Ojai film festival offers a taste of Hollywood mixed with beads and incense.

If you drive about an hour northwest of Los Angeles, tucked away into the coastal hills, you 'll find Ojai. A native American word meaning 'Moon's Nest'. Ojai has about 8,000 residents, a mix of L.A. retirees, Hollywood veterans, farmers and many counter cultural folks who love its spiritual,small-town vibe..sits at the base of some impressive mounts called the topa topas...At sunset the hills glow warmly in what the natives refer to as 'the pink moment".

We enjoyed some warm moments ourselves as we showed our film at the 11th Ojai film festival Nov. 4-7th. Met lots of Southern Californians at Ojai who loved our film and thanked us for its sweetness, honesty and uplifting message. Great weather greeted our Southern Cal debut along with good sized audiences too...We loved both the Art Center and Ojai Playhouse venues.

We attended some terrific workshops with legendary cinematographer Michael Chapman (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Last Detail), listened to the wisdom of Independent Producer Larry Turman (the Graduate), rubbed shoulders with other filmmakers from L.A., latvia and AFI and saw films you just can't see anywhere else...Special thanks to Steve and Liz Grumette for sharing their home with us and talking us up with locals...who couldn't have been warmer...thanks Ojai!

Duke City Docfest wraps...nominates BTTG for award.

The first annual Duke City Docfest took place October 10-15th...Back to the Garden had two screenings. Not a hollywood A-list scene to be sure but the organizers hope to make it a big draw in the years to come...I went because our film was shown in the KIMO theater.

The KIMO is the kind of place you want to be married in and buried in...It's a landmark movie palace that the city wisely treasures and has recently renovated to show off its T and A... Treasures and architecture! It's worth a lot more text but just take my word for it, it's like no other movie theater you've ever been to...an amazing movie palace that's one of a kind.

We were nominated for Best Cinematography. Cool!

My Albuquerque hostess with the mostess, Cousin Tama! Who was also 'born in the you es seh'. You Rock Girl! And in no small part thanks to her parrot 'Montel Herman' who only bit me once and likes me just fine now...

A shop on Central ave..I love the way the chain drape turns this scene into a kind of modern pointilist painting...I had huge fun shooting on old Route 66.

Downtown Albuquerque...Central Avenue, the heart of the City...the old Route 66 highway.
Yep, Duke City's turnout was modest...but we had a great Q & A...heck they agreed to pose for a group photo just to commemorate the occasion of Albuquerque's first year Documentary fest!
The facade of the venerable KIMO theater...a mix of art deco architecture combined with an incredible decor of southwest indian art...a true movie palace I'm honored to have shown our film at...thanks so much Jesse and the generous folks at the Duke City Docfest.

Tacoma Film Festival awards its top prize: "BEST DOCUMENTARY" to the 'Garden'

Director, Kevin Tomlinson receives "BEST DOCUMENTARY" award from Emily Alm, Tacoma Film Festival's director of programming and communication at the Grand Cinema in Tacoma on sunday 10-10-10....

Vancouver International turns it up a huge notch with two sold out shows and great press.

Vancouver was nearly a perfect audience for our film...home to many draft dodgers during Vietnam and haven to alternative lifestyles, B.C. is to Canada as California is to the States.

We screened on the first two days of the festival to capacity crowds who really 'got' our film. They laughed and sighed at every opportunity, hung on every word and gave thunderous applause following the film.

The organizers put us up in a beautiful downtown hotel, showered us with genuine Canadian affection, hosted Judy and I at gala event parties with Cirque mimes, delectable food and booze...We were pinching ourselves. Then we wake up to great newspaper reviews in the Vancouver Sun and the Georgia Straight, did interviews on Global TV and CBC radio's 'on the coast'. The consensus: Vancouver absolutely loved our film.

I can't say enough for the professionalism, genuine warmth and egalitarian atmosphere Vancouver's festival organizers exude...If this wasn't the best, it was damn near the best we've ever encountered along our festival journey...Met wonderful down to earth industry folk, hobnobbed and just generally had a very memorable experience in Vancity.

A huge hit of wind for our sails...

Big Weekend screenings in the Okanogan.

*click on news articles to enlarge....

Thanks to everyone who came out last weekend in both Tonasket and Twisp

to support "Back to the Garden, flower power comes full circle".

We had big friendly audiences in both screenings with lots of laughter and some tears. You made us feel like family! We love you and look forward to coming back again soon...

Special thanks to Don at KTRT 97.5 fm in the beautiful Methow valley, Joyce Campbell and Sue Misao at the Methow Valley News, Aaron Studen at the Twisp River Pub for all their help in getting folks to come see what turned out to be a very special screening. It was packed!!!

Thanks also go to Emily Hanson at the Okanogan Gazette and Sheila Corson of the Omak Chronicle for writing fab stories that helped spark local interest in of our 2o year film project.

In Tonasket, thanks to River Jones, Peter James, Julie Greenwood, Alice and all the great folks at the Tonasket Community Cultural Center and the Tonasket Co-op, where it all began!