SPECIAL GUESTS
Bob Mackie - FLIFF Lifetime Achievement Award
Costume and fashion designer Bob Mackie is a nine-time Emmy Award winner, Geoffrey Beene CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, and has three Oscar nominations. He received a 2019 Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award for his work on The Cher Show. His Broadway credits include Moon Over Buffalo and Putting It Together, starring Carol Burnett, Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public, Minnelli on Minnelli, Lorelei with Carol Channing, and On the Town with Bernadette Peters and Phyllis Newman. Broadway on television: “Once Upon a Mattress” starring Carol Burnett, “Gypsy” starring Bette Midler, “Carousel,” “Brigadoon,” “Of Thee I Sing,” and “Kismet.”
Bob’s inventive and memorable designs have helped raise entertainers like Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Cher, Elton John, Ann- Margret, Bernadette Peters, Miley Cyrus, Mitzi Gaynor, Carol Burnett, Bette Midler, Pink, Zendaya, and Cher to iconic status both onscreen and off.
QUEEN OF THE RING / OPENING NIGHT GUESTS
GAVIN CASALEGNO launched his acting career in 2010 as a
fourteen-year-old actor in CHASE, followed by LONE STAR in the
same year. Four years later, now 18 years old, he takes a role in THE
VAMPIRE DIARIES. Six years would pass till 2021, and an 8-episode
run on WALKER. His big breakthrough came with the 2022-23 series
THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY where he portrayed Jeremiah for 16 episodes.
Among his big screen work is BUTTER (2011), NOAH, WHEN THE GAME STANDS
TALL, DEAD STILL (2014), NINE SECONDS (2017), THE UNHEALER (2020), and
QUEEN OF THE RING (2024).
FRANCESCA EASTWOOD has a wealth of credits, including OH,
YOU PRETTY THINGS, PERCEPTION (2014), THE WRONG
BOYFRIEND, MOTHER OF ALL LIES, GIRL MISSING, HEROES REBORN
(2015), FARGO, TWIN PEAKS (2017), on the tube, and THE STARS
FELL ON HENRIETTA (1995), TRUE CRIME (1999), JERSEY BOYS
(2014), FINAL GIRL, KIDS VS MONSTERS (2015), OUTLAWS AND ANGELS, THREE
DEATHS (2016), M.D.M.A., M.F.A. THE VAULT (2017), A VIOLENT SEPARATION,
AWAKE (2019), OLD, ATTENTION ATTENTION (2021), HILL HIKERS (2022),
CLAWFOOT (2023), RUNNING ON EMPTY, JUROR #2, and QUEEN OF THE RING
(2024). Francesca is currently in pre-production for LIVE FST, DIE LAUGHING
starring opposite Harvey Keitel.
EMILY BETTS RICKARDS began her career with ROMEO
KILLER: The Chris Porco Story, followed by ARROW BLOOD
RUSH (2013), PARANORMAL SOLUTIONS, COMEDY BANG!
BANG! (2016), VIXEN (2015-16), SUPERGIRL (2017), THE
FLASH (2014-17), D.C. LEGENDS OF TOMORROW (2016-17),
ARROW (2012-20..155 episodes!). Then on the Big Screen
RANDOM ACTS OF ROMANCE (2012), DAKOTA’S SUMMER
(2014), BROOKLYN (2015), AXIS (2017), FUNNY STORY, THE
CLINIC (2018), WE NEED TO TALK (2022), AUTUMN AND THE BLACK JAGUAR,
CLAMITY JANE (as Calamity Jane), and QUEEN OF THE RING (2024).
Matt Walsh- 2023 Career Achievement
Matt Walsh is an American comedian and actor, best known for his role as Mike McLintock in Veep for which he received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. He is a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe, with which he co-starred in its original television series and the 2015 reboot, and was a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He has also appeared in films such as Road Trip (2000), Bad Santa (2003), School for Scoundrels (2006),
Role Models (2008), The Hangover (2009) and The Do-Over (2016).
Along with Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, and Ian Roberts, he is a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade improv comedy troupe and played “Trotter” in the troupe’s sketch comedy series, which ran for three seasons on Comedy Central.
In 2012, he began co-starring as Mike McLintock in the HBO series Veep, for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2016 and 2017. Walsh directed his first feature film High Road, an indie-comedy he co-wrote with Josh Weiner. Walsh co-wrote his second film, A Better You, with Brian Huskey, who also stars in the film.
Matt will receive the Career Achievement Award prior to THE GOOD HALF on Friday, Nov 3, 7pm at Hard Rock.
David Arquette - 2023 Career Achievement
David Arquette has been a household name in Hollywood for over 30 years. The youngest of the Arquette acting dynasty (stretching all the way back to his great grandparents), David recently reprised his role as Dewey Riley in the relaunch of SCREAM, which had a #1 opening weekend. David is also known for modem classics like BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, AIRHEADS, JOHNS, NEVER BEEN KISSED, READY TO RUMBLE and 3000 MILES TO GRACELAND.
David has also produced successful TV series like COUGAR TOWN and CELEBRITY NAME. Arquette is an investor in XTR, the leading premium nonfiction film and television studio in America, which has produced the critically acclaimed feature documentary on himself called YOU CANNOT KILL DAVID ARQUETTE,
David will receive the Career Achievement Award prior to THE GOOD HALF on Friday, Nov 3, 7pm at Hard Rock.
Alexandra Shipp - 2023 Career Achievement
Alexandra Shipp is an American actress and singer, best known for playing Storm in the X-Men franchise, starting with X-Men: Apocalypse, Abby Suso in the 2018 romantic comedy Love, Simon, and Susan Wilson in musical drama tick, tick… BOOM! Most recently, Shipp co-starred in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. In 2009, Shipp made her acting debut with a minor role in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.
She reprised the role of Ororo Munroe / Storm in the 2019 film Dark Phoenix, and, the same summer, also starred as Sasha Arias in the Shaft sequel. This past spring, Shipp was on the Cinema Paradiso Hollywood screen (ok, and cinemas across the nation) in SPACE ODDITY, directed by Kyra Sedgewick. Films in production include Kung Fury 2 and Anyone But You.
Alexandra will receive the Star On The Horizon Award prior to THE GOOD HALF on Friday, Nov 3, 7pm at Hard Rock.
Charles Martin Smith - 2023 Lifetime Achievement
Charles Martin Smith first came to prominence as one of the young stars of George Lucas’ AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973). He has starred in many other films including Brian DePalma’s THE UNTOUCHABLES (as the accountant who caught Al Capone), and Sam Peckinpah’s PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID. In THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY Smith used his musical background to portray the bass player of the Crickets, playing all the music live. In Carroll Ballard’s NEVER CRY WOLF, Smith spent two years in the high arctic, working with wolves, caribou, and developing a deep friendship and appreciation for the Inuit. It was a life-changing experience that led to Smith emigrating to Canada. Other acting credits include DEEP COVER, THE HOT SPOT, DEEP IMPACT, LUCKY YOU, and John Carpenter’s STARMAN, as well as many TV films and mini-series in a career spanning over 50 years.
Smith was born in L.A. where his father, Frank A. Smith, was a respected animator and director, working for most of the major studios. Smith attended UCLA and Cal State University Northridge, majoring in theatre, with an emphasis in directing. After college, he continued to study acting privately with acclaimed acting teacher Nina Foch, while pursuing a successful career in acting, writing and directing in films and television. Smith made his film directing debut with the satirical horror film TRICK OR TREAT (1986), for Dino DeLaurentis.
Charles will receive his Lifetime Achievement Award on Saturday, Nov 4, 3:15pm, Savor Cinema before the screening of THIS TIME.
MIchael Chiklis - 2023 Career Achievement
Michael Chiklis is an Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor best known for his role in the acclaimed drama series THE SHIELD.
Chiklis can currently be seen as the infamous Celtics Coach Red Auerbach, in Season 2 of the critically acclaimed HBO series WINNING TIME from Producers Adam McKay and Kevin Messick. Chiklis also recently starred in and directed an episode of the Fox and Howard Gordon anthology series THE ACCUSED.
In 2021, Chiklis made a cameo in Netflix and Adam McKay’s feature film DON’T LOOK UP opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence.
Known as one of the pioneers of cable television, Michael played the lead role of Detective Vic Mackey in the critically acclaimed series THE SHIELD for FX. Paving the way for grounded and more authentic television viewing, both Chiklis and the show won multiple Emmy and Golden Globe Awards and received over 61 nominations and 13 wins in its 7-season run. His additional television credits include NO ORDINARY FAMILY, VEGAS, GOTHAM, and the critically acclaimed AMERICAN HORROR STORY. Chiklis also played the lead in the Paramount+ series COYOTE in which he starred and produced.
Showing an exceptional range of versatility, Chiklis stood out in his role as action hero The Thing/Ben Grimm in the FANTASTIC 4 franchise. Chiklis’ film credits include EAGLE EYE, THE THREE STOOGES, and WIRED. As he continues his career as an actor, Michael is additionally focusing on his work as a director, with several projects in development or production.
Michael Chiklis will receive the Career Achievement Award on Thursday, November 9th prior to a screening of THE SENIOR at Savor Cinema.
