Event Supports Palisades Fire Recovery and Honors Legendary Hollywood Club “the Uplifters”
PACIFIC PALISADES, CA, UNITED STATES, October 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Big Beach Reads and Uplifters Ranch Films have unveiled plans for the debut Uplifters Film Festival, scheduled to take place in Rustic Canyon, Pacific Palisades from Feb. 18 through Feb. 24, 2027, at the Rustic Canyon Recreation Center—the original home of the historic Uplifters Ranch. Serving as a modern-day revival of the storied Hollywood club “the Uplifters,” this festival carries forward the organization’s core mission: offering filmmakers and storytellers a venue to present their work, connect with peers, and exchange ideas amidst a natural setting. The event is designed to support the ongoing rebuilding of the Pacific Palisades community, now two years removed from the catastrophic Palisades Fire, with screenings also planned at other venues throughout the Palisades in addition to the Rustic Canyon Recreation Center.
The festival will feature roughly 10 full-length feature films selected for the “In Competition” category. Another 10 works from emerging and first-time directors will be highlighted in the “Rising Voices” segment. Beyond these, the schedule will include special presentations of recent releases, shorts, and documentary projects, alongside a screenwriting contest for unproduced feature-length and episodic scripts.
“Uplifters Ranch Films is incredibly thrilled to bring the historic Uplifters Club back to life in the form of a film festival. Uplifters Ranch’s legacy is distinctive because the Uplifters Club championed the connection between nature and the filmmaking craft; for many years, the club fostered both cinematic artistry and conservation efforts side by side. This positioned it as an early trailblazer in Hollywood’s environmental advocacy. Having been displaced from my Rustic Canyon home by the Palisades Fire, I feel this is the perfect moment to establish a festival that celebrates community, the outdoors, and cinema,” remarked Halle Arbaugh, Director of Programming for the Uplifters Film Festival and Founder of Uplifters Ranch Films.
“Our goal is to bring together Palisades locals and businesses to enjoy the cinematic arts and shared outdoor activities—drawing on the spirit of the original Uplifters Club—so we can launch a cherished new tradition while honoring the Palisades’ heritage,” Arbaugh continued.
To contribute to the Palisades Fire recovery efforts, the festival will offer legacy screenings of timeless films from original Uplifters members for residents of the Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, and Malibu areas. A share of proceeds from ticket and festival pass sales will go to Palisades businesses impacted by the fire.
As part of the festival’s Legacy Program, movies from original Uplifters Club figures such as Michael Curtiz (director of “Casablanca”), L. Frank Baum (author of “The Wizard of Oz”), Clark Gable, and Will Rogers, along with classics produced by members like Walt Disney and Darryl F. Zanuck, will be shown at venues in Rustic Canyon, Pacific Palisades, and nearby communities. The festival will also arrange Q&A sessions with filmmakers, writers, and industry professionals, with many events open to the public.
Established in 2024, Uplifters Ranch Films focuses on championing fresh and distinctive narrative voices across film, television, and literature, leveraging storytelling to inspire and elevate creators, with an emphasis on high-caliber narratives and works by writer/directors. Uplifters Ranch Films operates as the film and TV production arm of Big Beach Reads, an organization created to give rising storytellers in both books and cinema a space to collaborate, develop projects, and bypass the traditionally exclusive Hollywood system. Big Beach Reads, launched as a joint venture with Big Beach Films—known for producing acclaimed indie titles such as “Little Miss Sunshine,” “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” and “Sorry, Baby”—carries on a legacy of delivering stellar independent content for the screen. Big Beach Reads and Uplifters Ranch Films are now independently run by writer, producer, and longtime Big Beach executive Halle Arbaugh.
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310-496-9884
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Halle Arbaugh
Big Beach Reads
info@bigbeachreads.com
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