If you're looking for a great festival in the San Francisco Bay Area and lower north coast of California, the 11th annual Santa Cruz Film Festival is opening right now (follow their Twitter feed here). The film buzz tonight surrounds CALIFORNIA STATE OF MIND, a documentary about the late Governor Pat Brown (father of Gov. Jerry Brown). This is the man who built the California Aqueduct and arguably turned California into a fully modern state. To see the trailer, visit: http://patbrowndocumentary.com/trailer/index.html
Considering the contentious nature of the political arena today, this may be the kind of film to inspire a new way (or, perhaps, an older way) of thinking about successful governance of the state. It's certainly a must-see for history buffs. The filmmakers have created an accompanying educational curriculum for middle and high school students (teachers, take note), so it's one of those rare, kid-friendly festival films (whether or not tweens and teens find it interesting enough to actually enjoy, I haven't yet heard). It played well at the Newport Beach Film Festival and is likely to continue making the festival circuit.
Santa Cruz is a great venue for hanging out with friends and family--let me know what you think of the festival using the Film Fest Connect Facebook page or the FFC Twitter feed.
