After winning the 2023 Tribeca Festival’s Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature, the official trailer for Tierra Whack’s “Cypher” has been released.
Chronicling her meteoric rise to stardom, the documentary tells the rapper’s story after having first gained recognition at 15 years old when she was just rapping on the Philadelphia streets for a YouTube Channel. Quickly growing in viral fame, the video soon led the artist to director Chris Moukarbel, who began documenting her career, going behind the scenes of concerts and music videos. Whack also shares her thoughts on her newfound fame along the way.
“I think sometimes I just can’t believe this is all happening for me,” Whack says in the minute-long trailer.
But Whack soon realizes there’s a downside to the world knowing your name. “After a particularly tiring set, a seemingly innocuous fan interaction begins a series of increasingly unsettling...
Chronicling her meteoric rise to stardom, the documentary tells the rapper’s story after having first gained recognition at 15 years old when she was just rapping on the Philadelphia streets for a YouTube Channel. Quickly growing in viral fame, the video soon led the artist to director Chris Moukarbel, who began documenting her career, going behind the scenes of concerts and music videos. Whack also shares her thoughts on her newfound fame along the way.
“I think sometimes I just can’t believe this is all happening for me,” Whack says in the minute-long trailer.
But Whack soon realizes there’s a downside to the world knowing your name. “After a particularly tiring set, a seemingly innocuous fan interaction begins a series of increasingly unsettling...
- 10/25/2023
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
Tribeca Festival has announced the lineup of its 2023 festival, which includes new films from actors Chelsea Peretti and David Duchovny and documentaries about Rock Hudson and news anchor Dan Rather.
This year’s event, which takes place from June 7-18, will feature 109 feature films from 127 filmmakers across 36 countries. There will be 93 world premieres, one international premiere, eight North American premieres, one U.S. premiere and six New York premieres.
Among the lineup, there are offerings from 43 first-time directors and 29 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects. For the first time, more than half of feature films in competition (68%) are directed by women, while 41% (45) of all feature films are directed by women. Additionally, 36% (39) of feature films are directed by Bipoc filmmakers, including two indigenous filmmakers.
This year’s festival also spotlights a number of films directed by actors, such as “First Time Female Director” by Peretti; “Maggie Moore(s)” by...
This year’s event, which takes place from June 7-18, will feature 109 feature films from 127 filmmakers across 36 countries. There will be 93 world premieres, one international premiere, eight North American premieres, one U.S. premiere and six New York premieres.
Among the lineup, there are offerings from 43 first-time directors and 29 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects. For the first time, more than half of feature films in competition (68%) are directed by women, while 41% (45) of all feature films are directed by women. Additionally, 36% (39) of feature films are directed by Bipoc filmmakers, including two indigenous filmmakers.
This year’s festival also spotlights a number of films directed by actors, such as “First Time Female Director” by Peretti; “Maggie Moore(s)” by...
- 4/18/2023
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
The 22nd edition of NYC’s Tribeca Film Festival appears to have star power to spare, with Michael Shannon, John Slattery, Chelsea Peretti, David Duchovny, Jennifer Esposito, Randall Park, real-life couple Hamish Linklater and Lily Rabe and Steve Buscemi among those with new films premiering among the 100-plus features screening this year from June 7 through June 18.
A few interesting stats: There are 43 first-time directors and 29 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects. 41% of all feature films are directed by women and, for the first time, more than half of competition feature films are directed by women. And 39 of the feature films represented are directed by Bipoc filmmakers, including two indigenous filmmakers.
For the third year, the Tribeca Fest will include the “Expressions of Black Freedom” program, including a celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, which will highight the world premiere of “All Up in the Biz,” a documentary about hip-hop legend Biz Markie,...
A few interesting stats: There are 43 first-time directors and 29 directors returning to Tribeca with their latest projects. 41% of all feature films are directed by women and, for the first time, more than half of competition feature films are directed by women. And 39 of the feature films represented are directed by Bipoc filmmakers, including two indigenous filmmakers.
For the third year, the Tribeca Fest will include the “Expressions of Black Freedom” program, including a celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, which will highight the world premiere of “All Up in the Biz,” a documentary about hip-hop legend Biz Markie,...
- 4/18/2023
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
The 22nd edition of the Tribeca Festival unveiled a 2023 lineup with a record number of female helmers and heavy on films directed by actors like Chelsea Peretti’s First Time Female Director, John Slattery thriller Maggie Moore(s) with Tina Fey and Jon Hamm, David Duchovny’s Bucky F*cking Dent and Steve Buscemi’s The Listener.
Marvel also screens its first original documentary, Stan Lee by David Gelb, as the fest unspools June 7-18 in New York City. Also making an appearance: Downtown Owl by Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater, and Eric Larue by Michael Shannon.
In all, 109 feature, narrative, documentary and animated films from 127 directors across 36 countries will showcase emerging and household names.
Tribeca is expanding its Midnight offering this year, and will also present its second annual Human/Nature award for environmental storytelling to world-premiering Common Ground by Rebecca and Josh Tickell.
Related music and live events...
Marvel also screens its first original documentary, Stan Lee by David Gelb, as the fest unspools June 7-18 in New York City. Also making an appearance: Downtown Owl by Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater, and Eric Larue by Michael Shannon.
In all, 109 feature, narrative, documentary and animated films from 127 directors across 36 countries will showcase emerging and household names.
Tribeca is expanding its Midnight offering this year, and will also present its second annual Human/Nature award for environmental storytelling to world-premiering Common Ground by Rebecca and Josh Tickell.
Related music and live events...
- 4/18/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Women in Film, Los Angeles has announced the three teams of women filmmakers that have been selected as inaugural fellows of the Wif Shorts Lab, supported by Google. The teams will be paired with mentors including producers Kira Carstensen and Alexandra Perez and line producer Martha Cronin and receive grants to complete their films.
The projects are “Choices,” from writer-director Kameishia Wooten, producer Robin J. Hayes and line producer Meagann Pallares; “Please in Spanish” from writer-director Patricia Seely and producer Alexandra Clayton and “Silverlake Cleaners,” from writer-director Katarina Zhu.
The projects were selected by a jury including Stephanie Allain, Lake Bell, Margie Moreno, and Talitha Watkins.
American Cinematheque Announces ‘New Jack City’ Special Screening Event
The American Cinematheque has announced a “New Jack City” Special Screening Event on April 9 followed by a Q&a with director Mario Van Peebles.
“New Jack City’ getting shut down in Westwood in 1991 is indicative...
The projects are “Choices,” from writer-director Kameishia Wooten, producer Robin J. Hayes and line producer Meagann Pallares; “Please in Spanish” from writer-director Patricia Seely and producer Alexandra Clayton and “Silverlake Cleaners,” from writer-director Katarina Zhu.
The projects were selected by a jury including Stephanie Allain, Lake Bell, Margie Moreno, and Talitha Watkins.
American Cinematheque Announces ‘New Jack City’ Special Screening Event
The American Cinematheque has announced a “New Jack City” Special Screening Event on April 9 followed by a Q&a with director Mario Van Peebles.
“New Jack City’ getting shut down in Westwood in 1991 is indicative...
- 3/17/2022
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Sheryl Crow, Nick Cave, King Crimson, Dio, XXXTentacion, Tanya Tucker, Chumbawamba, Courtney Barnett, Cesária Évora and Mojo Nixon — together again for the first time: These are some of the highly diverse subjects of a slate of music documentaries set to unspool at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin March 11-20.
The 16 movies represented in the “24 Beats Per Second” lineup are nearly all world premieres, in a film festival that skews toward SXSW’s original roots as a pure music festival by always carving out a special category for features that chronicle musicians or music scenes.
The music doc coming into the festival with probably the highest level of fan anticipation is , which promises to have director Sabaah Folayan offering “a sensitive portrayal” of a precocious, highly controversial, Soundcloud-based rapper “whose acts of violence, raw musical talent and open struggles with mental health left an indelible mark on...
The 16 movies represented in the “24 Beats Per Second” lineup are nearly all world premieres, in a film festival that skews toward SXSW’s original roots as a pure music festival by always carving out a special category for features that chronicle musicians or music scenes.
The music doc coming into the festival with probably the highest level of fan anticipation is , which promises to have director Sabaah Folayan offering “a sensitive portrayal” of a precocious, highly controversial, Soundcloud-based rapper “whose acts of violence, raw musical talent and open struggles with mental health left an indelible mark on...
- 2/3/2022
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
Actress and influencer Olivia Culpo and Ty Hodges will star in Venus as a Boy, a romantic drama that was written and directed by Hodges.
The indie follows Hunter, a struggling street artist in Los Angeles who falls in love with Ruby, a high-powered social media influencer and model from New York, after a chance encounter. Before they know it, they’ve spent an entire weekend together, creating their own universe. It’s not until the harsh light of reality shines on their fantasy do they have to determine if they are actually right for each other. These two millennials navigate getting to know each other while dealing with identity, social influence and what it really means when you constantly live your life behind a lens.
Trace Lysette, Bai Ling, Gilles Marini and British singer Estelle co-star.
Hodges is producing the project with Gian Franco and Roya Rastegar, while Lauren Packard,...
The indie follows Hunter, a struggling street artist in Los Angeles who falls in love with Ruby, a high-powered social media influencer and model from New York, after a chance encounter. Before they know it, they’ve spent an entire weekend together, creating their own universe. It’s not until the harsh light of reality shines on their fantasy do they have to determine if they are actually right for each other. These two millennials navigate getting to know each other while dealing with identity, social influence and what it really means when you constantly live your life behind a lens.
Trace Lysette, Bai Ling, Gilles Marini and British singer Estelle co-star.
Hodges is producing the project with Gian Franco and Roya Rastegar, while Lauren Packard,...
- 2/25/2020
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
“Take out your phones and Snapchat during the film!” That pre-screening encouragement from hosts of the L.A. Film Festival was a deliberate shattering of cinema protocol — one meant to reassure 1,600 Zedd fans at Thursday night’s world premiere of his documentary “Zedd True Colors” that this was not a cinephiles-only, paint by numbers event. “Don’t be a pirate and pirate the whole movie,” L.A. Film Fest’s Roya Rastegar continued. “Snap away!” Also Read: Kesha Returns to Recording Studio With Zedd The superstar DJ behind hits like “Clarity,” “Beautiful Now,” and the Selena Gomez collaboration “I Want...
- 6/5/2016
- by Mikey Glazer
- The Wrap
The transition of Film Independent’s Los Angeles Film Festival continues. Geographically, the fest has moved away from downtown to multiple Arclight locations. Opening night in Hollywood, Ricardo de Montreuil’s coming-of-age East L.A. drama “Lowriders,” starring Demián Bichir and Theo Rossi as father and estranged ex-con son, signaled the fest’s mission: Provide a diverse program directed by rising filmmakers: among the 42 competition films, 87% are first-and-second-timers, 43% are women and 38% are people of color, while 90% of the 58 total festival films are world premieres.
Developed by Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer, “Lowriders” (written by Cheo Hodari Coker, Joshua Beirne-Golden, Elgin James, and Justin Tipping), finally got made when the budget dropped—under Universal’s low-budget producing partner, Jason Blum—from $20 million to $5 million. The grittiness helps the scruffy, colorful movie, which Laff head Stephanie Allain loved for being “so Los Angeles, so culturally rich,” she told the Arclight crowd. “Made by filmmakers of color, ‘Lowriders’ embodies our mission.” (The film will go out under a Universal label that remains to be seen, per Blum.)
Since Allain took over in 2014, the festival has lost some of its key programming talent (David Ansen, Doug Jones, Maggie McKay); the sprawling program is now commandeered by film professor Roya Rastegar (Bryn Mawr College). Very much in charge is Laff’s high-powered director, studio-trained producer Allain (“Boyz ‘n the Hood,” “Hustle & Flow”), who has pulled her friend Elvis Mitchell into a role as year-round “curator,” which basically means hosting Q & As at Film Independent-programmed events at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
As Laff becomes more local, eclectic, multi-cultural, and interactive, the Laff seeks to occupy a niche and grow its audience via a more populist, less international festival.
Truth is, only a few top-ranked film festivals a year are must-attend destinations packed with high-end world premieres and star attendees. Sundance, Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, Venice, New York, and Telluride top the list. So there’s some logic to opting out of that competitive arena. Increasingly, fests like Tribeca and SXSW are pushing outside the area of indie film to create alluring events for audiences, from interactive transmedia showcases and TV series premieres to high-profile panels, Q & As, and “Master Classes.” So it makes sense to brand Laff with an identifiable niche.
Giving people awards and tributes is another route pursued by awards-friendly fests like Santa Barbara and Palm Springs, hence Saturday Laff will award “Selma” director Ava DuVernay as well as her distribution company Array Releasing (her own “Middle of Nowhere” plus “Ashes and Embers,” “Mississippi Damned,” “Kinyarwanda,” and “Restless City”) with the annual Spirit of Independence Award given to members of the independent film community who “advance the cause of independent film and champion creative freedom.” Last year, Array bought La Film Festival Us Fiction award-winner “Out of My Hand” for distribution, along with “Ayanda.”
Ryan Coogler (“Fruitvale Station”) is the 2016 Festival’s Guest Director; he’s offering a master class on sound design for “Creed.” And Nate Parker hosted a screening of Sundance Oscar contender “Birth of a Nation.” This weekend also brings a panel of women cinematographers.
The question is whether Allain’s quest for diversity will coincide with choosing the best movies, ones that create buzz for must-see titles—so far, actress Amber Tamblyn’s directing debut, “Paint It Black,” debuting Friday night at Lacma, has earned the most advance word of mouth. Established fest circuit titles such as Roger Ross Williams’ autism doc “Life, Animated,” closing night border film “Desierto” from Jonás Cuarón (“Gravity”), starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Mike Birbliglia and Ira Glass’s latest collaboration, improv comedy “Don’t Think Twice,” starring Keegan-Michael Key, are all worth seeing.
But for many of the unknown titles unspooling this week, audiences and buyers will just have to check them out and spread the word, good or bad. Otherwise, they’ll disappear into the ether.
Here are Indiewire’s Laff picks so far.
Related stories2016 Los Angeles Film Festival Awards: 'Heis (chronicles)', 'Blood Stripe' & 'Political Animals' Win BigThe TV Director's Hurdle: Why A Small-Screen Actor Is Making An Indie Feature To Get His Foot In The DoorFilm Independent Announces The 10 Projects Selected for Fast Track and Recipient Of Alfred P. Sloan Grant...
Developed by Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer, “Lowriders” (written by Cheo Hodari Coker, Joshua Beirne-Golden, Elgin James, and Justin Tipping), finally got made when the budget dropped—under Universal’s low-budget producing partner, Jason Blum—from $20 million to $5 million. The grittiness helps the scruffy, colorful movie, which Laff head Stephanie Allain loved for being “so Los Angeles, so culturally rich,” she told the Arclight crowd. “Made by filmmakers of color, ‘Lowriders’ embodies our mission.” (The film will go out under a Universal label that remains to be seen, per Blum.)
Since Allain took over in 2014, the festival has lost some of its key programming talent (David Ansen, Doug Jones, Maggie McKay); the sprawling program is now commandeered by film professor Roya Rastegar (Bryn Mawr College). Very much in charge is Laff’s high-powered director, studio-trained producer Allain (“Boyz ‘n the Hood,” “Hustle & Flow”), who has pulled her friend Elvis Mitchell into a role as year-round “curator,” which basically means hosting Q & As at Film Independent-programmed events at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
As Laff becomes more local, eclectic, multi-cultural, and interactive, the Laff seeks to occupy a niche and grow its audience via a more populist, less international festival.
Truth is, only a few top-ranked film festivals a year are must-attend destinations packed with high-end world premieres and star attendees. Sundance, Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, Venice, New York, and Telluride top the list. So there’s some logic to opting out of that competitive arena. Increasingly, fests like Tribeca and SXSW are pushing outside the area of indie film to create alluring events for audiences, from interactive transmedia showcases and TV series premieres to high-profile panels, Q & As, and “Master Classes.” So it makes sense to brand Laff with an identifiable niche.
Giving people awards and tributes is another route pursued by awards-friendly fests like Santa Barbara and Palm Springs, hence Saturday Laff will award “Selma” director Ava DuVernay as well as her distribution company Array Releasing (her own “Middle of Nowhere” plus “Ashes and Embers,” “Mississippi Damned,” “Kinyarwanda,” and “Restless City”) with the annual Spirit of Independence Award given to members of the independent film community who “advance the cause of independent film and champion creative freedom.” Last year, Array bought La Film Festival Us Fiction award-winner “Out of My Hand” for distribution, along with “Ayanda.”
Ryan Coogler (“Fruitvale Station”) is the 2016 Festival’s Guest Director; he’s offering a master class on sound design for “Creed.” And Nate Parker hosted a screening of Sundance Oscar contender “Birth of a Nation.” This weekend also brings a panel of women cinematographers.
The question is whether Allain’s quest for diversity will coincide with choosing the best movies, ones that create buzz for must-see titles—so far, actress Amber Tamblyn’s directing debut, “Paint It Black,” debuting Friday night at Lacma, has earned the most advance word of mouth. Established fest circuit titles such as Roger Ross Williams’ autism doc “Life, Animated,” closing night border film “Desierto” from Jonás Cuarón (“Gravity”), starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Mike Birbliglia and Ira Glass’s latest collaboration, improv comedy “Don’t Think Twice,” starring Keegan-Michael Key, are all worth seeing.
But for many of the unknown titles unspooling this week, audiences and buyers will just have to check them out and spread the word, good or bad. Otherwise, they’ll disappear into the ether.
Here are Indiewire’s Laff picks so far.
Related stories2016 Los Angeles Film Festival Awards: 'Heis (chronicles)', 'Blood Stripe' & 'Political Animals' Win BigThe TV Director's Hurdle: Why A Small-Screen Actor Is Making An Indie Feature To Get His Foot In The DoorFilm Independent Announces The 10 Projects Selected for Fast Track and Recipient Of Alfred P. Sloan Grant...
- 6/3/2016
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Top brass announced on Tuesday the 42 world premieres selected for the Us Fiction, Documentary, World Fiction, La Muse, and Nightfall Competitions to screen at the festival, set to run from June 1-9 in Los Angeles.
Derrick Borte’s London Town (UK), Maria Govan’s Play The Devil (pictured, Trinidad-Bahamas-usa) are among the World Fiction Competition entries, while Amber Tamblyn’s Paint It Black (USA) plays in the Us Fiction Competition.
The Documentary Competition includes Out Of Iraq (Canada-Iraq-Lebanon-usa) by Eva Orner and Chris McKim, and Darren Lynn Bousman’s Abattoir (USA) plays in genre section Nightfall, and Actors Of Sound (Argentina-Finland-Germany-India-Ireland-usa) screens in the La Muse programme.
Across the five feature competition categories, 43% of the films are directed by women and 38% by people of colour.
As previously announced, the opening night film is the world premiere of Ricardo De Montreuil’s Lowriders, while this year’s guest director is Ryan Coogler. Ava DuVernay and Array...
Derrick Borte’s London Town (UK), Maria Govan’s Play The Devil (pictured, Trinidad-Bahamas-usa) are among the World Fiction Competition entries, while Amber Tamblyn’s Paint It Black (USA) plays in the Us Fiction Competition.
The Documentary Competition includes Out Of Iraq (Canada-Iraq-Lebanon-usa) by Eva Orner and Chris McKim, and Darren Lynn Bousman’s Abattoir (USA) plays in genre section Nightfall, and Actors Of Sound (Argentina-Finland-Germany-India-Ireland-usa) screens in the La Muse programme.
Across the five feature competition categories, 43% of the films are directed by women and 38% by people of colour.
As previously announced, the opening night film is the world premiere of Ricardo De Montreuil’s Lowriders, while this year’s guest director is Ryan Coogler. Ava DuVernay and Array...
- 4/26/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The La Film Festival has unveiled the official U.S. Fiction, Documentary, World Fiction, Nightfall and La Muse sections. The festival runs June 1-9 at the ArcLight Cinemas. “Our Programming team, led by Roya Rastegar and Jennifer Cochis, killed it,” said festival director Stephanie Allain. “The competition lineup of 42 world premieres echoes Film Independent’s mission to celebrate diversity and showcases a multitude of innovative, fresh voices. We can’t wait to share these films with audiences and industry alike, and, following years which saw films like ‘Meet the Patels,’ ‘Code Black,’ ‘Nightingale,’ ‘The Drew,’ ‘Out of My Hand’ and...
- 4/26/2016
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
The Los Angeles Film Festival is partnering with ArcLight Cinemas beginning with next year’s 22nd edition of the fest. The Film Independent-organized event will run from June 1-9 at ArcLight Cinemas around the city including ArcLight Hollywood and the new ArcLight Santa Monica. The festival headquarters will be at ArcLight Culver City. As part of today’s news, fest director Stephanie Allain also announced the promotion of Roya Rastegar to Director of Programming and the…...
- 11/3/2015
- Deadline
Cheers to Film Independent which has finally abandoned its downtown experiment for summer's La Film Festival in favor of a new home with La's most successful theaters, ArcLight Cinemas, spread around the city, in different neighborhoods. Non-profit Film Independent, which produces the Film Independent Spirit Awards as well as the Festival, will mount the 22nd edition of the La Film Festival (June 1 – June 9, 2016) at ArcLight Cinemas, including popular ArcLight Hollywood and the brand new ArcLight Santa Monica. The Festival headquarters will be at ArcLight Culver City. Under the leadership of Stephanie Allain, the La Film Festival has been pursuing a mission to showcase diversity and innovation, with mixed results in attendance so far. Having lost veteran programmers David Ansen (now at the Palm Springs Film Festival), Maggie McKay (now at Aspen) and Doug Jones (running a theater in Williamstown, Ma), Allain is promoting protege Roya Rastegar...
- 11/3/2015
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
At a Wednesday afternoon cocktail reception on the downtown La Live rooftop, the festival revealed its 2015 winners. Hosted by La Film Fest programmers Roya Rastegar and Jennifer Cochis, the event feted many of the festival's world and North American premieres, and twice toasted Mexico-set crime melodrama "Pocha (Manifest Destiny)," which nabbed both a special jury honor and an audience award. Special prizes went to runners-up that also included "The Babushkas of Chernobyl," "White Moss," "Ayana and the Mechanic," "Crumbs," "Dude Bro Party Massacre" and to "French Dirty" supporting actress Elsa Biedermann. Read More: Los Angeles Film Festival Picks a Closing Night, 8 Films to See Altogether the festival hosted juried awards for U.S. Fiction, World Fiction, Documentary, Zeitgeist, La Muse, and Nightfall, as well as Best Short Fiction and Best Short Documentary. Audience awards were presented to Best Fiction...
- 6/17/2015
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
As Film Independent's 21st Los Angeles Film Festival gets under way at La Live downtown with the June 10th opening of Paul Weitz's Sundance hit comedy "Grandma," starring the incomparable Lily Tomlin, the big question surrounding this year's program is whether festival director Stephanie Allain's new vision for the selection (booked by a new, less experienced programming team led by Roya Rastegar) will lure audiences. Read: David Ansen's Departure from Laff Signals New Direction for the Festival The fourth festival under producer Allain ("Beyond the Lights") has taken a dramatic turn. While there are plenty of Cannes, SXSW and Sundance hits such as Ken Loach’s "Jimmy’s Hall," "Diary of a Teenage Girl," "Infinitely Polar Bear," and Russell Brand doc "Brand: A Second Coming," among the 45 world premieres there are fewer galas with...
- 6/9/2015
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Running June 10-18 in downtown La, Film Independent's Los Angeles Film Festival 2015 program includes its second annual Muse lineup of films set in, inspired by or shot in Los Angeles. Below, we reveal an exclusive video series documenting the making of these films. The 2015 La Muse lineup consists of three documentaries and seven fiction films; five films are by first time directors. All the films are having their world premiere at the Festival. You may recognize one name: Zoe Cassavetes, daughter of John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands, who makes her first film since 2007 breakout "Broken English." “La is one of the most creative cities in the world –it’s where stars and rebels are born,” Roya Rastegar, Associate Director of Programming and Curated Content. “From Inglewood to Laurel Canyon, Venice Beach to Little Armenia, the films in the La Muse section feature the triumphs and tribulations of ballet dancers, Hollywood actresses and improv comedians,...
- 5/27/2015
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
Top brass at the 21st Los Angeles Film Festival have announced the Us Fiction, Documentary and World Competition sections.
Seventy-four films in total will screen at the event, scheduled to run from June 10-18, while 54 play in competition including 39 world premieres.
Organisers pointed out that nearly 40% of the directors in the six competitive categories are female and nearly 30% of the films are directed by people of colour.
New sections this year are the Us Fiction and World Fiction Competitions and Launch, as well as the previously announced Buzz, Nightfall and Zeitgeist programmes.
The Launch section is designed to showcase innovative storytelling crafted in digital media including music videos, web series, podcasts, interactive games and digital activism shorts.
Selections include Making Cool Sh*t: The Music Videos Of Ok Go followed by a talk with frontman and director Damian Kulash and Funny Or Die’s Make ‘Em Laff Showcase.
Among the Us Fiction Competition entries are world premieres...
Seventy-four films in total will screen at the event, scheduled to run from June 10-18, while 54 play in competition including 39 world premieres.
Organisers pointed out that nearly 40% of the directors in the six competitive categories are female and nearly 30% of the films are directed by people of colour.
New sections this year are the Us Fiction and World Fiction Competitions and Launch, as well as the previously announced Buzz, Nightfall and Zeitgeist programmes.
The Launch section is designed to showcase innovative storytelling crafted in digital media including music videos, web series, podcasts, interactive games and digital activism shorts.
Selections include Making Cool Sh*t: The Music Videos Of Ok Go followed by a talk with frontman and director Damian Kulash and Funny Or Die’s Make ‘Em Laff Showcase.
Among the Us Fiction Competition entries are world premieres...
- 5/5/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
And the 2015 film festival beat goes on... Announced this afternoon, an eclectic mix of feature films make up lineups of 2 new sections - Zeitgeist and Nightfall - of the upcoming Los Angeles Film Festival (June 10 to 18, 2015), which is produced by Film Independent. The festival's La Muse section was revealed as well - a competitive section of indies that are "quintessentially Los Angeles." “Under the leadership of Roya Rastegar and Jennifer Cochis, the programmers have assembled a slate of films that embody Film Independent’s mission of diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision with a special emphasis on world premieres, first time directors and, of...
- 4/21/2015
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
The world premiere of cult web series creators 5-Second Films’ first feature Dude Bro Party Massacre III will screen at the upcoming festival as top brass introduced the Zeitgeist and Nightfall sections.
The festival, set to run from June 10-18, announced programming in both strands as well as the second edition of La Muse strand.
Associate director of programming and curated content Roya Rastegar said Zeitgeist comprised films that speak to pivotal junctures in the lives of young people.
Zeitgeist programme encompasses six world premieres of Us films: Band Of Robbers by Aaron Nee and Adam Nee; A Girl Like Grace by Ty Hodges; In The Treetops by Matthew Brown; Manifest Destiny by Michael Dwyer and Kaitlin McLaughlin; Stealing Cars by Bradley Kaplan; and What Lola Wants by Rupert Glasson.
Describing Nightfall, senior programmer Jennifer Cochis said the films were designed to make audiences squirm.
Films premiering for the first time in the Us are nominated for the...
The festival, set to run from June 10-18, announced programming in both strands as well as the second edition of La Muse strand.
Associate director of programming and curated content Roya Rastegar said Zeitgeist comprised films that speak to pivotal junctures in the lives of young people.
Zeitgeist programme encompasses six world premieres of Us films: Band Of Robbers by Aaron Nee and Adam Nee; A Girl Like Grace by Ty Hodges; In The Treetops by Matthew Brown; Manifest Destiny by Michael Dwyer and Kaitlin McLaughlin; Stealing Cars by Bradley Kaplan; and What Lola Wants by Rupert Glasson.
Describing Nightfall, senior programmer Jennifer Cochis said the films were designed to make audiences squirm.
Films premiering for the first time in the Us are nominated for the...
- 4/21/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
As expected, the 21st Los Angeles Film Festival, which will take place June 10 – June 18, 2015, returning to downtown location L.A. Live, has made several new hires to replace outgoing programmers David Ansen and Doug Jones. Festival Director Stephanie Allain has added new members to the programming team led by Film Independent Curator Elvis Mitchell--her protege Roya Rastegar is Associate Director of Programming and Curated Content and Jennifer Cochis is Senior Programmer. The last senior programmer of the old festival team, Maggie Mackay, who also produces the Indie Spirits, is still on board. These women will be doing the labor-intensive slog work of tracking, chasing and culling through films in support of Mitchell, a well-regarded interviewer of celebrities (on Kcrw FM and at Lacma's Film Independent series) who will also be sampling more wares at various film festivals. Allain will look to him to deliver...
- 11/6/2014
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
One of several films world premiering at the Los Angeles Film Festival later this month is director Amanda Marsalis' Echo Park, an La Muse (11) selection, which is curated by Film Independent at Lacma curator Elvis Mitchell and artist/scholar Roya Rastegar.Echo Park stars Mamie Gummer (Side Effects, Evening, daughter of actress Meryl Streep) as Sophie, a woman who leaves an apparently perfect Beverly Hills life to do some soul searching in Echo Park, the eclectic central Los Angeles neighborhood, where she meets Alex (played by Tony Okungbowa) a British expat...
- 6/2/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
An update to a project we first alerted you to just over 2 years ago, in February 2012... It'll make its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival, which runs from June 11 to June 19, in the La Muse (11) section, curated by Film Independent at Lacma curator Elvis Mitchell and artist/scholar Roya Rastegar. Danny Glover stars in the indie feature titled Supremacy, based on a true story about a recently-paroled white supremacist who, after killing a police officer, takes an African American family hostage. The official synopsis reads: Based on a true story. A paroled white supremacist has just killed a cop, and takes a...
- 5/7/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
The Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by Film Independent, announced its official 2014 Us and international selections this afternoon, and a title that immediately got my attention as I skimmed the lineup list is a collaboration between Arthur Jafa and Kahlil Joseph tiled Dreams are Colder than Death, which will be making its World Premiere at the festival, in the La Muse (11) section, curated by Film Independent at Lacma curator Elvis Mitchell and artist/scholar Roya Rastegar (Arthur Jafa being the visual artist, intellectual and cinematographer who shot Julie Dash's Daughters of the Dust, as well as Spike Lee's Crooklyn and John...
- 5/6/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
The Los Angeles Film Festival (June 11-19) has unveiled a new poster by contemporary artist Ed Ruscha to commemorate the fest's 20th edition kicking off this summer. Inspired by the classic art deco 20th Century Fox logo, which Ruscha riffed on in the 1960s, it's a bold and gorgeous work. Check it out in full below.The festival will include world premieres of American and international features, documentaries and short subject films as well as conversations, master classes, Music in Film Nights at the Grammy Museum, Hollywood studio premieres, and other signature events. In celebration of the Los Angeles Film Festival’s 20th Anniversary, Festival Director Stephanie Allain and Film Independent at Lacma curator Elvis Mitchell along with artist/scholar Roya Rastegar will program a special section of films and events that celebrates the cultural wealth of Los Angeles.
- 2/18/2014
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
From our Chicana from Chicago, Christine Davila:
I took in a few panels over the weekend down here at L.A. Film Fest that I really appreciated for sparking some provocative dialogue I am eager to continue throughout the Festival. I found it especially interesting how different the U.S. Latino and Black film communities are responding to their storytelling plight in talking about their respective representation in media. Meanwhile the lively Latino panel, which was perhaps the broadest in scope, was eloquent and skillfully led by L.A. Times’ Reed Johnson who brought a high level of articulation in his profesh moderating. As panel junkies know, a good moderator is key to an engaging panel and essential to keep it on point. Here are my takeaways on the three panels:us Latino Film Panel at Laff
The Blackhouse Foundation - The Art and Social Responsibility of Festival Programming – Sponsored by Bet
Moderated by Film Independent’s Lacma film curator and go-to festival moderator, Elvis Mitchell, I was particularly impressed at the messaging clarity and solidarity of the black film community’s efforts and goals for equal representation. The panelists were very tuned-in with monitoring their talent behind and in front of the camera, and in this case stressing the importance of festival curators, which was identified as one of three instrumental factors to enable their films getting out there.
Shari Frilot, Senior Programmer, Sundance Film Festival: There was much (due) love and props given to Frilot for her ardent and tireless championing of films of color at Sundance. She pointed out how after Lee Daniel’s breakout hit, Precious which premiered at 2009 Sundance and went on to win a couple Academy Awards, the next couple years it was the black films that were the first to be sold off the mountain including the dazzling lesbian coming of age film, Pariah. She questioned why this achievement was not picked up or lauded in the mainstream media. Its indeed curious and perhaps a telling point on the cultural gatekeeper front – (shortage of black critics and journalists?) Having witnessed Shari’s highly charged and articulate arguing for gloriously imperfect, fresh and raw films I respect how she truly changes the way the film programming conversation takes place by discussing films’ drive, potential and power. I aspire to “bring it” like she does in my own programming career. Acknowledging the personal efforts she puts in to make the festival seem accessible to filmmakers of color who may not bother putting Sundance on their radar, the idea of doing a black college tour came up.
Ava DuVernay, filmmaker (Middle of Nowhere) and founder of Affrm: DuVernay’s emotion for the topic at hand along with her experience from her publicist days and current roles as filmmaker and distributor made her a stirring contributor to the conversation. Ava thanked L.A. Film Festival Director Stephanie Allain for programming Middle of Nowhere as a gala screening which elevates her film with a high profile slot within the festival. A packed house at Wednesday’s gala screening will be quite significant to the black filmmaking community given the massive 800 seat theater and checking the L.A. Film Fest website its at Rush which will make for an exciting milestone! The winner of the Best Director Award at Sundance Film Festival shared her personal observations like being stunned to see empty seats at the black film screenings at Sundance which is unheard of in the notoriously hard-to-get tickets Festival. She mentioned that while she is frequently featured on Shadow and Act, the African Diaspora blog on the Indiewire network, she has never been on Indiewire’s main page. DuVernay expressed her desire to see more films that move and operate beyond ‘black bodies’.
There was mention of films touted as successful black films when they happen to be by non-black filmmakers. I can’t help but think the room was thinking about Gimme the Loot written and directed by Adam Leon and Beasts of the Southern Wild written and directed by Benh Zeitlin. Both films have been praised and celebrated for their poignant storytelling and vivid portrayal of their black protagonists’ lifestyles – and the filmmakers happen to be white Jewish New Yorkers. And both films were quickly picked up for distribution at their respective festival premieres. I have to admit that if we are talking about presenting positive representation in films my belief is that individually, these two films offer a lot as far as image conversion for eschewing mis-representation by avoiding stereotypes about black folks. There’s nobody smoking crack or perpetuating violent crime in Gimme the Loot, and in Beasts the poetic punch of self-sufficient little Hushpuppy in the die-hard persevering displaced fictional community that alludes to the forgotten 9th Ward post-Katrina, shows a triumph of spirit against the government and society’s response efforts following the devastating natural catastrophe in the dominantly affected marginalized population.
Bradford Young, cinematographer (Middle of Nowhere, Pariah, Restless City): A Howard University alumus, the in-demand cinematographer more gently echoed Ava’s sentiment about the limited accessibility and representation of black filmmakers but I feel he gave a bit more benefit of the doubt to black films by non-black filmmakers by his eloquent word of choice to weigh the debate; “Intention”. The way he talks about his own cinematic approach is greatly influenced by the intention of the story and point of view. A NY Times article recently featured the cinematographer and made note of his full frame and close up shots in Middle of Nowhere. Indeed the luscious and texture he brings to shooting skincolor sticks out in my mind having seen it at Sundance. Bradford is one cool cat with lots of soul. All panelists agreed and were especially thankful for his eyes.
Roya Rastegar, Ph.D, Festival Programmer: Inventive cinematography, curation by more females and people of color and innovative distribution were three ways Rastegar outlined to help minority filmmakers distinguish their work and get seen by the public. I would love to get my hands on her dissertation, History of Consciousness (here’s a taste) in which she investigates the role of festivals in shaping marginalized culture. Armed with such interesting facts on the history of film festivals, (did you know Stalin created the first film festival?) Rastegar added a lot of context to the origins and current state of film festivals. She also shared the behind the scenes conversations of film programmers when talking about films of color and the rueful tendency to dismiss these films because they aren’t so called ‘good enough’. She made no hesitation in pointing out that Tribeca Film Festival did not have one single black film in competition this year.
U.S. Latino Cinema: Welcome to the Bi-Literate Future - Presented by San Antonio Film Commission and Afci (Association of Film Commissions International)
I had the privilege of participating on this panel which was prefaced by a Univision spot highlighting their new campaign efforts of reaching a bi-lingual audience. In it, an old woman recalls being prevented from speaking her language as a child in school and then we cut to today’s young U.S. Latino man who flips from Spanish to English talking about his liking alternative band, The Strokes as much as Spanish-language pop rock band, Juanes.
What it was about: Our Latino population in the U.S. is now more than ever embracing a bi-lingual, or more importantly, a bi-literate culture. Will films reflect the changing demographic of the U.S. as a bi-literate (a Spanish and English language culture) be commercially successful and be able to find an audience? And perhaps more importantly, will the studio system be able to adapt to the successful strategies many in the independent world are using to create commercially viable content?
Douglas Spain (Star Maps, Walkout, Band of Brothers) is used to wearing multiple hats and so acted as both panelist and moderator. Spain offered up his experience as an actor/producer/director as a gay latino filmmaker who has successfully worked in independent film and studio and television mediums. His quest for staying true to himself with the roles and films he is making rang resonant to all.
Ralph Lopez, San Antonio filmmaker: The producer of Wolf which premiered at this year’s SXSW talked about his aim is to create and tell stories that transcend color. Like his provocative film about the complexities faced by the victim of a bishop’s inappropriate behavior, his collaborations with director black filmmaker Ya Ke Smith comes first and foremost from a place of telling moving stories.
Gabriela Tagliavini, filmmaker (Ladies Night, Without Men, The Mule: Having had big success with Spanish language film Ladies Night in 2006, Gabriela switched languages and directed Eva Longoria in the English language film,Without Men which sold to many international territories given Longoria’s international brand name. With her upcoming film, The Mule she is looking to take advantage of the crime action genre and star Sharon Stone to offer real commentary on immigration and the dangerous toll of the U.S. Mexico border.
Luis Reyes, historian and author of the comprehensive book, Hispanics in Hollywood: The old school gent on our panel made some slightly more conventional suggestions on how to make a successful bi-literate film like “know your audience” and attaching a well known actor to your film so you can market it.
I added my two cents and in retrospect I think my thoughts coincided with Rastegar’s in the proactive vein of here’s what we can-do positive approach of encouraging budding filmmakers to utilize genre (horror and gay U.S. Latino films stand out from the stack and are sought after by festival programs). I also asked my fellow panelists if they found the U.S. Latino filmmaking community as fragmented as I see it. Unlike Black or Lgbt film organizations I feel the U.S. Latino community has much more work in becoming inclusive within our distinct bi-lingual backgrounds in order to successfully empower and advocate for our films. Organizations like Nalip and Laliff were mentioned in answer. But in my opinion and with all respect, I find Nalip a bit cliquesh and lacking a younger pulse and generation of organizers, and Laliff is too inconsistent to make fundamental cultural change. Although we touched on the question of the challenges our community faces working in Spanish versus English I’m not sure we fully stayed on point in attempting to answer the ambitious subject and interesting talking points raised. But the audience seemed more the type of wanting basic advice on how to break into filmmaking so most questions and conversations was directed to the filmmakers on the panels and in that regard it was a successful exchange.
Café Latino presented by HBO and supported by University of Guadalajara Foundation
Made evident by the participating film clips that were shown before the panel there is much genre and story diversity in the Latino films at L.A. Film Fest this year. I’m especially happy the Festival recognizes the growing influence of the Mexican documentary by having selected Reportero by Bernardo Ruiz, Caniculaby Jose Alvarez and Drought by Evererdo Gonzalez. The panel was ostensibly about the Festival’s Latin American filmmakers and how they explore their roles as storytellers in an increasingly global world. With such a high number of panelists and so many interesting topics broached however, it left one wanting more time to engage with the personable talents onstage.
Reed Johnson encouraged the panelists to chime in at will which Alejandro Brugues, director of Cuban Zombie film, Juan of the Dead took full advantage of to defend big hollywood films like The Avengers, which Gonzalez initially brought up if only to point out the David and Goliath challenge filmmakers in Mexico face having to compete for screens against these big money backed blockbusters. Brugues set himself apart from the group by defending his love for the blockbuster which inspired him to direct films. Unlike his peers’ ‘artful’ films he considers his film strictly for public entertainment (he joked that his film is actually a documentary). Yet at the same time he admits he took advantage of the Zombie genre a la Romero to infuse it with his personal observations of contemporary Cuban society – which he would not have been able to shoot in Cuba otherwise.
Meanwhile Arturo Pons who was born in Mexico but has lived and worked in Spain for the past ten years described his conception for his surreal satire, The Compass is Carried by the Dead Man not necessarily about immigration but a visual canvas with which to paint the total disorientation that confronts Mexico. Ruiz talked about seeing himself as a ‘translator’ or vessel to tell stories. Alvarez talked about how he does not think of his audience as he makes his films however he does aspire to showcase Mexico Profundo in showing the vast and vibrant indigenous artistry and folklore and deliberately resisting the the media’s monopolized perpetuation of the drug violence and corruption. Lastly, Dominga Sotomayor, the 27 year old director of Thursday till Sunday whose next film Tarde Para Morir was selected to the first ever Sundance Mahindra Screenwriters Lab, added that like Mexico, in Chile there is a growing number of filmmakers but no real venues to find their audience.
L.A. Film Festival is going on through Sunday and a bunch of added screenings have been slotted. Check out film guide and buy tickets here.
I took in a few panels over the weekend down here at L.A. Film Fest that I really appreciated for sparking some provocative dialogue I am eager to continue throughout the Festival. I found it especially interesting how different the U.S. Latino and Black film communities are responding to their storytelling plight in talking about their respective representation in media. Meanwhile the lively Latino panel, which was perhaps the broadest in scope, was eloquent and skillfully led by L.A. Times’ Reed Johnson who brought a high level of articulation in his profesh moderating. As panel junkies know, a good moderator is key to an engaging panel and essential to keep it on point. Here are my takeaways on the three panels:us Latino Film Panel at Laff
The Blackhouse Foundation - The Art and Social Responsibility of Festival Programming – Sponsored by Bet
Moderated by Film Independent’s Lacma film curator and go-to festival moderator, Elvis Mitchell, I was particularly impressed at the messaging clarity and solidarity of the black film community’s efforts and goals for equal representation. The panelists were very tuned-in with monitoring their talent behind and in front of the camera, and in this case stressing the importance of festival curators, which was identified as one of three instrumental factors to enable their films getting out there.
Shari Frilot, Senior Programmer, Sundance Film Festival: There was much (due) love and props given to Frilot for her ardent and tireless championing of films of color at Sundance. She pointed out how after Lee Daniel’s breakout hit, Precious which premiered at 2009 Sundance and went on to win a couple Academy Awards, the next couple years it was the black films that were the first to be sold off the mountain including the dazzling lesbian coming of age film, Pariah. She questioned why this achievement was not picked up or lauded in the mainstream media. Its indeed curious and perhaps a telling point on the cultural gatekeeper front – (shortage of black critics and journalists?) Having witnessed Shari’s highly charged and articulate arguing for gloriously imperfect, fresh and raw films I respect how she truly changes the way the film programming conversation takes place by discussing films’ drive, potential and power. I aspire to “bring it” like she does in my own programming career. Acknowledging the personal efforts she puts in to make the festival seem accessible to filmmakers of color who may not bother putting Sundance on their radar, the idea of doing a black college tour came up.
Ava DuVernay, filmmaker (Middle of Nowhere) and founder of Affrm: DuVernay’s emotion for the topic at hand along with her experience from her publicist days and current roles as filmmaker and distributor made her a stirring contributor to the conversation. Ava thanked L.A. Film Festival Director Stephanie Allain for programming Middle of Nowhere as a gala screening which elevates her film with a high profile slot within the festival. A packed house at Wednesday’s gala screening will be quite significant to the black filmmaking community given the massive 800 seat theater and checking the L.A. Film Fest website its at Rush which will make for an exciting milestone! The winner of the Best Director Award at Sundance Film Festival shared her personal observations like being stunned to see empty seats at the black film screenings at Sundance which is unheard of in the notoriously hard-to-get tickets Festival. She mentioned that while she is frequently featured on Shadow and Act, the African Diaspora blog on the Indiewire network, she has never been on Indiewire’s main page. DuVernay expressed her desire to see more films that move and operate beyond ‘black bodies’.
There was mention of films touted as successful black films when they happen to be by non-black filmmakers. I can’t help but think the room was thinking about Gimme the Loot written and directed by Adam Leon and Beasts of the Southern Wild written and directed by Benh Zeitlin. Both films have been praised and celebrated for their poignant storytelling and vivid portrayal of their black protagonists’ lifestyles – and the filmmakers happen to be white Jewish New Yorkers. And both films were quickly picked up for distribution at their respective festival premieres. I have to admit that if we are talking about presenting positive representation in films my belief is that individually, these two films offer a lot as far as image conversion for eschewing mis-representation by avoiding stereotypes about black folks. There’s nobody smoking crack or perpetuating violent crime in Gimme the Loot, and in Beasts the poetic punch of self-sufficient little Hushpuppy in the die-hard persevering displaced fictional community that alludes to the forgotten 9th Ward post-Katrina, shows a triumph of spirit against the government and society’s response efforts following the devastating natural catastrophe in the dominantly affected marginalized population.
Bradford Young, cinematographer (Middle of Nowhere, Pariah, Restless City): A Howard University alumus, the in-demand cinematographer more gently echoed Ava’s sentiment about the limited accessibility and representation of black filmmakers but I feel he gave a bit more benefit of the doubt to black films by non-black filmmakers by his eloquent word of choice to weigh the debate; “Intention”. The way he talks about his own cinematic approach is greatly influenced by the intention of the story and point of view. A NY Times article recently featured the cinematographer and made note of his full frame and close up shots in Middle of Nowhere. Indeed the luscious and texture he brings to shooting skincolor sticks out in my mind having seen it at Sundance. Bradford is one cool cat with lots of soul. All panelists agreed and were especially thankful for his eyes.
Roya Rastegar, Ph.D, Festival Programmer: Inventive cinematography, curation by more females and people of color and innovative distribution were three ways Rastegar outlined to help minority filmmakers distinguish their work and get seen by the public. I would love to get my hands on her dissertation, History of Consciousness (here’s a taste) in which she investigates the role of festivals in shaping marginalized culture. Armed with such interesting facts on the history of film festivals, (did you know Stalin created the first film festival?) Rastegar added a lot of context to the origins and current state of film festivals. She also shared the behind the scenes conversations of film programmers when talking about films of color and the rueful tendency to dismiss these films because they aren’t so called ‘good enough’. She made no hesitation in pointing out that Tribeca Film Festival did not have one single black film in competition this year.
U.S. Latino Cinema: Welcome to the Bi-Literate Future - Presented by San Antonio Film Commission and Afci (Association of Film Commissions International)
I had the privilege of participating on this panel which was prefaced by a Univision spot highlighting their new campaign efforts of reaching a bi-lingual audience. In it, an old woman recalls being prevented from speaking her language as a child in school and then we cut to today’s young U.S. Latino man who flips from Spanish to English talking about his liking alternative band, The Strokes as much as Spanish-language pop rock band, Juanes.
What it was about: Our Latino population in the U.S. is now more than ever embracing a bi-lingual, or more importantly, a bi-literate culture. Will films reflect the changing demographic of the U.S. as a bi-literate (a Spanish and English language culture) be commercially successful and be able to find an audience? And perhaps more importantly, will the studio system be able to adapt to the successful strategies many in the independent world are using to create commercially viable content?
Douglas Spain (Star Maps, Walkout, Band of Brothers) is used to wearing multiple hats and so acted as both panelist and moderator. Spain offered up his experience as an actor/producer/director as a gay latino filmmaker who has successfully worked in independent film and studio and television mediums. His quest for staying true to himself with the roles and films he is making rang resonant to all.
Ralph Lopez, San Antonio filmmaker: The producer of Wolf which premiered at this year’s SXSW talked about his aim is to create and tell stories that transcend color. Like his provocative film about the complexities faced by the victim of a bishop’s inappropriate behavior, his collaborations with director black filmmaker Ya Ke Smith comes first and foremost from a place of telling moving stories.
Gabriela Tagliavini, filmmaker (Ladies Night, Without Men, The Mule: Having had big success with Spanish language film Ladies Night in 2006, Gabriela switched languages and directed Eva Longoria in the English language film,Without Men which sold to many international territories given Longoria’s international brand name. With her upcoming film, The Mule she is looking to take advantage of the crime action genre and star Sharon Stone to offer real commentary on immigration and the dangerous toll of the U.S. Mexico border.
Luis Reyes, historian and author of the comprehensive book, Hispanics in Hollywood: The old school gent on our panel made some slightly more conventional suggestions on how to make a successful bi-literate film like “know your audience” and attaching a well known actor to your film so you can market it.
I added my two cents and in retrospect I think my thoughts coincided with Rastegar’s in the proactive vein of here’s what we can-do positive approach of encouraging budding filmmakers to utilize genre (horror and gay U.S. Latino films stand out from the stack and are sought after by festival programs). I also asked my fellow panelists if they found the U.S. Latino filmmaking community as fragmented as I see it. Unlike Black or Lgbt film organizations I feel the U.S. Latino community has much more work in becoming inclusive within our distinct bi-lingual backgrounds in order to successfully empower and advocate for our films. Organizations like Nalip and Laliff were mentioned in answer. But in my opinion and with all respect, I find Nalip a bit cliquesh and lacking a younger pulse and generation of organizers, and Laliff is too inconsistent to make fundamental cultural change. Although we touched on the question of the challenges our community faces working in Spanish versus English I’m not sure we fully stayed on point in attempting to answer the ambitious subject and interesting talking points raised. But the audience seemed more the type of wanting basic advice on how to break into filmmaking so most questions and conversations was directed to the filmmakers on the panels and in that regard it was a successful exchange.
Café Latino presented by HBO and supported by University of Guadalajara Foundation
Made evident by the participating film clips that were shown before the panel there is much genre and story diversity in the Latino films at L.A. Film Fest this year. I’m especially happy the Festival recognizes the growing influence of the Mexican documentary by having selected Reportero by Bernardo Ruiz, Caniculaby Jose Alvarez and Drought by Evererdo Gonzalez. The panel was ostensibly about the Festival’s Latin American filmmakers and how they explore their roles as storytellers in an increasingly global world. With such a high number of panelists and so many interesting topics broached however, it left one wanting more time to engage with the personable talents onstage.
Reed Johnson encouraged the panelists to chime in at will which Alejandro Brugues, director of Cuban Zombie film, Juan of the Dead took full advantage of to defend big hollywood films like The Avengers, which Gonzalez initially brought up if only to point out the David and Goliath challenge filmmakers in Mexico face having to compete for screens against these big money backed blockbusters. Brugues set himself apart from the group by defending his love for the blockbuster which inspired him to direct films. Unlike his peers’ ‘artful’ films he considers his film strictly for public entertainment (he joked that his film is actually a documentary). Yet at the same time he admits he took advantage of the Zombie genre a la Romero to infuse it with his personal observations of contemporary Cuban society – which he would not have been able to shoot in Cuba otherwise.
Meanwhile Arturo Pons who was born in Mexico but has lived and worked in Spain for the past ten years described his conception for his surreal satire, The Compass is Carried by the Dead Man not necessarily about immigration but a visual canvas with which to paint the total disorientation that confronts Mexico. Ruiz talked about seeing himself as a ‘translator’ or vessel to tell stories. Alvarez talked about how he does not think of his audience as he makes his films however he does aspire to showcase Mexico Profundo in showing the vast and vibrant indigenous artistry and folklore and deliberately resisting the the media’s monopolized perpetuation of the drug violence and corruption. Lastly, Dominga Sotomayor, the 27 year old director of Thursday till Sunday whose next film Tarde Para Morir was selected to the first ever Sundance Mahindra Screenwriters Lab, added that like Mexico, in Chile there is a growing number of filmmakers but no real venues to find their audience.
L.A. Film Festival is going on through Sunday and a bunch of added screenings have been slotted. Check out film guide and buy tickets here.
- 6/20/2012
- by Christine Davila
- Sydney's Buzz
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