B2 The Malibu Times January 9, 2014 People

By Kim Devore Entertainment Editor MALIBU SEEN Elite athletes

Carter Smith Acclaimed actress Julia Roberts joins locals for the beginning of festival season. JULIA, MATTHEW, U2 AND MORE Loads of locals are headed for the first major film festival of the year. It’s all part of the Palm Springs International Film Festival. The star-studded fling is now celebrating 25 years. Academy Award-winning actress Julia Roberts is the recipient The Stewart Tennis Academy Elite lineup, left to right: Forrest Stewart, Wally Thayne, Alejandro Moreno, Kevin Bondnar, Gabriel of this year’s Spotlight Awards for her performance in the recently Rapport, Lauren Louks, Doug Stewart released “August: Osage County.” “Julia is a consummate actress with a range as vast as her talent,” says Festival Chairman Harold group of heavy hitters 12s; Alejandro Moreno, for- Pennsylvania in the fall; Lauren al champion and ranked #1 Matzner. “Her ability to consistently give standout performances Afrom the local tennis scene mer Pepperdine player who was Louks, #1 on the Malibu High in the juniors, played #1 at over the past 25 years is remarkable.” recently gathered to form the recently named to the Mexican Girls Tennis Team and attending the University of Virginia for The “Pretty Woman” is known for her memorable roles in Stewart Tennis Academy Elite Davis Cup Team; Kevin Bondar, Tufts University in September; four years. Forrest Stewart has favorite films like “Mystic Pizza,” “Steel Magnolias,” “The Pelican Lineup: Forrest Stewart, acad- waitlisted at Harvard University; and Doug Stewart, head profes- taught tennis in Malibu for Brief,” “Runaway Bride,” “Ocean’s Eleven,” “Charlie Wilson’s emy founder and professional Gabriel Rapport, #1 on the sional and director of tennis at more than 30 years after playing War” and “Eat Pray Love.” She earned an Oscar for her title role tennis player; Wally Thayne, Malibu High Boys Tennis Team, the academy. at UCLA and teaching in Bel in “Erin Brockovich.” nationally ranked in USTA Boys headed to the University of Stewart, a former nation- Air for 20 years. Her legendary “August: Osage County” co-star, Meryl Streep, is this year’s Icon Award winner. The divine Ms. Meryl began col- lecting her slew of Academy Awards early with 1979’s “Kramer Vs. Kramer,” 1982’s “Sophie’s Choice” and 2011’s “The Iron Lady.” The festival has an uncanny knack for likely Oscar contenders. Others on the prestigious roster include “Gravity”’s Sandra Bullock, “Nebraska”’s Bruce Dern, “Dallas Buyers Club” star Matthew McConaughey. Longtime local Tom Hanks is also being lauded for “Captain Phillips” along with Steve McQueen, the man Keynote behind “12 Years a Slave.” inspiration Malibu’s The Edge joins fellow music makers Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen and Bono for the festival’s Bono Visionary Award, which was named after Sonny Bono as in “Sonny and Cher,” not ocal author and to be confused with the U2 singer who was one of the many hon- Lfilmmaker Lisa orees. Cypers Kamen will U2 was an unlikely but well-deserved choice, according to give a keynote address festival chairman Matzner. “We normally present the Sonny Bono at Malibu United Visionary Award to a director, but for the 25th anniversary we Methodist Church wanted to take the occasion to celebrate U2, a visionary group and on Sunday, Jan. 26 the world’s premier rock band, for their unparalleled humanitarian from 4-6 p.m. Kamen, work against extreme poverty, disease and social injustice.” author of “Harvesting U2 was nominated for a Golden Globe and a Critics’ Choice Happiness,” plans Movie Award for the song “Ordinary Love” from the film on speaking on “The “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.” The band also earned an H-Factor: How to Find Oscar nomination for the tune “The Hands That Built America” it and Keep it.” from Martin Scorsese’s 2002 drama, “Gangs of New York.” Started by former pop star and Palm Springs mayor Sonny Bono, the event started out small and without a lot of fanfare. Today it has grown into one of the biggest international film festi- TEDxMalibu producer vals in the world. Lisa Cypers Kamen (far The star spangled bash runs until Jan. 13. left at last year’s TEDx Malibu event that she organized) will speak Sunday at the Malibu United Methodist Church about her book on happiness.

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