tradition as the largest parade competition in California.
Founded in 1971, the Santa Cruz Band Review draws thousands of spectators and performers. This year’s event will feature 55 marching bands from across Northern California, all competing in a day of music, marching excellence and community spirit.
The competition zone will be located on 2nd Street in front of the Aqua Breeze Hotel, with the percussion competition staged under the log ride at Beach and 3rd Street.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
‘The best music is essentially there to provide you something to face the world with.’ –Bruce Springsteen
Whoever was driving the No.2 bus on Monday Sept. 15 at 2:30pm chose to save a person apparently breaking down on the street. He stopped the bus on 41st Avenue about a mile from the Mall. He got out of the bus to see about the man, went back and forth a couple of times, then told us to get off and wait for another bus, which he had called because he had to wait for the paramedics to arrive.
He was not rattled, apologetic or heroic, so neither were we. Everybody just got off the bus.
I’m telling you guys because I trust and like you and figured you could know what do do with this info.
PS: My point is people are OK at heart.
Peggy | Santa Cruz
ONLINE COMMENTS
WHARF TO WHARF
Wow, talk about resilience! Change is the only constant, eh? I bet juggling those last-minute hurdles was a wild ride for them. Seems like keeping the Wharf to Wharf Race afloat involved some serious maneuvering. Prize money took a hit but runners weren’t forgotten, kudos for that. Years ago, our local fair almost got rained out but volunteers pulled through with an indoor venue and saved the day, a bit like playing Slither io with unexpected obstacles popping up everywhere, but we survived!
I was the sun letter carrier at La Bahia in the early ’80s before the yuppies destroyed the soul of Santa Cruz. I was happy to deliver the tiny boxes for the people who would await their checks, love letters and the like. Many were dirt poor but they had solace that was affordable! The Del Rey was another place that had the old souls of Santa Cruz old with soul. Now the beach area lacks heart and soul and the poor are there no more. Capitalism sucks!
The most beautiful Spanish woman arrived at my apartment in La Bahia, 7am, surfboard in hand. At the end of the party the previous evening I’d offered to take her surfing any time she liked and gave her my room number.
I quickly donned my wetsuit and we drove to Four-Mile Beach.
Beyond just performance, she has helped build the choral community in Santa Cruz: training teaching assistants, mentoring younger directors, building programs that include youth (Cabrillo Youth Choruses), bringing people together through high-quality choral music.
In the late ’70s, I worked for a local moving company. La Bahia’s sister old building was the Casa Del Rey, which was a decrepit retirement home.
One day we were moving a person into a second-story apartment. We had the elevator crammed full when an ambulance showed up to transport somebody from the second floor. I was freaking out, knowing the other elevator was broken and thinking this was an emergency. I offered to yank everything out of the elevator, but the ambulance guy just laughed, told me they arrive there almost every day, his transport was not really an emergency and that he was going to run over to the La Bahia for a minute.
He comes back five minutes later (to a now empty and ready elevator) reeking of pot.
Years before, late ’60s I used to stay at a friend’s house that was just up from the bowling alley. That neighborhood was crazy then and never stopped being crazy!
David Hoyle | Goodtimes.sc
CORRECTION
In the Oct. 1 issue, the article about Santa Cruz Open Studios contained a misspelling of Ann Ostermann’s name and some incorrect titles. Jim Brown is the executive director and Bree Karpavage has taken on the role of Open Studios and Tannery Arts Center Manager. Open Studios continues Oct. 18–19 with All County Weekend, featuring 250+ artists across the region. Visit santacruzopenstudios.com.
There I was, sitting on the restaurant bench in a pool of my own cold blood. My body twitches as I try to scream out, but nothing rises up as the chef maniacally stuffs food into a funnel leading down my throat.
You might be wondering how I got here. I know I am.
Suddenly, the unthinkable happens.
My stomach begins to slowly inflate, filled with the pureed hamburgers that continue to be fed in the funnel. Buttons are launched from my shirt as my stomach grows to comical proportions.
“Ah hahahahah!” screams the chef as he pulls out a safety pin and rams it into my stomach. With a mighty burst it explodes, unleashing six gallons of blood and guts.
A round of cheers and encouraging expletives are unleashed from the crew as I pause to question my choice in wearing jeans that day. I should’ve known better as this wasn’t anywhere close to my first day on the set of Poultrygeist 2, a new film from Troma Entertainment.
Shot in Santa Cruz for a dozen days over the course of two months, it’s the highly anticipated sequel to the cult movie company’s 2006 musical horror comedy. It joins the ranks of other beloved horror films shot in town, like Us, The Tripper and—of course—The Lost Boys.
“A lot of the special effects have been learned in real time,” explains Max Rock, actor and special effects lead.
Given a budget of only $9,000, everyone on the set of the film works multiple jobs on and off the camera. Rock and partner Layla Kaufman (no relation to Troma head Lloyd Kaufman) already knew how to create some of the special effects thanks to her working at a haunted house maze in San Francisco years prior to filming.
“We learned how to do mold making through that, which is how we knew how to make the beaks, pus packages as well as the masks and puppets in the background,” he continues.
Thankfully, this isn’t anyone’s first rodeo. Or run through the chicken coop, as it were. Out of the two dozen or so cast and crew members, only three of us have never worked on a Troma film.
Mercedes the Muse has written and directed several films produced or distributed by Troma—such as Rise of the Super Tromettes, Divide & Conquer and Gasmask Girl—that have featured actors and crew involved with Poultrygeist 2. It’s all part of the collective ethos she shares with Moses, her husband, cameraman and co-writer.
“Everyone puts in ideas,” she says. “I’m not a dictator. I take everybody’s creative impetus into consideration. That keeps it punk rock and chaotic.”
For those of us who are new to the Troma world, it was a bloody, gore-filled, offensive dream come true. Even if it meant flying out halfway across the country.
“I started watching Troma films when I used to sneak into this bar that would play them on their tiny TV,” Kitty Dearing says.
After seeing cast and crew member Jesse Kenneth Cotu Williams post a flier about needing extras, Dearing flew out from Memphis, Tennessee, knowing the gig was pro bono. For horror fans, it’s all about the street cred.
“I love Troma because you never know what to expect,” she continues. “It’s going to be really weird and gory and strange and you’re going to leave wondering, ‘What the fuck did I just watch?’”
Case in point, Poultrygeist 2 is a satirical horror comedy about a ragtag group of fast food workers. When the food becomes contaminated and turns hungry patrons into a horde of mutated chicken zombies, the staff must fight to survive. Oh, and there’s a giant mutated rat, an egg with legs, a caveman in a tutu, and lots and lots of gratuitous nudity.
Let’s just say it’s not for the easily offended, squeamish or anyone without a deranged sense of humor. If all goes well, Poultrygeist 2 will make even the honorary Pope of Trash, John Waters, blush.
FAST FOOD Chicken zombies surround Kristi Wise and Mark Torgl. PHOTO: Mat Weir
We figured we were headed in the right direction the day we caused a traffic collision. One of the lead characters, Hen-rietta (who identifies as a chicken and is played by Santa Cruz local Sadie Satanas), basically has a chicken-style Las Vegas showgirl outfit complete with nipple pasties. While the crew was filming a scene inside the old Munch building (on the corner of Laurel Street and Pacific Avenue), Satanas stepped outside for a smoke. Two minutes later we all heard the familiar screeching of tires and CRASH! of metal and glass. We all rushed outside to find that one of the cars was distracted by her outfit and didn’t see where they were going (thankfully, everyone was OK and the damage to both cars appeared minor).
“I think the intestinal kill is my most favorite because it has Terrifier levels of gore,” Satanas says when asked about her favorite. She is also one of the lead special effects artists on set and has been working on everything from latex intestines, slime and exploding heads to exactly how to pull off the movie’s numerous kills. She says she’s spent 8–12 hours a day since April trying to figure out the film’s many effects.
“We made 80 feet of latex intestines and four different corpses,” she explains. “One of them had five sprayers attached to it. The rat suit took a month, which was a lot of refabricating. It also has 120 teeth and each one of those takes about three minutes [to install].”
Founded by “Uncle” Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz in 1974, Troma has specialized in underground cinema pushing the boundaries of horror, comedy and societal standards of taste. Such cult classics like The Toxic Avenger, Class of Nuke ’em High and Killer Condom have all come out of the entertainment company.
Sometimes there’s even crossover to the mainstream, like the remake of The Toxic Avenger starring Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage, which was released in theaters across the nation in August. There also have been a number of major celebrities who either started at Troma or have acted for them, such as Billy Bob Thornton, J.J. Abrams and Vanna White.
Superman and Guardians of the Galaxy writer and director James Gunn started his career at Troma with Tromeo & Juliette. South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone also were given a start when Troma produced and distributed their first film, Cannibal! The Musical.
And being on the set of Poultrygeist 2 I’ve learned a couple of important lessons about filming a Troma movie (and life).
First, which I already went over, if you’re gonna have a bloody scene, don’t wear jeans. In other words, make sure to always dress appropriately.
Which brings me to my second lesson (this one’s straight out of Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy): always bring a towel. It’s dry. It’s soft and it’s like a warm hug after being drenched in countless gallons of gore. You’ll never know when you’ll need one, so carry that thing (or at least keep it in the car). Also, wear a pair of shoes with a good grip because, oh man, those floors get slippery quickly.
Be prepared for anything. Yes, it might be 10am. But you should still be prepared for 72 people dressed in full costumes—kinky goth, priest, clown, futuristic wasteland warrior, and not one but three Macho Man Randy Savages—ready to projectile-vomit a mix of water, green dye, Alka-Selter, oatmeal and corn all over the set booths, chairs and floor. Just like life, a Troma film hits you in the theater of the absurd and leaves you to clean up after. And just like Toxie from The Toxic Avenger knows, a mop is a hell of a useful tool.
Finally, have fun! Life is too short to take so seriously. Get dirty. Push your boundaries and don’t forget to laugh. With such a low budget, this project is entirely a labor of love for everyone from Mercedes, to the actors, effects and makeup people—and especially the extras.
“Holy balls,” Dearing says with a wide smile after shooting her scenes. “That was absolutely amazing. I got blood spurted in my face and I got to trample a chicken person. I had a wonderful time!”
Meet Mercedes the Muse, the cast of Poultrygeist 2 and Uncle Lloyd Kaufman himself at Streetlight Records at 5–6:30pm on Monday, Oct. 20. There will be exclusive Troma merch for sale to be signed by all featured guests.
The Festival of Monsters, presented Oct. 15–18 by the UC Santa Cruz Center for Monster Studies, is a fitting annual ritual for the spooky season.
On Oct. 18 at Atlantis Fantasyworld, local artist Cole Lemke will sign copies of his B-horror tome, Savior (2021), from 2–5pm. Think 336 pages of a thick-lined alternative universe, where aliens have invaded and the world gets not the hero it wants, but the hero it needs (and deserves). The Devil. Or, Satan. Or, Grump. He has many names.
Now before you run to your pastor to report a blasphemous crime, consider that Lemke might genuinely be one of the nicest humans you’ll ever get a chance to run into. A classic California kid who graduated from Aptos High and a devoted family man, Lemke might be best known in Santa Cruz for his Squid Banana stickers often seen plastered on the back of VWs.
Growing up in Santa Cruz County, Lemke was a natural-born artist who had alien worlds pouring out of his brain, down to his ink-stained fingers and out through his Micron pen. By a lightning stroke of luck, Lemke found a compadre early on in Shaun Logan, known for his work with the Expendables.
“We met in the third grade, and we’ve been buddies ever since,” Lemke says. “We’d hang out and draw side by side. We drew a lot together. I think one time we actually tried to work on a comic together that didn’t pan out. We had another friend color it. And he did a bad job on the colors. It crushed us and that kind of killed that project really quick. But we always just kind of had fun.”
Savior, on the other hand, is a black-and-white masterpiece in design and execution. For over five years, Lemke would trudge away at completing a page in pencil. Come back later to ink it. And finally return to add the dialog. Through jobs, a sabbatical and Covid, Lemke would return to Savior, working on weekends to finish his grand vision.
Currently Lemke has a job that allows him more time for illustration, band projects and running his own company, Chump Magic LLC, which handles all the design and production of his colorful assortment of stickers as well as sales for Savior: The Day the Devil Saved the World.
Savior is a sleek, shiny book, but it’s not for the swaddled or those with small brains. Why? This shouldn’t be a spoiler alert, but when you think of alien invasions, what do you think of? That’s right. Probes. In the butt. And in Savior, there is a lot of that. Plus at least one orgy scene. And a few curses. But Savior is closer to an R-rated Hello Kitty than R. Crumb.
The Festival of Monsters has other free events, including the keynote speech by David Livingstone Smith on Oct. 15 at 5:30pm at the Museum of Art & History. Taking place Oct. 18 at 11am at Bookshop Santa Cruz is a writers panel titled Oh! The Horror, and at 6pm at Game Santa Cruz attendees can play Blood on the Clocktower.
Meet Cole Lemke from 2–5pm on Oct. 18 at Atlantis Fantasyworld, 2020 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. For more information go to monsterstudies.ucsc.edu. To learn more about Lemke, visit colelemke.com or chumpmagic.com.
Next Saturday, a mysterious coven will rise up at the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor. Floating atop the waves in their conical hats, these paddling mavens will thrash their oars and sweep past the breakers toward a churning sea.
This Halloween invasion, which has taken place since 2015, will not be deterred by fog or rain, but participants will abide by the Harbormaster’s code.
Trudie Ransome is the owner of the SUP Shack, located across from the Crow’s Nest in the harbor. A native of Brighton, England, Ransome conjured up the Sea Witch Paddle as an informal event in 2011.
This is her 14th year planning the event, which grew from one lone paddler into an officially recognized annual event in 2023 after more than 100 witches showed up, according to Ransome. “For the first few years it was just me, myself and I,” she says. “Then two years ago, the world and his wife, the witches and their covens descended on the harbor.”
In 2024, the witch paddle was cancelled due to an anchovy die-off, explains Blake Anderson, harbormaster since February 2020 and a regular in various capacities at the harbor for the past 16 years. “It had been going a few years as kind of a more informal event. We wanted to have more structure to it to ensure that the channel is safe,” he says.
Ever since Covid, the spectacle has drawn a growing audience. “In the past couple of years, it’s become a new phenomenon,” Ransome says. “The witches want to cackle.”
Safety First
Harbor Patrol staff will observe the event and enforce any potential conflicts between paddle boards and boats. “If you get a channel full of boats trying to move in and out of the channel, it’s helpful to have some structure to it where people are staying off to the side and off the main channel,” Anderson says. “We will be working to ensure that everything goes safe and smooth and make sure everyone has a good time.”
Anderson compares the harbor to a roadway, where the channel is like a main road. Just as bikes and pedestrians use the sides of the road, he recommends paddle boarders stay as far over to the right as possible and and go in a circular motion. A 70-foot charter boat does not have great maneuverability, he notes. “Leaving from Crow’s Nest, stay to the right. And once you get in the channel, stay to the right again … so larger vessels can transit,” Anderson advises.
Additionally, Anderson suggests that paddlers avoid the entrance, which can become a problem area if paddleboarders congregate there. “We don’t want people in the center of the channel near the entrance,” he says. If there are waves, a boat might need to pick up speed to get in or out safely, he explains.
Last of all, if you plan to go, Anderson recommends all paddlers consult advancing weather updates as autumn is known for strong winds. Gusty north winds are conducive to rougher seas, while offshore winds are blown from land toward the open ocean. “Some people may elect to go outside the harbor,” Anderson says. “If you do have an offshore wind event, definitely stay inside [the channel].”
Support the Seabright Community
Facing the economic impacts of the Murray Street bridge closure, the harbor community is ready to welcome spectators who come out to enjoy the event. “I think we have a good plan, and it’s going to be a good, organized event,” Anderson says.
Taking place 10am to noon on Oct. 25, the Sea Witch Paddle is limited to 75 witches. Cost to participate is $15 per person, including wrist band, launch fees, snacks and free parking for witches. For more information, visit supshack.com or call 831-464-7467. The SUP Shack is located at 2214 East Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz.
All proceeds, including launch fees from the paddle, go back into the harbor’s general fund. Although the harbor is a public facility, it does not receive regular tax revenue. Instead, nearly its entire budget is funded by user fees, slip rent, parking, visitor services and rent for its buildings.
The same day as the Sea Witch Paddle, the area comes alive for Haunted Harbor, a trick-or-treat procession just for kids. From 4 to 7pm at the southeast harbor, participating businesses—including Crow’s Nest Restaurant, El Palomar, SUP Shack, Johnny’s Harborside, Kayak Connection and Nexus Wealth Advisors—will welcome trick-or-treaters. Meet at 135 5th Ave., Santa Cruz. For more information, call 831-475-6161.
A beloved sugarplum dream gets a mischievous twist this Halloween season in Nightmare Before Nutcracker, which reimagines the classic Christmas ballet as a spooky thriller.
This story begins not with a dream but with a nightmare. Nicknamed Spooky Nut, it’s fun, family-friendly, and filled with dancing in many styles, not just ballet.
This will be the second season that the International Academy of Dance in Santa Cruz has presented the Halloween-themed reimagining of Clara’s dream.
Unlike the Academy’s traditional Christmas production, which director Shannon Chipman and her dancers have presented since 2009, Nightmare Before Nutcracker gives the dancers a chance to let loose.
Expect to see rats making hip-hop moves and spiders dancing on pointe. The music promises to be just as creative, with modern interpretations of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker classics intermixed with some surprise song choices.
The spooky world of Clara’s dark dream will be illustrated with artful projections by local artist Cheyanne Donald-Diaz, and lighting effects are designed with strobe-sensitive audience members in mind.
Performances will include an intermission so guests can visit a Halloween “Boo-tique” and find home-made Halloween treats, with proceeds going to supporting the Academy’s teaching mission.
All are encouraged to dress up and join in a costume contest before each show. The evening is also interactive, with audience members invited to participate at times.
“It’s truly designed to bring families together and set a playful, festive tone for the season,” Chipman says.
Chipman has been a star in the local dance community since she performed as the Snow Queen in 1988. She left home to attend the Royal Academy of Ballet in London and the Juilliard School and spent 10 years as a professional dancer before training to become a commercial airline pilot.
Marriage and family led her to choose a career close to home over criss-crossing the skies, and an invitation to take ownership of a fledgling dance school proved to be a perfect chance to realize a longtime dream.
Chipman invites her dancers and volunteer stage crew to add their ideas to the choreography, costumes and story she has created, with inspiring joy always being most important goal in her productions.
“Dance has the power to bring people together across generations,” Chipman says. “It’s something we share, create and experience collectively.”
In December, look for the traditional Nutcracker at Cabrillo College. In June, the IAD and Santa Cruz City Ballet join together for the world premiere of Swan Lake: Wings of Stardust, a new take on the classic ballet that combines ballet with jazz, tap, hip-hop and more.
Asked what she hopes audiences will take away from their experience of the Spooky Nut, Chipman shares her belief in the power of dance—and the joy of sharing it.
“I want audiences to leave feeling full of fun and imagination and ready for Halloween. Our story reminds us that life is made of both battles and celebrations, and like the ebb and flow of any good tale, we can face challenges one step at a time. I hope people are reminded that it’s OK to ask for help when we need it, and that when we come together as a community, we can turn even the scariest nightmare into a dream.”
Nightmare Before Nutcracker runs Oct. 23–24 at 7pm and Oct. 25 at 1 and 4:30pm at The Landing, 251B Kings Village Rd., Scotts Valley. Tickets: $20.50–$25.50. iadance.com
The County of Santa Cruz on Wednesday named Nicole Coburn as its new Chief Executive Officer, just over three months after Carlos Palacios announced his retirement from the position.
The Board of Supervisors unanimously chose Coburn after a nationwide search during which 139 candidates from across the country applied.
The board is expected to finalize the decision during its Oct. 21 meeting.
Coburn will be the second woman in county history to serve as county executive officer.
Salary for the position ranges from $276,058 to $370,032 per year.
She has served as assistant executive officer since 2017, overseeing the county’s public safety and justice departments and the budget, among other things.
She has been with the county for more than 12 years, starting in 2013 as a senior and then principal administrative analyst before stepping into the assistant CEO role in October 2017.
She earned her B.A. in communication studies from UC Los Angeles in 1998, and a Master of Public Policy from UC Berkeley in 2003.
Coburn takes the county’s lead role as cuts from the federal level, compounded by an impending recession, threaten services and positions countywide.
As assistant county executive officer, Coburn oversaw public safety and justice initiatives, communications, legislative affairs and budget management for the county’s $1.3 billion organization.
She led the creation of Santa Cruz County’s first Strategic and Operational Plans, and advanced initiatives to expand access to justice and behavioral health care. She also championed programs to strengthen equity and representation—such as the “A Santa Cruz County Like Me” initiative and the Youth Advisory Task Force.
In addition, Coburn identified new funding streams to improve public services including Measure S, which has led to the modernization and construction of libraries throughout Santa Cruz County, county officials stated.
She also played key roles in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CZU Lightning Complex fires and multiple winter storms.
“Nicole Coburn has demonstrated exceptional leadership, integrity, and a deep understanding of the values that define our community,” Board Chair Felipe Hernandez said. “Her collaborative spirit, fiscal expertise, and commitment to equity will serve the County well as we continue to address housing, infrastructure, and climate resilience challenges together.”
Vice-Chair Monica Martinez also had praise for Coburn.
“She brings a deep commitment to collaboration, equity, and service, and upholds the highest ethical standards,” Martinez said. “Nicole’s steady leadership, compassion, and dedication to the people of Santa Cruz County will guide the organization toward a strong and successful future.”
The two-day selection process included the full board and an interview with a panel of community stakeholders from across the county.
Coburn spent part of her childhood living in Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada foothills, which she said gives her a connection to the environment and a commitment to public service and the community to the role.
“Santa Cruz County is a community of resilience, creativity, and compassion,” Coburn stated in a press release. “I’m deeply honored to continue serving our residents, supporting our workforce, and collaborating with our partners as County Executive Officer. Together, we will build on our foundation of transparency, accountability, and innovation to make this a place where every resident can thrive and belong.”
There’s no telling how much popcorn and soda or how many Red Vines, Junior Mints or M&Ms will be consumed during the Santa Cruz Film Festival, but it will be a LOT.
Starting on Oct. 8, 90-plus films will screen over five days at six venues. After many of the films, visiting filmmakers, directors and producers will participate in Q&A sessions with the audiences.
Intermixed with all that will be parties, celebrities-about-town, industry panels, craft talks, an awards ceremony, musical performances, community engagement, discussion, debate and more.
And all this comes after a three-year hiatus that seems to have brought out a burst of furious energy, because the Santa Cruz Film Festival has come roaring back to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
Of the nearly 100 films, there are features, documentaries and shorts in a variety of genres, with both international standouts and essential local stories. Given the size, scope and scale of this ambitious festival, there’s no way to capture it all in one article, so we’ve turned our attention particularly to films with a local angle or connection—those that are for or from our community.
SAY WHAT? Collage from the festival premiere, Fu*cktoys not G-rated. Photo: Contributed
Everything kicks off on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 7pm with a red-carpet premiere at the Landmark Del Mar Theater downtown with F*ckToys, the South by Southwest Grand Jury award-winning feature narrative film. Writer, director and star Annapurna Sirium will be in attendance.
Following that screening, the Festival’s Opening Night Gala takes place at 9pm at the Museum of Art and History (MAH) with music, drinks, art, filmmakers and lots of community engagement. DJ sets from Tide Swing will keep the dance floor popping. All are welcome and it’s free (with an RSVP ticket).
Be sure not to get too hungover after the Gala, because on Thurs., Oct. 9 there are daytime screenings leading up to the 7pm showing of Art & Life: The Story of Jim Philips, also at the Del Mar. Director John Makens and the film’s star, Jim Phillips, will be on hand.
Phillips, as we all know, is the genius behind skateboarding and rock culture’s electrifying art. According to the teaser, the documentary focuses on Phillips’ life in Santa Cruz, where he helped shape the golden era of skateboarding. The Film Festival summarizes it this way: “Jim’s story is a profound narrative of resilience, passion and enduring artistic vision. The documentary explores his life and career, showcasing his iconic work that has defined an era and secured his place in modern art history.”
The theme for the day is “Discoveries and Dialogues,” and there will be filmmaker Q&As all day, along with the screenings.
The Festival’s Spotlight Documentary, Out of Plain Sight, from Academy Award-winning L.A. Times Studios, will show on Oct. 9 at 6:30pm (The Colligan). There will be a Q&A with directors Daniel Straub and Pulitzer Prize finalist Rosanna Xia, along with Dr. David Valentine and wildlife biologist Joe Burnett.
The film explores the story behind how, in the years after World War II, as many as a half million barrels of toxic waste were quietly dumped into the ocean off the coast of Southern California—and the consequences continue to haunt the world today. The voiceover in the trailer is chilling: “It was one of those ‘holy crap’ moments. Somebody just filled this up with industrial waste, kicked it off a ship and it’s just been sitting here on the sea floor ever since.”
On Friday, Oct. 10 the theme is “Industry & Impact” with screenings all day throughout all six venues. Get ready to party again that evening, whenHWY 17 studioshosts filmmakers, press and partners at its huge (22,500 sq. ft.) new (as of July) event and production space on the Westside.
But before that comes a full day of screenings, including the Spotlight Film: “Arcadia,” by Yogos Zois (4:30pm at the Colligan Theater; in Greek with English subtitles). One of the characters is called to identify the victim of a tragic accident. As the story unfolds, the characters put the pieces of the puzzle together, revealing a haunting story of love, loss, acceptance and letting go.
Also on Oct. 10, UCSC alum Tadashi Nakamura premieres his new film Third Act (7pm Friday Santa Cruz Cinema)
Nakamura, who holds an MFA in Social Documentationfrom UCSC, is the son of Robert A. Nakamura, considered the godfather of Asian American film. As the filmmaking son of a filmmaking legend, Nakamura uses the lessons his dad taught him to decipher the legacy of an aging man who was a child survivor of the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans, a successful photographer who gave it up to tell his own story, an activist at the dawn of a social movement—and a father whose struggles have won his son freedoms that eluded Japanese Americans of his generation.
As Parkinson’s disease clouds his father’s memory, Tadashi Nakamura sets out to retrieve his story—and in the process discovers his own. The two have made films together for years, but Third Act is most likely their last. Stay after the screening for a Q&A with Tadashi Nakamura.
The Industry Panel at the Paradox Hotel on “Community Day” (Sat., Oct. 11 at 11am) is expected to be a highlight. The conversation will center on a few important questions: “How can Santa Cruz lead the way in creating a thriving indie film scene?” “What partnerships, policies, and community support are needed to incentivize filmmaking across the Central Coast?” And “How can we ensure access for diverse voices, local storytellers, and the next generation of creators?”
The following industry guests are lined up to tackle this conversation:
• Marc Smolowitz—producer/filmmaker, Outerlands; founder, 13th Gen
• Kerri Wood Einertson—executive director of Government Affairs & Public Policy, SAG-AFTRA NorCal Local
• Sam Bempong—#MakeItBay/East Bay Film Collective
• Consuelo Alba—executive director and cofounder, Watsonville Film Festival
• Mattie Scariot—executive director, Poppy Jasper International Film Festival
• Christina Glynn—Santa Cruz Film Commission
• Ryan “RJ” Allen—founder, HWY 17 Studios
• Paul Kmiec—filmmaker/executive director of Santa Cruz Film Festival
Later on Saturday, catch “Central Coast Shorts: Crossroads of Longing and Belonging” (4:30pm, The Colligan), which will include a screening of the 20-minute short HomeTown Homeless by Santa Cruz nativeMaleah Rose Welsh, 26, who also received her MFA in Social Documentationfrom UCSC.
The project began as an interview and portrait project, initially focusing on the city-sanctioned Benchlands homeless encampment. Over time, as Welsh pursued her degree, it evolved into a short documentary exploring the meaning of home. At the core is Welsh’s relationship with Mama Shannon, a poet, writer and member of the unhoused community.
Welsh says Mama Shannon’s “participation was intrinsic” to making the film. “It was a total collaboration. She was involved in every step of the filmmaking. Every cut. She wanted to focus on the women, so we emphasized those stories. We earned each other’s trust as artists and friends.”
This collaboration, which deepened over the two years it took to make the film, was key, Welsh says, to “delivering a film that the unhoused community respects, is proud of and feels connected to. What’s most important is they gave me a lot of time, thought, energy and care,” Welsh says.
Everything culminates on Oct. 12 with more screenings, the audience awards and closing ceremonies. At 4:30pm at the Colligan Theater, the festival hosts a Local Spotlight featuring the film Playing with Fire: An Ecosexual Emergency, followed by a Q&A with directors Beth Stephens and Annie Sprinkle.
MAKING ENDS MEET In Outerlands Cass juggles jobs as a nanny, restaurant server, and party drug dealer in order to make ends meet and pay for their tiny San Francisco apartment. Photo: Contributed
The closing feature, showing at 6:30pm, is Outerlands, with director Elena Oxman on hand to field Q&As. Outerlands is already attracting of attention, with Variety calling it “a film of great cinematic sleight of hand.” The film’s star, Asia Kate Dillon—one of the first non-binary lead actors—is known from roles in Billions, Orange is the New Black or John Wick: Chapter Three.
The producer for Outerlands, Marc Smolowitz, is an award-winning independent filmmaker who is a UCSC Theater Arts alum and former Santa Cruz local.
“Festivals are where we connect with other people in a communal setting,” Smolowitz says. “People need to come down. Let’s get out, get together, watch stories together. It’s hugely important.”
Why is it important?
“Because the audience completes the story,” he answers.
Smolowitz has another film in the Festival: A Deeper Love: The Story of Miss Peppermint (Oct. 10, 7:30pm at The 418 Project), which tells the story of Peppermint, the first openly transgender woman to compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race. She also originated the role of Pythio in Head Over Heels, becoming Broadway’s first openly trans woman to originate a principal role. This highly personal documentary film follows her life as a performer, singer, actress and activist over a nine-year journey.
The awards ceremony on Oct. 12 takes place at Woodhouse Blending & Brewing at 8:45pm. The ceremony will feature the presentation of 18 awards, recognizing outstanding achievement among this year’s filmmakers. Music starts at 10pm with J.A.M. and the Buttered Biscuits ready to rock the house. Admission is free, and all are welcome.
Viewers are advised to start their pre-game by visiting theFilm Festival’s website andbuying tickets. Several films are generating big buzz and will probably sell out.
Tickets for all screenings, panels and events can be purchased at santacruzfilmfestivals.org. While all-access VIP passes and themed packages are available, tickets to most of the individual films are $12.
No relationship is like any other. The way we bond with another has a distinctive identity that embodies the idiosyncratic chemistry between us. So in my view, it’s wrong to compare any partnership to a supposedly ideal template. Fortunately, you Aries are in a phase when you can summon extra wisdom about this and other relaxing truths concerning togetherness. I recommend you devote your full creativity and ingenuity to helping your key bonds ripen and deepen.
TAURUS April 20-May 20
Poet Rainer Maria Rilke advised, “Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves.” These days, dear Taurus, that’s your power move: to stay in conversation with mystery without forcing premature answers. Not everything needs to be fixed or finalized. Your gift is to be a custodian of unfolding processes: to cherish and nourish what’s ripening. Trust that your questions are already generating the early blooms of a thorough healing.
GEMINI May 21-June 20
I am a great admirer of Bart Simpson, a fictional fourth-grade student on the animated TV show The Simpsons. He is a constant source of unruly affirmations that we could all benefit from incorporating into our own behavior when life gets comically weird. Since I think you’re in such a phase now, Gemini, I am offering a batch of Bart-style gems. For best results, use them to free yourself from the drone of the daily routine and scramble your habitual ways of understanding the world. Now here’s Bart: 1. “I will not invent a new religion based on bubble gum.” 2. “I will not sell bottled ‘invisible water.’” 3. “I will not try to hypnotize my friends, and I will not tell co-workers they are holograms.” 4. “I will not claim to be a licensed pyrotechnician.” 5. “I will not use the Pythagorean theorem to summon demons.” 6. “I will not declare war on Thursdays.”
CANCER June 21-July 22
During its entire life, the desert plant Welwitschia mirabilis grows just two leaves. They never wither or fall off but continually grow, twist, split and tatter for hundreds of years. They keep thriving even as their ends are worn or shredded by wind and sand. I love how wild and vigorous they look, and I love how their wildness is the result of their unfailing persistence and resilience. Let’s make Welwitschia mirabilis your inspirational symbol in the coming weeks, Cancerian. May it motivate you to nurture the quiet, enduring power in your depths that enables you to express yourself with maximum uniqueness and authenticity.
LEO July 23-Aug. 22
Have you been to Morocco? I love that so many houses there are built around spacious courtyards with intricate tilework and lush gardens. Sooner or later, of course, the gorgeous mosaic-like floors need renovations. The artisans who do the work honor the previous artistry. “In rebuilding,” one told me, “our goal is to create new magnificence that remembers the old splendor.” I hope you pursue an approach like that in the coming weeks, Leo. The mending and healing you undertake should nourish the soulfulness you have cultivated, even as you polish and refine.
VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22
Virgo novelist Agatha Christie often planned her elaborate plots while cleaning her house or washing dishes. She said such repetitive, physical tasks unlocked her creativity, allowing ideas to emerge without force. I suggest you draw inspiration from her method in the coming weeks. Seek your own form of productive distraction. Instead of wrestling with a problem in a heroic death match, lose yourself in simple, grounding actions that free your mind to wander. I am pretty sure that your most brilliant and lasting solutions will emerge when you’re not trying hard to come up with brilliant and lasting solutions.
LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22
Libra architect Christopher Alexander developed a sixth sense about why some spaces feel comfortable while others are alienating. What was the source of his genius? He avoided abstract principles and studied how people actually used spaces. His best architecture soulfully coordinated the relationships between indoor and outdoor areas, private and public zones, and individual needs and community functions. The “quality without a name” was the term he used to identify the profound aliveness, wholeness and harmony of spaces where people love to be. In the coming weeks, Libra, I hope you access your own natural gift for curating relationships and cultivating balance. Your solutions should serve multiple needs. Elegant approaches will arise as you focus on connections rather than isolated parts.
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
Some medieval mystics claimed that angels spoke in paradoxes because the truth was too rich for simple logic. These days, I believe you Scorpios are extra fluent in paradox. You are raw yet powerful, aching and grateful, confounded but utterly clear. You are both dying and being reborn. My advice: Don’t try to resolve the contradictions. Immerse yourself in them, bask in them, and allow them to teach you all they have to teach. This may entail you sitting with your sadness as you laugh and letting your desire and doubt interweave. The contradictions you face with open-heartedness will gift you with sublime potency and authority.
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21
The ancient city of Petra, built in sandstone cliffs in what’s now Jordan, was mostly hidden from the outside world for centuries. In 1812, Sagittarian Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt rediscovered it by disguising himself as a pilgrim. He trained extensively in the Arabic language, Islamic culture and local customs so he could travel incognito. You Sagittarians can benefit from a similar strategy in the coming weeks. Life will conspire to bring you wonders if you thoroughly educate yourself about the people and situations you would like to influence. I invite you to hike your empathy up to a higher octave, cultivate respect for what’s unfamiliar, and make yourself extra available for exotic and inspiring treasures.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19
During the 1800s, countless inventors chased the impossible dream of perpetual-motion machines: contraptions that would run endlessly without any fuel source. Every attempt failed; such devices bucked the fundamental laws of physics. But here’s good news, Capricorn: You are close to cracking the code on a metaphorical version of perpetual motion. You are cultivating habits and rhythms that could keep you steady and vital for a long time to come. I predict the energy you’re generating will be self-sustaining.
AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18
Octopuses have three hearts and blue blood. They taste with their skin, solve puzzles and squeeze their entire bodies through coin-sized holes. No wonder they are referred to as the aliens of Earth, just as you Aquarians are the aliens of the zodiac. According to my analysis, now is a perfect time for you to embrace your inner octopus. I authorize you to let your strangeness lead the way. You have the right and duty to fully activate your multidimensional mind. Yes, you may be misunderstood by some. But your suppleness, radical empathy and nonlinear genius will be exactly what’s needed. Be the one who sees escape routes and paths to freedom that no one else perceives. Make the impossible look natural.
PISCES Feb. 19-March 20
Dear Pisces, it’s like you’re in one of those dreams when you’re exploring the attic or basement of your home and discover secret rooms you didn’t realize existed. This is good! It means you are finding uncharted frontiers in what you assumed was familiar territory. It suggests you are ready to see truths you weren’t ready for before. Congrats! Keep wandering and wondering, and you will discover what you didn’t even know you needed to know.
What’s it going to take to get people back into movie theaters for something other than the latest superhero bash?
That’s what we are hoping to see with the revival of the Santa Cruz Film Festival after a three-year hiatus. How about more than 90 movies you can’t see on your home screens, all presented to take you on unimaginable adventures? Add panels with directors and producers answering your questions about a slew of new, experimental, ambitious and glorious films?
That’s enough to get me out of my house and into the theaters. So much of cable entertainment is so predictable. We need things to take us to new frontiers and to represent people like us, not people who fly or talking raccoons (as much as I love James Gunn).
Looking over the listing of movies coming up in Joan Hammel’s cover story in this issue, it’s got to be exciting to see underrepresented people on the big screen.
On the minus front, I’m still depressed about losing all the art films at the Nickelodeon, which were crucial to my Santa Cruz education. On the positive side, we have both the Watsonville Film Festival and now its Santa Cruz sister. Isn’t that what living in a double college, highly educated county is about? The Nick was always crowded, or so I thought, and I can’t understand why it’s gone.
But if we can’t have brilliant international and local movies all the time, at least we can catch them in these two festivals. I really hope this launch is for the long term. We deserve it. When we talk about making Santa Cruz great again, great movies—or should I be cultural and say films—is one of the things we need to go with our symphony, our jazz club, our poets, our theater companies, our writers, our actors and directors, and our range of ambitious food, to name a few things.
We have a more diverse and intelligent culture than cities 10 times our size and it’s something to be proud of and to support. And the parties should be awesome.
Other highlights: After the movies, what’s the best thing to do? Read a great book before it gets made into a movie. We’ve got a local author writing about A.I., (not A-1 sauce). Read about this new novel in Josh Logan’s arts story.
Maybe you want to take a farm tour and see the cutting edge of food tech and organics? Our dining column by Mark C. Anderson maps it out for you.
Street Talk is back, and nothing has generated more complaints than when writer John Koenig took a break. Topic this week is about musical inspiration. Can’t miss.
Here’s a request: we’re looking for people to write about where they think Santa Cruz will be 50 years from now for one of our anniversary issues. Want to contribute? Send your thoughts to ed****@*****ys.com.
Have a great week and see ya at the movies.
Brad Kava | Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
HITCHCOCK ALERT This dad is a bird magnet at New Brighton Beach. Photography by Laurie Mello.
GOOD IDEA
This may be the deal of the fall. You can buy two hours of arcade time at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for $24.95 on weekdays through Nov. 26. For this family, that’s like a savings of $200 or more. On Saturdays and Sundays from 10am–noon the arcade games are half price. The only bummer is that you don’t win tickets during the specials. But, with all the money you’ll save, you can buy a plushy somewhere else. Go to beachboardwalk.com and look up fall arcade specials. You’re welcome.
GOOD WORK
More than 260,000 California 2nd graders are starting this school year with a $500–$1,500 scholarship through CalKIDS, the program that helps families prepare for college and career training. Each eligible 2nd grader is automatically awarded a minimum of $500 in their CalKIDS Scholarship Account. Foster youth and students experiencing homelessness receive an additional $500–$1,000, for a CalKIDS Scholarship Account worth up to $1,500.
The account can be used to support their future college and career goals.To learn more, visit CalKIDS.org. Nice work!
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“When people ask me if I went to school, I tell them ‘No, I went to films.’” —Quentin Tarantino
For those of us who are new to the Troma world, it was a bloody, gore-filled, offensive dream come true. Even if it meant flying out halfway across the country.
Growing up in Santa Cruz County, Cole Lemke was a natural-born artist who had alien worlds pouring out of his brain, down to his ink-stained fingers and out through his Micron pen.
International Academy of Dance in Santa Cruz presents a Halloween-themed reimagining of Clara’s dream with the fun, family-friendly Nightmare Before Nutcracker.
At the Santa Cruz Film Festival, 90-plus films will screen over five days at six venues. Filmmakers will participate in Q&A sessions with the audiences after many of the films.
What’s it going to take to get people back into theaters other than the latest superhero bash? That’s what we hope to see with the revival of the Santa Cruz Film Festival...
