The Los Angeles Film Festival is back and in a new twist, in the fall. Normally a welcome respite from the summer heat, Film Independent shifted the festival to September this year, putting it right in-between some of the major fall festivals. What does that mean for this year’s slate? Well by the looks of everything, the films chosen still reflect the types of movies that would have played during the summer. A mix of quirky indies, thought provoking documentaries, and starts flexing their acting muscle. I went through the schedule and picked the top 10 movies I am excited to see.
El Chicano – USA (DIRECTOR Ben Hernandez Bray WRITERS Ben Hernandez Bray, Joe Carnahan PRODUCERS Joe Carnahan, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Frank Grillo CAST Raúl Castillo, George Lopez, Aimee Garcia, Emilio Rivera, David Castañeda, Marlene Forte, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Sal Lopez) – A cop is drawn into his ex-con brother’s death while investigating the crime-fighting exploits of a mysterious vigilante known as “El Chicano.” World Premiere. Buy tickets
Galveston – USA (DIRECTOR Mélanie Laurent WRITERS Mélanie Laurent, Nic Pizzolatto (novel) PRODUCER Tyler Davidson CAST Ben Foster, Elle Fanning, Beau Bridges, Lili Reinhart) – After escaping a set-up, a dying hitman returns to his hometown of Galveston where he plans his revenge. Buy tickets
Ghost Light – USA (DIRECTOR John Stimpson WRITERS/PRODUCERS Geoffrey Taylor, John Stimpson CAST Roger Bart, Tom Riley, Shannyn Sossamon, Danielle Campbell, Carol Kane, Cary Elwes) – The story of an unfortunate Shakespearean acting troupe that unleashes the infamous curse of Macbeth with horrifying results. World Premiere. Buy tickets
The Happy Prince – Germany/Belgium/Italy (DIRECTOR/WRITER Rupert Everett PRODUCERS Sébastien Delloye, Philipp Kreuzer, Jörg Schulze CAST Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Emily Watson, Tom Wilkinson, Colin Morgan, Edwin Thomas) – A poignant look at Oscar Wilde’s final years in exile, following the humorist’s heartbreak and imprisonment with a relentless quest for love. Tuesday, September 25 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Los Angeles Premiere. Buy tickets
Head Count – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Elle Callahan WRITER Michael Nader PRODUCERS Samuel Sandweiss, Brandon Somerhalder CAST Isaac W. Jay, Ashleigh Morghan, Bevin Bru, Billy Meade, Hunter Peterson, Chelcie May, Tory Freeth, Michael Herman, Amaka Obiechie, Sam Marra, Cooper Rowe) – During a weekend getaway to Joshua Tree, a group of teenagers find themselves under mental and physical assault from a supernatural entity that mimics their appearances as it completes an ancient ritual. World Premiere. Buy tickets
The Oath – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Ike Barinholtz PRODUCERS Ike Barinholtz, Raymond Mansfield, Sean McKittrick, Andrew C. Robinson, David Stassen CAST Ike Barinholtz, Tiffany Haddish, John Cho, Carrie Brownstein, Billy Magnussen, Chris Ellis, Nora Dunn) – In a politically divided America, a man struggles to make it through the Thanksgiving holiday without destroying his family. Tuesday, September 25 at ArcLight Hollywood. World Premiere. Buy tickets
Simple Wedding – USA (DIRECTOR Sara Zandieh WRITERS Sara Zandieh, Stephanie Wu PRODUCERS Ray Moheet, Norman Aladjem, Sara Zandieh CAST Tara Grammy, Christopher O’Shea, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Rita Wilson, Maz Jobrani, Houshang Touzie, Jaleh Modjallal, Peter Mackenzie, James Eckhouse, Rebecca Henderson, Aleque Reid) – A romantic comedy about a young Iranian-American woman and the lengths she goes to in order to appease her parents and their need to see her settled down. World Premiere. Buy tickets
Making Montgomery Clift – (DIRECTORS/WRITERS/PRODUCERS Robert A. Clift, Hillary Demmon SUBJECT Montgomery Clift, Brooks Clift, Patricia Bosworth, Jack Larson, Judy Balaban, Lorenzo James) – Classic film star Montgomery Clift’s legacy has been a story of tragedy and self-destruction, but a more complicated picture emerges when his nephew dives into the family archives. World Premiere. Buy tickets
Mr. Soul! – USA (DIRECTORS Melissa Haizlip, Samuel Pollard PRODUCERS Melissa Haizlip CO-PRODUCER Douglas Blush CAST Blair Underwood, Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, James Baldwin, Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle, Maya Angelou, Gladys Knight, Bill Withers) – An exploration of the groundbreaking PBS television series SOUL!, the first nationally televised all-black variety show to be produced and hosted by an openly gay African-American. Buy tickets
We the Coyotes – USA (DIRECTORS/WRITERS Hanna Ladoul, Marco La Via PRODUCERS Raphael Gindre, Kevin Van Der Meiren, Julius Schultheib CAST Morgan Saylor, McCaul Lombardi, Betsy Brandt, Khleo Thomas, Lorelei Linklater) – A young couple moves to LA from the Midwest to start a new life together, but things don’t go exactly as planned. North American Premiere. Buy tickets