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The 9th Annual Highland Park Independent Film Festival (HPIFF)

Returns to the Highland Theater October 7-8, 2022

The 9th Annual Highland Park Independent Film Festival (HPIFF) makes what may be its last return to the beloved Highland Theater on October 7-8, 2022, following the announcement of the historic landmark going up for sale. The film festival continues celebrating the best of independent filmmaking with this year's line-up presenting four feature-length documentaries and 43 shorts ranging from animation, live-action, documentary and student films.  The 2022 HPIFF line-up secures the World Premiere of eight of its featured short films. 

"After eight successful years of bringing unique, independent cinema to Northeast L.A., the Highland Park Independent Film Festival is looking forward to our busiest and best year yet,” expresses HPIFF Co-Founder Mark Reitman.

Kicking off the celebration of the independent film scene, HPIFF’s Opening Night on October 7 will pay homage to the 30th anniversary of Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs that was originally filmed locally throughout Highland Park. The red carpet to open the fest begins at 6 p.m. and the opening night program will follow with the free screening of the film itself preceded by a special presentation of the short film “Abuelo,” starring Pepe Serna (Scarface) and Izabella Alvarez (Euphoria). 

"30 years ago, the Quentin Tarantino classic was filmed here,” notes HPIFF Director Marita De la Torre. “And now, Reservoir Dogs returns to Highland Park. Join us for a special 30th Anniversary screening to kick off HPIFF 2022 and celebrate the history of cinema in Highland Park.” 

Previously presented to notable actors like Danny Trejo, this year's Highland Park Independent Film Festival Humanitarian Award will be presented to Executive Producer and life-long Activist, Dolores Huerta, preceding the screening of her work on Feature Documentary, Backstreet to the American Dream on closing day of October 8 at 4 p.m. Directed by award-winning filmmaker and journalist Patricia Nazario, the bilingual documentary explores the modern-day American Dream and takes a deep dive into the birthplace of the food truck revolution – Los Angeles – which juxtaposes the experiences of American entrepreneurs and Mexican immigrants in the industry, and looks at how street food fosters racial tolerance. This film is just one of many being supported by HPIFF, telling the unheard stories of underrepresented communities around the world. 

Present at the screening, will be the family owning the “El Pescadito” Lonchera featured in the documentary, "Being at this festival feels amazing,” expresses family member, Alfredo Magallanes, Jr. “It feels so good to see all of my mom's hard work pay off.  She hung in there, and it was worth it. We see that now, and we're happy to be here.”

Rounding out the feature documentaries are The Sound of the Surf,  the first historic documentary to chronicle the true story of Surf Music as California's indigenous pop music movement before it became a distorted Hollywood exploitation of teen culture. Unidad: Gay and Lesbian Latinos Unidos, tells the story of the Los Angeles organization, Gay & Lesbian Latinos Unidos (GLLU),  a political and social group formed in 1981 to help bring Queer Latino issues to light in the LGBT community; and Echale Ganas - against the backdrop of gentrification in his neighborhood, Victor Villa, a young latino entrepreneur, must also maintain his role as a community leader. 

For the first time in its history, HPIFF will showcase a block of short Horror films, “Horror in the Hood,”  featuring three world premieres screening on Friday night at 9:30 p.m. following the screening of “Reservoir Dogs.”  

An impressive line-up of short blocks including award-winning short films screens on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.  These films represent the best of independent cinema from across the country and the world with a focus on local, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ voices.  The genres span the gamut in the short blocks: SCI-FI ON FIG, ARROYO SECO Shorts, Los Filmmakers '22, and ROUTE 66 Shorts.

This year's award categories include, Best Documentary Feature, Best Short Film, Best Performance, Best Cinematography, Best Musical Composition, Audience Awards and Honorable Mentions, among others. 

HPIFF is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, by the California Arts Council, a state agency, and by the LA Arts Recovery Fund. This year’s sponsors also include the Uptown Gay and Lesbian Alliance, the Soquel Arts Collective, the Office of Wendy Carrillo, Egan|Simon architecture, Filmtools, Phoenix-FTA Multimedia, Simple DCP, Godmother Salt, The Offbeat, Checker Hall, Red X Productions, Chicano Creative Society, Arroyo Arts Collective, Ciampi Design, Ginnovation and Pas d'ASL Dance Company.