I am Thalente

The 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival announced several additions to the 2015 Festival program, including Premiere section titles, Pras Michel and BT as part of the Music in Film Nights at the GRAMMY Museum, Tributes to Jonathan Demme and Rodrigo García, a Master Class with music video director Mathew Cullen, Diversity Speaks panels, the Los Angeles Times Young Hollywood Roundtable, and the Steed Symposium on cyber security. Three more titles were added to the Premieres section which features World Premieres of compelling new works from notable talent. Premieres (3) Consumed, dir. Daryl Wein, USA, World Premiere Consumed – USA (DIRECTOR Daryl Wein WRITERS Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister-Jones PRODUCERS Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister-Jones CAST Zoe Lister-Jones, Danny Glover,Victor Garber, Taylor Kinney, Anthony Edwards, Griffin Dunne, Kunal Nayyar, Beth Grant) Set in the complex world of genetically modified food, this dramatic thriller intertwines the stories of an organic farmer and a biotechnology CEO with the quest of a single mother working to uncover the cause of her son’s mysterious illness. World Premiere Frank and Cindy, dir. G.J. Echternkamp, USA, World Premiere Frank & Cindy – USA (DIRECTOR G.J. Echternkamp WRITER G.J. Echternkamp, Alex Holdridge PRODUCER Bill Perkins, John Pierce, Scoot McNairy, Bic Tran CAST Rene Russo, Oliver Platt, Johnny Simmons, Jane Levy, Marc Maron) In 1983, Cindy married a rock star, Frank. She imagined a life of glitz and glamor. But as life happened, Frank lost his mojo. Twenty years later, Cindy’s son, G.J., both appalled and amused by his parents’ behavior, picks up his video camera and aims it at them. In an attempt to mock his one-hit-wonder step-father, G.J. unintentionally creates a candid portrait of the pursuit of happiness – and love. World Premiere I am Thalente, dir. Natalie Johns, South Africa/USA, World Premiere I Am Thalente – South Africa/USA (DIRECTOR Natalie Johns WRITER Natalie Johns PRODUCERS Colin Kennedy, Oualid Mouaness, Salema Masekela, Jason Bergh, Julia Lebedev FEATURING Thalente Biyela, Tony Hawk, Kenny Anderson, Guy Mariano, Lance Mountain) One of the most promising young skaters in the world, Thalente Biyela, navigates growing up within the demands of professional skateboarding from the skate parks of Duban, South Africa to Venice, California. World Premiere On Thursday, June 11, as part of this year’s Music in Film Nights at the GRAMMY Museum, the Festival hosts an evening with Brian Transeau, better known as BT, one of the pioneers of modern American electronic music. He will play scores from Monster and Dark Places with live accompaniment and visuals. BT will also discuss his work from his classical roots to electronic music innovator. On Friday, June 12, the Festival welcomes Pras Michel and friends for an evening of performance and discussion in celebration of his documentarySweet Micky for President, with special guests who have used their art to champion causes close to their heart. As part of the Tributes section on Sunday, June 14 the Festival presents an evening with Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs,Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married), moderated by Elvis Mitchell, titled Jonathan Demme: An American Iconoclast, to reminisce about seminal moments of his career and give us a special sneak-peek of his upcoming film Ricki and the Flash, starring Meryl Streep. On Tuesday, June 16, in celebration of this year’s Guest Director, Rodrigo García (Nine Lives, In Treatment, Albert Nobbs), the Festival will hold Two for One: An Evening with Guest Director Rodrigo Garcia and Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball, Beyond the Lights), an intimate conversation where they will compare notes about working with actors, women’s stories and the travails of independent filmmaking. An additional Festival Master Class has been announced. On Tuesday, June 16 acclaimed music video director Mathew Cullen will reflect on his journey as an artist while exploring the evolving art and science of storytelling. Hailed as one of the most imaginative music video and commercial directors of his generation, he will share some of his work, including a sneak peek of London Fields, his upcoming feature directorial debut. Cullen is an alumnus of Loyola Marymount University. The Master Class is sponsored by Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television. At the Diversity Speaks panels, taking place on Saturday, June 13 at the Conga Room at L.A. LIVE, content creators of color who embody innovation will discuss how they manage to combine their passions for storytelling, entrepreneurship and their cultural identities into success stories. In Prime Time: Adjusting the Color Spectrum on TV, the talent in front and behind the camera of some of today’s most celebrated TV shows engage in a dialogue to explore issues relating to race and cultural representation on the small screen. Panelists include: Kenya Barris, creator, Black-ish; Wendy Calhoun, writer, Empire; Andrea Navedo, actress, Jane the Virgin; Randall Park, actor, Fresh off the Boat; Our Lady J, writer, Transparent. Also part of Diversity Speaks is the Visions of Mandela panel, an exclusive premiere screening of a collection of films inspired by Nelson Mandela’s speeches, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. Directors include Ramin Bahrani (Goodbye Solo, 99 Homes), Eva Weber (Black Out) and James Marsh (The Theory of Everything, Man on Wire), Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding; New York, I Love You), Nabil Elderkin (Bouncing Cats) and Hank Willis Thomas (Question Bridge: Black Males). Diversity Speaks is sponsored by HBO and supported by Yvonne Huff and Jason Delane. On Sunday, June 14, the Los Angeles Times brings together a group of film’s rising stars in the Los Angeles Times Young Hollywood Roundtable. This lively discussion, moderated by reporter Amy Kaufman, will center on life in the industry and what it means to be thrust into the limelight. On Monday, June 15 the Festival presents the annual LMU Steed Symposium on Cyber Security: Is There A Safe Box in the Cloud? This event will include an entertaining and informative presentation by cyber security expert Ralph Echemendia, a screening of Implant, a short film created by Film Independent Fellow Casey Cooper Johnson, and a round table with cyber security experts, filmmakers and industry executives. The discussion will be moderated by KCRW¹s The Business host Kim Masters. The LMU Steed Symposium is funded by LMU Alumnus Michael Steed and is presented in partnership with Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television.  Mr. Steed is a member of the university¹s board of trustees and Managing Director of Paladin Capital Partners Fund, LP, a private equity firm.  

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