Los Angeles Film Festival 2005
by Andre Soares
This year, the Los Angeles Film Festival will be held at different venues throughout the city (though mostly at the Director’s Guild and at the Sunset 5 complex in West Hollywood) between June 16-26.
The festival, which will screen more than 70 features and 50 shorts from around the world (see below), will open with the North American premiere of Down in the Valley, a crime story set in the outskirts of the sprawling San Fernando Valley, just north of Los Angeles. Directed by David Jacobson, the film stars Edward Norton and Evan Rachel Wood.
Rodrigo Garcia’s Nine Lives, a psychological study of women (including Kathy Baker, Glenn Close, and Sissy Spacek) and relationships, will be the festival’s Centerpiece Premiere, while Don Roos’s Happy Endings, a series of stories about love and family starring, among others, Lisa Kudrow, Laura Dern, and Maggie Gyllenhaal, will be its closing film.
As Honorary Festival Chairs, Elijah Wood will host the opening night festivities, Lisa Kudrow will host the closing night festivities, and Don Cheadle will present the Target Filmmaker Award for best narrative feature at the Spirit of Independence Evening on Saturday, June 25.
Sydney Pollack will serve as the festival’s Guest Director, hosting a two-day retreat for filmmakers, programming films that have inspired his work, and attending the opening night gala.
In addition, the Los Angeles Film Festival will offer panels and workshops with independent film directors, producers, and professionals.
The information below is from the festival’s press release.
A sneak peek at this summer’s upcoming independent film releases. Sponsored by Pop Secret®.
2046, Wong Kar Wai – China (Sony Pictures Classics)
Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt, Margaret Brown (Palm Pictures)
De battre mon coeur s’est arrêté / The Beat That My Heart Skipped, Jacques Audiard – France (Wellspring)
The Beautiful Country, Hans Petter Moland – Norway / USA (Sony Pictures Classics)
Junebug, Phil Morrison (Sony Pictures Classics)
Keane, Lodge H. Kerrigan (Magnolia Pictures)
Last Days, Gus Van Sant (HBO / Fine Line)
Me and You and Everyone We Know, Miranda July (IFC Films)
New York Doll, Greg Whiteley (First Independent Pictures)
November, Greg Harrison (Sony Pictures Classics)
Yes, Sally Potter - England (Sony Pictures Classics)
Special Event Screenings at the Ford Amphitheatre (5):
Unique outdoor events. Sponsored by Ford Freestyle.
Der Letzte Mann / The Last Laugh (1924), F.W. Murnau – Germany. Live musical score by J. Rocc of the Beat Junkies.
La Marche de l’empereur / March of the Penguins, Luc Jacquet – France (Warner Independent Pictures)
Night Watch, Timur Bekmambetov – Russia (Fox Searchlight)
Rize, David LaChapelle (Lions Gate Films)
ToonTime with THE RZA
Narrative Competition (8):
This section is comprised of films, made by emerging U.S. filmmakers, that will compete for the Target Filmmaker Award. Funded by Target, the third-annual award carries a $50,000 unrestricted grant, the largest cash prize bestowed by a major U.S. film festival. The prize is determined by a panel of prestigious jurors. Films screened in this section also compete for the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature.
Beauty Remains, Ann Hu - USA / China - NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Cavite, Neill Dela Llana, Ian Gamazon
Jellysmoke, Mark Banning – WORLD PREMIERE
Nearing Grace, Rick Rosenthal – WORLD PREMIERE
Our Very Own, Cameron Watson – WORLD PREMIERE
Road, Leslie McCleave – WORLD PREMIERE
Southbounders, Ben Wagner – WORLD PREMIERE
Trona, David Fenster
Documentary Competition (11):
This section of films is dedicated to the best documentary film work of the year. The films compete for the Target Documentary Award, which carries a $50,000 unrestricted grant, an increase of $25,000 from last year’s award. The award is funded by Target. The prize is determined by a panel of prestigious jurors. Films screened in this section also compete for the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature.
The Century Plaza, Eric Lahey – WORLD PREMIERE
Ears, Open. Eyeballs, Click., Canaan Brumley
Everyone Their Grain of Sand, Beth Bird - Mexico / USA - US PREMIERE
The Grace Lee Project, Grace Lee
How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It), Joe Angio
In a Nutshell: A Portrait of Elizabeth Tashjian, Don Bernier
Romántico, Mark Becker
La Sierra, Scott Dalton, Margarita Martinez - Colombia / USA
Sir! No Sir!, David Zeiger – WORLD PREMIERE
Stolen, Rebecca Dreyfus
To the Other Side, Natalia Almada - Mexico / USA
International Showcase (18):
The International Showcase highlights the best in world cinema. Films screened in this section compete for the Audience Award for Best International Film.
4 / Chetyre, Ilya Khrzhanovsky – Russia
Avanim, Raphael Nadjari – France / Israel
Before the Flood, Yan Yu, Li Yifan – China –NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Bitter Dream, Mohsen Amiryoussefi – Iran
Fatima, the Algerian Woman of Dakar, Med Hondo – Mauritania / France / Tunisia / Senegal – US PREMIERE
The Forest for the Trees, Maren Ade – Germany
Le Grand Voyage, Ismaël Ferroukhi – France / Morocco
Kamikaze Girls, Tetsuya Nakashima – Japan – US PREMIERE (Viz Media)
One Out of Two, Alejo Taube – Argentina
Pilgrimage, Bahman Kiarostami – Iran
Sentenced to Marriage, Anat Zuria – Israel – US PREMIERE
Spying Cam, Whang Cheol Mean – South Korea – US PREMIERE
Swenkas, Jeppe Rønde – Denmark / South Africa (Seventh Art Releasing)
The Syrian Bride, Eran Riklis – France / Germany / Israel (Koch Lorber)
Tony Takitani, Jun Ichikawa – Japan (Strand Releasing)
Unknown White Male, Rupert Murray – England (Wellspring)
Vento di terra, Vincenzo Marra – Italy
Waiting for the Clouds, Yesim Ustaoglu – France / Germany / Greece / Turkey
Spotlight (4):
Drawing Outside the Lines: Animation From Out of the Past and Around the World
Before Anime: Japanese Animation 1925-1946
A Decade of Iranian Animation – The 70’s
Tales and Legends from Africa
Walt Disney’s Alice Comedies
Dark Wave (4):
Edgy films from around the world. For mature audiences.
The Ape, James Franco – WORLD PREMIERE
Promedio Rojo, Nicholás López – Chile / Spain
R-Point, Kong Su-chang – South Korea (Tartan Films)
The Roost, Ti West – Sponsored by Target
Guest Director Sidebar (3): Sydney Pollack
Il Conformista / The Conformist (1970), Bernardo Bertolucci
Notorious (1946), Alfred Hitchcock
On the Waterfront (1954), Elia Kazan
Artist In Residence Sidebar (3): THE RZA
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1977), Lau Kar-leung
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), Jim Jarmusch
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), Sergio Leone
High School Showcase (32):
These two programs of shorts made by high school students from around the world feature the work of the next generation of filmmakers.
Short Film Programs (38):
Shorts are shown before features and as part of five short film programs. With their diverse and complex content, these films shine brilliantly. All short films, domestic and international, will compete for prizes in Narrative, Documentary, and Animation categories. The prizes are determined by a panel of prestigious jurors. An Audience Award for Best Short Film is also presented.
Music Video Showcase (60):
The Music Video Showcase consists of three programs. Eclectic Mix Programs are visual mix tapes of this year’s best independent music videos, with a few innovative major label artists thrown in for good measure. In addition, the festival is showcasing the music videos of Floria Sigismondi, who has directed music videos for such diverse music artists as Marilyn Manson, Christina Aguilera, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, Sigur Ros, Interpol, Martina Topley Bird, and Incubus.
Free Screenings (5):
Babe, Chris Noonan. Tenth Anniversary screening that will conclude the Festival’s Family Day event on the Santa Monica Pier.
The Fearless Freaks featuring the Flaming Lips, Bradley Beesley. An outdoor screening at the 8000 Sunset Courtyard. Sponsored by LA Weekly.
Mad Hot Ballroom, Marilyn Agrelo (Paramount Classics). Plus Albert Torres’ The Latin Shakers Team and the Ritmo y Sabor Dance Company will perform at the California Downtown Plaza.
Maid in America, Anayansi Prado. Sponsored by LA Weekly.
Twist of Faith, Kirby Dick.
Events:
Writer’s Day, Wednesday, June 22 - a day of panels, screenings, and events celebrating the independent writer.
Diversity EXPO – At the EXPO, filmmakers meet with over 40 film and entertainment organizations looking to network and introduce their services and resources to filmmakers of color.
Tribute Screening (3):
Ossie Davis (1917-2005) - Gone Are the Days (1963), Nicholas Webster
Morris Engel (1918-2005) - Little Fugitive (1953), Ray Ashley, Morris Engel, Ruth Orkin
Stan Brakhage (1933-2003) - Stan Brakhage-Last Films, Stan Brakhage
Special Screenings (5):
The Son of the Sheik (1926), George Fitzmaurice. The swan song of Rudolph Valentino, this classic film will be accompanied with live organ music by Robert Israel. Presented by Los Angeles Conservancy.
Surprise screening – A Los Angeles premiere of a highly anticipated independent film to be announced the week of June 13.
Secret Screenings (3) – The most anticipated fall films will be pre-screened to a select audience of Festival passholders. Sponsored by Pop Secret.
Conversations & Performances:
The Possession of Mrs. Jones – A musical stage performance from the outrageous mind of playwright D’Arcy Drollinger that is sure to be adapted to the big screen. Charles Herman-Wurmfeld (Kissing Jessica Stein, Legally Blonde 2) directs this exclusive sneak preview.
Letting Go of God – Julia Sweeney’s latest one-woman show and your last chance to see this production live.
Diversity Panel: Marketing Outside the Box – A discussion with the creative and marketing teams behind such films as Barbershop, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Rize, Hustle & Flow, and Crash, moderated by Stephanie Allain (Producer, Hustle & Flow, Biker Boyz). Presented by FIND’s Project: Involve.
Kodak Three Reeler: John Bailey – Cinematographer John Bailey discusses his work and screens one reel each from In the Line of Fire, Incident at Loch Ness, and his latest, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Sponsored by Kodak.
A Night at the Laugh Factory: Broken Lizards Live – My Favorite Comedies -Members of the Broken Lizards share clips from their favorite comedies and talk candidly about making funny on film.
Storytelling Evening: Robert Towne’s L.A. – Four-time Academy Award-nominee Robert Towne is best known for his Oscar-winning classic, Chinatown.
A native of Los Angeles, Towne has used the City of Angels as muse and backdrop for much of his work, including Shampoo, Tequila Sunrise, and his latest project, Ask the Dust. In a special evening moderated by Elvis Mitchell, Robert Towne will show clips and discuss his relationship with L.A. as a character and a location in his work. Sponsored by Target.
Poolside Chats: Poolside Chats are hosted in the Wetherly Garden at the Four Seasons Hotel. Free shuttle from DGA, 6:15 pm – 8:30 pm. Time: 7-8 pm.
Knockout Films: The Art of the Boxing Movie
Join us for a punchy conversation exploring the public’s fascination with the artistic and cinematic nature of boxing movies. In the ring are boxing filmmakers Ron Shelton (Play it to the Bone) and Karyn Kusama (Girlfight); and authors Joyce Carol Oates (On Boxing) and Gerald L. Early (The Culture of Bruising: Essays on Prizefighting). Moderator: Elvis Mitchell
When Oscar Met Tony
Join us as we explore the new wave of plays and musicals being adapted into movies, and movies being adapted for the stage. We will examine everything from artistic challenges to the differences in the mediums and why this cross-over has been such a success. Chatting with us are Oscar-winner Bill Condon (Chicago, Dreamgirls), and acclaimed Broadway producer / director / actor / lyricist, George C. Wolfe (Angels in America, Lackawanna Blues), and MGM’s On Stage President Darcie Denkert (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). Moderator: Pete Hammond.
LA Writes Itself – Sponsored by Los Angeles Times
She has played more characters than any starlet you know. Explore Los Angeles - cinema’s most elusive muse. Join novelist Steve Erickson (Days Between Stations, Our Ecstatic Days) and screenwriters Stuart Beattie (Collateral) and Paul Mazursky (Down and Out in Beverly Hills) as they discuss the art of interpreting and reinterpreting the city of angels in print. Moderator: David L. Ulin.
Last Call for Nazi-Occupied France
Paramount Before the Code at New York City’s Film Forum
SORRELL AND SON (1927) Screening in Los Angeles
PEINDRE OU FAIRE L’AMOUR at Cannes
Ingmar Bergman Documentary Trilogy at Cannes
Comments
Leave a Reply
Note: All comments are moderated. Different views and opinions are welcome, but abusive/bigoted/flaming comments will NOT be approved. Also, please be aware that the Alternative Film Guide has NO contact information for the talent mentioned in this blog or any information pertaining to or access to distributors'/producers' film prints.
