Calabasas Festival’s Surprise Drive-in

The seventh annual Calabasas Film Festival will take place virtually this year as the coronavirus outbreak keeps movie theaters closed. Starting on Sept. 23, all features, short films, documentaries and student work will be available at the festival website for a 30-day period. Films are $9.99 each or an all-access festival pass can be purchased for $49.99. Festival Director Kelley Fries, who co-founded it with her sister Nicole Fries, said the 30-day window gives the opportunity for viewers to go back and re-watch any of the films they like. “It will give enough time to be able to see all of them,” Fries said. In addition to the screening via the website, a one night only drive-in movie experience will take place Sept. 25 at the 588-acre King Gillette Ranch. The film to be shown won’t appear in theaters or be available for streaming until October, Fries said. “We’ll have the filmmakers on hand to do an intro and for a Q&A afterward as well,” she added. General admission tickets are $20 per car or $100 for the VIP experience that includes front lot parking, dinner and a gift bag. “I am super thrilled that we still get to do it and will have the virtual film festival online and then be able to have an event where we can be together safely and get out of our homes and enjoy a movie,” Fries said. The festival requires that all attendees wear masks when outside their vehicle or interacting with staff. Outside food and drinks are allowed. The film’s audio will be transmitted through the car radio. The event will also include a drive-through photo booth in which guests, staying in their vehicle, are superimposed onto a green screen with a scene from the movie, Fries said. “It’s cool still having a photo booth even though you cannot get out of your car,” she said. The sisters decided to start the festival after seeing the city had not hosted one in a few years after Method Fest had pulled out of its screenings and events in 2011, finding it difficult to attract sponsors. With so many residents in the entertainment industry in some capacity – including their father, Joe Fries, a producer – it made for a natural fit to have a festival where everyone could come out and celebrate movies that they all love, Fries said. The festival differs from others in the region in that it is not a competition festival and shows predominantly first-run movies from the major Hollywood studios. It does however, Fries said, take time to celebrate the work of student filmmakers and showcase their projects that do get judged in five categories. The festival has awarded more than $20,000 in industry books, software and other goodies to the students. In addition to the feature films, the festival will also screen short films and documentaries. “We just wanted to hit every base and make sure that we have it all covered,” Fries noted.