Honorable Mention

As the Santa Barbara International Film Festival celebrated the debut of its 33rd year at the Arlington across the road, the Anti-Defamation League honored First Responders and SB County Search and Rescue with its third annual bash at Villa and Vine across the way.

The 130-guest bash, chaired by Beth Katz, raised $10,000 toward the purchase of waterproof radios and, as is tradition, honored the documentary Sky and Ground involving a family fleeing adversity.

Among the guests were David Edelman, Dan Meisel, Rob and Prudence Sternin, Harry and Judi Weisbart, Kim and Tammy Hughes, Allan and Nancy Kaplan, Steve and Diana Zipperstein, Gretchen Lieff, Donna Baranco Fisher, Mary Beth Riordan, and Bob and Joan Rothenberg.

The Arlington featured the world premiere of the public, written and directed by Emilio Estevez, starring Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater.

Actor Martin Sheen, Estevez’s father, was also in attendance.

Let’s Dance

UCSB Arts & Lectures had two back-to-back, sold-out shows at the Granada with two groundbreaking French dance companies.

Kicking off the dance dynamics was choreographer Kader Attou and his all-male cast of 11 who comprise Accrorap making their West Coast debut with The Roots with their energized approach to the art of urban street dancing, a truly breathtaking show.

Just 24 hours later, the popular French-Canadian troupe Cirque Eloize performed Saloon, an homage to the Wild West with impressive aerial acrobatics and choreography accompanying the music of Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline. 

No wonder, during the last 24 years, the company’s 11 shows have boasted more than 4,000 performances in more than 500 cities, being seen by more than 3,000,000 spectators.