Viper Club

[caption id="attachment_31717" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] 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 Washington

Retrospectives

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.

Read more