Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced the official selections for the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times. The Los Angeles Film Festival will run from Thursday, June 18 to Sunday, June 28. Now in its fifteenth year, the Los Angeles Film Festival is widely recognized as a world-class event, showcasing the best in new American and international cinema and providing the movie-loving public with access to some of the most critically acclaimed filmmakers, film industry professionals, and emerging talent from around the world. The 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival will screen over 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, representing more than 30 countries. This year, the Festival received more than 4,600 submissions from filmmakers around the world, with the final selections representing several World, International, North American, and U.S. premieres. For the first time this year, international films will be included in the narrative and documentary competition categories.
“The 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival is a celebration of culture, cinema and community: a festival where everyday movie lovers can see films they otherwise might not see, hear first-hand from the artists and filmmakers that inspire them, and get a sneak peek at the great movies of the summer,” said Los Angeles Film Festival Director Rebecca Yeldham. “It’s a beautiful program, and I can’t wait to share it with our audiences.”
“We’re very proud to be sharing a collection of outstanding work with the Los Angeles public this year,” said Los Angeles Film Festival Director of Programming Rachel Rosen. “Whether it’s discovering exciting new filmmaking talent, seeing an anticipated film from a favorite director, or getting an in-depth look at a beloved classic, audiences have a range of unique film experiences to choose from in the Festival slate.”
“Our goal at Film Independent is to represent the breadth of stories being told and to reflect the issues that are happening on a local and global level through the art of cinema,” said Dawn Hudson, Executive Director of Film Independent. “With the Los Angeles Film Festival, we at Film Independent further support our year-round work of cultivating a community of filmmakers and filmgoers alike.”
Universal Pictures’ action-thriller Public Enemies will screen as the Centerpiece Premiere at this year’s Festival. Acclaimed filmmaker Michael Mann directs Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, and Academy Award® winner Marion Cotillard in the story of legendary Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger (Depp) — the charismatic bank robber whose lightning raids made him the number one target of J. Edgar Hoover’s fledgling FBI and its top agent, Melvin Purvis (Bale), and a folk hero to much of the public.
Passes to attend the Festival are available immediately for Film Independent members, and beginning May 18 for the general public. In addition to screenings and events, Festival passes provide access to a series of networking receptions and entry to the ZonePerfect live.create. lounge, where Festival pass holders can interact with Festival filmmakers and professionals in the film community. General admission tickets to individual films go on sale beginning May 29. Contact the Festival Ticketing Center for passes, tickets and event information by calling 866.FILM.FEST (866.345-6337) or visit LAFilmFest.com. Festival Passes and tickets can also be purchased in person beginning on Friday, June 12 at the Festival Ticketing Center located at 1038 Westwood Blvd.
The 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival will screen more than 70 feature films, 70 shorts, and 50 music videos.
Narrative Competition (7): The Narrative Competition is comprised of films made by talented emerging filmmakers that compete for the Target Filmmaker Award, which carries a $50,000 unrestricted grant funded by Target. The winner is determined by a panel of jurors. Films in this section are also eligible for the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature.
• Dear Lemon Lima, Suzi Yoonessi – WORLD PREMIERE
• Harmony & Me, Bob Byington
• Hollywood, je t’aime, Jason Bushman – WORLD PREMIERE
• Passenger Side, Matt Bissonnette – Canada – WORLD PREMIERE
• Turistas, Alicia Scherson – Chile – U.S. PREMIERE
• Wah Do Dem (What They Do), Sam Fleischner, Ben Chace – WORLD PREMIERE
• Zero Bridge, Tariq Tapa – USA/India – U.S. PREMIERE
Documentary Competition (7): The Documentary Competition is comprised of films made by talented emerging filmmakers that compete for the Target Documentary Award, which carries a $50,000 unrestricted grant funded by Target. The winner is determined by a panel of jurors. Films in this section are also eligible for the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature.
• After the Storm, Hilla Medalia – WORLD PREMIERE
• Bananas!*, Fredrik Gertten – Sweden – WORLD PREMIERE
• Branson, Brent Meeske – WORLD PREMIERE
• Convention, AJ Schnack
• The Last Beekeeper, Jeremy Simmons
• October Country, Michael Palmieri, Donal Mosher – WORLD PREMIERE
• Those Who Remain, Juan Carlos Rulfo, Carlos Hagerman – Mexico – U.S. PREMIERE
International Showcase (21): The International Showcase highlights innovative independent narrative and documentary features from outside of the United States. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature, Best Narrative Feature, or Best Documentary Feature.
• Adhen, Rabah Ameur-Zaimeche – France/Algeria
• Autumn, Özcan Alper – Turkey
• Birdwatchers, Marco Bechis – Italy/Brazil (IFC Festival Direct)
• Bronson, Nicolas Winding Refn – England (Magnolia Pictures)
• Calimucho, Eugenie Jansen – Netherlands
• Call If You Need Me, James Lee – Malaysia – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
• Carmen Meets Borat, Mercedes Stalenhoef – Netherlands
• City of Borders, Yun Suh – Israel
• Elementary Training for Actors, Martín Rejtman – Argentina – INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
• Extraordinary Stories, Mariano Llinás – Argentina
• High-Rise, Gabriel Mascaro – Brazil – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
• Los Bastardos, Amat Escalante – Mexico (Kino International)
• Mid-August Lunch, Gianni di Gregorio – Italy
• My Dear Enemy, Lee Yoon-ki – South Korea
• Our Beloved Month of August, Miguel Gomes – Portugal/France
• The Queen and I, Nahid Persson Sarvestani – Sweden (7th Art Releasing)
• Sacred Places, Jean-Marie Téno – France/Cameroon
• Stella, Sylvie Verheyde – France
• Unmade Beds, Alexis Dos Santos – England (IFC Festival Direct)
• A Week Alone, Celina Murga – Argentina
• West of Pluto, Henry Bernadet, Myriam Verreault – Canada
International Spotlight – Documenting Mexico: Selections from the Ambulante Film Festival (3): Ambulante is a traveling documentary film festival produced by the non-profit organization Documental Ambulante A.C., in collaboration with Canana, Cinepolis, and the Morelia International Film Festival. It was created in 2005 by Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, and Pablo Cruz to promote documentary culture across Mexico. In this selection from the festival, we highlight outstanding works by filmmakers documenting Mexico’s past and present.
• Born Without, Eva Norvind – Mexico
• El General, Natalia Almada – Mexico/USA
• Rehje, Anaís Huerta, Raúl Cuesta – Mexico – INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
Summer Showcase (11): The Summer Showcase section offers an advance look at this summer’s most talked about independent film releases from the festival circuit. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature, Best Narrative Feature, or Best Documentary Feature.
• 35 Shots of Rum, Claire Denis – France (Cinema Guild)
• Big River Man, John Maringouin
• Cold Souls, Sophie Barthes (Samuel Goldwyn Films)
• Facing Ali, Pete McCormack (Lionsgate)
• Humpday, Lynn Shelton (Magnolia Pictures)
• In the Loop, Armando Iannucci – England (IFC Films)
• It Might Get Loud, Davis Guggenheim (Sony Pictures Classics)
• No Impact Man, Laura Gabbert & Justin Schein
• Paper Heart, Nicholas Jasenovec (Overture Films)
• Still Walking, Hirokazu Kore-eda – Japan (IFC Films)
• We Live in Public, Ondi Timoner
Dark Wave (2): Dark Wave offers frightening and edgy films from around the world. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature or Best Narrative Feature.
• Embodiment of Evil, José Mojica Marins – Brazil
• I Sell the Dead, Glenn McQuaid
Guilty Pleasures (2): Films in this section are eligible for the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature.
• Weather Girl, Blayne Weaver
• ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction, Kevin Hamedani
Outdoor Screenings at the Ford Amphitheatre (4): These official Los Angeles Film Festival selections are included as part of the 2009 Ford Amphitheatre Summer Season, a multi-disciplinary arts series produced by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission in cooperation with Los Angeles County-based arts organizations.
• 13 Most Beautiful… Songs for Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests, with Live Accompaniment by Dean & Britta
• All Tomorrow’s Parties, All Tomorrow’s People & Jonathan Caouette – England
• Black Dynamite, Scott Sanders (Sony Pictures)
• Soul Power, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte (Sony Pictures Classics)
Special Screenings (2):
• Crude Oil, Wang Bing – China – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
• Panda Diary, Tadashi Mori – Japan – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Behind the Scenes – Films with Extended Conversations (2):
• Billy Jack, T.C. Frank (1971) – new digital restoration: followed by a conversation with Tom Laughlin.
• Midnight Cowboy, John Schlessinger (1969) – 40th anniversary: preceded by a conversation with Jon Voight.
L.A. Film Critics: The Films That Got Away (3): Co-presented by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the UCLA Film & Television Archive.
• Música Nocturna, Rafael Filipelli – Argentina
• Silence Before Bach, Pere Portabella – Spain
• United Red Army, Koji Wakamatsu – Japan
Hell on Wheels: Hot Rods and Fast Times (3): Co-presented by the UCLA Film & Television Archive.
• Hi-Riders, Greydon Clark (1978)
• Hot Rod Girl, Leslie H. Martinson (1956)
• Hot Rods to Hell, John Brahm (1967)
Film Foundation & American Express Preservation Screening Program: Presented by the Film Foundation & American Express.
• Night Tide, Curtis Harrington (1961)
Free Screenings (8):
• Amreeka, Cherien Dabis (National Geographic Films) – Project:Involve Screening
• Crude Oil, Wang Bing – China – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
• Election, Alexander Payne (1999) – 10th Anniversary
• Ghostbusters, Ivan Reitman (1984) – 25th Anniversary
• Hot Rod Girl, Leslie H. Martinson (1956)
• How I See It: Youth Filmmaking From Streets to Streams,
• The Muppet Movie, James Frawley (1979) – 30th Anniversary
• Those Who Remain, Juan Carlos Rulfo, Carlos Hagerman – Mexico – U.S. PREMIERE
Short Films (45): Shorts are shown before features and as part of five short film programs. With their diverse and complex content, these films shine brilliantly. Most short films, domestic and international, will compete for prizes in Narrative, Documentary, and Animation/Experimental categories. The winner is determined by a panel of jurors. An Audience Award for Best Short Film is also presented.
Future Filmmakers Showcase: High School Shorts (33): These two programs of shorts made by high school students from around the country feature work by the next generation of filmmakers.
Music Videos (54): The Music Video Showcase is sponsored by IFC and consists of three programs. Our two Eclectic Mix programs are a visual mix tape of this year’s best independent music videos, with a few innovative major label artists thrown in for good measure. Music videos will compete for an Audience Award.
• Eclectic Mix 1
• Eclectic Mix 2
• Where It Was At: A Propaganda & Satellite Films Tribute
This Festival’s Opening and Closing Night Films, Guest Director, Artists in Residence, and special guests – as well as programming for the Festival Talks, Director Lunch Talks, Coffee Talks, Kodak Focus and the Financing Conference – will be announced shortly.