WTTR Review GreekWeek

LYT at LAFF: Some of the Best For Last

LUKE Y. THOMPSON | Jun 29 2010, 1:06 AM

As the party winds down, and the Leblon actually seems to start seeping out of my pores (I am probably never drinking that particular spirit again, until they sponsor another film festival) I have time to muse on a few general observations before catching the last of the LAFF screenings. First, I am generally impressed with the volunteers. There was one night where they seemed clueless about which auditorium was playing which movie, but generally, they seemed to know what was where beyond their immediate sphere of responsibility. Second, I hardly recognize any of the outlets listed on the other press passes I encounter. It seems like few hometown publications are caring to cover this thing, which is a damned shame, but may also be symptomatic of the fact that many of these films previously played other festivals.

Or, to put it another way: I think I blogged this mofo more thoroughly than any other single individual. Y’all are welcome, and if I got you interested in any movies you weren’t otherwise excited about, I did an okay job.

I’m going to round up the final few as I did the previews – with individual capsules. There’s more fast food and Twilight stupidity awaiting my keypad this week, so I will be somewhat brief, but, I hope, to the point.

WELCOME TO THE RILEYS

First thought I had entering this screening: Kristen Stewart was promised for a Q&A, and looking around, I would profile a good half of this crowd as Twi-hards who couldn’t care less about a James Gandolfini movie. Second thought: When it’s announced upfront that there will be no talent appearances, I’m amazed more people don’t walk out and demand refunds.

Third thought, as movie begins: Dear God, Gandolfini’s attempting a Southern accent? This isn’t good. And his character lives in Indiana, so why? As it will turn out, the accent comes and goes throughout the movie, and isn’t too distracting an issue.

Fourth thought: why does the festival program call this Jake (son of Ridley) Scott’s first feature, since he’s made two prior, and I’m pretty sure PLUNKETT & MACLEANE, which came out a decade ago, was made first.

Fifth thought: this numbering gimmick of mine is getting tiresome, but I’m locked into it now, and must fully commit, as they taught me in improv classes. Drat. Maybe should make rest of review one big run-on sentence to keep it at what could technically be considered a sole thought. Okay, so…

Sixth thought: Kristen Stewart is a much better actress in this than she was in NEW MOON, and I’m not saying that because she plays a scantily clad stripper in high heels, though foot fetishists (which I ain’t, but Quentin Tarantino and “LexG” are) will dig that, and maybe she’s better at this character because she’s a grown up child star, and that’s a path fraught with the same kind of potential degradation suffered here, and oh yeah, the plot’s about Gandolfini as a guy who’s teenage daughter is dead, so when he encounters Stewart at a convention in New Orleans, he decides to stick around and be a surrogate father; meanwhile, wife Melissa Leo back in Indiana is an agoraphobe, and Leo’s physical bits in this are freakin’ excellent; a scene where she tries to figure out the automated controls in her own car ran very true to me, as I’ve only ever driven old-school stick-shift non-electric-everything vehicle since that’s what my dad buys…also, this movie was pretty good, and the fact that Leo’s character was named Lois made me think Gandolfini could star in a live-action FAMILY GUY movie, probably with Leo again.

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Carrie

Q & A at the screening of "Welcome To The Rileys" at the LAFF

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Kristen Stewart gets a warm "Welcome to the Rileys" in L.A.

If the "Twilight: Eclipse" premiere was the tough ticket of this year's L.A. Film Festival, drawing roughly 5,000 fans from all corners of the U.S. in order to get a glimpse of Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner at the Nokia Theater, then "Welcome to the Rileys" proved to be damn near impossible.

Kristen Stewart fans gambled on the ability to sit less than ten feet away from the star inside one of the smaller Regal Cinemas at L.A. Live, but having to contend with the fact that seven of the 15 rows in the theater were already roped off for VIPs of one kind or another.

LAFF director Rebecca Yeldham came out to introduce the film and moderate the post-screening Q & A (a job usually handled by programmers or volunteers), and before the film started, Melissa Leo spoke on behalf of herself and co-stars Stewart and James Gandolfini, who stood off to the side, a reminder that "Welcome to the Rileys" not only boasts a talented ensemble, but one of the most spotlight-weary as well.

For those who have been following the film's distribution drama since Sundance, it was unveiled with a brand spankin' new Samuel Goldwyn/Destination Films logo in front, replacing Apparition as the distributor, who will bring the film to theaters in October. But the real drama was on screen, with the idiosyncratic tale of a wholesale plumbing supply salesman (Gandolfini) who attempts to drown his sorrows in the Big Easy during a trade show and encounters a stripper/prostitute (Stewart) who reminds him of his late daughter who died in an accident. Leo plays Gandolfini's distant wife.

Gandolfini, Stewart, Leo, writer Ken Hixon and producer Michael Costigan took to the front of the theater to discuss the origins of the film. Naturally, Stewart received the bulk of the questions, being asked in particular about playing a role so different than her most famous creation in "Twilight."

Stewart admitted that she wasn't necessarily afraid of playing a stripper, but "I was terrified because it was written really well" and expressed pride in learning some of the film's stripper moves, though mostly they happened off-camera. "The silhouette in the beginning?" Stewart rhetorically asked almost giddily, "Thanks. That's me."

Saying she would "jump off a bridge" for director Jake Scott, Stewart found talking to the working women of the Dixie Divas strip club in New Orleans where the film was shot was key to finding her character, noticing the many lost women like the one she played with "dead eyes" and "open wounds." When prodded by an audience member, Gandolfini confirmed that the toughest scene in the film for him to shoot was a scene where Stewart is particularly vulnerable in the lot of a motel parking lot. Gandolfini said, turning to Stewart, "I remember that was a long evening because you had to fall apart so many times."

Stewart lightened the mood when asked about whether she had any issue with some of the tough language her character uses, confessing that during a scene where the character gets a urinary tract infection, she "felt really weird saying 'pussy'" in front of Leo.

In order to achieve the perfect pitch for the scene, Leo improvised off-camera, saying "make pee pee," a comment that somehow gave Stewart the inspiration to carry on, though she wondered whether Leo felt strange about it. "I'm a mother, Kristen," Leo fired back, getting the night's biggest laugh. "It's not weird to say 'make pee pee' for me."

On a more serious note, a fan pointed out that Stewart had said in previous interviews that her turn in "Welcome to the Rileys" was the role she liked playing the most, a statement she clarified by saying, "Maybe it just affected me the most...Sometimes you can leave shit at work or you can't." Of "Rileys," she said, "this is undeniably in you."

[Photos: "Welcome to the Rileys," Samuel Goldwyn Films, 2010; James Gandolfini, Kristen Stewart and Melissa Leo at the L.A. Film Festival, Stephen Saito/IFC.com]

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Carrie

Screening of Welcome to the Rileys at the LAFF

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LAFF: Kids Are All Right Scores During Lakers Riot, 30 Films to See

WTTR is on the List

The Thursday night opening of the LA Film Festwas not quite what the organizers had hoped for, with the NBA final game right next door at the Staples Center. That was one risk the LAFF took this year by moving the festival downtown. Film Independent chief Dawn Hudson insists that the influx of apartment dwellers and lively night life downtown is bound to invigorate the fest. (But Westsiders especially dread the drive during rush hour.)

After my hideous experience at the Indie Spirits, I almost didn’t go—newscasters were predicting riots if the Lakers won, and sure enough, that’s what happened. (See the horrifying police video below.) My date abandoned me, and I almost took a metro bus down Olympic to LA Live, but my friends Michael and Tim agreed to drive down together for an early pre-show dinner. We left at 5:15 PM for a 7:30 PM event (I’m never that early), took Olympic to Georgia, parked easily, grabbed our tickets and climbed up to the roof, where I scored my press badge. We wandered over to the Nokia Center but the vibe was already getting Laker-noxious, so we went to the new Ritz Carlton on the corner for a snack at the 24th floor bar.

Artistic director David Ansen said that they had filled three theaters for Lisa Cholodenko’s The Kids Are All Right; but many no-shows meant empty seats at the gorgeous 800-seat Regal Cinema. (In Todd McCarthy’s interview with Ansen, he was afraid this would happen.) The movie played great—Cholodenko told me she had “tightened” the film since its Sundance debut in January. My seat-mate, Roadside Attractions’ Howard Cohen, agreed that it was even funnier and sexier than we remembered—it plays like a relationship comedy. Even with its comedic bent, because the film has enough dramatic moments and a requisite Big Scene, I am more than ever convinced that Annette Bening will nab an Oscar nom for her performance as one of two lesbian parents of two teen kids, one from each mom and both sired by the same sperm donor (Mark Ruffalo), a laid-back restaurateur and commitment-phobe. Julianne Moore is just as strong—and she and Ruffalo are very sexy. But Bening gets the dramatic moments.

After the movie it was a quick (well-policed) hike down the street to the roof-top after-party, high above the Laker action; it was pleasantly not too crowded. I hung with Film Independent’s Hudson, LAFF’s Doug Jones, Rebecca Yeldham and Curtis Hanson, Focus Features’ John Lyons, Todd McCarthy and Sasha Alpert, The Hollywood Reporter’s Gregg Kilday, CAA’s Micah Green, Vanessa and Ted Hope (who was giving a speech on Saturday), and Mark Duplass (brother Jay was on the road promoting Cyrus) and Katie Aselton, writer-director-star of The Freebie.

The Duplasses (who were screening Cyrus at LAFF on its opening day in theaters) have already completed their next for Paramount, Jeff Who Lives Alone, starring Jason Segel, Ed Helms, Susan Sarandon and Judy Greer, which they wrapped in New Orleans a few weeks ago. (Here’s their NYT profile.) Duplass was comfortable working with a major studio, singling out motion picture president Adam Goodman as straightforward and even helpful. (We’ll see how the final cut process goes.) They’re also finishing their on-the-shelf sports-comedy The Do-Deca-Pentathlon, starring Duplass regular Steve Zissis and Mark Kelly. Shawn Levy has also attached the directors to film their wedding script Table 19 under his deal at Searchlight.

I asked a gaggle of post-Berney Apparition survivors—the staff is 25—what they were expecting to happen. They indicated that it was business as usual for them: Sundance critics’ fave Welcome to the Rileys plays LAFF.

Here are my recommendations of thirty films to see:

I’ve Seen:
Sundance 3D doc: CANE TOADS: THE CONQUEST, directed by Mark Lewis.
SXSW relationship drama COLD WEATHER, directed by Aaron Katz.
Walter Hill’s classic THE DRIVER.
Luchino Visconti’s classic THE LEOPARD.
SXSW funk-music doc THUNDER SOUL, directed by Mark Landsman.
Sundance war doc THE TILLMAN STORY, directed by Amir Bar-Lev.
SXSW dramedy TINY FURNITURE, from writer/director/actress Lena Dunham.
Sundance drama WELCOME TO THE RILEYS, directed by Jake Scott. 

I did NOT like Neil Marshall’s Centurion, a sloppily violent action film that wastes the talents of Dominic West and Michael Fassbender.

I Hope to See:
Levon Helm doc AIN’T IN IT FOR MY HEALTH.
SPC’s Sundance buy ANIMAL KINGDOM, directed by David Michod.
Doc GASLAND, directed by Josh Fox.
SPC Sundance buy LEBANON, directed by Samuel Maoz.
Percy and Felix Adlon’s world premiere of MAHLER ON THE COUCH, which Studio Canal is selling. Here’s a fest review.
Sundance doc MARWENCOL, directed by Jeff Malmberg.
Documentary Competition: ONE LUCKY ELEPHANT, directed by Lisa Leeman. Here’s indieWIRE’s feature.
Sundance fave THE RED CHAPEL, directed by Mads Brügger.
REVOLUCION short films.
Sundance education doc WAITING FOR SUPERMAN, directed by Davis Guggenheim.
Fest veteran WHITE MATERIAL, directed by Claire Denis. 

IndieWIRE previews three LAFF world premieres.

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Carrie

LAFF list revealed

Both WTTR and Eclipse on the list.
Film Independent Announces Official Film Selections for 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival, Presented by the Los Angeles Times

- Focus Features' The Kids Are All Right to Kick Off Festival -

- World Premiere of Universal Pictures' 3-D CGI Feature Despicable Me Selected for Closing Night -

- Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: Eclipse to have World Premiere -

- Galas include Animal Kingdom, Cyrus, Mahler on the Couch, Revolucion, & Waiting for Superman -

LOS ANGELES, May 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards, the Los Angeles Film Festival, and year-round artist development programs and exhibition events, announced the official selections for the 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times. The Festival will run fromThursday, June 17 to Sunday, June 27 in downtown Los Angeles, with its central hub at L.A. LIVE. Now in its sixteenth year, the Festival is recognized as a world-class event, showcasing the best in new American and international cinema and providing the movie-loving public with access to critically acclaimed filmmakers, film industry professionals, and emerging talent from around the world.  

The 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival will screen over 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, representing more than 40 countries.  This year, the Festival received more than 4,700 submissions from filmmakers around the world.  The final selections represent 28 World, North American, and U.S. premieres, which more than doubled from 2009.  The number of films competing in the narrative and documentary competition categories also increased this year from 13 to 18, of which half are World premieres.

For the fifth year, the Los Angeles Times will serve as the Festival's title sponsor and once again produce the official Festival Guide, the comprehensive source for all movie info, screenings, locations, and related special events.  The Festival Guide will top the paper on Sunday, June 13 in Los Angeles and Orange County, and will be made available throughout downtown L.A. during the ten-day event.  

"We've received tremendous support from the community for our move to downtown and can't wait to present this rich, diverse program to audiences," said Los Angeles Film Festival Director Rebecca Yeldham.  "We've created a series of highly entertaining, memorable experiences for our filmmakers and audiences."  

"It's been a terrific experience working with the programming team in my first year with the Festival, and filmgoers are in for a real treat this summer," said Los Angeles Film Festival Artistic Director David Ansen.  "There's truly something for everyone, whether it's a comedy for the whole family, a documentary for Star Wars fan boys, or a sidebar of films from an unjustly forgotten and highly-regarded director."

"The Los Angeles Film Festival is always an amazing time for us because we can build on our year-round work of cultivating the careers of artists and providing them with a unique platform to showcase their films," said Film Independent Executive DirectorDawn Hudson.  "It's also a fabulous way to bring together the industry, filmmakers, and film lovers to celebrate the diverse arts scene that Los Angeles has to offer."  

Focus Features' The Kids Are All Right will kick off the Festival on June 17 at the Premiere Theater at Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14.  The film is directed by Lisa Cholodenko from an original screenplay by Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg and starsAnnette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, and Josh Hutcherson.  Two teenaged children (Wasikowska, Hutcherson) conceived by artificial insemination get the notion to seek out their birth father and introduce him into the family life that their two mothers (Bening, Moore) have built for them.  Once the donor (Ruffalo) is found, the household will never be the same, as family ties are defined, re-defined, and re-re-defined.  The Kids Are All Right opens in select cities on July 7, 2010.  

Universal Pictures' world premiere of the 3-D CGI feature Despicable Me will close the Festival on June 27 at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live. The film is directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin with an all-star cast including Steve Carell, Jason Segel,Russell Brand, Kristen Wiig, Will Arnett, Danny McBride, Jemaine Clement, Miranda Cosgrove, Jack McBrayer, and Julie Andrews.  One of the world's greatest super-villains, Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), is planning the biggest heist in the history of the world: to steal the moon (Yes, the moon!) in Despicable Me.  Surrounded by an army of mischievous little yellow minions and armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays, and battle-ready vehicles, Gru vanquishes all who stand in his way.  Until the day he encounters the immense will of three little girls who look at him and see something that no one else has: a potential Dad.  Despicable Me opens nationwide in Real D 3D on July 9, 2010.

The Festival will host the invitation-only world premiere of Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: Eclipse on June 24 at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live.  Details for the screening can be found at LAFilmFest.com.  The film is directed by David Slade and stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Billy Burke, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, Jackson Rathbone, and Dakota Fanning.  In Eclipse, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger asSeattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings, and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge.  In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob, knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the struggle between vampire and werewolf.  The Twilight Saga: Eclipse opens nationwide on June 30, 2010.    

In lieu of one Centerpiece Premiere, this year's Festival will feature a number of high-profile Gala Screenings, which include: Sony Pictures Classics' Animal Kingdom, directed by David Michod; Fox Searchlight's Cyrus, directed by Jay & Mark Duplass; the world premiere of Mahler on the Couch, directed by Percy and Felix Adlon; the North American premiere of Revolucion, a series of short films directed by Mariana Chenillo, Fernando Eimbcke, Amat Escalante, Gael Garcia Bernal, Rodrigo Garcia,Diego Luna, Gerardo Naranjo, Rodrigo Pia, Carlos Reygadas, and Patricia Riggen; and Paramount Vantage's Waiting for Superman, directed by Davis Guggenheim.

Last year, Netflix and Film Independent joined forces to create the national Netflix FIND Your Voice Film Competition, to discover and assist the next great independent filmmaker.  The winning project, The Wheeler Boys written and directed byPhilip G. Flores, was developed through Film Independent over the past year and will now have its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival.  Additional support was provided by Panavision, Kodak, Deluxe Entertainment Services Group, and EFILM Hollywood, a division of Deluxe.

Passes to attend the Festival are available immediately for Film Independent members, and beginning May 10 for the general public.  In addition to screenings and events, Festival passes provide access to a series of networking receptions and entry to the ZonePerfect live.create. lounge, where Festival pass holders can interact with Festival filmmakers and professionals in the film community.  General admission tickets to individual films go on sale beginning June 1.  Contact the Festival Ticketing Center for passes, tickets and event information by calling 866.FILM.FEST (866.345-6337) or visit LAFilmFest.com.  Festival Passes and tickets can also be purchased in person beginning on Monday, June 14 at the Festival Ticketing Center located at L.A. LIVE (800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015).

Opening Night Film:

• The Kids Are All Right, Lisa Cholodenko (Focus Features)

Closing Night Film:

• Despicable Me, Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin (Universal Pictures) – WORLD PREMIERE

Bonus By Invitation Screening:

• The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, David Slade (Summit Entertainment) – WORLD PREMIERE

Gala Screenings (5):

• Animal Kingdom, David Michod – Australia (Sony Pictures Classics)
• Cyrus, Jay & Mark Duplass (Fox Searchlight)
• Mahler on the Couch, Percy & Felix Adlon – WORLD PREMIERE
• Revolucion, Mariana Chenillo, Fernando Eimbcke, Amat Escalante, Gael Garcia Bernal, Rodrigo Garcia, Diego Luna,Gerardo Naranjo, Rodrigo Pia, Carlos Reygadas & Patricia Riggen – Mexico – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
• Waiting for Superman, Davis Guggenheim (Paramount Vantage)

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

• Dog Sweat, Hossein Keshavarz – Iran – WORLD PREMIERE
• A Family, Pernille Fischer Christensen – Denmark – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
• Hello Lonesome, Adam Reid – WORLD PREMIERE
• The New Year, Brett Haley
• Of Love and Other Demons, Hilda Hidalgo – Costa Rica/Colombia – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
• Orly, Angela Schanelec – Germany/France – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
• Parade, Isao Yukisada – Japan – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
• Upstate, Katherine Nolfi, Andrew Luis – WORLD PREMIERE
• The Wolf Knife, Laurel Nakadate – WORLD PREMIERE

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

• Camera, Camera, Malcolm Murray – WORLD PREMIERE
• Circo, Aaron Schock – USA/Mexico – WORLD PREMIERE
• One Lucky Elephant, Lisa Leeman – WORLD PREMIERE
• Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone, Lev Anderson, Chris Metzler – WORLD PREMIERE
• Farewell, Ditteke Mensink – Netherlands – US PREMIERE
• Life with Murder, John Kastner – Canada – US PREMIERE
• Make Believe, J. Clay Tweel – WORLD PREMIERE
• Vlast, Cathryn Collins
• Where Are You Taking Me?, Kimi Takesue – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

International Showcase (20): The International Showcase highlights innovative independent narrative and documentary features from outside of the United States. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature, Best Narrative Feature, or Best Documentary Feature.

• 1428, Du Hai-bin – China
• Army of Crime, Robert Guediguian – France (Kino)
• Bibliotheque Pascal, Szabolcs Hajdu – Germany/Hungary/England - NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
• Cafe Noir, Jung Sung-il – South Korea – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
• Disco & Atomic War, Jaak Kilmi, Kiur Aarma – Estonia/Finland
• Down Terrace, Ben Wheatley – England (Magnolia Pictures)
• Eastern Plays, Kamen Kalev - Bulgaria
• Eyes Wide Open, Haim Tabakman – Israel/Germany/France (New American Vision)
• Family Tree, Olivier Ducastel, Jacques Martineau – France
• Golden Slumber, Yoshihiro Nakamura – Japan – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
• Judge, Liu Jie - China
• La Pivellina, Rainer Frimmel, Tizza Covi – Austria/Italy
• Lebanon, Samuel Maoz – Israel (Sony Pictures Classics)
• The Peddler, Eduardo de la Serna, Lucas Marcheggiano, Adriana Yurcovich - Argentina
• R, Tobias Lindholm, Michael Noer – Denmark
• The Red Chapel, Mads Brugger - Denmark
• Secrets of the Tribe, Jose Padilha – England/Brazil
• Space Tourists, Christian Frei – Switzerland
• Street Days, Levan Koguashvili – Georgia
• Woman on Fire Looks For Water, Woo Ming Jin – Malaysia/South Korea

Summer Screenings (12): The Summer Screenings section offers an advance look at this summer's most talked about independent film releases from the festival circuit. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature, Best Narrative Feature, or Best Documentary Feature.

• Ain't In It for My Health: A Film About Levon Helm, Jacob Hatley
• Cane Toads: The Conquest, Mark Lewis – Australia/US
• Cold Weather, Aaron Katz
• Four Lions, Christopher Morris – England
• Kings of Pastry, D.A. Pennebaker, Chris Hegedus (First Run Features)
• Marwencol, Jeff Malmberg
• Monsters, Gareth Edwards (Magnolia Pictures)
• Night Catches Us, Tanya Hamilton (Magnolia Pictures)
• The Tillman Story, Amir Bar-Lev (The Weinstein Company)
• Tiny Furniture, Lena Dunham (IFC Films)
• Welcome to the Rileys, Jake Scott (Apparition, Destination Films)
• White Material, Claire Denis – France (IFC Films)

Outdoor Screenings at the Ford Amphitheatre (4): These official Los Angeles Film Festival selections, sponsored by Brand X and American Airlines, are included as part of the 2010 Ford Amphitheatre Summer Season; a multi-disciplinary arts series produced by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission in cooperation with Los Angeles County-based arts organizations. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature, Best Narrative Feature, or Best Documentary Feature.

• Centurion, Neil Marshall – England (Magnolia Pictures)
• The Last Exorcism, Daniel Stamm (Lionsgate) – WORLD PREMIERE
• The People vs. George Lucas, Alexandre O. Philippe
• Thunder Soul, Mark Landsman  

International Spotlight (4):  A tribute to a forgotten giant of South American cinema, Argentina's Leopoldo Torre Nilsson, sponsored by Academy Foundation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

• The Fall (1959)
• The Hand in the Trap (1961)
• The House of the Angel (1957)
• The Seven Madmen (1973)

Selections from the Ambulante Film Festival (3): Sponsored by Hoy, and returning for a second year, Ambulante is a traveling documentary film festival produced by the non-profit organization Documental Ambulante A.C., in collaboration with Canana, Cinepolis, and the Morelia International Film Festival.  It was created in 2005 by Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, and Pablo Cruz to promote documentary culture across Mexico. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature or Best Documentary Feature.

• One Day Less, Dariela Ludlow – Mexico – US PREMIERE
• Presumed Guilty, Roberto Hernandez, Geoffrey Smith – Mexico
• The Toledo Report, Albino Alvarez Gomez – Mexico

Community Screenings (4): These films will be presented free to the public. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best Narrative Feature or Best Documentary Feature.

• Climate Refugees, Michael P. Nash – Grand Performances Screening
• Gasland, Josh Fox
• Lost Angels, Thomas Napper – WORLD PREMIERE
• A Small Act, Jennifer Arnold – Project:Involve Screening

The Beyond (4): The Beyond offers films that dare to be different. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature, Best Narrative Feature, or Best Documentary Feature.

• All About Evil, Joshua Grannell
• Bitter Feast, Joe Maggio – WORLD PREMIERE
• Mandrill, Ernesto Diaz Espinoza - Chile
• Separado!, Gruff Rhys, Dylan Goch – Wales – US PREMIERE

Special Screenings (3):

• The Life of Richard Wagner (1913), Carl Froelich
• The Wheeler Boys, Philip G. Flores – WORLD PREMIERE – Netflix FIND Your Voice Winner
• Utopia in Four Movements, David Cerf, Sam Green

UCLA Film & T.V. Archive Collaborations

L.A. Film Critics: The Films That Got Away (2): Co-presented by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the UCLA Film & Television Archive.

• The Happiest Girl in the World (2009), Radu Jude – Romania
• Katalin Varga (2009), Peter Strickland – Romania/England

Downtown Confidential (2): Co-presented by the UCLA Film & Television Archive

• Hickey and Boggs (1972), Robert Culp
• The Driver (1978), Walter Hill

The Film Foundation Screening Program (2):  

• The Leopard (1963), Luchino Visconti – Presented by The Film Foundation and Gucci as part of "Cinema Visionaries."
• The Music Room (1958), Satyajit Ray – Presented by The Film Foundation and American Express as part of "20 Years/20 Films."

Short Films (33): Shorts are shown before features and as part of five short film programs. With their diverse and complex content, these films shine brilliantly. Most short films, domestic and international, will compete for prizes in Narrative, Documentary, and Animation/Experimental categories. The winner is determined by a panel of jurors. An Audience Award for Best Short Film is also presented.

• Shorts Program 1-5

Future Filmmakers Showcase: High School Shorts (32): These two programs of shorts, sponsored by Best Buy, made by high school students from around the country feature work by the next generation of filmmakers.

• Programs 1-2

Music Videos (60): The Music Video Showcase consists of three programs. Our two Eclectic Mix programs are a visual mix tape of this year's best independent music videos, with a few innovative major label artists thrown in for good measure. Big in Japanhighlights a selection of the most dynamic music videos Japan has to offer.  Music videos will compete for an Audience Award.

• Eclectic Mix 1-2
• Big in Japan: A Survey of Japanese Music Videos

This Festival's Guest Director, Artists in Residence, and special guests – as well as programming for the Festival Talks, Director Lunch Talks, Coffee Talks, Poolside Chats, Kodak Focus, and the Marketing and (DIY)stribution Symposium – will be announced shortly.

PLEASE REFERENCE THE ADDENDUM AT LAFILMFEST.COM FOR ALL FILM TITLES, SYNOPSES, CAST, AND CREDITS FOR ALL FEATURE FILMS.

ABOUT THE LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL

Now in its sixteenth year, the Los Angeles Film Festival is widely recognized as a world-class event, showcasing the best of new American and international cinema and providing the movie-loving public with access to some of the most critically acclaimed filmmakers, film industry professionals, and emerging talent from around the world.  

The Festival features unique signature programs including the Filmmaker Retreat, Ford Amphitheater Outdoor Screenings, Poolside Chats, and more.  Additionally, the Festival screens short films created by high school students and has a special section devoted to music videos.  

Over 200 features, shorts, and music videos from more than 30 countries make up the main body of the Festival.

The Los Angeles Film Festival is presented by the Los Angeles Times and is supported by L.A. LIVE and Premier Sponsor ZonePerfect® Nutrition Bars and Principal Sponsor Kodak.  Special support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and The Academy Foundation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  The Standard, Downtown LA is the official Host Hotel, American Airlines is the Official Airline Partner, WireImage is the Official Photography Agency, and PR Newswire is the Official Breaking News Service of Film Independent.  

More information can be found at LAFilmFest.com

ABOUT FILM INDEPENDENT

Film Independent is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry. Film Independent's Board of Directors, filmmakers, staff, and constituents are comprised of an inclusive community of individuals across ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race, and sexual orientation. Anyone passionate about film can become a member, whether you are a filmmaker, industry leader, or film lover.

With over 250 annual screenings and events, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry. Film Independent offers free Filmmaker Labs for selected writers, directors, and producers; provides cut-rate services for filmmakers; and presents year-round networking opportunities. Film Independent's mentorship and job placement program, Project:Involve, pairs emerging culturally diverse filmmakers with film industry professionals.

Film Independent produces the Los Angeles Film Festival, celebrating the best of American and international cinema, and the Spirit Awards, a celebration honoring films and filmmakers that embody independence and dare to challenge the status quo.

For more information or to become a member, visit FilmIndependent.org.

ABOUT L.A. LIVE

Developed by AEG, L.A. LIVE is a 5.9 million square foot / $2.5 billion downtown Los Angeles sports, residential & entertainment district adjacent to STAPLES Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center featuring the recently openedClub Nokia, a 2,300 capacity live music venue, Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE, a 7,100-seat live theatre, a 54-story, 1001-room convention "headquarters" destination (featuring The Ritz Carlton and JW Marriott hotels and 224 luxury condominiums – TheRitz Carlton Residences at L.A. LIVE – all in a single tower) , the state-of-the-art Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14theatres, "broadcast" facilities for ESPN, a 100,000 square foot special events deck, the one-of-a-kind GRAMMY Museum®, saluting the history of music and the genre's best know awards show all centered around Nokia Plaza L.A. LIVE, a 40,000 square foot outdoor event space, twelve signature restaurants along with entertainment, residential and office space.

Visit L.A. LIVE today at www.lalive.com

ABOUT THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

The Los Angeles Times is the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country, with a daily readership of 2 million and 3 million on Sunday, and a combined print and interactive local weekly audience of 4.5 million. The fast-growing latimes.com draws over 10 million unique visitors monthly.  The Los Angeles Times Media Group businesses and affiliates also include The Envelope, Times Community Newspapers, LA, Los Angeles Times Magazine, Brand X, Hoy, and California Community News and - combined with the flagship Los Angeles Times - reach approximately 5.9 million or 44% of all adults in the Southern California marketplace. The Pulitzer Prize-winning Times has been covering Southern California for over 128 years and is part of Tribune Company, one of the country's leading media companies with businesses in publishing, the Internet and broadcasting. Additional information is available at http://latimes.com/aboutus.

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Carrie