Film Independent Announces LA Film Festival

Narrative Competition (7):.
• 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
• Wa Do Dem (What They Do), Sam Fleischner, Ben Chace – WORLD PREMIERE
• Zero Bridge, Tariq Tapa – USA/India – U.S. PREMIERE

Documentary Competition (7):
• 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):
• 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): 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):
• 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):
• Embodiment of Evil, José Mojica Marins – Brazil
• I Sell the Dead, Glenn McQuaid

Guilty Pleasures (2
• 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.
• Eclectic Mix 1
• Eclectic Mix 2
• Where It Was At: A Propaganda & Satellite Films Tribute

The Festival features unique signature programs including the Filmmaker Retreat, Film Financing Conference, Ford Amphitheatre Outdoor Screenings, Poolside Chats at the W Los Angeles – Westwood Hotel, and more. Additionally, the Festival screens short films created by high school students and has a special section devoted to music videos.
www.FilmIndependent.org for more information.