SLO Jewish Film Festival to honor 2 female producers with lifetime award

A pair of Hollywood movie producers will be honored at next year’s San Luis Obispo Jewish Film Festival.

Susan Arnold and Donna Roth, the producing team behind “13 Going on 30,” “Grosse Pointe Blank” and “The Haunting,” will receive the festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award on Jan. 6 at the Palm Theatre in San Luis Obispo.

The event includes a question-and-answer session with Roth and Arnold — whose credits as a casting director include “Gremlins,” “Revenge of the Nerds” and “National Lampoon’s Vacation ”— plus a screening of “Unstrung Heroes.”

Arnold and Roth are the first team to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, said Lauren Bandari, executive director of the JCC-Federation of San Luis Obispo, which sponsors the festival. It’s previously been given only to individuals.

The award honors members of the movie industry “whose contributions ... have made a difference in the pursuit of filmmaking excellence,” according to a news release. Past recipients include producer Alexandra “Alex” Rose, sound editor David E. Stone and actor Saul Rubinek.

Also being honored at the San Luis Obispo Jewish Film Festival, now in its eighth year, are Los Osos residents Ron and Sandy Baers.

On Jan. 7, the Baerses will receive the Irina Star Legacy Award — named after late film festival supporter Irina Starodubzew — for “their outstanding community contributions and dedication,” Bandari said.

Other festival highlights include a dinner, receptions, filmmaker Q&As and screenings of movies such as “A League of Their Own,” “Yentl” and “Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story.”

Admission to the San Luis Obispo Jewish Film Festival, which takes place Jan. 4, 6, 7 and 15, ranges from $15 to $200 (some events are free). For information, call 805-426-5465 or visit www.jccslo.com.

This story was originally published December 21, 2017 at 1:53 PM with the headline "SLO Jewish Film Festival to honor 2 female producers with lifetime award."