New documentary shows how amazing wearable art was born from disaster.

Lynette Tolentino was watching Narnia’s wardrobe go up in Big Sur, larger-than-life mushrooms being constructed out of lampshades and a dragon coming to life. She was engraving magic wands made out of redwood which would be passed out to all the guests at the Big Sur Fashion Show (aka the Big Big Big Sur Fashion Show). It was 2013, and the theme of the year was “Once Upon a Time.”

Tolentino says, “Every morning I was waking up with the thought that ‘I need to film this, I need to document this!’” So she bought a Panasonic HD camera—nothing too fancy or expensive—and started filming.

Very quickly, her goal turned to creating a full length documentary.

Though this was her first foray into filmmaking, she says, “It came really naturally because I’m filming my community.”

She found that she had a steady hand and didn’t even need a tripod. What was more, the designers, models and organizers were willing to open up to her on camera because she was a trusted friend and long-time member of the fashion show team. She had been involved in large and small ways since the very first one in 2009.

Much like a mythical Phoenix, the fashion show was born from the ashes of the 2008 Basin Complex fire which tore through Big Sur, burned over 160,000 acres and consumed 58 structures. Tolentino’s documentary, appropriately titled Ashes to Art, tells the story of how residents Sara Carr and Lisa Goettel met in a bar and decided to do something to boost morale in the community after the fire.

Carr’s idea: Put on a fashion show.

Tolentino explains that Carr only had one movie with her when she was evacuated: Zoolander.

With Ben Stiller’s titular male model character as muse, the two of them went forth to create the Big Sur Fashion Show—something entirely off the beaten catwalk. Designers are challenged to create outfits using anything but traditional fabrics. Previous entries have used playing cards, book pages, chicken wire, even cotton candy. And they get to incorporate a little performance art during the show itself.

The whole spectacle has grown tremendously thanks to the enthusiastic embrace of the Big Sur community, and the creativity of everyone involved.

Elsa Rivera, house manager of this year’s fashion show, says, “It’s a tiny version of a Burning Man.”

It has grown more and more popular. The 300-plus tickets for the event could sell out in seconds, Rivera says.

In her documentary, Tolentino covers the growth of the show and what it has become in recent times. Carr and Goettel are central figures in her documentary, but designer LaVerne Mcleod, who has created an outfit every year of the show, also plays a large role.

Rivera says, “Lynette has done a really beautiful job. There are no actors; it’s very raw. People are very present in that moment of creative expression.”

Tolentino put together a nine-minute, 22-second short version of the film which was shown at the Carmel International Film Festival last year to an enthusiastic reception. “People were waving their hands in the Q&A and asking for more,” Tolentino said.

She’s giving it to them. She collaborated with Dean Celentano to edit and produce the full-length feature Ashes to Art which will have its premiere screening May 21 and 22 at this year’s abridged Big Sur Fashion Show at Henry Miller Library.

Rivera explains that the full fashion show is not happening this year because they are currently looking for a new venue. Henry Miller Library’s capacity is now capped at 120—far fewer than the 300 the show previously welcomed—and the organizers decided to scale down and not put on the namesake fashion show rather than cancelling the event altogether or turning guests away. There is still a costume contest for attendees and a kid’s fashion show emceed by Michelle Magdalena Maddox.

As for Tolentino, she is in the process of entering Ashes to Art to Sundance, the Carmel International Film Festival and other film festivals. And she did put “A Lynette Tolentino Film” in the credits as a nod to Quentin Tarantino, whose last name sounds uncannily similar to hers.

For more about the Big Sur Fashion Show and to purchase tickets ($20 for May 21 dinner and a movie, $25 for May 22 kid’s fashion show and movie night) visit www.bigsurfashionshow.com