Venues
Events
VideoFilm
The LA Film Festival
There are hundreds of films that pass under our radar throughout the year, works of art that strive for something different than the common movies that fill the nearest cineplex. And during the long summer full of blockbuster movies such as Transformers and superheroes, it is exciting and welcoming to see the unique films in the Los Angeles Film Festival.
The LA Film Festival, presented by The Los Angeles Times, is “widely recognized as a world-class event, showcasing the best in new American and international cinema.” With over 200 features, shorts, and music videos playing throughout the ten day festival, it is sure to be an experience for any movie-lover.
The festival is supported by Film Independent, which is a “non-profit arts organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision.” It brings together works that come from more than 30 countries, from an obscure director’s first film, to well-known director’s foray into indie films. The diversity of the film festival is awe-inspiring and is a nurturing environment for collaboration and growth in the aspects of film making.
The films that many are looking forward to include “The Guard,” “Project Nim,” “Higher learning,” “Another Earth,” and “Terri.” “Another Earth”, directed by Mike Cahill and starring Brit Marling and William Mapother, is a film that deals with the aftermath of a second Earth that appears in the sky, causing two strangers, John and Rhoda, to collide in the aftermath of a tragedy. It is a high-concept science fiction film meshed with an independent mindset, creating a film like nothing before.
“The Guard” is a film directed by John Michael McDonagh, and stars Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle. Brendan Gleeson plays a out-of-control Irish police officer who is partnered with the by-the-books former Rhodes Scholar FBI investigator played by Don Cheadle. A black comedy that is also a thriller and a character study, “The Guard” is a film that attendees will certainly look out for.
Documentaries also will make an appearance at the festival, with buzz surrounding the films “Renee” by ESPN Films, HBO Films’ “Sex Crimes Unit,” and “The Bully Project.” “Sex Crimes Unit” delves into New York District Attorney’s sex crimes unit, which was the first of its kind when it was established in 1974. It led the way in sex crime prosecution in the United States, and the documentary weaves together different interviews with victims and the lawyers who try their cases in three ongoing rape trials.
For those who want to see those behind the movies, there are also appearances by multiple celebrities. Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine, the stars of the Festival’s opening night film “Bernie,” are having a conversation. They have also announced Erykah Badu, the Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, and composer Daniele Luppi as Artists in Residence.
But if there is one reason to attend this festival, it is for this: the works of art, so vastly different in subject, tone, characterization, setting, and origins, are similar in that they all come together to share equal ground among the eyes and hearts of the attendees. And that is something to behold.
The LA Film Fest is running from June 16-26, at L.A. Live, the downtown Los Angeles sports, residential & entertainment district next to the STAPLES Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center. Ticket information can be found 866.345-6337 or by visiting LAFilmFest.com. Tickets can also be purchased in person beginning on Monday, June 13th, at the Coca-Cola Ticket Center.