Hollywood, je t’aime tells the story of recently broken up and barely enduring a dreary winter, gay Parisian Jerome Beaunez that impulsively books a solo Christmas vacation to Los Angeles. While there he meets some colorful locals and pursues a dormant desire to become a movie star – but never can quite put the past behind him. In this meditation on love and narcissism across continents, Jerome goes far in the sun-drenched City of Angels but ultimately arrives at an old Hollywood maxim: there’s no place like home. Bright, funny, honest and utterly charming, Writer/Director Jason Bushman makes his feature…
Author: Bijan Tehrani
Kimberly Yutani is the Director of Programming at Outfest. In addition to programming Outfest: the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, she oversees programming for Fusion: the Los Angeles LGBT People of Color Film Festival, the year-round screening series Outfest Wednesdays, and Access LA. She is also short film programmer for the Sundance Film Festival, and was recently was a guest programmer for Cinemasia, an Asian film festival in Amsterdam. She has served on juries at the Toronto International Film Festival for the Short Cuts Canada Award, the Berlin International Film Festival for the Teddy Award, and the Palm…
Over 120 countries have united to form the International Criminal Court (ICC) — the first permanent court created to prosecute perpetrators, no matter how powerful, of crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide. The Reckoning follows dynamic ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo and his team for three years across four continents as he issues arrest warrants for Lord’s Resistance Army leaders in Uganda, puts Congolese warlords on trial, shakes up the Colombian justice system, and charges Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir with genocide in Darfur. Like a deft thriller, The Reckoning keeps you on the edge of your seat. Will the prosecutor…
After 30 years of war and Taliban-rule, pop culture has returned to Afghanistan. Afghan Star – a Pop Idol-style TV series – is searching the country for the next generation of music stars. Over 2000 people are auditioning and even three women have come forward to try their luck. The organizers, Tolo TV, believe with this program they can ‘move people from guns to music’. Afghan Star, a documentary film, follows the three month process from the regional auditions to the final in Kabul. Behind the scenes at all times we gained unprecedented access to the lives of contestants, fans…
TONY MANERO is set on the streets of Santiago, Chile in 1978 to the throbbing backbeat of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack punctuated by the random thrashings of Pinochet’s military, TONY MANERO reveals a palpably gritty alternate reality to the days of disco in 1970s America. In a sharp juxtaposition of discomania and dictatorship, Larraín swirls his story around Raúl Peralta (Alfredo Castro), a middle-aged man obsessed with perfecting his impersonation of “Tony Manero,” the protagonist of Saturday Night Fever – and of Raúl’s highly combustible inner fantasy world. Often the only one in the movie theater, Raúl recites dialogue…
The art of being straight is the story of the smart, handsome, twenty-three-year-old Jon (Jesse Rosen) that has just moved to Los Angeles from New York, ostensibly “taking a break” from his longtime girlfriend. He moves in with college bro Andy (Jared Grey), whose pals incessantly do that kind of “That is so gay” banter that’s essentially harmless — unless you’re the only gay guy in the room. Jon is hardly comfortable discussing his shifting Kinsien scale placement with them, and his new job as bottom-rung gofer at a major ad agency is fraught with sexual tension as a studly…
Rebecca Yeldham Director of The Los Angeles Film Festival, has built a career championing films and filmmakers as a producer, festival programmer and production and acquisition executive. Yeldham recently produced THE KITE RUNNER, directed by Marc Forster (nominated for 2008 BAFTA and Golden Globe Awards), LINHA DE PASSE, directed by Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas (winner best actress 2008 Cannes Film Festival), and the upcoming release ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL, directed by first timer Sacha Gervasi (2008 Sundance Film Festival, 2009 SXSW and Spirit Award nominee and Audience Award winner at the 2008 LA, Sydney, and Galway Film Festivals).…
The Buddhist concept of reincarnation, while both mysterious and enchanting, is hard for most westerners to grasp. UNMISTAKEN CHILD follows the 4-year search for the reincarnation of Lama Konchog, a world-renowned Tibetan master who passed away in 2001 at age 84. The Dalai Lama charges the deceased monk’s devoted disciple, Tenzin Zopa (who had been in his service since the age of seven), to search for his master’s reincarnation. Tenzin sets off on this unforgettable quest on foot, mule and even helicopter, through breathtaking landscapes and remote traditional Tibetan villages. Along the way Tenzin listens to stories about young children…
Chris Geiser, Product Line Manager, In-Home Distribution NETGEAR, is an experienced marketer who’s 15-year career has included roles in product management, product marketing, consulting and market research. He has worked for leading technology companies, including Metatec (now Zomax), Intel, Honeywell and NETGEAR, where he has been the product line manager for in-home distribution products since the summer of 2008. Chris holds an MBA from Cornell’s Johnson Graduate School of Management and an undergraduate degree in telecommunications from Ohio University’s Honors Tutorial College.Bijan Tehrani: What is the benefit of the Powerline networking compared to wireless networking?Chris Geiser: Typically, what we are…
Palm Springs International ShortFest Short Film Festival & Market is, without a doubt, one of the best short film festivals in the world. Last year, Palm Springs ShortFest won the Cinema Without Borders Seal of Excellence as the Best Short Film Festival of 2008.I sat down with Darryl Macdonald, director of the Palm Springs International ShortFest Short Film Festival & Market in his Palm Springs office and we talked about the 2009 event.Bijan Tehrani: Please tell us about 2009 Palm Springs International ShortFest Film Festival. Are there changes we should expect to see from previous festivals?Darryl Macdonald: Well, it is…