The
Calabasas Film Festival is set to return later this month with major movie
premieres, student films, documentaries and short films.

The
four-day event is directed by Kelley Fries and Nicole Fries, with help from
their father, Joe Fries, and his business partner, Natalie Khoury. Joe Fries
and Khoury run the Calabasas-based production company Pelagius Entertainment.

The
film festival will take place Sept. 21 through 25 in theaters at the Commons
and Viewpoint School, and will feature screenings, question-and-answer sessions
and after-parties.

“The
festival is very exciting as it brings the spotlight to our wonderful
community,” Calabasas Councilmember David Shapiro said.

The
event kicks off at 5 p.m. Wed., Sept. 21 with a cocktail hour at Anza Hotel
followed by the screening of a studio film and an after-party at Pedalers Fork
restaurant. The film and screening location have yet to be announced.

At
5:30 p.m. Thurs., Sept. 22, filmmakers and fans will gather for a cocktail hour
at Le Pain Quotidien in the Commons followed by another yet-to-be announced
major studio film screening at Edwards Cinema from 7 to 9 p.m. and an after-party
in the City Hall courtyard.

The
Friday screening of the action movie “Marauders” starring Bruce Willis will
take place at 7 p.m. at Viewpoint School. Ticket holders can take part in a
Q&A with some of the filmmakers and actors, and an after-party will follow
at the Calabasas Country Club.

Festivities
will continue Saturday with screenings at Edwards and Viewpoint School.

“There
will be something for everyone at the festival. Films and documentaries
representing diverse topics will be featured,” festival director Kelley Fries
said.

The
documentary “ Gold Balls,” about tennis players over 80 who compete for a
national championship title, will be shown at the Edwards theater at 11 a.m.
Saturday. Next up is a selection of short films, including Danny Devito’s
“Curmudgeons.” The documentary “The Hollywood Shorties,” about a professional
basketball team made up of dwarf athletes, will screen at 3 p.m.

Screenings
will continue at 4 p.m. at Viewpoint School with “Wheels over Paradise,”
featuring a brotherhood of downhill skateboarders in Santa Barbara who battle
negative public perception and a ban on the sport.

At
7 p.m. Saturday, “Manchild: The Schea Cotton Story,” will be shown at
Viewpoint, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and an after-party on the
school campus.

Cotton
was touted as one of the best high school players of all time in the 1990s. He
was courted by sponsors and seemed destined to be an NBA star, but when he
failed to be drafted the attention shifted away and he continued his career out
of the spotlight.

“
Manchild” features Scoop Jackson, Paul Pierce and Elton Brand, among others.

In
keeping with the sports theme, the world premiere of ESPN’s short film “The
Amazing Adventures of Wally and the Worm” directed by Colin Hanks will be
screened before “Manchild. The film shows what happened before the 1996-97
playoffs when Chicago Bull’s coach Phil Jackson assigned intern trainer Wally
Blase to oversee the rehab of Dennis Rodman.

The
festival will wind down starting at 1 p.m. Sunday with screenings of student
films and an awards ceremony at Calabasas Library Founders Hall.

About
100 local student filmmakers entered this year’s competition.