At NMA we reminese alot about what our DNA is.. our roots come from an independent film festival we created in 1997. It was a year long showcase of the best US and international Indie films. It lead the an annual accolade called the Moxie Awards! People voted on this award throughout the year. Leammles and Aero Theater and the Bergamot Art Station Santa Monica were our usual stomping grounds for our events.
“The Santa Monica Film Festival & Moxie Awards was created by A. Birdie deQuay in 1997. He handed over festival management activites in 2001 the Dallas based non profit group Deep Elum film Festival until it was later dissolved in 2003. It’s unique format ran throughout the year screening films every 3rd Thursday as part of their X Series at the Aero theater and Santa Monica’s Laemmles Monica 4 Plex theater. The films were voted on by the audiences, then later awarded the Moxie! Awards at an annual week-long award ceremony called the MOXIE Awards. http://www.reeldv.com/Movies/AlbertDeQuay-01.html During the Awards, SMFF honored entertainment greats such as Ray Bradbury, (who attended the Sci-Fi themed ceremony on 2000), Ray Harryhausen and Forrest J Ackerman. The three are know as the father of Science Fiction.
Under the Stars Summer Series included summer nigh film exhibitions at venues such as Bergamot Station and Santa Monica Pier were classics such as “ Nuovo Cinema Paradiso” and “Grease” were projected in its original format. Proceeds went to benefit the santa monica art museum charity. Past participating filmmakers were Spike Jonze, Gore Verbinski, Jason Reitman, Dennis Franz, Joe Mantegna and more.”
