The Los Angeles Film Festival, produced by Film Independent with Presenting Media Sponsor the Los Angeles Times and Host Partner L.A. LIVE, recently announced that its June 10-18 line-up.
OPENING NIGHT:
Grandma – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Paul Weitz; PRODUCERS Paul Weitz, Andrew Miano, Terry Douglas, Paris Latsis; CAST Lily Tomlin, Julia Garner, Marcia Gay Harden, Judy Greer, Laverne Cox, Sam Elliott, Nat Wolff, John Cho) – Elle Reid has just gotten through breaking up with her girlfriend when her granddaughter Sage unexpectedly shows up needing 600 dollars before sundown. Temporarily broke, Grandma Elle and Sage spend the day trying to get their hands on the cash as their unannounced visits to old friends and flames end up rattling skeletons and digging up secrets. Los Angeles Premiere
PRE-FESTIVAL SCREENINGS:
Dope – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Rick Famuyiwa; PRODUCERS Forest Whitaker, Nina Yang Bongiovi; CAST Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Blake Anderson, Zoë Kravitz, A$AP Rocky, Chanel Iman, Quincy Brown) – Malcolm is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews and the SAT. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself. Los Angeles Premiere
Inside Out – USA (DIRECTOR Pete Docter; WRITERS Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley; PRODUCER Jonas Rivera; CAST Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Phyllis Smith, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan and Kaitlyn Dias) Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it’s no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions – Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness. The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley’s mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters. Although Joy, Riley’s main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school. Los Angeles Premiere
GALA SCREENINGS:
The Final Girls – USA (DIRECTOR Todd Strauss-Schulson; CAST Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, Adam Devine, Thomas Middleditch, Alia Shawkat, Alexander Ludwig, Nina Dobrev) – An unconventional comedy about Max, a high school senior, who is mysteriously transported with her friends into a 1980s horror film that starred Max’s mother, a celebrated scream queen. Los Angeles Premiere
Scream – USA (PILOT DIRECTED BY Jamie Travis; SHOWRUNNERS Jill Blotevogel, Jaime Paglia; WRITERS Jay Beattie, Dan Dworkin; EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Harvey Weinstein, Bob Weinstein; CAST Will Fitzgerald, Bex Taylor-Klaus, Carlson Young, Amadeus Sarfini, John Karna, Connor Weill, Tracy Middendorf, Jason Wiles) – MTV and Dimension TV’s “Scream” is based on the eponymous, international hit horror franchise. After a cyber-bullying incident results in a brutal murder, the shocking violence stirs up memories of a killing spree from the past that has haunted some, intrigued others and maybe just inspired a new killer. A group of teens - with two old friends struggling to reconnect at its heart - become lovers, enemies, suspects, targets and victims of a killer who’s out for blood.
Seoul Searching – South Korea (DIRECTOR/WRITER Benson Lee; PRODUCERS Andrea Chung, Benson Lee; CAST Justin Chon, Jessika Van, In-Pyo Cha, Teo Yoo, Esteban Ahn, Byul Kang) – With stylishly authentic costumes, a “totally rad” soundtrack, and an eclectic Asian cast, Seoul Searching is the ultimate ‘80s mix tape of nostalgia, laughter and fun that celebrates the beauty of youth and coming of age. Los Angeles Premiere.
U.S. FICTION COMPETITION:
Original voices from emerging and established American independent filmmakers.
3rd Street Blackout – USA (DIRECTORS/ WRITERS Negin Farsad, Jeremy Redleaf; PRODUCERS Jeremy Redleaf, Andrew Mendelson, Ryan Cunningham, Negin Farsad; CAST Negin Farsad, Jeremy Redleaf, Ed Weeks, Phyllis Somerville, Janeane Garofalo, John Hodgman, Sasheer Zamata, Jordan Carlos, Katie Hartman, Miles J. Harvey, Rachel Feinstein) – A neuroscientist and her hacker boyfriend get into romantic trouble when Hurricane Sandy’s power outages leave half of New York City in a madcap, analog world. How far would you go to deliver a message in a blackout? World Premiere
Bastards Y Diablos – USA (DIRECTOR A.D. Freese; WRITER Andrew Perez; PRODUCERS Andrew Perez, Dillon Porter, A.D. Freese, Eric G. Johnson Joe Milner; CAST Andrew Perez, Dillon Porter, Sebastian Eslava, Juanita Arias, Brunhilde Otto, Constanza Marek Otto, Gabriel Antonio Mejia, Vicky Zorrilla Vaughn, Ruben Dario Arciniegas) – Two estranged half-brothers embark on an adventurous road trip of drunken revelry and cathartic revelations around Colombia to fulfill their father’s final wish. World Premiere
A Country Called Home – USA (DIRECTOR Anna Axster; WRITERS Anna Axster, Jim Beggarly; PRODUCERS Nicolas Gonda, Jason Netter CAST Imogen Poots, Mary McCormack, Mackenzie Davis, June Squibb) – The course of a young woman’s life is forever changed by the death of her estranged father. In dealing with who and what her father left behind, Ellie unexpectedly discovers herself. World Premiere
The Girl In the Book – USA (DIRECTOR/ WRITER Marya Cohn; PRODUCERS Gina Resnick, Kyle Heller; CAST Emily Van Camp, Michael Nyqvist, David Call, Michael Cristofer, Talia Balsam, Ana Mulvoy-Ten) – An ambitious literary editor undergoes a transformation when her past invades her present, forcing her to reconcile destructive behavior and reclaim her creative voice. World Premiere
How He Fell in Love – USA (DIRECTOR/ WRITER Marc Meyers; PRODUCERS Jody Girgenti, Marc Meyers; CAST Matt McGorry, Amy Hargreaves, Mark Blum, Britne Oldford) – A struggling musician mourning the loss of a band mate finds unexpected chemistry and vulnerability with a married woman that challenges both of their moral boundaries. World Premiere
It’s Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong – USA (DIRECTOR/ WRITER Emily Ting; PRODUCERS Sophia Shek, Emily Ting; CAST Jamie Chung, Bryan Greenberg) An attraction forms between a vacationing Asian-American Angeleno toy designer and an American ex-pat as they meander through the nighttime streets of Hong Kong. World Premiere
Mekko – USA (DIRECTOR/ WRITER Sterlin Harjo; PRODUCERS Jasper Zweibel, Chad Burris; CAST Rod Rondeaux, Zahn McClarnon, Wotko Long, Sarah Podemski) – A modern day tale of redemption about a Native American parolee who seeks to save his unconventional community in Tulsa from a darkness that threatens them all. World Premiere
Out of My Hand – USA/Liberia (DIRECTOR Takeshi Fukunaga; WRITERS Takeshi Fukunaga, Donari Braxton; PRODUCERS Donari Braxton, Mike Fox; CAST Bishop Blay, Zenobia Taylor, Duke Murphy Dennis, David Roberts, Shelley Molad) – A struggling Liberian rubber plantation worker risks everything to begin a new life as a New York City cabbie but is haunted by his wartime past. North American Premiere
Puerto Ricans in Paris – Czech Republic/France/USA (DIRECTOR Ian Edelman; WRITERS Neel Shah, Ian Edelman; PRODUCER Joseph Zolfo; CAST Luis Guzman, Edgar Garcia, Alice Taglioni, Rosario Dawson, Rosie Perez, Miriam Shor, Frédéric Anscombre) – As New York City’s finest counterfeit detectives, Nuyorican brothers-in-law Luis and Eddie are hired by a top Parisian fashion house to crack the blackmailer threatening to flood the market with thousands of knock-offs of a coveted designer bag. World Premiere
Too Late – USA (DIRECTOR/ WRITER Dennis Hauck; PRODUCERS Alexandra Barreto, Taylor Feltner; CAST John Hawkes, Vail Bloom, Joanna Cassidy, Jeff Fahey, Robert Forster, Brett Jacobsen, Dichen Lachman, Dash Mihok, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Crystal Reed, Rider Strong, Natalie Zea) – Hired to find a missing woman from his own past, a troubled private investigator wanders through Los Angeles, crossing paths with eccentric personalities and lost souls in this dark love letter to a City of Angels. World Premiere
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION:
Compelling non-fiction films from the U.S. and around the world.
A New High – USA (DIRECTORS Sam Miron, Stephen Scott Scarpulla; PRODUCERS Eamon Downey, Rebby Gregg, Philip Erdoes; FEATURING Mike Johnson) – Residents of Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission homeless shelter endeavor to summit Mt. Rainier. A New High takes audiences on an awe-inspiring journey to overcome addiction by scaling new heights. World Premiere
The Babushkas of Chernobyl – USA/Ukraine (DIRECTORS/ PRODUCERS Holly Morris, Anne Bogart; FEATURING Valentyna Sochenok, Hanna Zavorotnya, Maria Shovkuta) – In the radioactive “dead zone” surrounding Chernobyl's Reactor No. 4, a defiant community of elderly women cultivates an existence on some of the most toxic land on Earth. World Premiere
Be Here Now (The Andy Whitfield Story) – USA/Australia (DIRECTOR Lilibet Foster; PRODUCERS Lilibet Foster, Sam Maydew; FEATURING Andy Whitfield, Vashti Whitfield) – After landing the lead role in Spartacus: Blood and Sand, Andy Whitfield learns he has non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Armed with resilience, courage and the adoration of his family, he prepares for the battle of his life. World Premiere
Catching the Sun – USA (DIRECTOR/ WRITER Shalini Kantayya; PRODUCERS Shalini Kantayya, Aarti Tandon, Cedric Troadec; FEATURING Van Jones, Wally Jiang, Jigar Shah, Danny Kennedy, David Crane, Paul Muldrow, Edward Wiltz, Gayle McLaughlin) – An unlikely group of characters, from Bay Area activist and former White House advisor Van Jones to Chinese CEO Wally Jiang, activate local and global movements to transition global energy sources by rebuilding the economy through jobs. World Premiere
In a Perfect World… – USA (DIRECTOR Daphne McWilliams; PRODUCERS Daphne McWilliams, Samuel D. Pollard, Brennan Rees, Mary Burns DeFuria; FEATURING John Cuevas, Eddie Cuevas, Damon Dash, Kevin Keenan, Ned Martin, Patrice McLeod, Chase Myles, Jason Lampkin, Craig Williams) – This vulnerable and fearless inquiry into the psyche of a generation of men who have been raised by single mothers begins when the filmmaker turns the camera on her own son – and the father who left them. World Premiere
Incorruptible – Senegal/USA (DIRECTOR E. Chai Vasarhelyi, PRODUCERS E. Chai Vasarhelyi, Edward Tyler Nahem; FEATURING President Abdoulaye Wade, Macy Sall, Cheikh Oumar Touré, Malla Talla) – In the spring of 2011, Senegal plunged into crisis when President Abdoulaye Wade changed the constitution to allow himself a third term in office and inspired an artist-led democratic youth movement. International Premiere
Love Between the Covers – USA (DIRECTOR/ WRITER/ PRODUCER Laurie Kahn; FEATURING Eloisa James (Mary Bly), Beverly Jenkins, Radclyffe (Len Barot), Susan Donovan, Celeste Bradley, Joanne Lockyer, Elizabeth Essex, Nora Roberts, Jennifer Crusie) – Female authors of romantic fiction have successfully ridden a tidal wave of change in the publishing industry, celebrating the desires of diverse women and writing stories where heroines are always center stage. U.S. Premiere
Maiko: Dancing Child – Norway (DIRECTOR/ WRITER Åse Svenheim Drivenes; PRODUCER Anita Rehoff Larsen; FEATURING Maiko Nishino-Ekberg) – Maiko Neshino sacrificed everything to become a prima ballerina with the Norwegian National Ballet. Now, she comes face to face with the feverish desire to have a child – and star in Swan Lake. World Premiere
Missing People – USA (DIRECTOR/ WRITER David Shapiro; PRODUCERS Alan Oxman, Michael Tubbs, David Shapiro; FEATURING Martina Batan, Roy Ferdinand, Faye Harris, Michele Ferdinand, Conor McCourt, David Carrino, Sean Ellwood, Frayda Feldman, Ron Feldman, Andy Antippas, Bill Sasser, Regina Perry) – Martina Batan is haunted by the mystery of her brother’s murder nearly 40 years ago. The director of a high art gallery in New York, Batan becomes obsessed with Roy Ferdinand, an outsider artist whose violent and sexually graphic work controversially chronicles African-American cultural identity in pre-Katrina New Orleans. U.S. Premiere
My Love, Don’t Cross That River – South Korea (DIRECTOR/ WRITER Mo-Young Jin; PRODUCER Kyungsoo Han; FEATURING Byong-man Jo, Gye-Yeul Kang) – A loving, elderly couple who have been married for 76 years face the final moments of their marriage and life. This story of "the 100-year-old lovebirds” broke Korean box office records as the biggest Korean indie film of all time. U.S. Premiere
Oriented – UK (DIRECTOR Jake Witzenfeld; PRODUCERS Ruth Cats, Jake Witzenfeld; FEATURING Khader Abu Seif, Fadi Daeem, Naeem Jiryes) – In a place and time where conflict dictates everyday life, three gay Palestinian-Israelis offer their most intimate feelings and perspectives on living and loving in Tel Aviv. International Premiere
Treasure; From Tragedy to Trans Justice, Mapping a Detroit Story – USA (DIRECTOR/ PRODUCER Dream Hampton; PRODUCERS T. Miller, D. Phillips, D. Hampton, S. Carter, L. Jackson; FEATURING Emani Love, Lyniece Nelson) – After an investigation reveals suburban police coercion led to the brutal murder of Shelly Hilliard, a young Detroit transgender activist, her friends and family pursue a sustainable strategy for justice. World Premiere
WORLD FICTION COMPETITION:
Unique fiction films from around the world from emerging and established filmmakers, especially curated for LA audiences.
A Midsummer’s Fantasia (Han-yeo-reum-ui Pan-ta-ji-a) – South Korea (DIRECTOR Jang Kun-Jae; PRODUCERS Naomi Kawase, Jang Kun-jae; CAST Kim Sae-byuk, Ryo Iwase, Lim Hyung-kook) – A Korean director’s visit to a rural Japanese village inspires an exquisitely gentle love story about a Korean actress and a local Japanese persimmon farmer. U.S. Premiere
Atomic Heart – Iran (DIRECTOR Ali Ahmadzadeh; WRITERS Ali Ahmadzadeh, Mani Baghbani; PRODUCERS Amir Seyedzadeh; CAST Taraneh Alidoosti, Pegah Ahangarani, Mehrdad Sedighiyan, Reza Behboudi, Ehsan Amani, Mohammad Reza Golzar) – Giddily stumbling out of a party way past midnight, Arineh and Nobahar drive around Tehran with their hipster buddy Kami. Distracted, they cause an accident that leads to a bizarre series of events culminating on the brink of a parallel world. North American Premiere
Ayanda and the Mechanic – South Africa (DIRECTOR Sara Blecher; WRITER Trish Malone; PRODUCERS Terry Pheto, Busi Sizani, Robbie Thorpe; CAST Fulu Moguvhani, OC Ukeje, Nthati Moshesh, Kenneth Nkosi, Jafta Mamabolo, Thomas Gumede, Sihle Xaba, Venessa Cooke) – Within a multi-African Johannesburg community, a young hipster-designer saves her deceased father’s prized garage by refurbishing classic cars - until family secrets and a corrupt legal system threaten her passionate resolve. World Premiere
Elvira, te daría mi vida pero la estoy usando (Elvira, I'd Give You My Life But I'm Using It) – Mexico (DIRECTOR/ WRITER Manolo Caro; PRODUCER Rafael Ley; CAST Cecilia Suárez, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Vanessa Bauche, Angie Cepeda, Carlos Bardem) – Elvira’s husband went to buy a pack of cigarettes – and never came back. A darkly comedic, frantic hunt for clues turns a 40-year-old mother of two into an amateur sleuth on the verge of an unexpected discovery. International Premiere
Flocking (Flocken) – Sweden (DIRECTOR Beata Gårdeler; WRITER Emma Broström; PRODUCERS Agneta Fagerström Olsson, Annika Hellström; CAST Fatime Azemi, John Risto, Eva Melander, Malin Levanon, Jacob Öhrman) – Breathtaking cinematography captures the desolation of a tiny Swedish village when a tight-knit community turns against a 14-year-old girl and her family after she reports being sexually assaulted by a popular classmate. North American Premiere
Las Malas Lenguas (Sweet and Vicious) – Colombia (DIRECTOR Juan Paulo Laserna; WRITERS Juan Paulo Laserna, Juan Camilo Brigard; PRODUCER Juan Paulo Laserna; CAST Sara Montoya, Pedro Mejia, Matilde de los Milagros Londoño, Felix Antequera, Maryuri Sanchez) – A secret and impossible love boils inside of a young woman as her high-class society prepares her for marriage and the impending birth of a baby that everybody wants – except her. World Premiere
Sin Alas (Without Wings) – Cuba/USA (DIRECTOR/ WRITER Ben Chace; PRODUCER Sean Lamb; CAST Carlos Padrón, Mario Limonta, Yusleivís Rodrígues, Lieter Ledesma, Adael Rosales, Camila Artecher, Veronica Lynn) – 1960s Havana to the present day is the non-linear setting for this richly textured portrait of an elderly man coming to grips with a lost love. International Premiere
White Moss (Belyy Yagel) – Russian Federation (DIRECTOR Vladimir Tumaev; WRITER Valeriy Bakirov; PRODUCER Svetlana Dalskaya; CAST Evgeniy Sangadzhiev, Galina Tihonova, Irina Mihaylova, Efim Stepanov, Dolzhin Tangatova) – Love and betrayal in the arctic Russian tundra. A young indigenous man struggles with the obligations of an arranged marriage, while yearning for the love of his life, who has left for the city. International Premiere
LA MUSE:
World premieres of fiction and documentary films that are quintessentially LA.
Filmsnominated for the LA Muse Award:
A Beautiful Now - USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Daniela Amavia PRODUCERS Keith Kjarval, Lynn Kressel, Daniela Amavia CAST Abigail Spencer, Cheyenne Jackson, Collette Wolfe, Elena Satine, Sonja Kinski, Patrick Heusinger, John Patrick Amedori, Guy Burnet, Hana Hayes) – A dancer hangs on the razor’s edge between reality and fantasy as her loved ones question the decisions and desires that have shaped who they are and who they will become. World Premiere
Aram, Aram – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Christopher Chambers PRODUCERS Christopher Chambers, Jared Parsons CAST John Roohinian, Levon Sharafyan, Sevak Hakoyan, Alla Tumanian) – Violently uprooted from his home, a 12 year-old Armenian boy is sent to live with his grandfather in Los Angeles’ Little Armenia, where he faces a clash between old-world values and new-school Armenian identity. World Premiere
Can You Dig This – USA (DIRECTOR Delila Vallot PRODUCERS Chris Leggett, Rafael Marmor FEATURING Ron Finley, Mychael "Spicey" Evans, Kenya Johnson, Quimonie Lewis, Hosea Smith) In South Central Los Angeles, one of the largest food deserts in the US, inspirational stories of new gardeners reveal the beginnings of an urban gardening revolution and the lasting impact of planting seeds for a better life. World Premiere
Day Out of Days – USA (DIRECTOR Zoe R. Cassavetes WRITERS Zoe R. Cassavetes, Alexia Landeau PRODUCERS Kate Roughan, Zoe R. Cassavetes, Gina Kwon CAST Alexia Landeau, Eddie Izzard, Melanie Griffith, Cheyenne Jackson, Alessandro Nivola, Brooke Smith, Bellamy Young, Vincent Kartheiser, Ione Skye, Matt Letscher, Josh Stamberg, Myndy Crist) – A 40-year-old actress navigates the cutthroat world of Hollywood while contending with youthful competition and changes within herself. World Premiere
The Drew: No Excuse, Just Produce – USA (DIRECTORS Baron Davis, Chad Gordon PRODUCERS Erikka Yancy, Paul Hunter, Chad Gordon, Ali Brown, Baron Davis FEATURING Dino Smiley, Baron Davis, DeMar DeRozan, Dorell Wright, Byron Scott, Casper Ware Jr.) – Besides the Staples Center, where do top basketball players face-off in Los Angeles? South Central’s Drew League, which has become a premiere destination for pro-amateur basketball through the hard work and persistence of a community. World Premiere
The Escort – USA (DIRECTOR Will Slocombe WRITERS Michael Doneger, Brandon A. Cohen PRODUCERS Michael Doneger, Blake Goza, Mark DiCristofaro CAST Lyndsy Fonseca, Michael Doneger, Tommy Dewey, Bruce Campbell, Rachel Resheff, Rumer Willis, Sonya Walger, Dan Bakkedahl, Iqbal Theba, Dean Chekvala) – Desperate for a good story, a sex-addicted journalist throws himself into the world of high-class escorts when he starts seeing a Stanford-educated prostitute. World Premiere
Flock of Dudes – USA (DIRECTOR Bob Castrone WRITERS Bob Castrone, Jason Zumwalt, Brian Levin PRODUCERS Mark Manuel, Aaron Kaufman, Ted O’Neal, Brian Levin CAST Chris D’Elia, Hannah Simone, Bryan Greenberg, Eric Andre, Brett Gelman, Skylar Astin) – A thirty-something man-child is forced to break up with his three lifelong buddies after being evicted from their shared house. World Premiere
French Dirty – USA (DIRECTORS Wade Allain-Marcus, Jesse Allain-Marcus, WRITERS Peter K. Hagen, Wade Allain-Marcus PRODUCERS Jason Wolf, Mel Jones CAST Wade Allain-Marcus, Melina Lizette, Arjun Gupta) – After committing the carnal sin of sleeping with his best friend’s girlfriend, Vincent must deal with the consequences of his betrayal and hope that his bond with his brother-from-another-mother can withstand the blow. World Premiere
No Más Bebés – USA (DIRECTOR Renee Tajima-Peña PRODUCERS Virginia Espino, Renee Tajima-Pena) – 40 years after the landmark case Madrigal v. Quilligan investigated the sterilization of Mexican American women at Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center, the ten courageous women who challenged the system break their silence. World Premiere
Weepah Way For Now – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Stephen Pierce Ringer PRODUCERS Stephen Pierce Ringer, Aly Michalka, AJ Michalka, Kerry Barden CAST Aly Michalka, AJ Michalka, Mimi Rogers, Liam Aiken, Dan Byrd, Amanda Crew, Madeline Zima, Tyler Labine, Jon Heder, Gil Bellows, Ryan Donowho, Erin Cummings, Gale Harold) – Tucked into the heart of Laurel Canyon, two sisters prepare for their going away party before embarking on their next music tour. World Premiere
ZEITGEIST:
World premieres of curated films that embody key trends in American independent filmmaking. Films nominated for the Zeitgeist Award.
A Girl Like Grace – USA (DIRECTOR Ty Hodges WRITERS Jacquin DeLeon, Ty Hodges PRODUCERS Matt Keith, Meagan Good, Ty Hodges, Carnetta Jones CAST Meagan Good, Paige Hurd, Raven Symone, Garcelle Beauvais, Ryan Destiny, Ty Hodges, Romeo Miller) – Bullied at school and devastated by her best friend's suicide, 17-year-old Grace turns to her deceased friend's sister for guidance and spirals into the dark world of sex, drugs and rebellion in this gritty yet relatable coming-of-age story. World Premiere
Band of Robbers – USA (DIRECTOR Aaron Nee, Adam Nee PRODUCERS John Will, Rick Rosenthal, Arun Kumar, Matt Ratner CAST Kyle Gallner, Adam Nee, Matthew Gray Gubler, Hannibal Buress, Melissa Benoist, Stephen Lang, Eric Christian Olsen, Daniel Edward Mora, Johnny Pemberton, Beth Grant, Cooper Huckabee, Lee Garlington, Creed Bratton) – Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn are all grown up in this reimagined, modern day fable, that finds them searching for hidden treasure and reclaiming their childhood dreams in the process. World Premiere
In the Treetops – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER/PRODUCER Matthew Brown CAST Matthew Brown, Emma Geer, Gabriel Arant, Joshua Pagan, Robert Beseda, Mary Mattison Vallery, Cameron Morton) – On a seemingly ordinary winter night, a group of high school friends drive around aimlessly, enjoying their usual hijinks, until they receive news of a classmate’s tragedy. World Premiere
Pocha (Manifest Destiny) – USA (DIRECTOR Michael Dwyer CO-DIRECTOR/WRITER Kaitlin McLaughlin PRODUCERS Alicia Dwyer, Kathleen Dwyer CAST Veronica Sixtos, Julio César Cedillo, Roberto Urbina, Jorge A. Jimenez, Sandra Santiago, Jessie Garcia, María del Carmen Farías) – When a young woman is deported to Mexico, she must choose between reconciling with her estranged father or partnering with a local smuggler to return to the US. World Premiere
Stealing Cars – USA (DIRECTOR Bradley Kaplan WRITERS Will Aldis, Steve Mackall PRODUCERS Rachel Winter, Dan Keston CAST Emory Cohen, John Leguizamo, William H. Macy, Paul Sparks, Mike Epps, Felicity Huffman, Heather Lind, Al Calderon) – An intelligent, but deeply troubled teenager is sentenced to a juvenile detention center, where attempts at reformation are thwarted by his own nihilistic agenda. World Premiere
What Lola Wants – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Rupert Glasson PRODUCERS Ayisha Davies, Monnie Wills CAST Sophie Lowe, Beau Knapp, Robert Taylor, Dale Dickey, Charles S. Dutton) – Untamed runaway Lola Franklin fakes her own kidnapping, falls in love with a charming and talented pickpocket, and fiercely blazes her own trail in this off-kilter, style-soaked contemporary western. World Premiere
NIGHTFALL:
From the bizarre to the horrifying, these are films to watch after dark. Films premiering for the first time in the U.S. are nominated for the Nightfall Award.
Caught – USA (DIRECTOR Maggie Kiley WRITER Marcy Holland PRODUCER Jennifer Westin CAST Anna Camp, Stefanie Scott, Amelia Rose Blaire, Sam Page) – A mean prank spins wildly out of control when a desperate housewife discovers her husband is having an affair and kidnaps his unsuspecting mistress. World Premiere
The Confines – USA (DIRECTOR Eytan Rockaway WRITER Ido Fluk PRODUCER Mike Landry CAST Jason Patric, Louisa Krause, Mark Margolis) – In this tense thriller a struggling single mother encounters strange occurrences while working a late night security job in an abandoned apartment building. World Premiere
Crumbs – Spain/Ethiopia (DIRECTOR/WRITER Miguel Llansó, PRODUCER Sergio Uguet de Resayre CAST Daniel Tadesse, Selam Tesfaye, Tsegaye Abegaz) – An unlikely hero embarks on an epic quest across a surreal, Ethiopian post apocalyptic landscape in search of a hovering spacecraft that has become a landmark in the skies. North American Premiere
Crush the Skull – USA (DIRECTOR Viet Nguyen PRODUCERS Jimmy Tsai, Aya Tanimura CAST Christopher Dinh, Katie Savoy, Chris Riedell, Tim Chiou, Lauren Reeder, Walt Bost) – A couple of master thieves find themselves trapped within a house they intend to rob, only to discover they've wandered into the lair of a deranged serial killer. World Premiere
Dude Bro Party Massacre III – USA (DIRECTORS Michael Rousselet, Tomm Jacobsen, Jon Salmon WRITERS Michael E. Peter, Ben Gigli, Tomm Jacobsen Michael Rousselet, Jon Salmon, Alec Owen, Tim Ciancio, Brian Firenzi, Joey Scoma, Mike James CAST Alec Owen, Olivia Dudley, Kelsey Gunn, Brian Firenzi, Jimmy Wong, Jon Salmon, Michael Rousselet, Joey Scoma, Greg Sestero, Mike James, Ben Gigli, Maria del Carmen, Patton Oswalt, Nina Hartley, Andrew W.K., Nick Kocher, Brian McElhaney, Larry King) – Deranged serial killer "Motherface" is back for one final, blood-spattered rampage in the most notorious ‘80s teen slasher flick that never existed! World Premiere
Plan Sexenal (Six Year Plan) – Mexico (DIRECTOR/WRITER Santiago Cendejas, PRODUCERS Santiago Cendejas, Gerardo Naranjo CAST Edwarda Gurrola, Harold Torres, Noé Hernández, Raúl Villegas, Adrian García, Rocío Boliver) – A primal thriller about a young couple whose party is disrupted by a threatening cop and a mysterious stalker. Under siege, they are forced to fend for themselves during a bizarre night of terror. World Premiere
Ratter – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Branden Kramer PRODUCER Jamie Zelermyer, David Bausch, Ben Browning CAST Ashley Benson, Matt McGorry, Rebecca Naomi Jones) – A graduate student living alone in New York City becomes the focus of a growing obsession when a stalker hacks into her personal technology and records her most intimate moments. Los Angeles Premiere
Shut In – USA (DIRECTOR Adam Schindler WRITERS TJ Cimfel, David White PRODUCER Brian Netto CAST Beth Riesgraf, Martin Starr, Rory Culkin) – An agoraphobic woman finds herself trapped when a trio of criminals breaks into her home and she cannot bring herself to flee. However, it’s the intruders who should be attempting to escape this house. World Premiere
BUZZ:
Los Angeles premieres of celebrated fiction and non-fiction festival favorites from around the world.
Brand: A Second Coming – UK/USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER/PRODUCER Ondi Timoner FEATURING Russell Brand) Following comedian/author/activist Russell Brand as he questions whether he can break out of the very system that built him while exploring his past quest of drugs, sex and fame. Los Angeles Premiere
Chuck Norris vs. Communism – UK/Romania/Germany (DIRECTOR/ WRITER Ilinca C?lug?reanu PRODUCERS Mara Adina, Brett Ratner FEATURING Irina Margareta Nistor, Ana Maria Moldovan, Dan Chiorean) – In 1980s Romania, a black-market VHS racketeer and a courageous translator sparked a revolution inspired by the magic of film. Los Angeles Premiere
The Dark Horse – New Zealand (DIRECTOR/ WRITER James Napier Robertson PRODUCER Tom Hern CAST Cliff Curtis, James Rolleston, Sia Trokenheim, Kirk Torrance, Xavier Horan, Miriam McDowell, Baz Te Hira, Wayne Hapi) – An inspiring true story based on the life of charismatic chess champion, Genesis Potini, who despite his own struggles summoned the courage to unite the children of his community towards a positive goal. Los Angeles Premiere
The Diary of a Teenage Girl – USA (DIRECTOR/ WRITER Marielle Heller PRODUCERS Miranda Bailey, Anne Carey, Bert Hamelinck, Madeline Samit CAST Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgard, Kristen Wiig, Christopher Meloni) – A teen artist living in 1970s San Francisco enters into an affair with her mother's boyfriend. Los Angeles Premiere
Infinitely Polar Bear – USA (DIRECTOR/ WRITER Maya Forbes PRODUCERS Wally Wolodarsky, Benji Kohn, Bingo Gubelmann, Sam Bisbee, Galt Niederhoffer CAST Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Imogene Wolodarsky, Ashley Auferheide, Beth Dixon, Keir Dullea) – A manic-depressive mess of a father tries to win back his wife by attempting to take full responsibility of their two young, spirited daughters. Los Angeles Premiere
In Football We Trust – USA (DIRECTOR Tony Vainuku CO-DIRECTOR Erika Cohn PRODUCER Erika Cohn FEATURING Harvey Langi, Vita Bloomfield, Leva Bloomfield, Fihi Kaufusi, Haloti Ngata, Troy Polamalu, Star Lotulelei, Vai Sikahema) – An intimate portrait of four Polynesian football players struggling to overcome gang violence, family pressures and near poverty as they chase the dream of playing professional sports. Los Angeles Premiere
Jimmy’s Hall – UK/Ireland/France (DIRECTOR Ken Loach WRITER Paul Laverty PRODUCER Rebecca O'Brien CAST Barry Ward, Simone Kirby, Jim Norton, Francis Magee, Aisling Franciosi, Andrew Scott, Bryan F. O'Byrne) Ireland, 1931. Jimmy Gralton’s sin was to build dance hall – a place where people come to argue, to dream, and to dance. Los Angeles Premiere
Manson Family Vacation – USA (DIRECTOR/ WRITER J. Davis PRODUCERS Stephen Bannatyne, Eric Blyler, JM Logan, Josh Polon, Alexandra Sandler, Matt Ratner CAST Jay Duplass, Linas Phillips, Leonora Pitts, Adam Chernick, Tobin Bell, Davie-Blue) – The story of two brothers: one who’s devoted to his family, the other who’s obsessed with Charles Manson. Los Angeles Premiere
The Overnight – USA (DIRECTOR/ WRITER Patrick Brice PRODUCERS Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass, Adam Scott, Naomi Scott CAST Adam Scott, Judith Godrèche, Jason Schwartzman, Taylor Schilling) – A young couple–new to Los Angeles–are invited to the home of their son’s friend for a family play date. But after the kids go to bed the evening becomes increasingly more unorthodox. Los Angeles Premiere
People, Places, Things – USA (DIRECTOR/ WRITER James C. Strouse PRODUCERS Michael B. Clark, Alex Turtletaub CAST Jemaine Clement, Regina Hall, Stephanie Allynne, Michael Chernus, Gia Gadsby, Aundrea Gadsby, Jessica Williams) – Newly single graphic novelist, Will Henry, balances parenting his young twins with navigating the rich complexities of new love. Los Angeles Premiere
Sweet Micky For President – Haiti/USA (DIRECTOR Ben Patterson WRITER Pras Michel PRODUCERS Karyn Rachtman, Ben Patterson, Pras Michel FEATURING Pras Michel, Wyclef Jean, Michel Martelly) – Pras Michel of the Fugees, with no political resources or experience, fights a history of corrupt government in his native Haiti by mobilizing a successful presidential campaign for controversial Haitian pop star, Michele Martelly aka Sweet Micky. Los Angeles Premiere
El Elefante Desaparecido (The Vanished Elephant) – Peru/Columbia/Spain (DIRECTOR/WRITER Javier Fuentes-León PRODUCERS Javier Fuentes León, Michel Ruben, Andrés Calderón, Delia Garcia CAST Salvador del Solar, Lucho Cáceres, Angie Cepeda, Vanessa Saba, Tatiana Astengo, Carlos Carlín, Toño Vega, Magdyel Ugaz, Michel Ruben) A successful crime novelist receives a vital clue to the whereabouts of his long-missing fiancée, in this mind-bending mystery that pays homage to Hollywood film noir and the reality-twisting fiction of Jorge Luis Borges and Julio Cortázar. Los Angeles Premiere
Victoria – Germany (DIRECTOR Sebastian Schipper WRITERS Olivia Neergaard-Holm, Sebastian Schipper, Eike Frederik Schulz PRODUCERS Laia Costa, Frederick Lau, Franz Rogowski CAST Laia Costa, Frederick Lau, Franz Rogowski, Burak Yigit, Max Mauff) – A romantic, bank heist thriller with a phenomenal break-out ensemble cast shot in a single take during the pre-dawn hours in Berlin. Winner of the Berlinale Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution for Cinematography. Los Angeles Premiere
PREMIERES:
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 & 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 – 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
SHORT FILM COMPETITION
From over 3000 submissions, the short films selected represent 15 countries, and are 50% directed by women. Short films are shown before features and as part of six short film programs.
48217 Mesh – France/USA (DIRECTOR Nora Mandray) In a heavily polluted Detroit neighborhood, community advocate Theresa sets out to build a new kind of Internet network to fight the expansion of a nearby factory.
All American Family – USA (DIRECTOR Andrew Jenks) For four generations, the Pedersen family has had a star on the local high school football team. Unlike other teams, these players are all deaf.
All Your Favorite Shows! – USA (DIRECTOR Danny Madden) Anything you wanna watch in the palm of your hand! Crazy convenient! ...crazy.
Alone – France (DIRECTOR Didier Philippe) A young woman lives alone in a large apartment. One day, she discovers evidence revealing that a man lives in her home…
The And (Marcela and Rock) – USA (DIRECTOR Topaz Adizes) Exploring the intimate spaces of modern-day relationships in the best couples therapy session you'll ever witness.
An Apartment – Canada (DIRECTOR Sarah Galea-Davis) An intimate portrait of Paul, a man who finds himself in middle-age struggling to restart his career and maintain his financial independence.
A Single Body (Un Seul Corps) – Australia/France/Greece (DIRECTOR Sotiris Dounoukos) Best friends and skilled abattoir workers David and Wani are saving to open their own butchery, but before they can realize their dream, the arrival of a new worker will test the bonds of their shared life.
The Baby – Iran/Italy (DIRECTOR Ali Asgari) Narges and her friend have just a few hours to find someone to take care of her baby.
Beach Flags – France/Iran (DIRECTOR Sarah Saidan) Vida is a young Iranian lifeguard. Popular on her team, she’s determined to fight to be the one to participate in an international competition. However, when Sareh who is as fast and talented as her, joins the team, Vida will have to face an unexpected situation.
Boxeadora – USA (DIRECTOR Meg Smaker) One woman defies Fidel Castro's ban on female boxing to follow her dream of Olympic glory and become Cuba's first female boxer.
Charlotte – USA (DIRECTOR Angel Kristi Williams) Alex, excited to have befriended the popular girl at school, will do anything to stay in her good graces. When her new friend wants to play house, Alex innocently plays along and develops feelings she doesn't understand.
Day of the Dutch – USA (DIRECTOR Martha Colburn) In this stop motion animation we follow a day in the life of a ‘living skeleton’ family in a Dutch home environment. Like the Dutch genre paintings from the Golden Age, the film depicts the traditional values of family and standards...until an event changes a young girl’s life.
Devil’s Work – USA (DIRECTOR Miguel Silveira) A troubled 14-year-old boy grows increasingly isolated as he obsesses over the circumstances surrounding his father's death.
Dog Bowl – USA (DIRECTOR Gordy Hoffman) A heartbroken girl spiraling through life stumbles upon the true nature of her existence after stealing the vest off of a service dog.
Dolphin Lover – USA (DIRECTOR Kareem Tabsch) A true story set in a 1970s Florida roadside amusement park explores Malcolm Brenner’s romantic and sexual love affair with Dolly, a captive dolphin.
Drama – USA (DIRECTOR Tian Guan) A young couple who are having sex in a car realize that there are no more condoms left...
The Face of Ukraine: Casting Oksana Baiul – Australia/Ukraine (DIRECTOR Kitty Green) Little girls from war-torn Ukraine audition to play the role the titular Olympic figure skater, whose tears of joy once united their troubled country.
Full-Windsor – USA (DIRECTOR Faraday Okoro) A 10-year-old boy battles his mother in order to wear his absent father’s tie to school.
The Guardian of North Lawndale – USA (DIRECTOR Sam Price-Waldman) In a Chicago neighborhood where 43 percent of residents live below the poverty line, Billy Lamar Brooks Sr. helps children build a future.
Hearts and Arrows – USA (DIRECTOR Benjamin Millepied) Set in six movements and scored by Phillip Glass’s String Quartet No. 3 (Mishima), Benjamin Millepied's latest ballet represents the 2nd part of a triptych entitled "Gems" featuring the L.A. Dance Project.
Home – USA (DIRECTOR Amelie Wen) On his last day of work, an elderly migrant caretaker of an abandoned construction site encounters a little girl who has run away from home.
Horse – China (DIRECTOR Shen Jie) Renderings of an animated horse are inventively cut together.
Hotel 22 – USA (DIRECTOR Elizabeth Lo) Each night in wealthy Silicon Valley, a public bus transforms into an unofficial shelter for the homeless. Hotel 22 captures a single, dramatic night on the Line 22 route.
In Her Place – USA (DIRECTOR Kevin Hamedani) An Iranian-American man suffering from a mid-life crisis visits his homeland to meet and wed a young Iranian woman.
Inside (Adentro) – Cuba/UK (DIRECTOR Jayisha Patel) The happenings of one warehouse in Havana, Cuba. Incessant noise, a roof that starts to fall down, 40 people coming and going, and one woman, who works and lives there, who just wants to rest.
Interesting Ball – USA (DIRECTORS Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert) A red ball bounces past a cafe and a couple folks’ houses and then goes to the beach.
Internet Famous – Norway (DIRECTOR Kristofer Borgli) Amir becomes internet famous in videos where he picks fights with strangers on the street. He tries to justify his success in a portrait interview with a newspaper.
Jon and Starsha are Having a Baby – USA (DIRECTORS Starsha Gill, Jon Bass) Jon and Starsha are in love, so Jon and Starsha are having a baby.
Kitchen – USA (DIRECTOR Yeonchul Lee) While washing dishes, a woman gets her hair stuck in the garbage disposal.
The Letter (La Carta) – Mexico (DIRECTOR Ángeles Cruz) Lupe comes back to her community after many years of absence. Her reencounter with Rosalia, her best friend from childhood, and the letter she wrote her when they said goodbye, change the course of their lives. Love resurfaces with even greater strength.
Listen – Denmark/Finland –(DIRECTORS Rungano Nyoni, Hamy Ramezan) A foreign woman in a burqa brings her young son to a Copenhagen police station to file a complaint against her abusive husband, but the translator assigned to her seems unwilling to convey the true meaning of her words.
The Little Deputy – Canada (DIRECTOR Trever Anderson) Trevor tries to have a photo taken with his father.
Mulignans – USA (DIRECTOR Shaka King) mulignan(s) /moo.lin.yan(s)/ n. 1. Italian-American slang for a black man. Derived from Italian dialect word for "eggplant." See also: moolie. Source: Urban Dictionary and pretty much every mob movie ever.
Myrna the Monster – USA (DIRECTOR Ian Samuels) A heartbroken alien dreamer from the moon transitions into young adult life in Los Angeles like any other 20-something.
Oh Lucy! – USA/Japan (DIRECTOR Atsuko Hirayanagi) Setsuko, a 55-year-old single 'office lady' in Tokyo, is given a blonde wig and a new identity, “Lucy,” by her young unconventional English instructor. “Lucy” awakens desires Setsuko never knew she had.
Pauline Alone – USA (DIRECTOR Janicza Bravo) A woman tries to connect with people she's never met.
Pure Concentricity – USA (DIRECTOR Evan Mann) Created in the span of two weeks as a commission for Denver Digerati, Pure Concentricity is composed of sequential photographs, formally confined to the natural landscape, the human figure, and concentric circles of shaving cream.
Rabbit – USA/France (DIRECTOR Laure de Clermont) A therapist working in tandem with a correctional facility's Pet Partnership Program entrusts a small white rabbit to a female prisoner. In the confinement of the inmate's cell, will she be able to transcend her circumstances and make a new connection?
The Sands (Plage de Sable) – Canada (DIRECTOR Marie-Eve Juste) Josee and Tom are at the beach, two lovers discovering each other, playing a game until things get serious.
Serenity – USA (DIRECTOR Jack Dunphy) An animated memoir recounting first love, addiction, losing one's virginity, and turning to pizza in times of crisis.
Share – USA (DIRECTOR Pippa Bianco) A 15-year-old girl returns to school after someone shares an explicit video of her.
SheVenge – USA (DIRECTOR Amber Benson) A twisted, darkly comedic, genre-bending tale of revenge. A revenge of the worst kind - Shevenge!
Shhhhhhh… – USA (DIRECTOR Alison Locke Nelson) 3:12am. A new mom shushes her crying baby... she's sleep deprived, she's frustrated, she's alone…or is she?
SMILF – USA (DIRECTOR Frankie Shaw) A young single mother struggles to balance her old life of freedom with her new one as mom.
Stop – USA (DIRECTOR Reinaldo Green) A young man's livelihood is put to the test when he gets profiled and stopped by the police on his way home from practice.
The Sun Like a Big Dark Animal (El Sol Como un Gran Animal Oscuro) – USA (DIRECTORS Christina Felisgrau, Ronnie Rivera) A computer and a woman fall in love only to be torn apart because of their inappropriate feelings for each other.
Superior – USA (DIRECTOR Erin Vassilopolous) A stranger passing through town sparks a teenage girl's desire to distinguish herself from her identical twin sister.
Sweep – USA (DIRECTOR Spencer Gillis) A tense chance encounter at a local recycling center leads to an instant friendship—which in turn leads to a bitter moment of reckoning.
Swimming in Your Skin Again – USA (DIRECTOR Terence Nance) A film about motherhood, banality, Miami, the water, the divine feminine, and how to sing in church in a way that calls forth your own adulthood.
Take Me – Canada (DIRECTORS Anais Barbeau-Lavaiette, Andre Turpin) A nurse working in a center for the disabled is confronted by his principles when he’s asked to accomplish a particular task.
T’es Pas Game (Chicken) – Canada (DIRECTOR Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers) David and Margot have been in a relationship for seven years and are very inventive and never bored. As a new challenge, they lock themselves in their apartment to push their limits. Who's chicken?
teeth – USA (DIRECTORS Tom Brown, Daniel Gray) That which is neglected, is lost.
Territory – France (DIRECTOR Vincent Paronnaud) 1957, Ossau Valley, Pyrenees, France. Pierre reaches the summer pasture with his dog and his flock of ewes. He is afraid of the wolf but he isn't aware of a fainter and more savage threat: a paratroopers' squad on whom the army is carrying out secret tests.
The Time Keeper – USA (DIRECTOR Katherine Wells) Our smartphones, GPS, military operations, and internet communications all depend on precise atomic clocks at the U.S. Naval Observatory – and on Dr. Demetrios Matsakis.
Touch – USA (DIRECTOR Andrew Stephen Lee) When a fourteen year-old’s obsession with a new swimming instructor plunges her into a world of undiscovered feelings, she travels between adolescence and womanhood, leaving childhood forever behind.
Tourist Trap – USA (DIRECTOR Alana Purcell) To take his mind off a broken romance, a tourist from Japan finds distraction in a local LA girl.
Volta – Greece/USA (DIRECTOR Stella Kyriakopolous) A mother and daughter start out from downtown Athens and head to the northern suburbs of the Greek city. Little Nina thinks she's going on a walk.
Wait ‘Til the Wolves Make Nice – USA (DIRECTOR Jessica Dela Merced) Confronting boredom in a crumbling southwest Detroit neighborhood, four kids are tempted into sacrilege and destruction by the cool apathy of an older kid.
We All We Got – USA (DIRECTOR Carlos Javier Ortiz) The poetic language of the streets: police helicopters; music popping out of cars; ambulances on the run; preachers hollering for the violence to stop after another young man is senselessly gunned down in the streets of Chicago.
Withdrawal – Iran (DIRECTORS Peiman Naimi, Fahimeh Aghahassani) Shirin has just finished art college and has to leave the girls' boarding school she lived in. Her father wants her to return to her village of birth in the Iranian countryside. She fearfully conceals why that isn't an option.
MUSIC VIDEOS
Mayokero – USA (DIRECTOR Vania Heymann) Album covers come to life and beatbox.
I Tried to Talk to You – USA (DIRECTOR David Wilson) The sincerity of a lovers’ quarrel is explored through modern dance.
Ideas Are That Grand (Así de grandes son las ideas) – Puerto Rico/USA (DIRECTOR Quique Rivera Rivera) Sometime in the future an old man, equipped with the benefits of evolution, survived the extinction of all other living beings.
FUTURE FILMMAKER SHOWCASE
The Los Angeles Film Festival’s Future Filmmaker Showcase brings to the big screen the best films made by budding young filmmakers from across the country and the globe. In this diverse slate of films, incredibly accomplished high school students will present wild comedies, moving dramas, mesmerizing animation, introspective experimental films and everything in between.
These two programs of short films made by high school students from across the country and the globe feature wild comedies, moving dramas, mesmerizing animation, introspective experimental films and everything in between.
An Irish Airman Foresees His Death – USA (DIRECTOR Javier Arango) A pilot imagines his own fate in this gorgeous, cinematic interpretation of W.B. Yeats' famous poem.
Beatrix – USA (DIRECTORS Grace Hoffman, Michelle Miles) Featuring artist and style icon Beatrix Ost, this beautifully shot portrait explores individuality and the joy in finding oneself.
Cereal Killer – USA (DIRECTOR Theo Taplitz) Something sinister lurks beneath the Fruit Loops in a young man's cereal bowl.
Chris – USA (DIRECTOR Zachary Oschin) The pressure to secure a perfect prom date pushes a teenage girl to overcome her fears.
Curt Lowens: A Life of Changes – USA (DIRECTORS Justin Binder, August Blum, Robert Carlson, Levi Glaser, George Khabbaz, Kayla Mossanen, Tammy Shine) Beautiful animation and illuminating interviews reveal the incredible and heroic story of Holocaust survivor Curt Lowens.
Dead Teens Anonymous – USA (DIRECTOR Sabrina de Brito, Sophia Dienstag, Joe Matthews, Esther Ollivier) A teenager finds hope in the afterlife when she discovers a support group for the dead.
Dreams – USA (DIRECTOR Matthew Dominguez) The shuffle of a young man’s iPod becomes the soundtrack of his dreamscape.
Falling – USA (DIRECTOR Imani Peterkin, Maya Suchak) In this honest and moving portrayal of young love, a father’s misguided interference threatens to crush his daughter’s blossoming romance and, worst of all, her spirit.
Godong's Party – South Korea (DIRECTOR Seona Khil) Godong the kitty is planning the best party in the world, and he wants you to come along!
A Guy with a Dog – USA (DIRECTOR William Lancaster) Hilarity and bloodshed ensue when a zombie apocalypse forces two strangers into a very unlikely friendship.
Hello from Malaysia – USA (DIRECTOR Kira Bursky) New to America and missing her family in Malaysia, a young girl must find a way to connect with her new community.
How Do You Pronounce Pho? – Canada (DIRECTOR Carol Nguyen) Cultural exploration takes place in the unlikeliest of places – the school cafeteria.
It’s a Thing – USA (DIRECTORS Sebastian Crank, Sage McCommas, Meredith Morran) Adolescent love blooms when two masked misfits come together over their similar neuroses.
Love and the Art of Frisbee Flight – USA (DIRECTOR Alex Brisker) A lost frisbee unites two young strangers in this delightfully quirky romantic comedy.
Mask – USA (DIRECTOR Katie Speare) Societal definitions of female beauty are questioned in this sharp, cinematic exploration.
Memories from Before (Souvenirs d'avant) – USA (Director: Dustin Whitley) Gorgeously animated, this moving experimental film depicts the horrors of World War One.
My Bully – USA (DIRECTOR Ava Ludwig) Self-reflection and realization are explored in this beautiful, cinematic spoken word piece.
Old Tricks – USA (DIRECTOR Theodore Buckwald) A burglar gets more than he bargained for when his elderly victim proves more wily than expected.
Penguin Suicides – South Korea (DIRECTORS Seungha Na, Heri Yoo) A sad little penguin just wants to end it all, but he can't quite seem to get there.
Promise – USA (DIRECTORS Erin Bentel, Gabriel Gaurano, Skyler Stewart, Evan Stefanko, John De Vito) A loving teenage dad is torn between his adult responsibilities and his youthful inclinations.
Sour Lemonade – USA (DIRECTOR Natalia Ferrara) A garden party’s hostess has something unexpected in store for her lady-like guests.
Stanley – USA (DIRECTOR Jamie Lipman) An automaton student breaks free from the prison of routine when he starts listening to his own voice.
Stranded – USA (DIRECTOR Clio Gevirtz) An overachieving dancer on tour pushes herself to the edge during an unexpected detour.
The Museum of Unnatural Gaming – USA (DIRECTORS Carrington Bennett, Matthew Lungaro) In this cautionary tale, a middle-aged gaming addict relays his tragic story in startling and hilarious detail.
The Pressure of Freddie Bear and the Ballpoint Pen – USA (DIRECTOR Paula Sison) Young Freddie, feeling pressured at home and at school, seeks out an unconventional (and fuzzy) means of stress relief.
The Rhythm of Healing – USA (Director: Imani Cook-Gist) The unparalleled healing power of music and dance is explored in this touching and ultimately uplifting documentary about the horrific Rwandan genocide.
The Searcher – USA (DIRECTOR Joe Shaffer) Too shy to connect at school, a young movie buff's life revolves around the Westerns he watches at home. But will his fantasy life ever translate to reality?
LAUNCH PROGRAM LINE-UP ADDENDUM
Making Cool Sh*t: The Music Videos of OK Go
Equally comfortable with filmmaking and songwriting through visual art and rock concerts, OK Go have bridged art forms that used to be considered distinct. This showcase of their music videos will be followed by an extended talk with frontman and director Damian Kulash.
• A Million Ways - DIRECTORS OK Go, Trish Sie
• All Is Not Lost - DIRECTORS OK Go, Pilobolus, Trish Sie
• Do What You Want - DIRECTORS OK Go, Blip Boutique
• End Love - DIRECTORS OK Go, Eric Gunther, Jeff Lieberman
• Here It Goes Again - DIRECTORS OK Go, Trish Sie
• I Won’t Let You Down - DIRECTORS Kazuaki Seki, Damian Kulash, Jr
• Needing/Getting - DIRECTORS Brian L. Perkins, Damian Kulash, Jr
• The Writing’s on the Wall - DIRECTORS Aaron Duffy, Damian Kulash, Jr, Bob Partington
• This Too Shall Pass - DIRECTORS OK Go, James Frost, Synn Labs
• White Knuckles - DIRECTORS OK Go, Trish Sie
Episodes: Indie Series from the Web
A showcase of independently crafted web series, celebrating rising show creators whose work is innovative and unfiltered.
• Charged - DIRECTOR Ndosi Anyabwile
• Croissant Man - DIRECTOR Tulica Singh
• Downtown Girls - DIRECTORS Emebeit Beyene, Chandra Russell
• The Genderton Project - DIRECTORS Anna Martemucci, Victor Quinaz
• Happy And You Know It - DIRECTOR Jeremy Howe
• I Love Lucy & Bekka - DIRECTOR Rachael Holder
• The Impossibilities - DIRECTOR Anna Kerrigan
• The Incredible Life of Darrell - DIRECTOR Darrell Lake
• Jon and Jen Are Married - DIRECTOR Gregory Fitzsimmons
• The Oversharer - DIRECTOR Ali Le Roi / CREATOR Jacqueline Mazarella
• Toybox Theater: Sad Little People - DIRECTOR Marty Schousboe / CREATOR Barry Hite
• Trip Advisor - DIRECTORS Melinda Cohen, Adam Roa
• Unusual Targets - DIRECTOR Tom Huang
Interactive Storytelling: IndieCade Gaming Favorites
Innovation and artistry in interactive media is showcased through a collection of rich, diverse, and culturally significant games. Gaming PCs provided by Dell Computers.
• Bloom - DEVELOPERS Alisa Andrasek, Jose Sanchez
• Close Your - DEVELOPER Will Hellwarth
• Donut County- DEVELOPER Ben Esposito
• Kentucky Route Zero - DEVELOPER Cardboard Computer
• Outer Wilds - DEVELOPER Team Outer Wilds
• Quadrilateral Cowboy - DEVELOPER Brendon Chung
• Thralled - DEVELOPER Miguel Oliveira
• Unmanned - DEVELOPERS Molleindustria, Jim Munroe
• Walden - DEVELOPER Tracy Fullerton
Movies For Your Ears: Making Picture-less Films
The Truth transcends the conversational podcast trend, crafting colorful and diverse fictional stories. Join creator/producer Jonathan Mitchell as he discusses approaching audio storytelling with a sensibility that is at once cinematic and musical, demonstrates the ways he uses improvisation and editing as central components to the writing process, and presents recent work that illustrates why it’s been featured on acclaimed public radio programs including This American Life, All Things Considered, Studio 360, and Snap Judgment.
#BlackLifeBlackProtest
Bridging content creation and social justice issues, this curated selection of socially relevant short films precedes a public dialogue among noted artists, activists and educators. Program curated by filmmaker and writer Jai Tiggett.
• #AmeriCAN - DIRECTOR Nate Parker
• BlackCard - DIRECTOR Pete Chatmon
• Protect & Serve - DIRECTOR Jai Tiggett
• Question Bridge: Black Males - DIRECTORS Chris Johnson,Hank Willis Thomas
• Wade in the Water: Movement Talk - DIRECTOR Terrance Pitts
JASH Presents: An Evening of Buh Comedy
Join JASH Network’s Buh Channel for an intimate evening with comedy luminaries screening unreleased videos of their creation along with favorite inspiring videos of their choice. Performers include Dynasty Handbag, Henry Phillips, Kate Berlant, Doug Lussenhop, Brent Weinbach, David Dineen-Porter, Nick Thorburn, hosts Dead Kevin, and more!
Funny or Die’s Make ‘em LAFF Showcase
A live comedy showcase of today’s most diverse and original independent comedic voices, featuring comedians Jermaine Fowler, Solomon Georgio, Ali Wong and host Chris Garcia, with additional performers to be announced. An after party for attendees will directly follow the showcase.
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