MSN_060717

6 | June 7, 2017 | Malibu surfside news News
malibusurfsidenews.com
Salon Series event to feature leading Malibuites
Open seating
offered for June
15 screening of
‘Malibu Stories’
Barbara Burke
Freelance Reporter
The Cultural Arts Commission’s
upcoming Salon
Series will feature a screening
of the hour-long documentary
“Malibu Stories,”
which depicts and celebrates
the lives and personal
journeys of 10 eclectic and
leading Malibu citizens.
The screening of the
piece, produced by 27
Miles, will be held at Malibu
City Hall’s Civic Theater
at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June
15.
The piece recounts the
lives and very eclectic journeys
of 10 locals who are
leaders in their own realms.
The individuals represented
in the film series
are: Mati Waiya, Chumash
ceremonial elder; Richard
Gibbs, world-famous film
composer and musician;
Leigh McCloskey, actor
and visionary artist; Skylar
Caputo, a female beach
volleyball player at Pepperdine;
Khalil Rafati, an entrepreneur;
Talley Hutcherson,
an equine therapist; David
Ashwell, a local artist; Dave
Bassett, a musician and musical
producer; Mitch Taylor,
a local surfer; and John
Clarity, whose beach art depicts
the glories and nuances
of Malibu’s golden coast.
“I’m a Malibu boy, I was
born and raised here. It is
my soul and my delight,”
McCloskey said. “It has cultivated
a profound sense of
community and love of the
land that has been a blessing
and an honor to be part of.”
Hutcherson, on the other
hand, was drawn to Malibu
as a young adult because of
her lifelong love for horses.
She chose to attend Pepperdine,
she said, because the
university’s physical education
program included a riding
program.
“I moved to Malibu, finished
school here and never
regretted another decision
after that,” she said. “I have
lived an amazing adventurous
life because of horses,
Malibu and living a life of
service to both.
“The world is a better
place with horses,” she continued
“... It makes me sad
to see horses leaving Malibu
and thinking about how
much we need connections
to nature and animals and
don’t provide resources to
ensure they remain here and
available to those in need.”
Caputo, who also hails
from Pepperdine, said she
was honored to be selected
for the film series.
“After being a part of
the whole process of filming
and getting to know the
crew, I am excited to see all
of their final products and
meet the other featured residents,”
Caputo said. “I’m
looking forward to seeing
other people’s perspective
and connection to Malibu.”
All those featured add to
the narrative that is unique
and very special — the narrative
of Malibu.
“I’m fairly well-traveled.
I’ve been to three continents,
traveled across this
country 11 times and have
been to three islands relatively
recently as well,”
Rafati said, noting he is
highly honored to be featured
in “Malibu Stories.”
“There is absolutely nothing
as unique as Malibu. The
people here are blessed with
the beauty and grace of this
land and ocean.
Pepperdine women’s volleyball player Skylar Caputo is one of the 10 individuals
featured in “Malibu Stories,” which will be shown June 15 at Malibu’s City Hall. Taylor
Alvarado/Pepperdine Athletics
Chumash ceremoial elder Mati Waiya is another individual featured in “Malibu Stories,”
a film which highlights 10 locals. 27 miles
“I am a recipient of the
loving and healing energy
of this sacred and hallowed
ground. I know of no other
place where I could have
received such an outpouring
of love.”
Rafati’s story is one of
redemption, optimism and
new beginnings. Once deep
in an abyss of addiction and
perilously close to losing
his life, Rafati fought back,
with the help of Malibuites,
rallied, and is now the owner
of SunLife Organics.
“Malibu Stories” is the
brainchild of film producers
Jay Armitage and Jules
Williams, whose work in
the world of creativity spans
entertainment genre and
includes BBC, Fox, Showtime,
CBS, Warner Brothers,
ESPN and EcoMedia,
just to name a few.
“Jules has a very romantic
view of Malibu that I
endorse,” Gibbs said. “This
work depicts why people
are here and how they come
from all different walks of
life.”
Gibbs, who is honored
for his panoramic career as
a composer and musician,
has eclectic and impressive
credits, including: performing
with Chaka Kahn, Tom
Jones, The Staples, Korn,
and Maxine Nightingale;
directing “The Tracey Ullman
Show,” “Muppets
Tonight!”; writing music
for the first season of “The
Simpsons”; and recording
with Robert Palmer, Poco,
Melissa Etheridge, War, and
Stan Ridgway, just to name
a few.
Gibbs, like the others who
are featured, keeps creating
and adding to the Malibu
conversation.
“Malibu is the co-star in
all of our stories,” Williams
said. “It is a living, breathing
sacred entity ever-present
within the individual
and within the community.
“In making this docuseries,
we learned how
deeply the community loves
Malibu, particularly its nature
and environment,” he
continued. “The biggest
challenge that we faced was
making sure that we did
each contributor’s story justice
both cinematographically
and narratively.”
Ashwell said he is most
impressed with “Malibu
Stories.”
“When I was first approached,
I was worried
that the series might come
across as depicting only the
affluent and seem to be elitist,”
Ashwell said. “Rather,
it depicts a cross-section
of Malibu’s people, from a
student, to artists, to business
leaders. The producers
extracted from all facets of
life. They depict all 27 miles
of Malibu and show that everybody
has a Malibu story.
When one comes to Malibu,
he is struck by the stunning
light here. One wakes up
with a sense of optimism.
Light feeds us all and gives
a great sense of optimism —
and that is Malibu.”
The “Malibu Stories”
screening will have open
seating for the first 240
people to attend; no reservations
are required.
The event will include
an extensive question and
answer session with the producer,
as well as some of
those featured in the film.
Celebrity guest Alan Roderick-Jones,
an Arts Commission
member who is an art
designer that curated “Star
Wars,” will serve as the evening’s
moderator.