It’s that time again! Time for the LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL. And what a festival 2018 should prove to be! Truly a “Los Angeles” festival, events span the city with screenings at ArcLight Cinemas in Culver City, Hollywood and Santa Monica, the famed Cinerama Dome, some gala events at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, the Writers Guild Theatre in Los Angeles, and the new Loyola Marymount Playa Vista campus which will play host to the new LAFF program “The Portal” celebrating VR and immersive storytelling, while opening night takes us into the hills above Hollywood and into the Ford Amphitheatre with ECHO IN THE CANYON, a music documentary about the music that came out of Laurel Canyon.
After decades of kicking off the summer with a June festival, LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL now moves to the Fall, embedding itself in the always exciting awards season. Running from September 20th through September 28th with the Closing Night World Premiere of David Raymond’s NOMIS at the Cinerama Dome starring Henry Cavill, Sir Ben Kingsley Nathan Fillion, Minka Kelly, Alexandra Daddario and Stanley Tucci, there’s plenty to see and do over the next eight days with almost 200 films to choose from, including 40 feature films, 41 shorts films and 10 short episodic works from 26 countries, plus Special Screenings and Galas! And all culled down from an unfathomable 5,300 submissions. That’s a lot of filmmakers out there!
Competing films this year include:
U.S. Fiction Competition (7) – Original voices with distinct visions from emerging and established American independent filmmakers.
Banana Split, dir. Benjamin Francis Kasulke, USA, World Premiere
In Reality, dir. Ann Lupo, co-dirs. Esteban Pedraza & Aaron Pryka, USA, California Premiere
Olympia, dir. Gregory Dixon, USA, World Premiere
Simple Wedding, dir. Sara Zandieh, USA, World Premiere
Softness of Bodies, dir. Jordan Blady, USA/Germany, World Premiere
This Teacher, dir. Mark Jackson, USA, World Premiere
The Wrong Todd, dir. Rob Schulbaum, USA, World Premiere
Documentary Competition (10) – Compelling, character-driven non-fiction films from the U.S. and around the world.
Behind the Curve, dir. Daniel J. Clark, USA, US Premiere
Facing the Dragon, dir. Sedika Mojadidi, USA/Afghanistan, West Coast Premiere
False Confessions, dir. Katrine Philp, Denmark, North American Premiere
Hillbilly, dirs. Sally Rubin, Ashley York, USA, LA Premiere
Mamacita, dir. José Pablo Estrada Torrescano, Mexico/Germany, US Premiere
Moroni for President, dir. Saila Huusko, Jasper Rischen, USA, LA Premiere
Same God, dir. Linda Midgett, USA, World Premiere
The Silence of Others, dirs. Almudena Carracedo, Robert Bahar, USA/Spain, West Coast Premiere
Stammering Ballad, dir. Nan Zhang, China, North American Premiere
Wrestling Ghosts, dir. Ana Joanes, USA, World Premiere
World Fiction Competition (7) – Unique fiction films from around the world by emerging and established filmmakers, especially curated for LA audiences.
Border, dir. Ali Abbasi, Sweden, California Premiere
The Cotton Wool War, dirs. Cláudio Marques, Marilia Hughes, Brazil, US Premiere
The Day I Lost My Shadow, dir. Soudade Kaadan, France/Lebanon/Qatar/Syrian Arab Republic, US Premiere
Heaven Without People, dir. Lucien Bourjeily, Lebanon, LA Premiere
Microhabitat, dir. Jeon Go-Woon, South Korea, West Coast Premiere
Socrates, dir. Alex Moratto, Brazil, World Premiere
Tower. A Bright Day., dir. Jagoda Szelc, Poland/Czech Republic, LA Premiere
LA Muse (10) – Fiction and documentary films that capture the spirit of Los Angeles.
The Advocates, dir. Rémi Kessler, USA, World Premiere
El Chicano, dir. Ben Hernandez Bray, USA, World Premiere
Fire on the Hill, dir. Brett Fallentine, USA, World Premiere
Funke, dir. Gabriel Taraboulsy, USA, World Premiere
Making Montgomery Clift, dir. Robert A. Clift, Hillary Demmon, USA, World Premiere
Saint Judy, dir. Sean Hanish, USA, World Premiere
Solace, dir. Tchaiko Omawale, USA, World Premiere
Staycation, dir. Tanuj Chopra, USA, World Premiere
Stuntman, dir. Kurt Mattila, USA, World Premiere
We the Coyotes, dirs. Hanna Ladoul, Marco La Via, USA, North American Premiere
Nightfall (6) – From the bizarre to the horrifying, these are films to watch after dark.
The Dead Center, dir. Billy Senese, USA, World Premiere
Deep Murder, dir. Nick Corirossi, USA, World Premiere
Ghost Light, dir. John Stimpson, USA, World Premiere
Head Count, dir. Elle Callahan, USA, World Premiere
Spell, dir. Brendan Walter, USA, World Premiere
Thriller, dir. Dallas Jackson, USA, World Premiere
Episodes: Indie Series from the Web (10) – This showcase of independently crafted web series celebrates rising creators whose work and subjects are innovative and unfiltered.
Avant-Guardians, dir. Clarence Williams IV, USA
Flatbush Misdemeanors, dirs. Dan Perlman, Kevin Iso, USA
Fresh, dir. Grant Scicluna, Australia
Kiki and Kitty, dir. Catriona Mackenzie, Australia
Otis, dir. Alexander Etseyatse, USA
Pedal & Paint, dir. Bradley Smith, USA
Psusy, dirs. Duckworth, Jaya Beach-Robertson, New Zealand
Revenge Tour, dir. Andrew Carter, USA
Robits, dir. Christopher Parks, USA
Tracy Buckles, dir. Robin Nystrom, USA
From Retrospectives to FREE panels on diversity and inclusion (held at the Writers Guild in Beverly Hills on September 22 and 23), producing, and more to FREE SCREENINGS to music videos to shorts programs (41 Short Films from 14 countries out of 3,100 submissions which compete for awards) to Future Filmmakers to the always popular Coffee Talks (at the Wallis Annenberg Center), there really is something for everyone at the Festival.
And speaking of everyone, one of the most beloved parts of LAFF over the years have been “Family Day” events. Some years ago one was held at Santa Monica Pier and had real penguins walking the red carpet. (Can you guess which film they were celebrating?) For several years, Family Day involved a Disney viewing treat. Well, this year, on Sunday, September 23, the Festival is doing something new with children’s prices Sunday morning so the whole family can come on out to the Arclight in Culver City for a LITTLE MERMAID sing-a-long!
Something else new to LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL is that tickets for Opening and Closing Night are now being made available to non-passholders! So if you’re just a regular guy or gal who loves movies but didn’t pick up a pass and still want to see and hear the canyons echo with the documentary ECHO IN THE CANYON followed by a special live musical performance, or see what Superman is up to when he’s not saving the world, here’s your chance. (Tickets are available at all venues or at lafilmfestival.com.)
Need a place to hang out in between screenings and chat about movies, cool off, or just enjoy the festival? Look no farther than the Culver City Town Plaza right in front of the Arclight. You know the place; where the Lion from the “Wizard of Oz” dances in the fountain! Festival Corner is right there. And did I mention there will be festival merchandise on sale?? Festival Corner is open September 20-28 from 10am until 11pm.
But you’re here to find out my 2018 LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL “MUST SEE FESTIVAL FILMS”. So, let’s cut to the chase and get this party started.
Right out of the gate we’ve got a “Must See Festival Film” from the Indie Series from the Web category – KIKI AND KITTY! A must see if ever there was, KIKI AND KITTY comes to us courtesy of multi-award-winning writer/director/ producer Catriona McKenzie, the first Indigenous Australian woman to direct series television in the US (“Shadowhunters”). Written by Nakkiah Lui who also stars as Kiki, KIKI AND KITTY is a six-episode (13-15 minutes each) series about the adventures of a young black woman, Kiki, in a very white world, and a bold and brassy black woman named Kitty is her best friend, not to mention being her vagina.
What a funny funny funny web series this is! From concept to story to these two fabulous characters brought to life by Lui and Elaine Crombie as Kitty, everything about KIKI AND KITTY makes this a “must see”. Opening animated titles with an eye-popping look and feel of Lichtenstein set the stage as color is king – or in this case, queen – with Kitty’s fuschias, reds and purples, and all set within fabulously striking production design. Performances are amazing and the physical expressiveness of both women is not only fun-filled, but impressive. Editing is fast-paced and fine-tuned. But what really puts KIKI AND KITTY over the top is terrific storytelling with timely and topical messaging about today’s social climate of racism, sexism, #MeToo.
KIKI AND KITTY screens Saturday, September 22nd at 9:00 PM with an encore on Sunday the 23rd at 12:45 PM at ArcLight Culver City.
While you’re out of breath from laughter thanks to KIKI AND KITTY, you’ll be holding your breath with our next “Must See Festival Film”, the death-defying, nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat documentary FREE SOLO. Two of my favorite documentarians, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin are no strangers to Los Angeles Film Festival or the Film Independent Spirit Awards. Always on the cutting edge of visceral, palpable and personal storytelling, they certainly don’t disappoint with FREE SOLO, the story of professional rock climber Alex Honnold’s Yosemite’s El Capitan. If he makes it, he will become the first person in history to free solo El Capitan. With breathtaking cinematography of Yosemite and Alex’s attempted ascent “free solo” with no ropes or safety gear of ascent. With personal insights of colleagues, including Jimmy Chin and other cameramen documenting the ascent by hanging off the side of the rock face (albeit held by ropes, unlike Honnold), family and friends, and introspective interviews from Honnold himself talking about his eight-year dream, you will be riveted and spellbound by the beauty of man versus mother nature and himself.
FREE SOLO screens at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills on Thursday, September 27th at 7:30PM.
For a real change of pace, look no further than the Animated Shorts Program 6 for our next “Must See Festival Film” – Lorenz Wunderele’s COYOTE. Already an award-winning short, acclaimed within the animation world, COYOTE is the tale of a coyote who loses his wife and children when attacked by wolves. Experiencing all the human emotions of grief and loss, an evil (or perhaps benevolent) presence takes hold of Coyote and those around him as strange things happen to all. A bold and audacious animated styling, you’ll be howling at the moon longing for more after this little gem ends. Kaleidoscopic, eye-popping and fascinating, COYOTE is a definite “must see.”
COYOTE screens as part of Animated Shorts Program 6 on Saturday, September 22nd at 11:00 AM with an encore on Sunday, September 23rd at 8:30 PM at ArcLight Culver City.
Writer/Director Lisa Rideout finds herself with a “Must See Festival Film” thanks to ONE LEG IN, ONE LEG OUT. A documentary short that tells the story of transgender Iman, following her during nights on the street trying to make a living, listening to her talk of her dreams while trying to fight off the demons of despair at the lack of acceptance by the world. Inspiring and hopeful, you’ll find yourself rooting for Iman to succeed after just this brief, but intimate look into her soul.
Another short that speaks volumes is THE PASSAGE. Making this a “Must See Festival Film” is the ingenuity of writer/director Kitao Sakuari and co-writer and actor Philip Burgers in telling the story of a man both looking for and running from something. Stumbling around within the absurdity of life and its mysterious journeys, he finds himself left alone in an airplane after everyone skydives out leaving him and his burrito to the ways of the wind, only to then find himself at a Latino church service, then in a Japanese bathhouse, celebrating a family gathering with a French-African family and ultimately, climbing naked out of the ocean onto a Scandinavian fishing boat. Although others speak in various foreign languages, he never does. There are no subtitles, but the visual storytelling in this multicultural coming together of individuals is so strong that words are not necessary.
Entertaining and enlightening, THE PASSAGE is part of Shorts Program 3 and screens September 22nd at 1:30 PM and again on September 24th at 6:30 PM at ArcLight Culver City.
Bet you’ll all be hungering for this one! Eight or nine years ago Bucato was “the” hottest restaurant in Culver City. And while on the surface the restaurant was gleaming and food was mouth-watering yet almost too beautiful to eat, underneath there was a restaurant and its chef in financial turmoil. Marking its World Premiere in the LA Muse Section of the Festival, FUNKE is just another tasty treat on the “Must See Festival Films” menu thanks to director Gabriel Taraboulsy as he takes us from Culver City to Venice (California) to Italy and back with chef Evan Funke who is still licking his wounds and healing from the ruin of Bucato. Exploring Evan Funke’s philosophies of life and pasta through interviews with Funke and his friends, family and critics alike, his dreams of mounting a new restaurant, and the looming question of whether Funke can overcome his own demons of the past to fulfill that new dream – a restaurant called Felix on Abbot Kinney celebrating the art of handmade pasta – we are treated to a visual palette as appetizing as the pasta Funke makes. High polished production values that mirror the high polish of Funke’s food make the documentary even more delicious. Adding to the mix is the enlightening education we are given in the old world art of pasta-making (did you know there are 365 different shapes of pasta?) and the importance of finding the perfect recipe of love, artistry, and business acumen to make a dream come to life.
A full-course meal in itself, FUNKE screens on September 26th at 8:00 PM at the Santa Monica ArcLight with an encore on September 27th at 6:30 PM at ArcLight Culver City.
Los Angeles Film Festival 2018 bodes some remarkable individual performances, one of which comes from Hope Olaide Wilson in SOLACE. It’s Wilson’s performance as the young Sole which seals the deal for making this a “Must See Festival Film“. As orphaned 17-year old Sole, Wilson draws us into the character with soul-searching tacit introspection and trepidation as Sole embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Forced to move to Ladera Heights with a grandmother she doesn’t know and doesn’t want to know, from her life in NYC following the death of her father, Sole is desperate to find a way back to NYC. A talented artist, she learns of a performance art grant and solicits the help of her next door neighbor Jasmine and her friend Guedado in developing a piece to submit to the program. Needless to say, as Sole starts to find some freedom of expression under the influence of Jasmine and Guedado, she also spirals downward and out of control, driving not only a deeper wedge between herself and her grandmother, but risks losing the only friends she has made.
Freshman writer/director Tchaiko Omawale delivers a thoughtful polished film with expressive hand-held camera work, artistic and cinematic lighting, and a story that digs deep beneath the surface of adolescence and one’s own self with an empathic, loving and honest lens. And while Wilson is the performance standout, not to be overlooked is Chelsea Tavares, Lynn Whitfield and Glynn Turman.
As part of the LA Muse Section, SOLACE screens Sunday, September 23rd at 2:00 PM at ArcLight Culver City.
More riveting and compelling performances are found in GALVESTON thanks to Ben Foster and Elle Fanning, making this another “Must See Festival Film“. Adapted from Jim Hammett’s novel, writer/director Melanie Laurent delivers a slow burn character study that is haunting and riveting from both a story standpoint and thanks to Arnaud Potier’s beauteous cinematography.
Gorgeous widescreen vistas of saturated color showcase the twilight of the Galveston coast and the serenity of the Gulf waters, serving as the perfect backdrop for Foster and Fanning in this tale of a hitman on the run who finds himself aiding a young woman left behind in the ruin of his last hit gone bad. A road trip that takes us through the Bayou and into Galveston, the two battle their own inner demons as they come to terms with the hands they have been dealt in life and what those hands mean for the future.
Foster’s Roy Cady is a man of little words and speaks with physicality, be it by physical strength or shoulder lowering humility or shame. Fanning finds the perfect balance of naivete and emotional growth for Rocky. Together it’s impossible to take your eyes off them.
A hot ticket in the LAFF Buzz Section set your course for GALVESTON on Sunday, September 23rd at 9:30 PM at ArcLight Culver City.
This could be called the Festival of Jim Gaffigan as he’s in two of my “Must See Festival Films” this year. First up is AMERICAN DREAMER. Written and directed by Derrick Borte and co-written with Daniel Forte, AMERICAN DREAMER presents a Jim Gaffigan we aren’t used to seeing. Suffering the results of an emotional breakdown, a divorce, estrangement from his son thanks to his ex-wife, a lost job, Cam is the epitome of desperation. Living in a motel room filled with dirty laundry, empty takeout cartons and bottles of prescription medications, Cam has no hope; no future. His job is as a driver for an Uber-type service, but he makes extra money being at the beck and call to chauffer drug dealer Mazz. Sadly, Cam just keeps sinking lower and lower into despair, becoming more erratic with each passing day until he hits on the hair-brained idea to kidnap Mazz’s son and collect a ransom. Not as easy as tv makes it seem, Cam runs into trouble when Mazz calls him for a late night run to help him track down his son.
Gaffigan palpably immerses himself in the role to such a degree that he is almost emotionally unrecognizable. Vacillating from downtrodden to nervous amped-up energy to trying to over-think things, Gaffigan is able to have Cam turn on a dime. A stunning performance. Jim Gaffigan is THE reason to see AMERICAN DREAMER.
Los Angeles Film Festival marks the Premiere of AMERICAN DREAMER on September 27th at 7:00 PM at ArcLight Santa Monica.
One of my top three “Must See Festival Films” this year also boasts Jim Gaffigan as the lead actor – YOU CAN CHOOSE YOUR FAMILY. Directed by Miranda Bailey in her feature directorial debut, with script by Glen Lakin, this film celebrates family dysfunction of a very unique kind. With a lightness and deftness of touch in handling the material, together with the soft cinematic lensing of Yaron Scharf, Bailey transports us in time yet makes the film timeless as she tells the tale of patriarch Frank, his son Phillip, his daughter Lib and wife Laura. . .and patriarch Frank, his son Eddie, his daughter Kelly and wife Bonnie. Only problem is the Frank in each family is the same Frank. Frank has two families and Phillip finds out.
So what teen who has the chance to blackmail his father for something he really wants, like going away to college at NYU, wouldn’t take advantage of that? And that’s exactly what Phillip sets out to do; that is until he meets his half-siblings and gets to see a side of Frank he had never seen.
Filled with laughter, joy, hijinks, hilarity and heartbreak, Bailey taps into every emotion that makes a family with Gaffigan and Logan Miller’s (who looks like a younger Michael Angarano) Phillip leading the charge. Outstanding ensemble casting with both families, there isn’t a false moment among them and seeing Gaffigan try to stay one step ahead of kids and wives is worth the price of admission alone. And the beauty of the Southeastern United States with its wooded forests and lakes and casual spring/summer celebrations is Americana at its finest.
If you only have time for one or two films at LAFF, make one of them YOU CAN CHOOSE YOUR FAMILY, screening September 26th at 9:30 PM at ArcLight Culver City.
For another kind of family dysfunction, look no further than HEAVEN WITHOUT PEOPLE. As part of the World Fiction Competition, writer/director Lucien Bourjeily takes us to Lebanon at Easter for this “Must See Festival Film”. A film that will resonate with everyone, we meet family matriarch Josephine who is relishing the fact that she has her entire family around the table for the first time in two years. As we hear family discussions about politics, religion, culture, traditions, family, etc., underlying tensions among the siblings and their respective spouses/significant others are palpable. The air gets so progressively thick you could almost cut it with one of the knives on the table. Things get even more tense, however, when Josephine discovers that $12,000 is missing from her purse. When she ultimately tells her eldest son Serge what has changed her happiness into a mood of melancholy, he takes it up himself to “investigate”, turning the underlying troubles into all-out sibling battles.
Thanks to handheld camerawork by Ahmad Al Trabolsi, we are right in the thick of things with the family, ready to dodge any flying plates or accusations that may come our way. Intense, at times visceral, the exploration of this family dynamic is most compelling when at its most heated.
HEAVEN WITHOUT PEOPLE screens September 22nd at 8:45 PM at ArcLight Culver City.
If you want to lighten your mood, SIMPLE WEDDING is the way to go. A pure delight from start to finish, writer/director Sara Zandieh easily makes the “Must See Festival Films” list with this indie gem. A contender in the U.S. Fiction competition, this romantic comedy plays to the strengths, and comedy, that come with culture clash.
Nousha is a constant disappointment to her traditional Iranian mother Ziba (played to perfection by Shohreh Aghdashloo). Still single, Nousha leaves her latest fiancé at the alter, while giving new meaning to “Girl On Fire”, but then meets and falls in love with Alex, a white, bisexual artist/activist/DJ. Never mentioning Alex to her parents, imagine their surprise and potential cardiac arrests when it slips out at lunch that Nousha and Alex are living together. Needless to say, a wedding is mandatory which has Ziba going into overdrive to create the perfect Persian affair. Of course, with a wedding comes the obligatory meeting of the parents and that brings its own set of foibles and fun thanks to Rita Wilson as Alex’s mom Maggie, Peter Mackenzie as his dad Bill and James Eckhouse as Bill’s husband Stephen.
Fresh, funny and fabulous, like her heroine Nousha, Zandieh breaks the mold on the rom com with her well-developed and textured characters, particularly Nousha as played by Tara Grammy who is a comedic joy, and the smart interactions between the cultures and the families. Adding to the festivities is a whimsical and light score from Nima Fakhara equally matched by the light tonal bandwidth created by cinematographer Ziv Berkovich.
SIMPLE WEDDING screens September 21st at 7:00 PM at ArcLight Culver City, and again on September 25th at 9:50 PM at ArcLight Santa Monica.
You won’t make a wrong turn with THE WRONG TODD, another “Must See Festival Film” pick which is in the U.S. Fiction Competition. Marking the feature directorial debut of Rob Schulbaum, THE WRONG TODD is a smartly crafted meld of sci-fi and rom-com complete with an evil twin from a parallel universe.
Todd and girlfriend Lucy seem to have it all. He behaves like a little boy, she thinks it’s cute, but now it’s time to grow up. When Lucy gets offered a job in Seattle, Todd doesn’t take the news too well and behaves, shall we say, immaturely. But before he can tell Lucy how he really feels about it, his evil twin from a parallel universe appears. Is this a new and improved and sensitive Todd? Realizing he will lose Lucy forever unless he takes drastic action, Todd (real Todd) makes a decision that could change his world forever.
Making THE WRONG TODD a “must see” film is not only the concept and the story, which is funny and engaging, but the performances by Jesse Rosen as Real Todd and Evil Todd, and Sean Carmichael as Todd’s BFF and Lucy’s brother, Dave, who also has to play in two different realities. The subtleties each man brings to each persona to distinguish between them physically and emotionally are exceedingly well done, and tempered so as not to become a parody. Aiding in the production is the light tonal lensing and some very cool production design with the creation of the time machine.
THE WRONG TODD is the right choice as it makes its World Premiere screening on September 24th, 2018 at 7:15pm.
My #1 Documentary “Must See Festival Film” at LAFF this year is a film which classic film fans are going to love – MAKING MONTGOMERY CLIFT.
Fascinating. Poignant. MAKING MONTGOMERY CLIFT pulls back the curtain on a complicated and unique man to deliver a compelling three-dimensional portrait that looks behind and beyond the self-destruction and rumors that have oft tarnished four-time Academy Award nominee Clift’s legacy. Directed by Clift’s nephew Robert Clift and co-directed by Hillary Demmon, the pair delve into the personal archives of Montgomery and his brother Brooks, culling through never before seen journals, script notes, photographs, even audio recordings, as they piece together the truth. Weaving a tapestry rich in life and color, while not sugar-coating the truth, Clift and Demmon create a new legacy for a legend and still leave you wanting more. Crisply and smartly edited, commentary from Robert and others buttress Clift’s own words adding depth and perspective to his life and his work.
Befitting the man himself, MAKING MONTGOMERY CLIFT screens in the heart of Hollywood on September 23rd at 8:30 PM at the ArcLight Hollywood.
One of my personal favorite “Must See Festival Films”, thanks to writer/director Jeremy Ungar, RIDE will have you rethinking your use of Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare companies. Thought-provoking and embracing the digital age, Ungar keeps us in the car of RYDE driver James for the bulk of the film creating a claustrophobic sensibility while obviously taking some cues from “Locke” director Steven Knight when it comes to creative lensing within the confines of a car to make the film cinematic. Working with acclaimed indie director Brett Haley’s longtime cinematographer Rob Givens, the film is polished with high production values, utilizing light and color to create some indelible imagery.
Jessie Usher is James, an aspiring actor (he had a role on “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) who drives for RYDE while he’s waiting for his ship to come in. This night he picks up Jessica (a very flirtatious Bella Thorne) with the promise of a possible date later in the evening after his next fare. That next fare is a guy named Bruno, played by Will Brill in a chilling turn. Seeming off from the moment he finally got into the car, Bruno’s personality becomes more and more unpredictable, running hot and cold, and more than sketchy. Convincing James to go back and pick up Jessica, the three then set off for the night with promises of drinks and a hot tub in Malibu. But what transpires is anything but fun and frolic as the night turns dark with a battle for survival.
You’re in for the RIDE of your life on September 21st at 9:55 PM at ArcLight Culver City.
A fascinating film to be found in the World Fiction Competition comes from Poland and is easily a “Must See Festival Film” this year – TOWER. A BRIGHT DAY. An intriguing film, fraught with psychological tension that builds thanks to keen editing and superb sound design, writer/director Jagoda Szelc takes us to the beautiful countryside of Europe where green trees, blue skies, a crystal clear lake, and a quaint village create an idyllic existence. With a light visual tonal bandwidth, Szelc creates a juxtaposition between the beauteous visuals and the dark unfolding themes that is compelling and draws you into the film.
It’s here we meet Mula who has been caring for her niece for a number of years, albeit raising her as her own daughter. But then Mula’s sister Kaja arrives, casting doubts and fears within Mula that she has come to take her daughter back. Adding to Mula’s fear is the unspoken connection between Kaja and her daughter, particularly with the strange sounds and events that have been occurring since Kaja’s arrival. With themes of the supernatural and religion interwoven within the film’s tapestry, tension builds at every turn. But to what end?
A rare film that creates a truly aural experience, TOWER. A BRIGHT DAY. does just that with the use of static, eerie tones, deafening silence, cellophane, clinking of glass, bees, cicadas, flies, even cracking nuts, with each building to an unforgettable sonic and emotional crescendo. This is craftsmanship.
TOWER. A BRIGHT DAY. screens September 23rd at 4:00 PM at ArcLight Culver City.
Seeing the name Shane Carruth, even as an actor in a film, is reason enough to see it. A writer/director who showed us what originality and true independent filmmaking is back in 2004 with “Primer”, now lends a helping hand to writer/director Billy Senese as he stars in Senese’s chilling “Must See Festival Film”, THE DEAD CENTER.
A mysterious John Doe wakes up in a body bag. A psychiatrist has severe psychiatric problems of his own. A medical examiner is investigating the disappearance of a brutally murdered corpse. With a rising body count, a John Doe who speaks of “blackness” inside of him, an alleged suicide note that says “I am the mouth of death. None are beyond my reach.”, unbeknownst to the other, each doctor is spiraling toward a path that will cross into the darkest reaches of a man’s soul. And thanks to the indelible performances of Shane Carruth and Bill Feehely as Drs. Forrester and Graham, respectively, and a frightening performance by Jeremy Childs as John Doe, we are drawn into the ever-growing darkness of life, death and what lies between.
Calling on a score by Jordan Lehning which at times grows dark with heavy strings and then melding with a distinctive and often chilling sound design, complemented by Jonathan Rogers’ editing, Senese takes us into the darkest reaches of our own minds, creating a sensory portrait from which we cannot turn away.
One of the highlights of Nightfall Section, THE DEAD CENTER screens on September 21st at 7:30 PM at ArcLight Culver City.
As usual, I’ve saved the best for last with my final two “Must See Festival Films” picks. Are you ready?
What’s Los Angeles Film Festival without a nod to the Bard? Well, thankfully we don’t have to worry about that thanks to writer/ director John Stimpson who gives us one of my top two “Must See Festival Films” – GHOST LIGHT. This is what filmmaking is all about! What a terrific, fun, deliciously dark comedy!
What actor out there hasn’t done Shakespeare or yearned to do Shakespeare, and particularly “Macbeth”? Heralded, nay, worshipped by any true thespian, “The Scottish Play” is said to be cursed, so much so that actors don’t say the play’s name when in the theatre. They also don’t quote lines before performances, most particularly the Witches’ incantations. If you break with these rules, the curse is released and one must perform various rituals to then remove the curse.
With GHOST LIGHT, we see these traditions unfold and more thanks to our little theatre company which heads to the Berkshires for summer stock to perform “Macbeth.” Unfortunately, our little troupe is not what one would call West End ready. Thomas wants to play Macbeth but that role is relegated to Alex, an egomaniacal buffoon who has trouble remembering his lines or even how to act. Thomas will just have to make do with having an affair with Alex’s wife Liz Beth who also happens to be playing Lady Macbeth. British thespians Madeline and Elliot believe in tradition and take everything seriously. Theatre director Henry has his hands full with his cast (on and off the stage) leaving Archie to actually worry about the performance. Oh, and Thomas doesn’t believe in the curse so when he wily-nily takes the name of Macbeth in vain, all sorts of madness, murder, mayhem, and magic ensue to the hilarity of the film.
One look at the theatre stage design of the play within the film and you’ll know why Chad Detwiller is the standout production designer in the films screening at LAFF this year. Flawless. His work alone is “must see”. The vibrancy and color composition with Terrence Hayes cinematography and the framing and lensing within the barn theatre is fabulous. No scrimping on the VFX either. And then you have the cast. Cary Elwes, Carol Kane, Tom Riley, Roger Bart, Shannyn Sossamon, Steve Tom and Scott Adsit. Performances are first rate. Elwes really gets to show off the breadth of his talents here and Carol Kane is simply delicious and as funny as can be!! But then listen to that score from Ed Grenga.
Get thee to the theatre to see GHOST LIGHT on September 22nd at 6:30 PM at ArcLight Culver City.
And last but certainly not least, my #1 “Must See Festival Film” is EL CHICANO. Making its World Premiere at Los Angeles Film Festival as part of the LA Muse Section, this is the story of twin brothers Diego and Pedro from East L.A. who end up on opposite sides of the law when they grow up. We first meet them as children hanging out with their best friend, all in awe of the arrival of El Chicano on the scene of some trouble in the Barrio. But now, all grown up, Deigo is drawn into the investigation of his ex-con brother Pedro’s death when, thanks to the investigation of a mysterious vigilante known as “El Chicano”, he suspects that Pedro’s death may not have been a suicide as many claim.
From beginning to end, EL CHICANO is solid craftsmanship and storytelling. Well done action. Stunts and car chase gunfights are exceedingly well done. And thanks to co-writer Joe Carnahan and writer/director Ben Hernandez Bray, an entire Latino mythology of a super-hero now fills a void in the spectrum thanks to “El Chicano.” While there is some extreme violence, as is a trademark of Carnahan’s, equally key to the story structure is the myth and mystery surrounding “El Chicano” and the emotional depth of the film’s characters. Have to give a shout out to Frank Grillo who brings his experience from an action and story standpoint to be boots on the ground producing. But the success of EL CHICANO is all about the directorial leadership of Ben Hernandez Bray. His collaboration with cinematographer Juan Miguel Azpiroz is a match made in heaven. They truly create a beautiful visual tonal bandwidth that pops with the saturated inky-blue night sequences and use of twinkle lights, headlights, and street light glow, not to mention some interior scenes lit by candles which serve as a perfect counterweight to the violence taking place.
Doing double duty as Diego and Pedro, Raul Castillo is a standout. The supporting cast is equally strong, particularly George Lopez as Captain Gomez, Sal Lopez as “El Gallo”, Jose Pablo Martinez as Detective Martinez, and a stellar appearance by Kate del Castillo.
EL CHICANO has its World Premiere on Saturday, September 22nd at 9:15 PM at ArcLight Culver City.
The 2018 LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL runs September 20th through 28th throughout Los Angeles. Passes are still available as are individual tickets, but with this incredible line-up, all are going fast. For complete information on the festival line up and to purchase tickets, go to the festival website at www.lafilmfest.com. And take note, many of the films discussed here have multiple festival viewings so check out the festival website for more info.
As always, look for my full reviews of these films and many more, as well as my exclusive 1:1 interviews with the filmmakers, on the radio on “Behind The Lens”, as well as in print and online at, among others, www.BehindtheLensOnline.net.
Happy Festing!
by debbie elias, 09/19/2018
