After 18 years of showcasing independent fiction, documentary, and short films the LA Film Festival will end, and Film Independent announced today that its Board of Directors has voted to shift the energy and resources of the organization from the Festival structure to a variety of year-round events aimed at building community and broadening its support of visual storytellers.
These programs will include a number of new initiatives to be announced in coming months as well as several that have traditionally taken place during the LA Film Festival—among them, The Portal, a showcase of VR and immersive storytelling, produced in partnership with Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television; a two day event around inclusion in the film industry, launched in 2013 by Stephanie Allain and continued by Hasan Foster; Fast Track, a film financing market supporting both fiction and non-fiction projects; and Future Filmmakers, which features work by L.A. high-school filmmakers.
“We took a hard look at the healthy growth of Film Independent’s year-round programs and events over the past six years: the Spirit Awards, our film series curated by Elvis Mitchell, membership, labs, workshops, filmmaker grants and international programs,” said Mary Sweeney, Chair of the Film Independent Board of Directors. “In the end, we concluded that the organization should explore a more nimble, sustainable form of exhibiting and celebrating independent film artists year round.”
“While we are very proud of what we’ve accomplished with the LA Film Festival over the past eighteen years, the truth is that it has struggled to thrive, and the time has come for us to try something new,” said Josh Welsh, President of Film Independent. “We are all deeply grateful to Jennifer Cochis for her vision, passion, and creativity and we’re enormously proud of the Festival that she oversaw these past two years. We remain committed to serving filmmakers and film audiences across Los Angeles.”
As a result of discontinuing the Festival in its present form, the nonprofit arts organization will eliminate three full-time staff positions. Film Independent will continue with its current suite of programs and events, including: The Film Independent Spirit Awards; Film Independent Presents, curated by Elvis Mitchell; Global Media Makers, an innovative mentoring initiative for international visual storytellers; Project Involve, the 25-year-old mentorship program for filmmakers from underrepresented backgrounds; as well as its annual suite of Filmmaker Labs and the Film Independent Forum and Directors Close-Up.
image via FacebookLos Angeles Film Festival
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LA Film Festival to End After 18 Years
After 18 years of showcasing independent fiction, documentary, and short films the LA Film Festival will end, and Film Independent announced today that its Board of Directors has voted to shift the energy and resources of the organization from the Festival structure to a variety of year-round events aimed at building community and broadening its support of visual storytellers.
These programs will include a number of new initiatives to be announced in coming months as well as several that have traditionally taken place during the LA Film Festival—among them, The Portal, a showcase of VR and immersive storytelling, produced in partnership with Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television; a two day event around inclusion in the film industry, launched in 2013 by Stephanie Allain and continued by Hasan Foster; Fast Track, a film financing market supporting both fiction and non-fiction projects; and Future Filmmakers, which features work by L.A. high-school filmmakers.
“We took a hard look at the healthy growth of Film Independent’s year-round programs and events over the past six years: the Spirit Awards, our film series curated by Elvis Mitchell, membership, labs, workshops, filmmaker grants and international programs,” said Mary Sweeney, Chair of the Film Independent Board of Directors. “In the end, we concluded that the organization should explore a more nimble, sustainable form of exhibiting and celebrating independent film artists year round.”
“While we are very proud of what we’ve accomplished with the LA Film Festival over the past eighteen years, the truth is that it has struggled to thrive, and the time has come for us to try something new,” said Josh Welsh, President of Film Independent. “We are all deeply grateful to Jennifer Cochis for her vision, passion, and creativity and we’re enormously proud of the Festival that she oversaw these past two years. We remain committed to serving filmmakers and film audiences across Los Angeles.”
As a result of discontinuing the Festival in its present form, the nonprofit arts organization will eliminate three full-time staff positions. Film Independent will continue with its current suite of programs and events, including: The Film Independent Spirit Awards; Film Independent Presents, curated by Elvis Mitchell; Global Media Makers, an innovative mentoring initiative for international visual storytellers; Project Involve, the 25-year-old mentorship program for filmmakers from underrepresented backgrounds; as well as its annual suite of Filmmaker Labs and the Film Independent Forum and Directors Close-Up.
image via Facebook
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LA Film Festival Announces 2018 Award Winners, BRIAN BANKS, STUNTMAN, THIS TEACHER, BORDER
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Brian Banks[/caption]
The LA Film Festival, announced the winners of the 2018 Festival, with the top awards going to Brian Banks by Tom Shadyac winning the Audience Award for Fiction Feature Film and Stuntman by Kurt Mattila winning the Audience Award for Documentary Feature Film. Other awards include This Teacher by Mark Jackson winning the U.S. Fiction Award, and the Swedish film Border by Ali Abbasi winning the World Fiction Award.
“We congratulate all of the filmmakers that shared their work with the LA Film Festival,” said Festival Director, Jennifer Cochis. “These awards honor the wide range of exceptional storytelling we’ve been sincerely delighted to present. All of us are looking forward to wider audiences discovering these stories in the year ahead.”
Festival Guest Director, Emmy-award-winning, Lauren Greenfield (Generation Wealth, Queen of Versailles) was awarded the Spirit of Independence Award at the event for her work advancing the cause of independent film and championing creative freedom as a celebrated documentarian, famed photographer and artist.
The Festival’s juried awards include: the U.S. Fiction Award, World Fiction Award, Documentary Award, LA Muse Awards, Nightfall Award, Music Video Award, Episodic Award, well as the Short Fiction Award and the Short Documentary Award. Audience awards are presented for Fiction Feature Film, Documentary Feature Film, Episodic Story, Episodic Pilot, Short Film, Music Video and Series from the Web.
Additionally the 25th anniversary of Film Independent’s diversity mentorship initiative Project Involve honored Effie T. Brown (Real Women Have Curves, Dear White People), Jon M. Chu (GI Joe: Retaliation, Crazy Rich Asians), Cherien Dabis (Amreeka, Empire) and MACRO’s Founder & CEO Charles D. King (Mudbound, Fences) at the home of Catharine and Jeffrey Soros during the Festival and the inaugural New Wave brunch celebrated the work of Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine Nine), Jay Ellis (Insecure), Dominique Fishback (The Hate U Give), Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (Bumblebee), Leonardo Nam (Westworld) and Millicent Simmonds (A Quiet Place).
2018 LA Film Festival Awards Winners
The U.S. Fiction Award Winner: This Teacher, dir. Mark Jackson, World Premiere Screenwriters: Mark Jackson, Dana Thompson Producers: Mark Jackson, Dana Thompson, Gigi Graff, Josh Mandel, Javier Gonzalez Cast: Hafsia Herzi, Sarah Kazemy, Lucy Walters, Kevin Kane, Lev Gorn Film Description: A young Arab-French woman on an introspective journey visits her childhood friend in New York City before heading to the woods upstate. U.S. Fiction Special Mention Winner: In Reality, dir. Ann Lupo, California Premiere Screenwriters: Ann Lupo, Esteban Pedraza, Aaron Pryka Producers: Ann Lupo, Nadine Martinez, Holly Meehl Cast: Ann Lupo, Miles G. Jackson, Kimiko Glenn, Jill Eikenberry, Olivia Washington, Esteban Pedraza, Lauren E. Banks Film Description: A young woman takes a journey through her own fantastic mind as she investigates her relationship to unrequited love. World Fiction Award Winner: Border, dir. Ali Abbasi, California Premiere Country: Sweden Screenwriters: Ali Abbasi, Isabella Eklöf, John Ajvide Lindqvis Producers: Nina Bisgaard, Peter Gustafsson, Petra Jönsson Cast: Eva Melander, Eero Milonoff, Jörgen Thorsson Film Description: Despite having the remarkable gift of being able to smell emotions, a border agent leads a mundane existence until she meets a stranger who shares her unique abilities and upends her life. World Fiction Special Jury Prize, Directing Winner: The Day I Lost My Shadow, dir. Soudade Kaadan, US Premiere Country: France/Lebanon/Qatar/Syrian Arab Republic Screenwriters: Soudade Kaadan Producers: Amira Kaadan Cast: Sawsan Arshid, Reham Al Kasar, Samer Ismail, Ahmad Ali Film Description: In the midst of a gas crisis during the early days of the Syrian Arab Spring, a young mother takes the day off work and strays far from home with only one objective in mind: finding a working cylinder so that she may cook a meal for her son. Documentary Award Winner: hillbilly, dir. Sally Rubin & Ashley York, LA Premiere Country: USA Producers: Sally Rubin & Ashley York Featuring: bell hooks, Billy Redden, Ronny Cox, Frank X Walker, Crystal Good, Silas Howard Film Description: Two filmmakers visit rural Kentucky, one returning home to Appalachian to unpack the stereotype of “hillbilly” and explore the personal and painful experiences fueling our polarizing political climate. Documentary Special Jury Award for Excellence in Social Justice Storytelling Winner: False Confessions, dir. Katrine Philp, North American Premiere Country: Denmark Producers: Katrine A. Sahlstrøm Film Description: “Would you confess to a crime you did not commit?” A defense attorney fights against the complex and manipulative tactics of US police interrogations, focusing on victims of coerced confessions as she helps exonerate her incarcerated clients. LA Muse Award Winner: Staycation, dir. Tanuj Chopra, World Premiere Country: USA Screenwriters: Tanuj Chopra, Anthony Ma, Grace Su Producer: Lalithra Fernando Cast: Anthony Ma, Grace Su Film Description: A modern millennial codependent couple in DTLA have their relationship thrown for a loop when he discovers a photo from an ex on her phone. LA Muse Documentary Award Winner: Fire on the Hill dir. Brett Fallentine, World Premiere Country: USA Producers: Brett Fallentine, Jordana Glick-Franzheim, Steven Amato Film Description: Three black cowboys in South Central share their stories following a mysterious fire that burnt down the community’s stables, leaving the fate of the culture in question. Jury Members: Tamar Halpern (filmmaker, Llyn Foulkes One Man Band), Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (actor, Bumblebee), Jamil Walker Smith (director, The American Dream, actor, Code Black) LA Muse Special Mention, Best Ensemble Cast Winner: Solace, dir. Tchaiko Omawale, World Premiere Country: USA Screenwriter: Tchaiko Omawale Producers: Tchaiko Omawale, Maya Emelle, Hope Olaide Wilson, Sabine Hoffman, Sascha Brown Rice Cast: Hope Olaide Wilson, Lynn Whitfield, Chelsea Tavares, Glynn Turman, Luke Rampersad, Sydney Bennett Film Description: A teenage orphan moves to LA to live with her estranged grandmother and works to win a performance art grant while secretly struggling with binge eating. Nightfall Award Winner: The Dead Center, dir. Billy Senese, World Premiere Country: USA Screenwriters: Billy Senese Producers: Billy Senese, Denis Deck, Jonathan Rogers, Shane Carruth Cast: Shane Carruth, Poorna Jagannathan, Jeremy Childs, Billy Feehely Film Description: When a mysterious John Doe wakes up in a morgue and wanders into a psychiatric ward, a devoted doctor and curious medical examiner must slowly uncover dark and sinister secrets about the man that reveal a more horrifying truth than they could have ever imagined. Nightfall Special Jury Prize, Lead Actor Actor: Ashleigh Morghan Film: Head Count, dir. Elle Callahan, World Premiere Country: USA Screenwriters: Michael Nader Producers: Samuel Sandweiss, Brandon Somerhalder Film Description: During a weekend getaway to Joshua Tree, a group of teenagers find themselves under mental and physical assault from a supernatural entity that mimics their appearances as it completes an ancient ritual. Nightfall Special Jury Prize, Ensemble Cast Cast: Barak Hardley, Jackie Tohn, Magnús Jónsson, Birna Rún Eiriksdóttir, Tom Wright, Stacey Moseley, Michael Nanfria, Michole Briana White, Bryndís Haraldsdíttir Film: Spell, dir. Brendan Walter, World Premiere Screenwriter: Barak Hardley Producers: Brendan Walter, Jon Lullo, Barak Hardley, Katy Stoll, Eleanor WIlson Film Description: Following the unexpected death of his fiancé an American illustrator travels to the Icelandic countryside to seek solace. What he finds instead is a blurred line between reality and fantasy as magical things begin to shake his very foundation — unless it’s all in his head. Award for Short Fiction Winner: The Passage, dir. Kitao Sakurai Country: USA Film Description: Fleeing a pair of mysterious agents sends a dim-witted mute on a series of absurd misadventures. Jury Members: Missy Laney (Director of Development, Adult Swim), Caleb Spencer (Managing Director, Nashville Film Festival), Garth Trinidad (DJ, KCRW) Award for Documentary Short Winner: One Leg In, One Leg Out, dir. Lisa Rideout Country: Canada Film Description: A lively, strong-willed sex worker struggles to move from the streets and into a career as a social worker, hoping to help fellow trans sex workers find acceptance. Web Episodes Jury Award Winner: Psusy, dir. Anna Duckworth Country: New Zealand Film Description: Two close friends drag us through their controversial, inappropriate, but always playful feminist world. Jury Members: Missy Laney (Director of Development, Adult Swim), Caleb Spencer (Managing Director, Nashville Film Festival), Garth Trinidad (DJ, KCRW) Audience Award for Fiction Feature Film Winner: Brian Banks, dir. Tom Shadyac, World Premiere Country: USA Screenwriter: Doug Atchison Producers: Amy Baer, Monica Levinson, Shivani Rawat Cast: Aldis Hodge, Greg Kinnear, Sherri Shepherd, Tiffany Dupont, Xosha Roquemore Film Description: Based on a true story, a young football player’s dreams to play in the NFL are halted when he is falsely accused of rape and sent to prison. This award is given to the fiction feature audiences liked most as voted by a tabulated rating system. Select fiction feature-length films screening in the following sections were eligible for the Audience Award for Best Fiction Feature: U.S. Fiction, World Fiction, LA Muse, Nightfall and Premieres. Audience Award for Documentary Feature Film Winner: Stuntman, dir. Kurt Mattila, World Premiere Country: USA Producers: Steven Golebiowski, Kurt Mattila, Eddie Braun Featuring: Eddie Braun, Gary Davis, Conrad E. Palmisano, Buddy Joe Hooker, Scott Truax, Meg Braun Film Description: A veteran Stuntman sets out to complete the jump that bested his idol Evel Knievel: clearing the Snake River Canyon in a rocket-powered craft. This award is given to the documentary feature audiences liked most as voted by a tabulated rating system. Select documentary feature-length films screening in the following sections were eligible for the Audience Award for Documentary Feature: Documentary LA Muse and Premieres. Audience Award for Music Video Winner: Clutch, dir. Christopher Ripley Country: USA Film Description: A professional athlete’s rise and fall from grace. This award is given to the music video audiences liked most as voted by tabulated rating system. Audience Award for Short Film Winner: Weekends, dir. Trevor Jimenez Country: USA Film Description: A young boy shuffles between the homes of his recently divorced parents in this surreal hand-animated film set in 1980s Toronto. This award is given to the short film audiences liked most as voted by a tabulated rating system. Short films screening in the Shorts Programs or before feature films in the Festival were eligible for the Audience Award for Short Film. Audience Award for Episodic Story Winner: Revenge Tour, dir. Andrew Carter Country: USA Film Description: He’s been cheated on, living in a friend’s living room and stuck at a dead-end job. But one night he finds an unlikely stress-reliever—rapping. This award is given to the web-series audiences liked most as voted by a tabulated rating system. Audience Award for Episodic Pilot Winner: 40 & Single, dir. Leila Djansi, World Premiere Country: Ghana Film Description: A single, bisexual, mixed race bridal fashion designer maneuvers life and business in post-colonial Africa. This award is given to the web-series audiences liked most as voted by a tabulated rating system. Seattle Story Award Winner: I’m Sorry Happy Birthday, dir. Claire Buss, World Premiere Film Description: A playful showcase of everyday life in Seattle’s neighborhoods through whimsical vignettes that border on the fantastical – complete with a little bit of Pacific Northwest quirkiness. Selected by special committee assembled by Film Independent and funded by Visit Seattle. TikTok Real Short Award Winner: dir. Ann Lupo TikTok gave Festival filmmakers the chance to win a $10,000 unrestricted cash grant. Ann’s video addressed the “Why I’m a Filmmaker” prompt with exceptional storytelling through the lens of TikTok, utilizing creator tools to enhance the narrative. Her innovative short, along with all of the submissions, can be found on the Film Independent (@filmindependent) TikTok account. Selected by special committee assembled by the LA Film Festival programming team.
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World Premiere of NOMIS Starring Henry Cavill to Close 2018 LA Film Festival
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Nomis[/caption]
This yea’r 2018 LA Film Festival will come to a close with the World Premiere of David Raymond’s Nomis starring Henry Cavill, Sir Ben Kingsley, Nathan Fillion, Minka Kelly, Alexandra Daddario and Stanley Tucci. Additionally there will be a Gala Screening of Maryam Keshavarz’s Viper Club, starring Susan Sarandon, Matt Bomer, Lola Kirke, Julian Morris, Sheila Vand, Adepero Oduye, Amir Malaklou and Edie Falco; Global Media Makers Fellow Nejib Belkadhi’s Look At Me to screen; two additional series added including Tenacious D’s Post-Apocalypto and Terence Nance’s Random Acts of Flyness; and Retrospective screenings of Gregory Nava’s El Norte and Ang Lee’s The Wedding Banquet.
“As a festival that has always championed new voices it is only fitting to be closing this year with the work of a first time writer director,” said Jennifer Cochis, LA Film Festival Director. “In Nomis David Raymond created a thrilling film made all the more terrifying by the performances from his incredible cast.”
Closing Night Film
Nomis, dir. David Raymond, USA, World Premiere When police trap online predator Simon Stulls, they soon realize that the extent of his crimes go far beyond that of his own psychological trauma. Nothing quite makes sense that is until people involved in the case, on both sides of the law, start getting murdered…Additional Gala
Viper Club, dir. Maryam Keshavarz, USA, US Premiere ER nurse Helen Sterling (Susan Sarandon) struggles to free her grown son, a journalist captured by terrorists in the Middle East. After hitting walls with the FBI and state agencies, she discovers a clandestine community of journalists, advocates, and philanthropists who might be able to help.Global Media Makers Special Screening
Global Media Makers is an innovative mentoring initiative and cultural exchange program that connects international filmmakers with leading U.S. entertainment professionals. The program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and produced in partnership with Film Independent. Look At Me, Nejib Belkadhi, Tunisia, U.S. Premiere Lotfi, a Tunisian immigrant in Marseille, returns to his country to take care of his autistic son after the boy’s mother suffers a stroke. When institutionalizing his son proves difficult, he discovers unexpected ways to connect with his estranged son, thus understanding true fatherhood and coming to terms with his masculinity.Additional Series
Post-Apocalypto, dir. Tenacious D, USA, World Premiere Post-Apocalypto is an original, six-part animated video series from the minds of Tenacious D. Each frame of every episode was hand-drawn by Jack Black himself, with every character voiced by Black and Kyle Gass. The series begins rolling out on September 28, 2018, via Tenacious D’s YouTube page, with a new episode every Friday after that. Random Acts of Flyness, USA, LA Premiere Random Acts of Flyness is a HBO late-night series from artist Terence Nance (An Oversimplification of Her Beauty) that explores cultural idioms such as patriarchy, white supremacy and sensuality from a new, thought-provoking perspective. #01 “What are your thoughts on raising free black children?” – Written by Terence Nance & Jamund Washington; Directed by Terence Nance, Frances Bodomo, Shaka King #02 “two piece and a biscuit” – Written by Terence Nance & Jamund Washington & Frances Bodomo & Naima Ramos-Chapman & Nelson Nance & Shaka King; Directed by Terence Nance, Frances Bodomo, Darius Clark Monroe, Naima Ramos-Chapman, Jamund WashingtonRetrospectives
Rediscover classic, cult and beloved films on the big screen, often celebrating anniversaries or restored versions. El Norte, dir. Gregory Nava, Mexico/USA, 35th Anniversary Academy Restoration The Oscar-nominated classic film about the plight of the undocumented. Siblings, Rosa and Enrique flee persecution in Guatemala and journey to the promised land of “El Norte” only to encounter more injustice. The Wedding Banquet, dir. Ang Lee, Taiwan/USA, 25th Anniversary 35mm Presentation A Chinese yuppie hopes a marriage will prevent his parents from discovering he is gay, but his plan hilariously backfires when they insist on coming to New York for the wedding.Panel
The Future of Producing, hosted by Rebecca Green, joined by panelists Steven J. Berger (Lorena), Mel Jones (Dear White People), Lacey Leavitt (Sadie) and Avril Z. Speaks (Jinn).Additional Podcast
Welcome to the Clambake – USA (CREATORS/HOSTS Lindsay Stidham and Angela Gulner) – From Campfire Media, two hilarious women explore what it means to be a feminist in the current cultural climate.Seattle Story Award
Prior to the Closing Night Film, independent Seattle filmmaker Claire Buss will debut her new short film, “I’m Sorry Happy Birthday,” which playfully showcases everyday life in Seattle’s neighborhoods through whimsical vignettes that border on the fantastical – complete with a little bit of Pacific Northwest quirkiness. Buss’ short film, playing out of competition, was funded by the Seattle Story Award grant from Visit Seattle. This is the second film grant awarded by Visit Seattle as part of a larger partnership with Film Independent, after debuting the Seattle Story Award at the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards. The Seattle Story Award is given to a filmmaker who exhibits innovation, diversity and uniqueness of vision while having a history of transforming perspectives through rich stories. The recipient uses this grant to create a short film inspired by Seattle’s deep textures and independent spirit. Following the LA Film Festival’s Closing Night, “I’m Sorry Happy Birthday” will be available for viewing on VISITSEATTLE.tv.
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LA Film Festival to Feature First Ever VR and Immersive Story Telling Showcase
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Age of Sail, John Kahrs[/caption]
The LA Film Festival announced the lineup of The Portal, the Festival’s inaugural VR and Immersive Story Telling showcase to be held at Loyola Marymount University’s new Playa Vista Campus. The Portal is a two-year partnership with Loyola Marymount University’s School Film and Television.
“It’s exciting, and a testament to the storytelling, that virtual reality is now attracting talent like Rosario Dawson, Brie Larson, Diego Luna, Ian McShane, Alicia Vikander and Oprah Winfrey,” said Jacqueline Lyanga, Guest Director VR & Immersive Storytelling. “Immersive storytelling is venturing into exciting new territory with adventurous mixed reality, social interactivity, guided motion and haptics, all of which LA audiences will be able to experience for free at The Portal this fall as part of LA Film Festival.”
“It’s fitting that, as we open the doors to our new Playa Vista campus, we also welcome Film Independent’s first-ever VR and Immersive storytelling showcase,” said Peggy Rajski, new Dean of LMU’s School of Film and Television. “Jacqueline’s thoughtful program provides audiences with ample opportunities to immerse themselves into the experiences and stories of others, including many whose voices are typically unheard. At LMU SFTV we deeply value storytelling that shines a light into the places we rarely traverse, but which enrich us when given the opportunity to do so.”
The Portal features some of the most exciting new animated, documentary and fictional narratives from virtual reality exhibitions at film festivals around the world, including Cannes, Rotterdam, Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca and Venice.
The Portal will be located at the new LMU Playa Vista Campus 12105 W. Waterfront Drive, in the heart of Silicon Beach and is free to the public.
The Portal
LA Film Festival’s inaugural showcase of immersive storytelling from visionary creators working in Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR) and Virtual Reality (VR) featuring, 360, room-scale VR and interactive works and installations utilizing haptic technology that bring touch and motion to the immersive experience. 1000 Cut Journey, dirs. Courtney Cogburn and Elise Ogle, USA, LA Premiere In this immersive virtual reality experience, in order to foster a greater understanding of the social realities of racism, you become Michael Sterling, a Black male, and encounter racism as a young child, an adolescent, and a young adult. Age of Sail, dir. John Kahrs, USA, North American Premiere Set on the open ocean in 1900, this animated film tells the story of William Avery (voiced by Ian McShane), an old sailor adrift and alone in the North Atlantic who finds redemption and hope in his darkest hours. Arden’s Wake: Expanded, dir. Eugene Chung, USA, US Premiere The animated story of young woman who lives in a post-apocalyptic world with her father in a lighthouse perched atop an endless sea. Academy Award-winner Alicia Vikander stars as the voice of Meena. Awavena, dir. Lynette Wallworth, USA/Brazil/Australia, LA Premiere This mixed-reality work is a tale of metamorphosis, and a collaboration between the Amazonian Yawanawa community and an artist that tells the story of a people ascending from the edge of extinction and the ascendance of their first female shaman. BattleScar, dir. Martín Allais and Nico Casavecchia, USA/France, LA Premiere An animated coming of age story that follows a year in the life of Lupe, played by Rosario Dawson, living in late 1970’s New York City as she discovers the Punk scene of the Bowery and the secret underworld of the Lower East Side. Biidaaban: First Light, dir. Lisa Jackson, Canada, LA Premiere Set in a highly realistic future Toronto reclaimed by nature, where people commute by canoe, users engage with the written text of the Wendat, Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) and Anishinaabe (Ojibway) and gain insight into the complex thought systems of this land’s first peoples. Crow: The Legend, dir. Eric Darnell, USA, North American Premiere This animated story of a bird with a beautiful voice is inspired by Native American legend is executive produced by John Legend, and features the voices of Sarah Eagle Heart, Diego Luna Tye Sheridan, Oprah Winfrey and Constance Wu. Dinner Party, dir. Angel Manuel Soto, USA, LA Premiere Dinner Party is a short virtual reality thriller that dramatizes the incredible story of Betty and Barney Hill, who in the 1960s reported the first nationally known UFO abduction case in the United States. Geomancer, dir. Lawrence Lek, UK, North American Premiere A computer-generated animation about the creative awakening of artificial intelligence set in Singapore 2065, that tells the story of an environmental satellite that wishes to become an artist. Queerskins, dirs. Illya Szilak and Cyril Tsiboulski, USA, LA Premiere A diary and a box of belongings offers a devoutly Catholic mother living in rural Missouri, USA in 1990 a second chance to know Sebastian, the estranged son she has lost to AIDS as they take a magic realist journey down a country road. Space Explorers: A New Dawn (Ep.1) and Taking Flight (Ep. 2), dirs. Félix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphaël, Canada, USA A cinematic VR series narrated by Brie Larson about the new age of space exploration. Witness the lives of NASA astronauts as they navigate the trials and sacrifices of their training and missions. Terminal 3, dir. Asad J. Malik, USA, LA Premiere An interactive, augmented-reality documentary that explores contemporary Muslim identities in the U.S. through the lens of an airport interrogation using Microsoft’s Hololens technology to interrogate the holograms of passengers. Vestige, dir. Aaron Bradbury, USA/UK/France, LA Premiere Journey into the mind of Lisa as she remembers her lost love, Erik, through a series of fragmented memories that become entangled with a haunting vision triggering new memories and pathways as we navigate through the story. Zikr: A Sufi Revival, dir. Gabo Arora, USA, LA Premiere Zikr: A Sufi Revival takes four participants on an interactive, virtual reality journey into a world of ritual, music and dance by opening up an experience to the Sufi practice of inclusion, acceptance, art, joy and understanding360 DOCUMENTARY CINEMA
Free Solo, dirs. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, USA, World Premiere Experience Alex Honnold’s free solo climb up Yosemite’s 3,000-foot high El Capitan wall with no ropes or safety gear in 360 VR. The full-length documentary film version of FREE SOLO is playing in LA Film Festival’s Gala section. Into the Now, dir. Michael Muller, USA, LA Premiere An exploration of marine life and ocean conservation that follows director Michael Muller as he tackles his lifelong fear of sharks by learning to dive without protection and cage-free with great white sharks. Sun Ladies, dirs. Christian Stephen and Celine Tricart, USA, LA Premiere The story of a group of Yazidi women in Sinjar, Iraq who started a female-only fighting unit called the Sun Ladies to protect the honor and dignity of their people. This documentary features animation created by artist Wesley Allsbrook (Dear Angelica) and was produced and narrated by Maria Bello. This is Climate Change: Fire, dirs. Danfung Dennis and Eric Strauss, USA In just the last three decades, changes in climate have doubled the amount of land burned by wildfires in the western United States. Follow the dedicated fighters – by air and on the ground – whose jobs have turned into year-round battles against these catastrophic blazes.Panels at The Portal
The showcase will also feature panels about Women’s Voices in VR, Animation and immersive Documentary on Saturday September 22 and Sunday September 23.
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LA Film Festival Announces Gala Sreenings of THE OATH, THE HAPPY PRINCE, FREE SOLO, ALL ABOUT NINA
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THE OATH[/caption]
The LA Film Festival today announced Gala Screenings at the 2018 Festival including Ike Barinholtz’s directorial debut The Oath starring Ike Barinholtz, Tiffany Haddish, John Cho, Carrie Brownstein, Billy Magnussen, Nora Dunn, Chris Ellis, Jon Barinholtz, Meredith Hagner; Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s documentary Free Solo featuring Alex Honnold; Rupert Everett’s The Happy Prince, starring Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Colin Morgan, Edwin Thomas and Emily Watson; Eva Vives’ All About Nina, starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Common, Chace Crawford, Clea DuVall, Kate del Castillo, Beau Bridges and Camryn Manheim.
There will also be a Special Screening of Tom Volf’s documentary Maria by Callas; a Series program that includes; the first episode of the Into the Dark series, “The Body” staring Tom Bateman and Rebecca Rittenhouse, directed by Paul Davis; and America to Me a multipart unscripted documentary series from filmmaker Steve James. In addition 12 films in the Buzz Section and 3 podcasts in the Podcast Section have been unveiled. The LA Film Festival runs September 20-28.
“My aim with LA Film Festival is to celebrate and acknowledge storytelling in all its myriad of forms,” said LA Film Festival Director Jennifer Cochis. “Bringing forth part of our Series programming, launching our Podcast section, and shining a spotlight on this year’s Galas is all in effort to honor these creative teams, processes and stories.”
Galas
All About Nina, dir. Eva Vives, West Coast Premiere Just as Nina Geld’s brilliant and angry stand-up kicks her career into high gear, her romantic life gets complicated, forcing her to reckon with what it means to be creative, authentic, and a woman in today’s culture. All About Nina is distributed by The Orchard and will be in theatres on September 28th. The Happy Prince, dir. Rupert Everett, United Kingdom, Los Angeles Premiere The last days of Oscar Wilde — and the ghosts that haunted them — are vividly evoked in Rupert Everett’s directorial debut. As the film travels through Wilde’s final act and journeys through England, France and Italy, desire and loyalty face off, the transience of lust is laid bare, and the true riches of love are revealed. The Happy Prince is being distributed by Sony Pictures Classics and will open in LA & NY October 10th. The Oath, dir. Ike Barinholtz, USA, World Premiere A controversial White House policy turns family member against family member in The Oath, a savagely funny dark comedy about surviving life and Thanksgiving in the age of political tribalism. The Oath is Ike Barinholtz’s directorial debut and is being distributed by Topic Studios and Roadside Attractions, opening on October 12th. Free Solo, dirs. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, USA, Los Angeles Premiere Free Solo is a stunning, intimate and unflinching portrait of free soloist climber Alex Honnold, as he prepares to achieve his lifelong dream: climbing the face of the world’s most famous rock…the 3,200ft El Capitan in Yosemite National Park…without a rope. Free Solo is being distributed by National Geographic Documentary Films.Special Screening
Maria By Callas, dir. Tom Volf, France, Los Angeles Special Screening From first time director Tom Volf, Maria By Callas is the definitive documentary on the life and work of the Greek-American opera singer. Volf has spent nearly five years working on the film, which features never before seen or heard footage and performances of Callas. Maria By Callas is being distributed by Sony Pictures Classics and will open in LA & NY November 2nd.Podcasts
Don’t @ Me with Justin Simien – USA (CREATOR/HOST Justin Simien PRODUCER Gina Delvac) Beyond the knee-jerk reactions and Twitter hot takes, Justin Simien and his guests get real about a variety of topics. Don’t like what you hear? Don’t @ Me. Hollywood & Crime – USA (CREATOR/HOST Tracy Pattin HOST Larry Brand) A look inside the most infamous murders in Hollywood history. Welcome to L.A. – USA (CREATOR/HOST David Weinberg) – David Weinberg explores a few of the many L.A.s that exist between the Pacific and the Mojave, introducing us to a lot of fascinating characters along the way.Series
Into the Dark, “The Body”, dir. Paul Davis, USA, World Premiere The first episode of the Into the Dark series – “The Body” – is a story about a sophisticated hitman with a cynical view on modern society who finds his work made more difficult when he has to transport a body on Halloween night, but everyone is enamored by what they think is his killer costume. “The Body” stars Tom Bateman and Rebecca Rittenhouse, written by Paul Fischer and Paul Davis and is directed by Paul Davis. Into The Dark is a first of its kind year-round horror event series from prolific, award-winning producer, Jason Blum’s independent TV studio Blumhouse Television. The Hulu Original Series includes 12 self-contained episodes, with a new episode premiering each month. The Body premieres exclusively on Hulu, October 5th, 2018. America To Me, “I Don’t Have to Think About Being White”, dir. Steve James, USA Poignant and funny, epic and intimate, America to Me spends an academic year at Chicagoland’s elite Oak Park and River Forest High School (OPRF), allowing its students, families, faculty and administration to tell stories of the pressures and challenges teens face today in their own words. The fifth episode of the epic 10-part docu-series from Starz and Kartemquin looks closely at decades-long racial and educational inequities – in addition to the challenges that today’s teenagers face. America To Me will premiere on Starz this Sunday, August 26 at 10pm PT/ET.Buzz Section
Non-competitive showcase of curated favorites from other film festivals. Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable – dir. Aaron Lieber, USA, West Coast Premiere Galveston – dir. Mélanie Laurent, USA, West Coast Premiere The Great Buster: A Celebration – dir. Peter Bogdanovich, USA, North American Premiere Jonathan – dir. Bill Oliver, USA, West Coast Premiere Little Woods – dir. Nia DaCosta, USA, West Coast Premiere Mr. Soul! – dirs. Melissa Haizlip, Samuel Pollard, USA, West Coast Premiere Museo – dir. Alonso Ruizpalacios, Mexico, North American Premiere The New Romantic – dir. Carly Stone, USA, West Coast Premiere Sadie – dir. Megan Griffiths, USA, California Premiere Song of Back and Neck – dir. Paul Lieberstein, USA, West Coast Premiere Unlovable – dir. Suzi Yoonessi, USA, West Coast Premiere You Can Choose Your Family – dir. Miranda Bailey, USA, West Coast Premiere
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World Premiere of Andrew Slater’s ECHO IN THE CANYON to Open 2018 LA Film Festival
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Echo in the Canyon[/caption]
The World Premiere of the documentary Echo in the Canyon by Andrew Slater, which features some of music’s biggest names reflecting on the sustained influence of Laurel Canyon’s historic music scene, will be the Opening Night film of the 2018 LA Film Festival, followed by a live performance. The festival also announced today the titles in Premieres section, the Future Filmmakers Showcase, the Music Video program and the Indie Pilot program.
“I’m so proud to be opening the Festival with a love song to Los Angeles via Andrew Slater’s Echo in the Canyon,” said Jennifer Cochis, Festival Director. “We are committed to showcasing documentaries, and premiering this work at the Ford Theatres to be followed by a live musical performance is going to be a once in a lifetime experience.”
Opening Night Film
Thursday, September 20, the Ford Theatres Echo in the Canyon, dir. Andrew Slater, USA, World Premiere Echo in the Canyon is a look at how The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield, The Mamas & the Papas birthed the beginnings of the Laurel Canyon music scene and how the echo of these artists’ creations reverberated between each other and ultimately across the world with a timelessness that continues today. With appearances by Tom Petty, Brian Wilson, Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Michelle Phillips, Jackson Browne, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Roger McGuinn, John Sebastian, Lou Adler, Jakob Dylan, Norah Jones, Beck, Regina Spektor, Cat Power, and others. The film was executive produced by Jakob Dylan.Premieres
World and US Premieres of fiction and documentary films featuring noteworthy talent. American Dreamer, dir. Derrick Borte, USA, World Premiere Ashes in the Snow, dir. Marius A. Markevicius, Lithuania/USA, World Premiere Brian Banks, dir. Tom Shadyac, USA, World Premiere The Chaperone, dir. Michael Engler, USA, World Premiere The Clovehitch Killer, dir. Duncan Skiles, USA, World Premiere Good Girls Get High, dir. Laura Terruso, USA, World Premiere Kate Nash: Underestimate the Girl, dir. Amy Goldstein, USA, World Premiere Ride, dir. Jeremy Ungar, USA, World Premiere Tea With the Dames, dir. Roger Michell, UK, US Premiere We Have Always Lived in the Castle, dir. Stacie Passon, USA, US PremiereMusic Videos
Celebrating the marriage of music and visuals in these groundbreaking works. Apartment, dir. Ellis Bahl, USA Art in Motion, dir. Hayk Matevosyan, USA, World Premiere Bones, dir. Hunter Brumfield, USA Camisa Al Reves, dir. Andrew Vasquez, USA Clutch, dir. Christopher Ripley, USA Dis Generation, dir. Hiro Murai, USA Dreams, dir. Elliott Sellers & Erik Ferguson, USA Found, dir. rubber.band, USA Half a Million, dir. Lamar + Nik, USA Hard World, dir. Mike Hollingsworth, USA Heart Attack, dir. Mimi Cave, USA Indie, dir. Angel Kristi Williams, USA I Want You, dir. NORTON, USA Land of the Fairies, dir. Amiel Kestenbaum, Israel Lost Angeles, dir. Evanston Moore, USA Loving is Easy, dir. Chris Ullens, United Kingdom My Way, dir. WATTS., USA Pleader, dir. Isaiah Seret, United Kingdom Side by Side, dir. Bohdan Zajcenko, Czech Republic Terraform, dir. Sil van der Woerd & Jorik Dozy, Spain True Love Waits, dir. Adi Halfin, IsraelFuture Filmmakers Showcase: High School Shorts
Made by incredibly accomplished high school filmmakers from across the country and globe, 43% of the short films in this diverse slate are directed by young women and 47% are directed by filmmakers from diverse backgrounds.Indie Pilots
In this section, each pilot stands on its own and navigates the full hour of an episodic show. Storytellers bring an independent sensibility to these original series. 2 Kawaii 4 Comfort, co-dirs., Luke Palmer, John Bickerstaff, USA 40 And Single, dir, Leila Djansi, USA/Ghana Mulligan, dir, Steve Parys, USA
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2018 LA Film Festival Unveils Diverse Competition Lineup
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Banana Split[/caption]
The 2018 LA Film Festival taking place September 20 to 28, 2018. unveiled a diverse slate of 40 feature films, 41 short films, and 10 short episodic works in the U.S. Fiction, Documentary, World Fiction, LA Muse and Nightfall sections. Across the competition categories 42% of the films are directed by women and 39% are directed by people of color.
“Our mission of finding fresh new voices from different geographical and cultural axes remains true,” said LA Film Festival Director Jennifer Cochis. “These storytellers are united by their ability to transport, impact and inspire audiences with the power of their craft.”
Venues for the 2018 Festival include the ArcLight Cinemas in Culver City, Hollywood and Santa Monica, as well as the new LMU Playa Vista Campus (opening this fall), the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and the Writers Guild Theater.
U.S. Fiction Competition
Banana Split – USA (DIRECTOR Benjamin Francis Kasulke WRITERS Hannah Marks, Joey Power PRODUCERS Jeremy Garelick, Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon, Will Phelps, Glen Trotiner, Sam Slater CAST Hannah Marks, Dylan Sprouse, Liana Liberato, Luke Spencer Roberts, Haley Ramm, Meagan Kimberly Smith) – Over the course of a summer, two teenage girls develop the perfect kindred spirit friendship, with one big problem: one of them is dating the other’s ex. World Premiere In Reality – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Ann Lupo CO-DIRECTOR/CO-WRITER Esteban Pedraza & Aaron Pryka PRODUCERS Ann Lupo, Nadine Martinez, Holly Meehl CAST Ann Lupo, Miles G. Jackson, Kimiko Glenn, Jill Eikenberry, Olivia Washington, Esteban Pedraza, Lauren E. Banks) – A young woman takes a journey through her own fantastic mind as she investigates her relationship to unrequited love. LA Premiere Olympia – USA (DIRECTOR Gregory Dixon WRITER McKenzie Chinn PRODUCERS Gregory Dixon, McKenzie Chinn, Elliott Lonsdale, Lucy Lola Manda, Sarah Sharp CAST McKenzie Chinn, Charles Gardner, Ericka Ratcliff, LaNisa Renee Frederick, Penelope Walker, Sadieh Rifai) – A struggling Chicago artist finds herself at a crossroads in life, overwhelmed by changes and needing to make a critical decision in her relationship. World Premiere Simple Wedding – USA (DIRECTOR Sara Zandieh WRITERS Sara Zandieh, Stephanie Wu PRODUCERS Ray Moheet, Norman Aladjem, Sara Zandieh CAST Tara Grammy, Christopher O’Shea, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Rita Wilson, Maz Jobrani, Houshang Touzie, Jaleh Modjallal, Peter Mackenzie, James Eckhouse, Rebecca Henderson, Aleque Reid) – A romantic comedy about a young Iranian-American woman and the lengths she goes to in order to appease her parents and their need to see her settled down. World Premiere Softness of Bodies – USA/Germany (DIRECTOR/WRITER Jordan Blady PRODUCERS Jordan Blady, Catherine Morawitz CAST Dasha Nekrasova, Morgan Krantz) – An American poet living in Berlin hopes to win a prestigious grant while dealing with her former relationships, a rival poet and her own penchant for stealing things. World Premiere This Teacher – USA (DIRECTOR Mark Jackson WRITERS Mark Jackson, Dana Thompson PRODUCERS Mark Jackson, Dana Thompson, Gigi Graff, Josh Mandel, Javier Gonzalez CAST Hafsia Herzi, Sarah Kazemy, Lucy Walters, Kevin Kane, Lev Gorn) – A young Arab-French woman on an introspective journey visits her childhood friend in New York City before heading to the woods upstate. World Premiere The Wrong Todd – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Rob Schulbaum PRODUCERS Ric Murray, Anthony Ambrosino CAST Jesse Rosen, Anna Rizzo, Sean Carmichael, Derek K. Moore, Erin Rose) – A sci-fi comedy about a man who gets caught up in extraordinary events, and the bizarre lengths he goes through to get back to his reality. World PremiereDocumentary Competition
Behind the Curve – USA (DIRECTOR Daniel J. Clark PRODUCERS Caroline Clark, Nick Andert, Daniel J. Clark) – The internet breathed new life into an old conspiracy theory: that the earth is flat instead of spherical. America’s flat-Earth movement appears to be growing, in spite of its detractors in the scientific community. US Premiere Facing the Dragon – USA/Afghanistan (DIRECTOR Sedika Mojadidi PRODUCER Jenny Raskin) – After international withdrawal from Afghanistan, two remarkable Afghan women working within the government and media struggle to maintain their hard-won rights while balancing what’s best for their families. World Premiere False Confessions – Denmark (DIRECTOR Katrine Philp PRODUCER Katrine A. Sahlstrøm) – “Would you confess to a crime you did not commit?” A defense attorney fights against the complex and manipulative tactics of US police interrogations, focusing on victims of coerced confessions as she helps exonerate her incarcerated clients. North American Premiere hillbilly – USA (DIRECTORS/PRODUCERS Sally Rubin, Ashley York SUBJECTS bell hooks, Billy Reddon, Ronny Cox, Frank X Walker, Crystal Good, Silas House) – Two filmmakers visit rural Kentucky, one returning home to Appalachia, to unpack the stereotype of “hillbilly” and explore the personal and painful experiences fueling our polarizing political climate. LA Premiere Mamacita – Germany/Mexico (DIRECTOR José Pablo Estrada Torrescano PRODUCERS José Pablo Estrada Torrescano, Arne Birkenstock) – A filmmaker fulfills his promise to make a film about his 95-year-old grandmother, showcasing her big personality and along the way uncovering the source of deep familial wounds. US Premiere Moroni for President – USA (DIRECTORS Saila Huusko, Jasper Rischen PRODUCERS Saila Huusko, Jasper Rischen, Sara Goldblatt) – Determined to shake up the status quo and bring positive change to his people, a young, gay college professor begins a grass-roots campaign to become the next President of the Navajo Nation. LA Premiere Same God – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER/PRODUCER Linda Midgett) – It started out simply: a demonstration of solidarity. What followed? Life-changing events violating university and ethical codes and a public attack on a tenured professor’s ideals, faith, racial and religious identity. World Premiere The Silence of Others – Spain (DIRECTORS/PRODUCERS Almudena Carracedo, Robert Bahar) – In a country with streets that still bear his name, a group of resolute Spanish citizens seek justice for crimes committed during the brutal dictatorship of Francisco Franco by organizing a groundbreaking international lawsuit. West Coast Premiere Stammering Ballad – China (DIRECTOR/WRITER Nan Zhang PRODUCERS Ruby Chen, Yong Zhang, Sinae Ha) – The visual and musical journey of a Chinese folk musician torn between his desire for fame and his love for singing rural folk songs that are on the verge of being lost. North American Premiere Wrestling Ghosts — USA (DIRECTOR Ana Joanes PRODUCERS Ana Joanes, Toni Nagy) — Unable to understand why parenting seems like a constant uphill battle, an emotionally exhausted mother who can’t connect with her two young sons courageously confronts the events of her own traumatic childhood. World PremiereWorld Fiction Competition
Border – Sweden (DIRECTOR Ali Abbasi WRITERS Ali Abbasi, Isabella Eklöf, John Ajvide Lindqvist PRODUCERS Nina Bisgaard, Peter Gustafsson, Petra Jönsson CAST Eva Melander, Eero Milonoff, Jörgen Thorsson) – Despite having the remarkable gift of being able to smell emotions, a border agent leads a mundane existence until she meets a stranger who shares her unique abilities and upends her life. California Premiere The Cotton Wool War – Brazil (DIRECTOR/WRITER/PRODUCERS Cláudio Marques, Marilia Hughes CAST Dora Goritzki, Thaia Perez, Thaila Lima) – Dora is a German-raised teenager visiting her enigmatic Brazilian grandmother for the first time. While trying to return to Germany at all costs, she discovers the incredible history behind the women of her family. US Premiere The Day I Lost My Shadow – France/Lebanon/Qatar/Syrian Arab Republic (DIRECTOR/WRITER Soudade Kaadan PRODUCER Amira Kaadan CAST Sawsan Arshid, Reham Al Kasar, Samer Ismail, Ahmad Ali) – In the midst of a gas crisis during the early days of the Syrian Arab Spring, a young mother takes the day off work and strays far from home with only one objective in mind: finding a working cylinder so that she may cook a meal for her son. US Premiere Heaven Without People – Lebanon (DIRECTOR/WRITER Lucien Bourjeily PRODUCERS Lucien Bourjeily, Farah Shaer CAST Ghassan Chemali, Hussein Hijazi, Jean Paul Hage, Jenny Gebara, Laeticia Semaan, Nadim Abou Samra, Samira Sarkis) – When a large family comes together for the first time in two years over Easter lunch, tensions bubble to the surface in surprising ways as they navigate an unforeseen conflict that threatens to derail their reunion. LA Premiere Microhabitat – South Korea (DIRECTOR/WRITER Jeon Go-Woon PRODUCER Kim Soon-Mo CAST Som Lee, Jae-hong Ahn) – An increase in the price of cigarettes destabilizes the economy of Miso, a young housekeeper who prefers to stop paying the rent rather than give up on the little pleasures of life. While she enjoys her smokes, Miso starts a couch-surfing journey that reconnects her with family and friends. West Coast Premiere Socrates – Brazil (DIRECTOR Alex Moratto WRITERS Alex Moratto, Thayná Mantesso PRODUCERS Tammy Weiss, Ramin Bahrani, Alex Moratto, Jefferson Paulino CAST Christian Malheiros, Tales Ordakji, Rosane Paulo, Caio Martinez Pacheco, Jayme Rodrigues) – A 15-year-old boy in São Paulo is forced to live on his own after his mother’s death. The search for a job, and dealing with his own sexual awakening, proves to be a lot to handle. World Premiere Tower. A Bright Day. – Poland/Czech Republic (DIRECTOR/WRITER Jagoda Szelc PRODUCERS Marcin Malatyński, Agata Golanska, Agnieszka Janowska, Kacper Habisiak, Andrzej Jędrzejewski, Maciej Ostoja-Chyżyński, Rafał Bubnicki CAST Anna Krotoska, Małgorzata Szczerbowska, Rafał Cieluch, Dorota Łukasiewicz-Kwietniewska, Laila Hennessy) – A protective mother has taken care of her young niece for years, raising her in the countryside as her own daughter. Her sister’s sudden return triggers a sense that she may be back to reclaim her offspring or to implement even more ominous plans. LA PremiereNightfall
The Dead Center – USA (DIRECTOR Billy Senese WRITER Billy Senese PRODUCERS Billy Senese, Denis Deck, Jonathan Rogers, Shane Carruth CAST Shane Carruth, Poorna Jagannathan, Jeremy Childs, Bill Feehely) – When a mysterious John Doe wakes up in a morgue and wanders into a psychiatric ward, a devoted doctor and curious medical examiner must slowly uncover dark and sinister secrets about the man that reveal a more horrifying truth than they could have ever imagined. World Premiere Deep Murder – USA (DIRECTOR Nick Corirossi WRITERS Josh Margolin, Quinn Beswick, Benjamin Smolen, Nikolai von Keller PRODUCERS Eric B. Fleischman, Andrew Swett, Drew Foster, Jesse Berger, Brent Johnson, Pat McErlean CAST Quinn Beswick, Katie Aselton, Christopher McDonald, Jerry O’Connell, Jessica Kennedy, Chris Redd, Stephanie Drake, Josh Margolin) – Set in an alternate reality in which everyone is a cliché from a tacky soft-core porn film, a group of increasingly self-aware stock characters are up against a mysterious killer offing them one by one. World Premiere Ghost Light – USA (DIRECTOR John Stimpson WRITERS/PRODUCERS Geoffrey Taylor, John Stimpson CAST Roger Bart, Tom Riley, Shannyn Sossamon, Danielle Campbell, Carol Kane, Cary Elwes) – The story of an unfortunate Shakespearean acting troupe that unleashes the infamous curse of Macbeth with horrifying results. World Premiere Head Count – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Elizabeth Callahan PRODUCERS Samuel Sandweiss, Brandon Somerhalder CAST Isaac W. Jay, Ashleigh Morghan, Bevin Bru, Billy Meade, Hunter Peterson, Chelcie May, Tory Freeth, Michael Herman, Amaka Obiechie, Sam Marra, Cooper Rowe) – During a weekend getaway to Joshua Tree, a group of teenagers find themselves under mental and physical assault from a supernatural entity that mimics their appearances as it completes an ancient ritual. World Premiere Spell – USA (DIRECTOR Brendan Walter WRITER Barak Hardley PRODUCERS Brendan Walter, Jon Lullo, Barak Hardley, Katy Stoll, Eleanor Wilson CAST Barak Hardley, Jackie Tohn, Magnús Jónsson, Birna Rún Eiriksdóttir, Tom Wright, Stacey Moseley, Michael Nanfria, Michole Briana White, Bryndís Haraldsdóttir) – Following the unexpected death of his fiancé, an American illustrator travels to the Icelandic countryside to seek solace. What he finds instead is a blurred line between reality and fantasy as magical things begin to shake his very foundation—unless it’s all in his head. World Premiere Thriller – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Dallas Jackson PRODUCERS Greg Gilreath, Adam Hendricks, John Lang, Dallas Jackson CAST Mykelti Williamson, RZA, Jessica Allain, Luke Tennie, Tequan Richmond, Paige Hurd, Chelsea Rendon, Mitchell Edwards, Pepi Sonuga, Jason Woods, Maestro Harrell, Michael Ocampo)– Years after a childhood prank goes horribly wrong, a clique of South Central LA teens find themselves terrorized during Homecoming weekend by a killer hell-bent on revenge. World PremiereLA Muse
The Advocates – USA (DIRECTOR Rémi Kessler PRODUCERS Rémi Kessler, Robert McFalls) – A sweeping look at the homeless crisis in Los Angeles and an intimate view of the tireless advocates who strive to create better lives for their clients. World Premiere El Chicano – USA (DIRECTOR Ben Hernandez Bray WRITERS Ben Hernandez Bray, Joe Carnahan PRODUCERS Joe Carnahan, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Frank Grillo CAST Raúl Castillo, George Lopez, Aimee Garcia, Emilio Rivera, David Castañeda, Marlene Forte, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Sal Lopez) – A cop is drawn into his ex-con brother’s death while investigating the crime-fighting exploits of a mysterious vigilante known as “El Chicano.” World Premiere Fire on the Hill – (DIRECTOR/WRITER Brett Fallentine PRODUCERS Brett Fallentine, Jordana Glick-Franzheim) – Three Black cowboys in South Central share their stories following a mysterious fire that burnt down the community’s stables, leaving the fate of the culture in question. World Premiere Funke – (DIRECTOR Gabriel Taraboulsy PRODUCERS Gabriel Taraboulsy, Alex Emanuele, Jay Holzer, Cecile Murias) – A prodigious chef mounts his culinary comeback, eyeing the most competitive street in America as a stage for his ode to the dying art of handmade pasta. World Premiere Making Montgomery Clift – (DIRECTORS/WRITERS/PRODUCERS Robert A. Clift, Hillary Demmon) – Classic film star Montgomery Clift’s legacy has been a story of tragedy and self-destruction, but a more complicated picture emerges when his nephew dives into the family archives. World Premiere Saint Judy – USA (DIRECTOR Sean Hanish WRITER Dmitry Portnoy PRODUCERS Sean Hanish, Paul Jaconi-Biery CAST Michelle Monaghan, Leem Lubany, Common, Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, Mykelti Williamson) – The true story of LA immigration attorney Judy Wood, who single-handedly changed the United States Law of Asylum, saving countless lives in the process. World Premiere Solace – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Tchaiko Omawale PRODUCERS Tchaiko Omawale, Maya Emelle, Hope Olaide Wilson, Sabine Hoffman, Sascha Brown Rice CAST Hope Olaide Wilson, Lynn Whitfield, Chelsea Tavares, Glynn Turman, Luke Rampersad, Sydney Bennett) – A teenage orphan moves to LA to live with her estranged grandmother and works to win a performance art grant while secretly struggling with binge eating. California Premiere Staycation – USA (DIRECTOR Tanuj Chopra WRITERS Tanuj Chopra, Anthony Ma, Grace Su PRODUCER Lalithra Fernando CAST Anthony Ma, Grace Su) – A modern millennial codependent couple in DTLA have their relationship thrown for a loop when he discovers a photo from an ex on her phone. World Premiere Stuntman – USA (DIRECTOR Kurt Mattila PRODUCERS Steven Golebiowski, Kurt Mattila, Eddie Braun CAST Eddie Braun, Gary Davis, Conrad E. Palmisano, Buddy Joe Hooker, Scott Truax) – A veteran stuntman sets out to complete the jump that bested his idol Evel Knievel: clearing the Snake River Canyon in a rocket-powered craft. World Premiere We the Coyotes – USA (DIRECTORS/WRITERS Hanna Ladoul, Marco La Via PRODUCERS Raphael Gindre, Kevin Van Der Meiren, Julius Schultheib CAST Morgan Saylor, McCaul Lombardi, Betsy Brandt, Khleo Thomas, Lorelei Linklater) – A young couple moves to LA from the Midwest to start a new life together, but things don’t go exactly as planned. North American PremiereShorts (41)
Agua Viva – USA (DIRECTOR Alexa Lim Haas) – A Chinese manicurist in Miami attempts to describe feelings she doesn’t have the words for. Audition – USA (DIRECTOR Richard Van) – Unable to find a sitter, an aspiring actress has no choice but to drag her three-year-old son to her audition. Beastly Things – USA (DIRECTOR Zev Chevat) – A young artist encounters a vicious group of local schoolchildren and learns what beastly behavior truly means. Black 14 – USA (DIRECTOR Darius Clark Monroe) – An archival social study examining the media coverage of a 1969 racial protest at the University of Wyoming. Burn Bridge – USA/England (DIRECTOR Rhys Jones) – Hopelessly infatuated with his clueless best friend, an adolescent boy in North Yorkshire explores his sexuality and acts out with destructive behavior. Caroline – USA (DIRECTORS Celine Held, Logan George) – A precocious six-year-old is faced with a big responsibility on a hot Texas day. Cheer Up, Baby – USA (DIRECTOR Adinah Dancyger) – A young woman who has been sexually assaulted by a stranger on the subway is rendered with psychological menace and sensory dislocation in this elliptical tale. Counterfeit Kunkoo – India (DIRECTOR Reema Sengupta) – In a city that houses millions, Smita fights a stubborn cultural bias while trying to rent a house in middle-class Mumbai. Coyote – Switzerland (DIRECTOR Lorenz Wunderle) – After wolves attack his family, a coyote goes on a vision quest of revenge. Cross My Heart – Jamaica/USA (DIRECTOR Sontenish Myers) – An American teenage girl visits her family in Jamaica and uncovers a secret that changes the way she sees the people she loves. Delay – Iran/Italy (DIRECTOR Ali Asgari) – A man and his two children miss their flight and while waiting for the next flight, undergo a transformative moment. The Earth is Humming – USA (DIRECTOR Garrett Bradley) – In Japan earthquake preparedness is a way of life, and a full-blown industry. Falling – France (DIRECTOR Benjamin Vu) – In 1994 France, a clever, gay, much-bullied young esthete and his naïve, athletic classmate develop an unexpected intimacy when they’re paired up for a high school presentation. Hair Wolf – USA (DIRECTOR Mariama Diallo) – In a black hair salon in gentrifying Brooklyn, the residents fend off a strange new horror: white women sucking the lifeblood from black culture. Hierophany – USA (DIRECTOR Kevin Contento) – A Florida boy comes in contact with the sacred while living in the margins of the South. Intercourse – Sweden (DIRECTOR Jonatan Etzan) – A passing joke between a couple blurs the lines and brings them to terms with how it has changed their relationship. Jeom – USA (DIRECTOR Kangmin Kim) – A father and son, who share the same big birthmark on their butt wage war against this genetic blemish. Kevlar – Sweden (DIRECTOR Tuna Özer) – A young man from the projects outside of Stockholm borrows his friend’s jacket to impress a hip city girl and winds up at a party in a strange land. Ladders – USA (DIRECTOR Andrew Stephen Lee) – The bright future facing a smart, ambitious Dominican teen becomes clouded with doubt following a pointed interaction at a fundraising gala. Libre – USA (DIRECTOR Anna Barsan) – Undocumented immigrants forced to spend months in detention turn to private companies to secure their release on bond in this gripping documentary. Lotus – Iran (DIRECTOR Mohammadreza Vatandoust) – After a controlled flood an old woman is left to gaze from her window at the island she’s forbidden to visit, longing for the object of her affection. Mud – USA (DIRECTOR Shaandiin Tome) – On her last day of life, a woman faces the inescapable remnants of alcoholism, family and culture. Nevada – USA (DIRECTOR Emily Ann Hoffman) – A young couple’s romantic weekend getaway is interrupted by a birth control mishap in this stop-motion animated comedy. One Leg In, One Leg Out – Canada (DIRECTOR Lisa Rideout) – A lively, strong-willed sex worker struggles to move from the streets and into a career as a social worker, hoping to help fellow trans sex workers find acceptance. The Passage – USA (DIRECTOR Kitao Sakurai) – Fleeing a pair of mysterious agents sends a dim-witted mute on a series of absurd misadventures. Room 140 – USA (DIRECTOR Priscilla Gonzalez Sainz) – Immigrants just released from detention centers spend their first night in Oakland at a motel paid for by a local pastor. Roya – USA (DIRECTOR Shaina Pakravan) – On the night of a relative’s engagement party, an image conscious Iranian-American mother clashes with her free-spirited teenage daughter. Scratch – Spain (DIRECTOR David Valero) – A young DJ with a cognitive disability has trouble understanding the violent word around him; his actions subvert societal concepts of perpetrator and victim, apology and forgiveness. Shadow Animals – Sweden (DIRECTOR Jerry Carlsson) – A young girl follows her parents to a party where the adults’ behavior becomes increasingly strange. The Shift – USA (DIRECTOR Elivia Genny Shaw) – For San Francisco’s 911 dispatchers, the city is hard to escape. Sin Cielo – USA (DIRECTOR Jianna Maarten) – Two teenagers pursue young love in the borderlands where life under cartel violence may be inescapable. Skip Day – USA (DIRECTORS Ivete Lucas, Patrick Bresnan) – With graduation approaching, a group of high school seniors take a day at the beach to revel in the joys of being young in an increasingly unsteady world. Swedi – Sweden (DIRECTOR Sosi Chamoun) – A woman in a grocery store contends with a clerk who won’t leave her alone in this one-take shot. This Magnificent Cake! – Belgium/France/Netherlands (DIRECTORS Emma De Swaef, Marc James Roels) – Set in colonial Africa in the late 19th century, this breathtaking stop-motion epic examines colonialism through five different stories. This, My Favorite Mural – USA (DIRECTOR Michael Arcos) – The Latinx immigrant experience in Louisiana is explored through the eyes of a German woman who becomes obsessed with finding the artist who painted a tire shop mural. The Things You Think I’m Thinking – Canada (DIRECTOR Sherren Lee) – On his first date since a devastating accident, a burn victim throws himself back into the world of relationships and the fear of allowing love back into his life. True Love in Pueblo Textil – USA (DIRECTOR Horatio Baltz) – A young girl living in the Cuban countryside describes how it feels to be stricken with the world’s oldest infliction: love. War Paint – USA (DIRECTOR Katrelle Kindred) – For a bright South LA teen, what should be a happy 4th of July weekend becomes an unexpected lesson in the stark realities of power and racism. Weekends – USA (DIRECTOR Trevor Jimenez) – A young boy shuffles between the homes of his recently divorced parents in this surreal hand-animated film set in 1980s Toronto. While I Yet Live – USA (DIRECTOR Maris Curran) – African-American quilters from Alabama talk about love, religion and the fight for civil rights as they continue the tradition of quilting that originally brought them together. Wild Wild West: A Beautiful Rant By Mark Bradford – USA (DIRECTOR Dime Davis) – The origin of artists is explored through paper, percussion and one provocative creative.Episodes: Indie Series from the Web
Avant-Guardians, dir. Clarence Williams II, USA Flatbush Misdemeanors, dirs. Dan Perlman, Kevin Iso, USA Fresh, dir. Grant Scicluna, Australia Kiki and Kitty, dir. Catriona Mackenzie, Australia Otis, dir. Alexander Etseyatse, USA Petal & Paint, dir. Bradley Smith, USA Psusy, dirs. Duckworth, Jaya Beach-Robertson, New Zealand Revenge Tour, dir. Andrew Carter, USA Robits, dir. Christopher Parks, USA Tracy Buckles, dir. Robin Nystrom, USA
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Immersive Storytelling Program and More New Programming Added to 2018 LA Film Festival
The LA Film Festival, which is moving to the fall this year, will include an immersive storytelling program curated by Jacqueline Lyanga, Guest Director, VR and Immersive Storytelling, in partnership with Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television; We the People, a two-day summit committed to advancing inclusion within the entertainment industry; a partnership with the International Documentary Association’s biannual conference, Getting Real ’18; and a benefit dinner celebrating 25 years of Project Involve, honoring Effie T. Brown, Jon M. Chu, Cherien Dabis and Charles D. King. The upcoming 24th edition of the Festival, under the leadership of Festival Director Jennifer Cochis, will take place September 20 to 28, 2018.
“The evolution of the LA Film Festival continues!” said Jennifer Cochis, Festival Director. “The new partnerships formed with kindred and beloved organizations like LMU’s School of Film and Television and the International Documentary Association are radical, connecting creators in brand new ways. Jacqueline Lyanga will helm the LA Film Festival’s first foray into immersive storytelling as Guest Director, VR and Immersive Storytelling. She is a talented and distinguished tastemaker in our global festival community. The pieces and experiences she will curate are not just of the moment; these are the storytellers of the future. The Festival is also expanding our inclusion summit, We the People, to allow us to continue to be leaders within the broader industry dialogue as we continue to work towards solutions for parity across Hollywood.”
Josh Welsh, President of Film Independent added, “Project Involve has worked to make this industry more inclusive for a quarter of a century. We are taking this moment to celebrate the work of Project Involve alumni like, Effie T. Brown, Jon M. Chu and Cherien Dabis, as well as industry leaders like Charles D. King. These are the people who are bringing the change, and we’re so happy to honor them at the Festival this year, and to help raise funds to support the program into the future.”
This year marks the launch of an immersive storytelling section of the Festival, in partnership with LMU’s School of Film and Television, Jacqueline Lyanga (former Director, AFI FEST) will curate this section of the Festival as Guest Director, VR and Immersive Storytelling. This section will showcase exemplary, daring new work in a variety of new media platforms including VR, AI and AR. This two-day experience will be free to the public and take place September 22-23, at the new LMU Playa Vista Campus, located in the heart of Silicon Beach, the hub for innovative technology and digital entertainment.
Continuing to advance the inclusion conversation, the Festival is launching We the People, a two-day summit that is a participatory, solution-oriented call to action. Over the course of two days at the Writers Guild Theatre, September 22 and 23, We the People will feature free panel discussions and keynote conversations addressing issues of representation and inclusion in the industry. Panelists include Tre’vell Anderson (LA Times), Russell Boast (president, CSA), Kate Hagan (The Black List), Teresa Huang (SEAL Team), Our Lady J (Pose), Franklin Leonard (The Black List), Nic Novicki (Founder Easterseals Disability Film Challenge), Natasha Rottweil (Insecure), Krista Suh (Co-Founder, Pussyhat movement), Steven James Tingus (board member, RespectAbility), Gail Williamson (talent agent, KMR & Associates) and more to be announced. The conversations will range from the state of the entertainment industry’s inclusion efforts both on screen and behind the camera, in addition to how women, immigrants, Muslims, LGBTQ+, Native Americans, people with disabilities and people of color are represented.
On the evening of Saturday, September 22, a benefit dinner will be held to celebrate 25 years of Project Involve, the organization’s mentorship initiative for underrepresented voices in the industry. The benefit dinner will honor Project Involve Fellows Effie T. Brown (Real Women Have Curves, Dear White People), Jon M. Chu (GI Joe: Retaliation, Crazy Rich Asians), Cherien Dabis (Amreeka, Empire) and MACRO’s Founder & CEO Charles D. King (Mudbound, Fences) at the home of Catharine and Jeffrey Soros. The event is chaired by long-time program supporter Chaz Ebert. For more information on tickets and tables, contact Jennifer Murby at jmurby@filmindependent.org.
The Festival is also adding a partnership with the International Documentary Association to expand Film Independent and the Festival’s support of the documentary community. The Festival is introducing a Documentary Pass and centering its documentary programming at ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood to make it easily accessible to attendees of the IDA’s conference, Getting Real. Festival Doc Pass holders will receive a discount to Getting Real and vice versa. Film Independent is also launching a documentary track of its Fast Track film financing market, also in partnership with the IDA.
In addition to the traditional Opening and Closing Night Films available to pass holders, the Festival is also programming public screenings that LA audiences can attend on those nights. On September 20, the Festival will feature a night of Project Involve shorts and on September 28, a special Closing Night Documentary will screen. Festival passes go on sale to Film Independent Members on July 24 and to the general public on July 31 at lafilmfestival.com. The Competition Lineup will be announced on July 31.
The 2018 Festival team is comprised of Jennifer Cochis, Festival Director; Rachel Bleemer, Director of Operations; Shawn Davis, Director of Events; Drea Clark, Senior Programmer, Head Programmer, US Fiction; Jenn Wilson, Senior Programmer, Head Programmer, Documentary; Heidi Honeycutt, Head Programmer, Nightfall; Ana Souza, Head Programmer, World Fiction; Landon Zakheim, Head of Shorts; Hasan Foster, Senior Manager, Inclusion and Discourse; Rebecca Green, Programmer, Retrospectives; Aisha Lomax, Programmer, Podcasts and Music Videos; and Spade Robinson, Programmer, Television and Web Content.
Venues for the 2018 Festival include the ArcLight Cinemas in Culver City, Hollywood and Santa Monica, as well as the new LMU Playa Vista Campus (opening this fall), the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and the Writers Guild Theater.
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LA Film Festival Moving to September in 2018
The LA Film Festival, previously held in June, will now take place in late September starting in 2018. Submissions for the 24th edition of the Festival will open January 1, 2018, exclusively on Withoutabox, as part of a new multi-year collaboration.
“The secret to dramatically changing something is to change it,” said Jennifer Cochis, LA Film Festival Director. “My passion for this Festival is unwavering and the time for an evolution has come. Film Independent is so proud of the work we’ve done in showcasing new American and international cinema that embraces diversity, innovation and unique perspectives, but the fact is that summer is a challenging time for artist driven films, and fall is where we clearly belong. This shift in our dates is an important step in enacting my aim to further develop the LA Film Festival, I sincerely look forward to better serving filmmakers, film lovers, the city and the industry in the fall of 2018 and beyond.”
“We are proud to be the home of the LA Film Festival. The festival has been a staple for filmmakers and cinephiles in Los Angeles,” said Gretchen McCourt, Executive Vice President at ArcLight Cinemas. “LA is an entertainment mecca and has been home to ArcLight for over 15 years. It is partnerships like this that continue to make our programming unique. We couldn’t be more thrilled to be with them on this journey.”
“Great festivals need great partners, and we couldn’t be happier to be entering a multi-year collaboration with ArcLight Cinema and Withoutabox,” said Film Independent President Josh Welsh. “LA audiences know and love the ArcLight experience, and as our submissions continue to grow, Withoutabox is the ideal service for us to accept and evaluate submissions from filmmakers all over the world.”
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BECKS, LIYANA, SKID ROW MARATHON Among Winners of 2017 LA Film Festival Awards
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Becks[/caption]
Today the LA Film Festival announced the winners of the 2017 Festival at the Awards Reception, with the U.S. Fiction Award going to Elizabeth Rohrbaugh and Daniel Powell for Becks, which made its World Premiere at the Festival.
The World Fiction Award went to Diego Ros for The Night Guard (El Vigilante), which made its North American Premiere at the Festival.
The Documentary Award went to Amanda Kopp and Aaron Kopp for Liyana, which made its World Premiere at the Festival.
The LA Muse Awards were given to two films, one fiction and one documentary. The LA Muse Documentary Award went to Mark Hayes for Skid Row Marathon, which made its World Premiere at the Festival. The LA Muse Fiction Award went to Savannah Bloch for And Then There Was Eve, which made its World Premiere at the Festival.
The Audience Award for Documentary Feature Film was given to Skid Row Marathon, directed by Mark Hayes; and the Audience Award for Fiction Feature Film went to The Keeping Hours, directed by Karen Moncrieff.
Announced earlier were the winners of The Danny Elfman Project: Rabbit and Rogue competition:
13, Justine Quinones
The Bridge, Matt Eckholm
Dandelion, Catherine Fauteux
A Day for Manuel, JB Minerva
Gamelan, Cornelia Nicolăeasa
A Glory Sewn, Travis Dixon
Lakesong, Douglas Gibbens & Konstantina Mantelos
Natural Promotion, Sean Oliver
Urge, Pieter Coudyzer
Awards were given out in the following categories:
U.S. Fiction Award
Winner: Becks, directed by Elizabeth Rohrbaugh and Daniel Powell
Screenwriter: Elizabeth Rohrbaugh, Daniel Powell, Rebecca Drysdale
Producer: Alex Bach, Elizabeth Rohrbaugh, Daniel Powell
Cast: Lena Hall, Mena Suvari, Christine Lahti, Dan Fogler, Rebecca Drysdale, Hayley Kiyoko, Michael Zegen
Film Description: After a crushing breakup, an aimless singer-songwriter moves in with her ultra-Catholic mother and strikes up an unexpected friendship with the wife of an old nemesis. World Premiere
U.S. Fiction Cinematography Award presented by Aputure
Winner: Everything Beautiful is Far Away, cinematography by Christian Sorensen Hansen and Pete Ohs
Directors: Pete Ohs and Andrea Sisson
Country: USA
Screenwriter: Pete Ohs
Producer: Saul Germaine, Andrea Sisson, Pete Ohs
Cast: Julia Garner, Joseph Cross, C.S. Lee
Film Description: This arthouse science fiction fable is set on an isolated desert planet, where a man who is looking for parts to repair his robotic companion teams up with a young woman who is searching for an imaginary lake. World Premiere
The U.S. Fiction Jury awarded the following special mentions:
Special Mention for Breakout Performance: Auden Thornton of Beauty Mark
Country: USA
Director: Harris Doran
Screenwriter: Harris Doran
Producer: Harris Doran, Penny Edmiston, Gill Holland, Kiley Lane Parker, Bridget Berger, Corey Moosa
Cast: Auden Thornton, Catherine Curtin, Laura Bell Bundy, Jeff Kober, Madison Iseman, Deirdre Lovejoy
Film Description: Inspired by true events, when a poverty-stricken young mother and her three-year-old son are evicted, she turns to the only person she knows with any money – the man who abused her as a child. World Premiere
Special Mention for Directing: Bruce Thierry Cheung of Don’t Come Back from the Moon
Country: USA
Screenwriter: Bruce Thierry Cheung, Dean Bakopoulos
Producer: Jay Davis, Lauren Hoekstra
Cast: Jeffrey Wahlberg, Zackary Arthur, Alyssa Elle Steinacker, Cheyenne Haynes, James Franco, Rashida Jones
Film Description: The men of a small town on the edge of nowhere mysteriously disappear, one by one, leaving women and children behind to fend for themselves in a desolate and dreamlike world. World Premiere
World Fiction Award
Winner: The Night Guard (El Vigilante), directed by Diego Ros
Country: Mexico
Screenwriter: Diego Ros
Producer: Diego Ros
Cast: Leonardo Alonso, Ari Gallegos, Lilia Mendoza, Héctor Holten
Film Description: A security guard at a construction site learns about a crime that took place the night before and becomes entangled in a series of mysterious events that unravel over the course of a single night. North American Premiere
The World Fiction Jury awarded the following special mention:
Special Mention for Excellence in Storytelling: On the Beach at Night Alone (Bamui Hae-Byun-Eoseo Honja), directed by Hong Sangsoo
Country: South Korea
Screenwriter: Hong Sangsoo
Producer: Hong Sangsoo
Cast: Kim Minhee, Seo Younghwa, Kwon Haehyo, Jung Jaeyoung, Song Seonmi, Moon Sungkeun, Ahn Jaehong, Park Yeaju, Karl Feder, Mark Peranson, Bettina Steinbrügge
Film Description: Younghee is an actress who is stressed by a relationship with a married man in Korea. On the beach she wonders: Is he missing me, like I miss him? North American Premiere
Documentary Award
Winner: Liyana, directed by Amanda Kopp and Aaron Kopp
Country: Swaziland / USA / Qatar
Producer: Amanda Kopp, Aaron Kopp, Sakheni Dlamini, Daniel Junge, Davis Coombe
Featuring: Gcina Mhlophe
Film Description: The epic tale of a young Swazi girl on a dangerous quest to save her twin brothers is brought to life with captivating animation from the imaginations of five talented orphan children in Swaziland. World Premiere
LA Muse Fiction Award
Winner: And Then There Was Eve, directed by Savannah Bloch
Screenwriter: Savannah Bloch, Colette Freedman
Producer: Jen Prince, Jhennifer Webberley
Cast: Tania Nolan, Rachel Crowl, Mary Holland, Karan Soni, Anne Gee Byrd, John Kassir
Film Description: After the sudden disappearance of her husband, a woman enlists the help of his coworker to fill in the missing pieces. World Premiere
[caption id="attachment_22793" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Skid Row Marathon[/caption]
LA Muse Documentary Award
Winner: Skid Row Marathon, directed by Mark Hayes
Screenwriter: Mark Hayes
Producer: Gabriele Hayes, Doug Blush
Cast: Judge Craig Mitchell, Ben Shirley, Rafael Cabrera, Rebecca Hayes, David Askew
Film Description: On LA’s Skid Row, a criminal court judge organizes a running club comprised of homeless, recovering and paroled men and women who seek to rediscover their sense of self-worth and dignity. World Premiere
The LA Muse Jury awarded the following special mentions:
Special Mention for Acting: John Carroll Lynch of Anything
Country: USA
Director: Timothy McNeil
Screenwriter: Timothy McNeil
Producer: Louise Runge, Ofrit Peres, Micah Hauptman
Cast: John Carroll Lynch, Matt Bomer, Maura Tierney, Margot Bingham, Micah Hauptman
Film Description: After the death of his wife, a man moves from Mississippi to a run-down Hollywood apartment, where he meets someone new. World Premiere
Special Mention for Excellence in Storytelling: The Classic, directed by Billy McMillin
Country: USA
Screenwriter: Billy McMillin
Producer: Christopher Leggett, Rafael Marmor, Timm Oberwelland, Billy McMillin
Cast: Mario Ramirez, Joseph Silva, Sammy Hernandez, Stevie Williams, Javier Cid, Lorenzo Hernandez, Alfred Robledo
Film Description: Two predominantly Latino high schools square off annually in one of the oldest and most heated football rivalries in the country: the East LA Classic. It doesn’t get more American than this. World Premiere
Nightfall Award
Winner: Serpent, directed by Amanda Evans
Screenwriter: Amanda Evans
Producer: Greig Buckle
Cast: Sarah Dumont, Tom Ainsley
Film Description: When a young couple take a getaway aimed at reviving their romance, they find themselves trapped in a tent with a venomous snake and a backlog of secrets, and realize that only one of them can make it out alive. World Premiere
The Nightfall Jury awarded the following special mention:
Special Mention for Acting: Kate Nhung of The Housemaid
Country: USA/Vietnam
Director: Derek Nguyen
Screenwriter: Derek Nguyen
Producer: Timothy Linh Bui
Cast: Nhung Kate, Jean-Michel Richaud, Kim Xuan, Rosie Fellner, Phi Phung, Kien An
Film Description: After an orphaned Vietnamese girl is hired to be a housemaid at a haunted rubber plantation in 1953 French Indochina, she unexpectedly falls in love with the French landowner and awakens the vengeful ghost of his dead wife. North American Premiere
Award for Short Film
Winner: A Funeral for Lightning, directed by Emily Kai Bock. USA/Canada.
Film Description: Seven months pregnant and stuck in a sleepy corner of Tennessee, a young woman begins to question the promises made by her charismatic husband.
The Shorts Jury awarded the following special mentions:
Special Mention for Excellence in Storytelling: Balloonfest, directed by Nathan Truesdell. USA
Film Description: Cleveland attempts to overcome its nickname, “The Mistake by the Lake,” by launching a bunch of balloons.
Award for Documentary Short
Winner: Black America Again, directed by Bradford Young. USA
Film Description: Inspired by Common’s Black America Again, this portrait is a celebration of the beauty, strength, perseverance and spirit of the black community in these troubling times.
Audience Award for Fiction Feature Film
Winner: The Keeping Hours, directed by Karen Moncrieff
Producers: Jason Blum, John Miranda
Cast: Lee Pace, Carrie Coon, Sander Thomas, Amy Smart, Ana Ortiz, Ray Baker
Film Description: Years after the death of their son and their subsequent estrangement, a couple reunites under supernatural circumstances. World Premiere.
Audience Award for Documentary Feature Film
Winner: Skid Row Marathon, directed by Mark Hayes
Producers: Gabriele Hayes, Doug Blush
Featuring: Judge Craig Mitchell, Ben Shirley, Rafael Cabrera, Rebecca Hayes, David Askew
Film Description: On LA’s Skid Row, a criminal court judge organizes a running club comprised of homeless, recovering and paroled men and women who seek to rediscover their sense of self-worth and dignity. World Premiere
Audience Award for Short Film
Winner: Swim, directed by Mari Walker
Country: USA
Film Description: As summer draws to a close, a young trans girl finds freedom in a secret midnight swim.
Audience Award for Web-series
Winner: High & Mighty, directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada
Country: USA
Description: Perpetually stoned, drunk, and unemployed, Chelo Chavez is an unlikely superhero.
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Film Independent Selects 10 Projects and 24 Filmmakers for 14th Fast Track + RADIANT Awarded Grant
10 projects and 24 filmmakers have been selected for the Film Independent’s 14th annual Fast Track film finance market. Held during the LA Film Festival, Fast Track helps producer-director teams advance their projects through meetings with top industry executives – financiers, agents, managers, distributors, production companies, and granting organizations. During three days of intensive meetings, participants build vital industry relationships and gain valuable exposure for their projects as they fast track their films towards completion.
Film Independent will present the ninth annual Alfred P. Sloan Fast Track Grant, a $20,000 production grant to support a film that explores science and technology themes or that depicts scientists, engineers and mathematicians in engaging and innovative ways, to writer/director Annika Glac and producer Robyn Kershaw for their fiction feature film Radiant.
A select list of Industry participants include: Bunim-Murray, CAA, Color Force, Electric City Entertainment, Fox Searchlight, Imperative Entertainment, June Pictures, LA Media Fund, Mandalay Pictures, Participant Media, Pilgrim Media Group, Preferred Content, ShivHans Pictures, Sight Unseen Pictures, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions, Sycamore Pictures, Symbolic Exchange and UTA.
Recent Fast Track projects completed include Lana Wilson’s The Departure, which premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival; Lou Pepe and Keith Fulton’s Bad Kids, which premiered at Sundance 2016; Maris Curran’s Five Nights in Maine which premiered at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival; Chloe Zhao’s Songs My Brothers Taught Me, which premiered in U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and Directors’ Fortnight at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for three Film Independent Spirit Awards.
The following filmmakers have been selected to participate Film Independent’s 2017 Fast Track program:
2017 Fast Track Projects and Fellows
Blow the Man Down, fiction feature, Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy – co-writers/co-directors, Drew Houpt, Producer An accidental murder. An established Madam who does her dirtiest business while the town willingly looks the other way. Fifty grand of cash up for grabs and the local men out to sea… enter two sisters with nothing and everything to lose. Cantering, fiction feature, HIKARI – writer/director/producer, Peter Maestrey – producer In order to escape her oppressive home life, a naïve paraplegic artist begins to illustrate for an erotic manga, putting her on an unexpected journey of self-discovery. Farewell Tour, fiction feature, Sean Hackett – writer/director, Frederick Thornton – producer When three Christian fundamentalist teenagers with the dynamic of The Golden Girls help a local agnostic search Kansas City for his AWOL, terminally ill mother, they are forced to re-evaluate their true intentions and discover what truly binds their friendship. Followers, fiction feature, Tim Marshall – writer/director, Christina Radburn – producer A lonely woman who has lost all faith in God, becomes obsessed with her aqua-aerobics instructor after seeing the face of Jesus on his swimming shorts. Maybe Tomorrow, fiction feature, Eliza Lee – writer/director, Michelle Sy – producer, Sophia Chang – executive producer In 1978 London, with only 24 hours left on her visa, a young American musician, Chrissie Hynde, takes one last stab at keeping her rock ‘n roll dream alive. Radiant, fiction feature, Annika Glac – writer/director, Robyn Kershaw – producer Paris 1900, a physics prodigy glimpses a future world of unseen energy. Now she must battle the male scientific academy. The closer she gets to recognition, the more she realizes the battle is not with the male establishment but with the unleashed power of her own radioactive discovery. Son of A Very Important Man, fiction feature, Najwa Najjar – writer/director, Hani Kort – producer A Palestinian couple must travel to Israel in order to get a divorce and discover that sometimes the most unexpected roads in life are in the detours you didn’t mean to take. In response to a growing community of nonfiction filmmakers, the Fast Track finance market will also feature a new Documentary Fast Track session where selected projects will connect with industry executives dedicated to working in the nonfiction space: Minding the Gap, documentary feature, Bing Liu – producer/director, Diane Quon – producer A group of skateboarders confront domestic violence as they come of age in a rust-belt Midwestern town. Missing in Brooks Country, documentary feature, Jeff Bemiss and Lisa Molomot – producers/co-directors/cinematographers, Jacob Bricca – producer/editor In a small town in Texas, the border wall has already arrived. Untitled Claudia Sparrow Documentary, documentary feature, Claudia Sparrow – director, Steven J. Berger and Ryan Schwartz – producers A woman farmer from the beautiful highlands of South America stands up to a massive international mining conglomerate, defending the land, water, and people from devastating corporate greed. Film Independent Artist Development has also selected two additional filmmakers and their projects to receive support that will include participation in select Fast Track meetings and mentorship: Experience Designer, documentary feature, Mackenzie Fegan – producer On an apocalyptic commune in the Alaskan wilderness, a young man returns to confront his past in this unconventional non-fiction film. Selene, fiction feature, Maris Curran – writer/director Selene fears she has laryngitis again. On a routine doctor visit to get antibiotics, she is diagnosed with a rare condition that leaves her permanently voiceless. As her world turns upside down and she struggles to communicate and adapt, she discovers that this limitation leads to the opening of a new world.
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LA Film Festival to Host Gala Screening of David F. Sandberg’s ANNABELLE: CREATION
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Annabelle: Creation[/caption]
The LA Film Festival will host the Gala Screening of Annabelle: Creation, directed by David F. Sandberg and starring Stephanie Sigman, Talitha Bateman, Lulu Wilson with Anthony LaPaglia and Miranda Otto.
Award-winning film company Focus Features will commemorate its 15th anniversary at the LA Film Festival with five movies including revival programming and a newly added advance screening of Sofia Coppola’s The Beguiled starring Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning, with the director in-person for a Q&A.
Additional Festival Special Screenings and Events include a conversation with Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, Portlandia: A Look Back and A Look Forward; a conversation with the stars of IFC’s Baroness Von Sketch Show moderated by Lea DeLaria; a day-long screening of every episode of Documentary Now!; and the LA Premiere of Karam Gill’s documentary G-Funk, featuring a post-screening performance with Warren G and special guests.
The festival also unveiled the panels for Diversity Speaks and the Global Media Makers.
“This year’s program is beautifully rich and varied,” said Film Independent President Josh Welsh. “From Sofia Coppola’s new film The Beguiled, to our expanded Diversity Speaks program, to the legendary Warren G performing after Karam Gill’s G-Funk and Festival Alumnus David F. Sandberg’s Annabelle: Creation, we can’t wait to share it all with Los Angeles.”
Gala Screening
Annabelle: Creation, dir. David F. Sandberg, Advance Screening Several years after the tragic death of their little girl, a doll maker and his wife welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home. They soon become the target of the doll maker’s possessed creation, Annabelle. Warner Bros. Pictures will release the film in theaters on August 11.Free Event: Global Media Makers Screening & Panel
Thursday, June 15, ArcLight Culver City Global Media Makers is an innovative cultural exchange program that fosters supportive ongoing relationships between leading U.S. and international filmmaking talent. Ali, the Goat and Ibrahim, dir. Sherif El Bendary, Egypt, LA Premiere Ali believes his late girlfriend’s soul has been reincarnated in a goat. Ali, his goat and his friend Ibrahim embark on a journey of friendship and self-discovery across Egypt to reverse the curse. Post screening panel with producer and Global Media Makers’ Fellow Hossam Elouan, and other filmmakers participating in the program, who will explore filmmaking in the region and discuss the importance of telling stories from an inside perspective. Global Media Makers is supported through a partnership between Film Independent and the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.Free Event: Diversity Speaks Panels
Saturday, June 17 and Sunday, June 18, Kirk Douglas Theatre Addressing topical issues relating to diversity and inclusiveness both on and off the screen, Diversity Speaks’ focus is to expand the definition of diversity and act as a call to action for the entertainment industry. Cis in a Trans World: Transgender Visibility: Members of the trans creative community will discuss on-screen cis appropriation in depictions of trans stories, panelists include Candis Cayne (The Magicians), Mari Walker (Swim) and Rachel Crowl (And Then There Was Eve). Whitewashing: Asian and Asian-American Representation in Film/TV: Leonardo Nam (Westworld), Kelly Hu (The Scorpion King), Kelvin Yu (Master of None), Ally Maki (Wrecked), Phil Yu (Angry Asian Man blog), Bruce Thierry Cheung (Don’t Come Back from the Moon) and Gloria Fan (VP of Current Programming, FOX) will discuss packaging of Asian cultural properties. The Other: Documenting Marginalized Stories: Panelists Sydney Freeland (Deidra & Laney Rob a Train), Valerie Red-Horse Mohl (Mankiller), Amy York Rubin (Boxed In), Xan Aranda (Room 104) and Marvin Lemus (Gente-fied) will shine a light on how these filmmakers and storytellers work within, and around, the current systems to be seen and heard. Reclaiming Gay for Pay: What It Means to be ‘Out’ in Hollywood: Panelists Lena Waithe (Master of None, Twenties), Keiynan Lonsdale (The Flash), Noah Galvin (The Real O’Neals) and Guy Branum (Talk Show the Game Show) question why it remains difficult to come out in Hollywood and the future of storytelling for the LGBTQ+ creative community. The panel will be moderated by Marc Malkin of E!. State of Emergency: 25 Years After the LA Riots. Panelists Sacha Jenkins (Burn Motherfucker, Burn!), Grace Lee (K-TOWN ‘92), Daniel Lindsay (LA ’92) and T.J. Martin (LA ’92) look back on the LA Riots and the continued impact they have on the city at large and the narratives it produces and inspires.Additional Festival Screenings & Events
Premieres – added titles: World premieres of fiction and documentary films featuring noteworthy talent. Story of a Girl, dir. Kyra Sedgwick, USA, World Premiere You Get Me, dir. Brent Bonacorso, USA, World Premiere Focus 15 Founded 15 years ago this spring, Focus Features will celebrate its anniversary at the LA Film Festival with revival showings from its library of iconic movies and with screenings of highly anticipated new Focus movies, including the Festival’s Opening Night Film The Book of Henry, directed by Colin Trevorrow, screening on Wednesday, June 14, and Sofia Coppola’s The Beguiled. The Beguiled, dir. Sofia Coppola, USA, Special Advance Screening Thursday, June 15, LACMA The story unfolds during the Civil War, at a Southern girls’ boarding school. Its sheltered young women take in an injured enemy soldier. As they provide refuge and tend to his wounds, the house is taken over with sexual tension and dangerous rivalries, and taboos are broken in an unexpected turn of events. Focus Features will release The Beguiled in theatres on June 23. Q&A with Sofia Coppola to follow screening of The Beguiled. A screening of Lost in Translation will follow the screening of The Beguiled. Lost in Translation, dir. Sofia Coppola, USA, 2003 Thursday, June 15, LACMA Shot entirely on location in Japan, Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation is a valentine to the nature of close friendships and to the city of Tokyo. Moonrise Kingdom, dir. Wes Anderson, USA, 2012 Saturday, June 17, ArcLight Culver City Set on an island off the coast of New England in summer 1965, Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of two 12-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. The Kids Are Alright, dir. Lisa Cholodenko, USA, 2010 Wednesday, June 21, ArcLight Culver City Nic and Jules are married with two teenage children. An unexpected new chapter begins for them as family ties are defined, re-defined, and then re-re defined. Portlandia: A Look Back and A Look Forward Thursday, June 15, Kirk Douglas Theatre For the past seven seasons, Portlandia’s observational humor has been one step ahead of the cultural conversation. As the series gears up for its eighth and final installment, we hear from multi-hyphenates Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein about the show’s celebrated history and what’s next in advance of the final season. Baroness Von Sketch Show Friday, June 16, Kirk Douglas Theatre Hailing from north of the border, these Baronesses of the Baroness Von Sketch Show are producing the best comedy you’ve never seen….until now! Catch a sneak peek before the show premieres on IFC. Lea DeLaria (Orange is the New Black) will moderate a conversation with the stars Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne and Jennifer Whalen. Free Event: Documentary Now! Sunday, June 18, ArcLight Culver City Catch every episode back-to-back of IFC’s Documentary Now! on the big screen. Starring Fred Armisen and Bill Hader, the series pays homage to some of the world’s best-known documentaries. G-Funk dir. Karam Gill, USA, LA Premiere Friday, June 16, The Theatre at Ace Hotel This “G-Funkumentary” tells the story of three friends from Long Beach, Warren G, Nate Dogg and Snoop Dogg, and their collaboration in creating one of the most essential styles of West Coast hip hop. The screening will be followed by a performance featuring Warren G and special guests. Free Event: Burn Motherfucker, Burn!, dir. Sacha Jenkins, USA Monday, June 19, ArcLight Santa Monica On April 29, 1992, Los Angeles exploded when four police officers were acquitted in the beating of Rodney King. But a fire beneath the feet of Angelenos had been melting flesh for years. BURN! chronicles the root causes of disenfranchisement in LA while also examining the role law enforcement has played throughout.
