Los Angeles Film Festival 2009: HOLLYWOOD, JE T’AIME; BRANSON; EL GENERAL

Chad Allen, Eric Debets in Hollywood, je t’aime (top); Branson (middle); El General (bottom)

Los Angeles Film Festival Sunday, June 21, highlights:

One-hour "Coffee Talks" (W Los Angeles-Westwood Hotel, beginning at 11 am) with directors (Zach Helm, Todd Phillips, Jason Reitman), actors (Andre Royo, Melissa Leo, Freddy Rodriguez), composers (Harry Gregson-Williams, Lyle Workman, Christopher Young), and screenwriters (Nicholas Kazan, Robin Swicord, Alex Tse).
Starring Eric Debets as a befuddled Frenchman who comes to Los Angeles expecting to make it in the movie business, writer-director Jason Bushman’s clever, funny Hollywood, je t’aime (Majestic Crest, 7 pm) seems to be the only narrative film in competition with a gay theme. Debets’ remarkable, understated comic performance would have done Jacques Tati proud, while the colorful characters [...]