The 2016 Los Angeles Film Festival Heralds Diversity

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Parent Category: Film Festivals

Category: Previews

Published on Sunday, 29 May 2016 16:50

Written by Casey Hernandez

Taking place from June 1 to 9, 2016, The Los Angeles Film Festival, produced by Film Independent — the non-profit arts organization that also produces the Film Independent Spirit Awards —  celebrates the power of the storyteller starting with the opening night film Lowriders, directed by Ricardo de Montreuil. It stars Eva Longoria and details a culturally vibrant film that explores familial relationships within a second-generation Mexican family in East LA. 

Closing the festival will be the intense suspense thriller Desierto. Starring Gael Garcia Bernal, it is directed by son Jonás Cuarón, and produced by father Alfonso Caurón. 

Being held at ArcLight Cinemas (9500 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232) and The Culver Studios (9336 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232), the Festival showcases diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision in independent American and international cinema. This year’s fest features Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, Nate Parker and the new crop of African and African-American storytellers.

Highlighting the contributions of such diverse storytellers, Creed director Coogler is the 2016 Guest Director; he will attend the 15th annual Filmmaker Retreat, a signature program that brings together the feature directors in this year’s Festival along with seasoned filmmakers and Film Independent board members who attend as honored artists.

Selma director DuVernay and her distribution company, Array Releasing, will receive the Festival’s annual Spirit of Independence Award on June 4th, which honors those who advance the cause of independent film and champion creative freedom.

Auteur actor-turned-director Parker shares on June 2nd what it took to bring The Birth of a Nation, the story of Nat Turner, the African-American preacher turned insurgent to the big screen in “Nate Parker's Labor of Love: The Birth of a Nation Conversation.” Parker will be joined by cast members Aja Naomi King (How to Get Away with Murder) and Gabrielle Union (Being Mary Jane).

Also part of the fest is The Global Media Makers Presents: Storytelling From The Inside Out is a U.S. Department of State and Film Independent international mentoring initiative which connects visual storytellers from around the world with leading U.S. entertainment professionals through specially tailored mentorships, workshops and master classes.

Shining the light on the need for inclusion, the Diversity Speaks panels bring together content creators of underrepresented communities who embody innovation to discuss how they manage to combine their passions for storytelling, entrepreneurship and their cultural identities into success stories. One of the many highlights include a disucssion with Issa Rae (Awkward Black Girl) who will join Film Independent curator Elvis Mitchell in conversation for an intimate off-the-record talk. 

For a full schedule, tickets and general festival info go to: http://www.filmindependent.org/la-film-festival/

The Los Angeles Film Festival
June 1 - 9 2016

ArcLight Cinemas 
9500 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232

The Culver Studios
9336 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232

& Various Locations

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