WINNERS OF THE 2018 LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL

"This Teacher", a film by Mark Jackson that tells the story of a young Arab woman who comes to New York City to visit a friend before venturing upstate on a meditative journey, received the U.S. Fiction Award at this year's Los Angeles Film Festival. The Audience Award for Fiction Feature Film went to "Brian Banks", Tom Shadyac's fact-based account of a young football player’s dream to play for the NFL is tragically ended after he's falsely accused of rape and sent to prison. And "Border", about a Swiss border agent with the unique ability to smell emotions, won the World Fiction Award. This film had received the Un Certain Regard Award at this year's Cannes Film Festival and now has been selected as Sweden’s official entry into Oscar’s Best Foreign Language Film race.

Here is the complete list of winners at the 2018 Los Angeles Film Festival:

U.S. Fiction Award: "This Teacher"

U.S. Fiction (Special Mention): "In Reality"



World Fiction Award: "Border" (Sweden)



World Fiction Special Jury Prize, Directing: Soudade Kaadan, "The Day I Lost My Shadow" (France/Lebanon/Qatar/Syrian Arab Republic)

Documentary Award: "hillbilly"(USA)

Documentary Special Jury Award for Excellence in Social Justice Storytelling: "False Confessions" (Denmark)

LA Muse Award: "Staycation" (USA)

LA Muse Documentary Award: "Fire on the Hill" (USA)



LA Muse Special Mention, Best Ensemble Cast: "Solace" (USA)



Nightfall Award: "The Dead Center" (USA)



Nightfall Special Jury Prize, Lead Actor: Ashleigh Morghan, "Head Count" (USA)



Nightfall Special Jury Prize, Ensemble Cast: "Spell"



Award for Short Fiction: "The Passage" (USA)

Award for Documentary Short: "One Leg In, One Leg Out"(Canada)

Web Episodes Jury Award: "Psusy"(New Zealand)

Audience Award for Fiction Feature Film: "Brian Banks" (USA)

Audience Award for Documentary Feature Film: "Stuntman" (USA)

Audience Award for Music Video: "Clutch" (USA)

Audience Award for Short Film: "Weekends"(USA)

Audience Award for Episodic Story: "Revenge Tour"(USA)

Audience Award for Episodic Pilot: "40 & Single"(Ghana)

Seattle Story Award: "I’m Sorry Happy Birthday"

2018 LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL

The Los Angeles Film Festival has usually been held in June but last year, the Film Independent, which produces the event, decided to move the fest in to fall. The goal is to be taken more seriously as an important part of the film festival circuit, especially since the city of Los Angeles is considered an integral part of the movie business. This year's LA Film Fest will be held September 20th to the 28th. Now, considering that we have Venice, Telluride, Toronto, New York and BFI London fests all happening very close to each other, it appears that an already crowded season is now even more jammed up with everyone trying to get some of the same coveted fall movies and be the first to premiere them.

"Echo In The Canyon", Andrew Slater’s documentary on how the Laurel Canyon music scene was created, has been selected as the Opening Night Film. This feature places a spotlight on some of the incredible artists that emerged from that era like The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield and The Mamas & the Papas to name just a few. The film will be screened at the Ford Theatre and will be followed by a live performance by some of the musicians influenced by the scene.

The Closing Night Film will be "Nomis", a crime-drama from first-time director, David Raymond and the screening will be held at the Arclight Hollywood Cinerama Dome. The film follows a disturbed online predator apprehended by the police and while interrogating him, discover that his crimes go far beyond what they could imagine. Henry Cavill, Nathan Fillion, Alexandra Daddario and Ben Kingsley star.

In between these premieres, there will be a wide-range of exciting new independent cinema. Forty feature films and forty-one short films from across the globe have been selected to compete for prizes. A fine selection of documentaries, world fiction, television series and podcasts will also be found at LA Fest.

Some of the Gala Screenings at the Festival will include a few highly anticipated films like "All About Nina", "Free Solo", Ike Barinholtz's directorial debut, "The Oath" and "The Happy Prince" which Rupert Everett wrote, directed and stars in as Oscar Wilde. And there will be a Special Screening of "Maria By Callas", Tom Volf's new documentary on the legendary Greek-American opera singer which will feature never-before-seen footage of performances by Callas.









For the complete list of films, purchase festival passes or individual tickets and any additional information, please click below:

2018 LA Film Fest

2017 LA FILM FESTIVAL

The LA Film Festival, which brings intriguing new independent cinema from across the globe to the city, is set to begin on June 14th through 22nd. The Arclight Cinemas Culver City is the official host venue of the fest with select screenings also to be held at Bing Theater at LACMA, Kirk Douglas Theatre, The Theatre at Ace Hotel and Arclight Cinemas Hollywood and Santa Monica.

"The Book of Henry", the latest from director Colin Trevorrow who returns to his indie-roots after making the Hollywood blockbusters, "Jurassic World" and "Star Wars: Episode IX", has been selected as the Opening Night film. Henry (Jaeden Lieberher), a mature 11-year-old living with single mother, Susan (Naomi Watts) and younger brother, Peter (Jacob Tremblay from "Room"), who develops a crush on his new neighbor (Maddie Zeigler, best known as the young dancer in the Sia music videos). He realizes something is wrong in her home life and devises a plan to rescue her.



Closing the fest will be "Ingrid Goes West", a social satire from co-writer and director, Matt Spicer. Aubrey Plaza plays Ingrid, a mentally unbalanced young woman who is obsessed with an online beauty and lifestyle star (Elizabeth Olsen) and does everything she can to become part of her inner circle.



In between, there will be 37 world-premiere titles, two international premieres, nine North American premieres, 51 short films, 15 Future Filmmaker High School shorts and nine web series episodes that will be shown. Special screenings include a Sofia Coppola double feature with her latest, "The Beguiled" and her 2003 breakout film, "Lost in Translation" with the director on hand for a Q & A. Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, stars of the hit series, "Portlandia", will discuss their favorite moments from the show and spill a little about the upcoming final season. And director Ava DuVernay will be part of a panel that will present a sneak peek of the second season of her drama series, "Queen Sugar" and discuss the program.





For the complete list of films, purchase tickets and additional information, please click below:

2017 LA Film Fest

2016 LA FILM FESTIVAL

For fans of independent cinema living in Los Angeles, the LA Film Fest is right around the corner.  This event will begin June 1st running through June 9th with most screenings and events held at the Arclight Cinemas in Culver City. The festival will showcase compelling, new independent films, documentaries, shorts, television programing and web series.

The Opening Night feature will be "Lowriders". This film by Ricardo de Montreuil tells the story, set in the low rider car scene in Los Angeles, about a teenager (Gabriel Chavarria) torn between his traditional father (Demian Bichir) and estranged criminal brother (Theo Rossi). Melissa Benoist, Tony Revolori and Eva Longoria also star.

The Closing Night film is "Deierto", directed by Jonás Cuarón, the son of Academy Award-winner Alfonso Cuarón ("Gravity"), who also produced this film. Gael García Bernal stars in this timely tale as one of several migrant workers looking for work and a better life across the U.S. border. However, their lives are in danger when a merciless gun-toting vigilante (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) chases them through the desert to keep them out of the country.


For tickets, passes and additional information, please click below:

2016 LA Film Fest

Here are a few trailers for some interesting films that will be screened at the fest:

2015 LA FILM FEST

The premiere showcase for independent cinema in Los Angeles, The LA Film Fest marks it's twenty-first year beginning June 10th with the festival running through June 18th. For the first time, the fest will present competitive awards that will be presented on closing night to help bring additional awareness to exceptional works.

The great Lily Tomlin has been chosen to be honored with The Spirit of Independence Award and her latest film, "Grandma" (which received plenty of buzz at Sundance) will be the Opening Night Film.



The fest has also added this year Nightfall, a line-up of indie-genre films making their world premiere and Launch, which will feature new talent creating fiction in digital spaces such as web-series, music videos and gaming. This is in addition to other programs including Master Classes (which brings prominent artists to give invaluable talks about their trade), Coffee Talks (that focuses on all aspects in the craft of film making), Diversity Speaks (a day-long convention of filmmakers and storytellers of color) and Music in Film Nights at The GRAMMY Museum that has live performances by some of the world’s most acclaimed musicians.

There will be free outdoor screenings available which includes "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" on June 12th and "Love & Basketball" on June 13th.



For the complete list of films, activities and venues, please click below:

2015 LA Film Fest

2012 LA FILM FEST

The 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival will be held downtown at the entertainment venue, L.A. Live. This film fest will not only host a wide selection of American and international independent feature and documentaries but there will also be free outdoor screenings, television premieres, musical performances at the Grammy Museum and conversations with filmmakers and artists.

L.A. Film Fest runs from June 14th through June 24th with the opening night film being Woody Allen's latest, "To Rome With Love" and the closing film will be Steven Soderbergh's, "Magic Mike".

This year's Guest Director will be William Friedkin who will present his controversial new film, "Killer Joe" starring Mathew McConaughey.

For the complete list of films, purchase tickets and additional information, please go to:

LA FILM FEST 2012