2011 Los Angeles Film Festival announces the first round of US and international selections

The 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival will screen over 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, representing more than 30 countries. Returning to downtown Los Angeles, with its central hub at L.A. LIVE, the Festival will run from Thursday, June 16 to Sunday, June 26.

The festival announced the first round of official US and international selections.

Narrative Competition (10): The Narrative Competition is comprised of films made by talented emerging filmmakers that compete for the Filmmaker Award. The winner is determined by a panel of jurors, and films in this section are also eligible for the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature.

The Bad Intentions, Rosario Garcia-Montero – Argentina/Germany/Peru – US PREMIERE
The Dynamiter, Matthew Gordon – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Familiar Grounds, Stephane Lefleur – Canada – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
The Fatherless, Marie Kreutzer – Austria – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
How to Cheat, Amber Sealey – WORLD PREMIERE
Mamitas, Nicholas Ozeki – WORLD PREMIERE
An Ordinary Family, Mike Akel – WORLD PREMIERE
Please Do Not Disturb, Mohsen Abdolvahab – Iran – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Sawdust City, David Nordstrom – WORLD PREMIERE
You Hurt My Feelings, Steve Collins – WORLD PREMIERE

Documentary Competition (9): The Documentary Competition is comprised of films made by talented emerging filmmakers that compete for the Documentary Award. The winner is determined by a panel of jurors, and films in this section are also eligible for the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Cheonggyecheon Medley: A Dream of Iron, Kelvin Kyung Kun Park – South Korea – US PREMIERE
Family Instinct, Andris Gauja – Latvia – US PREMIERE
Once I Was a Champion, Gerard Roxburgh – WORLD PREMIERE
Paraiso For Sale, Anayansi Prado – WORLD PREMIERE
Salaam Dunk, David Fine – Iraq/USA – WORLD PREMIERE
Somewhere Between, Linda Goldstein Knowlton – US PREMIERE
Unfinished Spaces, Alysa Nahimas, Ben Murray – WORLD PREMIERE
Unraveled, Marc H. Simon – US PREMIERE
Wish Me Away, Bobbie Birleffi, Beverly Kopf – WORLD PREMIERE

International Showcase (18): The International Showcase highlights innovative independent narrative and documentary features from outside of the United States. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature, Best Narrative Feature, or Best Documentary Feature.

108, Renate Costa – Spain/Paraguay
Christopher and His Kind, Geoffrey Sax – United Kingdom – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Come Rain, Come Shine, Lee Yoon-ki – South Korea – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Curling, Denis Côté – Canada
The Destiny of Lesser Animals, Deron Albright – Ghana/USA
Elite Squad 2: The Enemy Within, Jose Padilha – Brazil (New Video)
Eternity, Sivaroj Kongsakul – Thailand
Family Portrait in Black and White, Julia Ivanova – Canada
Kawasaki’s Rose, Jan Hrebejk – Czech Republic (Menemsha Films)
Love Crime, Alain Corneau – France (IFC Films)
Medianeras, Gustavo Taretto – Argentina/Germany/Spain (IFC Films) – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Mysteries of Lisbon, Raúl Ruiz – Portugal (Music Box Films)
Ocaso, Theo Court – Chile – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Position Among the Stars, Leonard Retel Helmrich – Netherlands
The Salesman, Sébastien Pilote – Canada
Self Made, Gillian Wearing – England
Senna, Asif Kapadia – England (PDA)
Tomboy, Céline Sciamma – France (Rocket Releasing) – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Summer Showcase (18): The Summer Showcase section offers an advance look at this summer’s most talked about independent film releases from the festival circuit. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature, Best Narrative Feature, or Best Documentary Feature.

Another Earth, Mike Cahill (Fox Searchlight)
Elevate, Anne Buford
The Future, Miranda July (Roadside Attractions)
The Guard, John Michael McDonagh – Ireland (Sony Pictures Classics)
Higher Ground, Vera Farmiga (Sony Pictures Classics)
Leave It on the Floor, Sheldon Larry – WORLD PREMIERE
Letters From the Big Man, Christopher Munch
L!fe Happens, Kat Coiro – WORLD PREMIERE
Natural Selection, Robbie Pickering
Page One: Inside the New York Times, Andrew Rossi (Magnolia Pictures/Participant Media)
The Pruitt-lgoe Myth, Chad Freidrichs
Renée, Eric Drath (ESPN Films)
Sex Crimes Unit, Lisa F. Jackson (HBO Films)
Skateistan: Four Wheels and a Board in Kabul, Kai Sehr
Terri, Azazel Jacobs (ATO)
Tyrannosaur, Paddy Considine – England (Strand Releasing)
Where Soldiers Come From, Heather Courtney
Winnie the Pooh, Stephen J. Anderson, Don Hall (Disney)

Outdoor Screenings at the Ford Amphitheatre (3): These official Los Angeles Film Festival selections, sponsored by Brand X, are included as part of the 2011 Ford Amphitheatre Summer Season; a multi-disciplinary arts series produced by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission in cooperation with Los Angeles County-based arts organizations. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature, Best Narrative Feature, or Best Documentary Feature.

Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest, Michael Rapaport
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, Tsui Hark – Hong Kong
The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman, Ron & Russell Mael aka Sparks and Guy Maddin – WORLD MUSICAL PREMIERE

International Spotlight – Cuba (4): This year, our International Spotlight focuses on Cuba, whose films rarely find distribution in the U.S. We’re proud to showcase the best of the new and recent Cuban cinema. Sponsored by the Department of Cultural Affairs and UCLA Latin American Institute.

· Habana Eva, Fina Torres – Cuba/France/Venezuela
· Operation Peter Pan: Flying Back to Cuba, Estela Bravo – Cuba
· Suite Habana (2003), Fernando Pérez – Cuba
· Ticket to Paradise, Gerardo Chijona Valdes – Cuba

Documenting Mexico (2): Inspired by the efforts of the Ambulante Film Festival, a traveling film event designed to promote a documentary culture across Mexico, we are pleased to highlight two outstanding documentaries from Mexico’s vibrant documentary filmmaking culture. Sponsored by HOY.

· The Night Watchman, Natalia Almada – Mexico
· The Tiniest Place, Tatiana Huezo – Mexico

Community Screenings (7): These films will be presented free to the public. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best Narrative Feature or Best Documentary Feature.

The Bully Project, Lee Hirsch (The Weinstein Company)
Choose Your Own Movie – vote at LAFilmFest.com for this free outdoor screening
Crime After Crime, Yoav Potash – Grand Performances Screening
- Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986), John Hughes – 25^th Anniversary Screening
- Hot Coffee, Susan Saladoff (HBO Films)
- On the Ice, Andrew Okpeaha MacLean – Project:Involve Screening
- Project Nim, James Marsh – United Kingdom (Roadside Attractions)
  - Stand By Me (1986), Rob Reiner – 25^th Anniversary Screening

The Beyond (5): The Beyond offers films that dare to be different. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature, Best Narrative Feature, or Best Documentary Feature.

Entrance, Dallas Hallam, Patrick Horvath
Haunters, Kim Min-suk – South Korea – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
The Innkeepers, Ti West
Karate-Robo Zaborgar, Iguchi Noboru – Japan
The Yellow Sea, Na Hong-jin – South Korea

Retro (2):

Boyz n the Hood (1991), John Singleton – 20^th Anniversary Digitally Re-Mastered Screening with a Cast & Crew Reunion
Das Boot (1981), Wolfgang Peterson – Germany – 30^th Anniversary Digitally Re-Mastered Screening

The Film Foundation Screening Program (1):

Wild River (1960), Elia Kazan

Short Films (41): Shorts are shown before features and as part of five short film programs. With their diverse and complex content, these films shine brilliantly. Most short films, domestic and international, will compete for prizes in Narrative, Documentary, and Animation/Experimental categories. The winner is determined by a panel of jurors. An Audience Award for Best Short Film is also presented.

Shorts Program 1-5

Future Filmmakers Showcase: High School Shorts (33): These two programs of shorts are made by high school students from around the country, featuring work by the next generation of filmmakers.

Programs 1-2

Music Videos (48): The Music Video Showcase consists of three programs. Our two Eclectic Mix programs are a visual mix tape of this year’s best independent music videos, with a few innovative major label artists thrown in for good measure. Music videos will compete for an Audience Award.