Cristiana DiPietro wants to make it in film. The Pacific Grove resident started by working in distribution and, for a while, was an actress in B movies. She worked in the art department on the reality show The Bachelorette and produced a few short films. She shot her first feature, 2007’s McTaggart’s Fortune, starring a reunited Parker Stevenson (Hardy Boys) and Pamela Sue Martin (Nancy Drew), here in town. Another feature she worked on was Zero Dark Dirty.
Don’t worry, she says, “It’s not a porn, it’s a comedy.”
The 2008 film stars Corey Feldman, The Iron Sheik, Daniel Baldwin, Larry Thomas (Seinfeld’s “soup nazi”), Frank Stallone, and presciently concerns the assassination of Osama bin Laden, who was killed in 2011.
Her varied career seems guided by an agreeability to unforeseen turns, native resourcefulness and gumption. Last year, DiPietro, with some help, launched the Monarch Film Festival.
It was so small she didn’t count the receipts; she just handed them over to host theater Lighthouse Cinemas. “Last year was really hard,” she says.
But that hasn’t stopped her from trying again. The second annual is Dec. 11 and 12, and there’s reason to check it out.
She got more submissions this time – about 200 – which allows for a more discerning crop of international, national and local submissions. A number of filmmakers will be on hand for Q&As.
“[The filmmakers] are going to take ownership of their film Q&A,” DiPietro says. Meaning, they are tasked with conducting them without a moderator, which seems a recipe for getting out of hand.
The bulk of films roll Wednesday evening on four new screens at Lighthouse Cinemas. On Thursday, all the local films and the festival’s winners show after an award ceremony. Ticket packages are confusing, broken down into 12 pricing structures that get you entry into confined segments: Do you want the student short package or student narrative package? How do you know?
But with the right expectations, this festival is worth a look for its local focus, its dizzy variety and pure gumption.
“I’m doing this out of pocket,” DiPietro says. “Even though it might be financially unstable, we’re still going to do it.”
And its heart is in the right place.
“It’s important to me to support local filmmakers,” DiPietro says. “I didn’t have that.”
MONARCH FILM FESTIVAL takes place 4:15-10pm Wednesday and 5:30-9pm Thursday, Dec. 11 and 12, at Lighthouse Cinemas, 525 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. $5-$25 day for individual films or packages. www.MonarchFilmFestival.com, info@monarchfilmfestival.com.
(2) comments
I have read many Coast Weekly articles in the past that have been nothing but supportive to locals trying to promote the arts. Though, this one seems to have taken quite a demeaning tone, amplifying the writer's reluctant vote of confidence. One of the closing lines referencing the festival is: "And its heart is in the right place." Is yours Coast Weekly? You can do better than this for a film festival that has the potential to catch fire and bring much needed support to Pacific Grove.
Wow, what a condescending article. It almost sounds like the author is upset that he is writing it. Was the author upset that he is working for a crappy little local newspaper? Maybe it's because his dreams are crushedand he wants to spit on someone who is actually taking steps to make a name for themselves. Funny thing too, I believe this author is married to Enid Bladder, the director of CSUMB's film department. CSUMB has students in this festival who are trying to start their careers. As a graduate of CSUMB I find this dispicable. How about not trying to use what little influence you have to put down a celebration of the arts and use it to uplift it.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.