Indie Film Spotlight

My review of "When You're Strange" at 2009 LA Film Festival

A previously unannounced screening of the music documentary When You're Strange: A Film about The Doors was one of the most pleasant suprises of the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival.

Writer/director Tom DiCillo was able to gain access to original footage shot from 1966-71 by Paul Ferrara, a UCLA Film School buddy of flamboyant lead singer Jim Morrison.

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My review of "Bananas!*" at 2009 LA Film Festival

Attending the Special Screening of Bananas!* at the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival was a freaky, surreal experience. This controversial documentary from Sweden almost didn't get shown at all.

For the first time in my moviegoing history, I bore witness to an odd set of "rules" which needed to be complied with in order for the film to be exhibited.

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My review of "West of Pluto (A L'Ouest de Pluton)" at 2009 LA Film Festival

West of Pluto (A L'Ouest de Pluton) hails from Canada and was one of my Top Picks of the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival. Being shot and set in Quebec, the film is in French with English subtitles.

Written, directed, produced, and edited by Myriam Verreault and Henry Bernadet, West of Pluto is everything I look for in great independent cinema.

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My review of "A Week Alone (Una Semana Solos)" at 2009 LA Film Festival

One of my Top Picks of the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival was A Week Alone (Una Semana Solos), a sweet gem from Argentina.

What's fascinating about attending film festivals is how trends begin to emerge after seeing dozens of films. One recurring theme is the idea of kids being left to their own devices, either by choice or lack of adult supervision, and the inevitable ensuing spiral into mayhem.

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My review of "Dear Lemon Lima," at 2009 LA Film Festival

The World Premiere of Dear Lemon Lima, was one of the highly anticipated "buzz films" I'd written about prior to the festival.

Written and directed by Suzi Yoonessi, this classic coming-of-age story is told through the diary writings of 13-year-old Vanessa (the brilliant Savanah Wiltfong).

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2009 Toronto International Film Festival announces "Best of the Fest" selections

As we celebrate the Fourth of July it's also worth noting that the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival is just over two months away. I've attended 37 film festivals since the start of 2006, but none as prestigious or breathtaking in scope as this one.

I saw over 75 films there from 2006-2008, and many of my Top Picks from all festivals over the past few years (of over 375 in total) came from the Toronto lineup.

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2009 Los Angeles Film Festival -- My Top Picks

The 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival has come to an exciting conclusion and I've returned home to take stock of my experience there. In the past few days since I've been home I posted 25 reviews for all the films I saw.

As in previous years, and as I do following every film festival (37 since the start of 2006), now it's time to post my list of Top Picks.

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2009 LA Film Festival -- Update

UPDATE: I've now updated and added capsule reviews to my Day One and Day Two posts. Day Three capsule reviews are up. Day Four capsule reviews now complete. Day Five reviews have now been posted. Day Six reviews now completed. Day Seven (final day) reviews are now posted. Top Picks now posted. That's a wrap!

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2009 LA Film Festival Award Winners

Here is the official press release announcing the award winners of the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival:

LOS ANGELES (June 28, 2009) – Today Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced its 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival award winners at a special event, presented by Target.

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My review of "The Youngest Candidate" at 2009 LA Film Festival

I attended a special screening of writer/director Jason Pollock's inspiring documentary The Youngest Candidate at the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival.

This powerful film follows the frenzied lives of four people running for elective office in America: George Monger of Memphis, looking for a city council seat; Raul De Jesus, running for the office of Mayor in Hartford, Connecticut; Pittsburgh suburban school board candidate Tiffany Tupper; and Atlantic City's Ytit Chauhan, who hopes to upset the long-corrupt balance of power on the city council in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

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