Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Los Angeles Film Festival and the Spirit Awards, announced the selection of accomplished film producer Stephanie Allain as its new Los Angeles Film Festival Director, starting immediately. She succeeds Rebecca Yeldham, who recently elected to step down for personal reasons. Stephanie will be working closely with Festival Managing Director Gloria Campbell and Festival Artistic Director David Ansen, as we...

 Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Los Angeles Film Festival and the Spirit Awards, announced the selection of accomplished film producer Stephanie Allain as its new Los Angeles Film Festival Director, starting immediately. She succeeds Rebecca Yeldham, who recently elected to step down for personal reasons. Stephanie will be working closely with Festival Managing Director Gloria Campbell and Festival Artistic Director David Ansen, as well as Associate Direc...

Today the Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times and supported by L.A. LIVE, announced the jury and audience award winners for the 2011 Festival at the Awards Brunch, sponsored and hosted by CHAYA Downtown for the second year, and sponsored by Dove® Hair Care. Allison Janney and John C. Reilly were on hand to present the awards. The Los Angeles Film Festival ran from Thursday, June 16 to Sunday, June 26 in downtown Los Angeles. "David, Doug and the team continue to raise ...

  The 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival  runs from June 16 - 26 . Today the Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times, announced the first round of official US and international selections. The 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival is produced by Film Independent — the non-profit arts organization that also produces the Spirit Awards — and will screen over 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, representing more than 30 countries. Opening and Closing Night...

            THE LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL June 16-26, 2011 Call for Entries Early Deadline: December 3, 2010 Regular Deadline: January 14, 2011 Final Deadlines: Short films and music videos: February 11, 2011 Feature-length narrative and documentary films: February 24, 2011   Contact Inf...

  Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced the program for its 10th annual Directors Close-Up series, taking place February 2 - March 2, 2011 at The Landmark - West Los Angeles.   Writer/Directors James Gray (Two Lovers) and Robin Swicord (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), and Los Angeles Film Festival Artistic Director David Ansen will be moderators.  Series panelists include writer/directors Lisa...

 .............                                                                                                                                                          WELCOME TO OUR NEWSLETTER N° 471: july 10, 2010 Follow this LINK if you cannot read the newsletter properly Contact the Editor, Advertise on the sites.  Our newsletter reaches 81 000 film professionnals e...

James Franco comes out to support Palm Springs Shortfest - photo(c) Lani Garfield by Marla LewinThe largest short film festival in North America announced its Winners Sunday at an Award Ceremony at the Camelot Theatre.  Some of the finest award winning shorts were shown in-between announcing the winners.  Darryl Macdonald said,  “The sheer quality and diversity of the work on view provided testament to extraordinary new talents emerging worldwide.”  Darryl also said that next year he wo...

 .............                                                                                                                                                          WELCOME TO OUR NEWSLETTER N° 470: july 2, 2010 Follow this LINK if you cannot read the newsletter properly Contact the Editor, Advertise on the sites.  Our newsletter reaches 79 000 film professionnals ev...

(c) 20th Century Fox all Rights Reserved   by Marla Lewin There is no doubt that John Lithgow is an accomplished serious actor who can never be too over the top for his own liking. Tuesday night was a rare opportunity to see him in a conversation with David Ansen, the new Artistic Director of LAFF. What was so special about this was that they were college roommates at Harvard and are still best friends. That gave David a unique insight and made it a more personal co...

The main event on day five of the fest Monday, was a staged conversation with actor Ben Affleck, 37, held at the Grammy Museum a short walk away from the Regal Cineplex 14 main festival venue. This was introduced by long term Newsweek film critic David Ansen who is the artistic director of the festival this year. The moderator --i.e., leading question asker -- was a Mr. Sean Smith, who prudently allowed Mr. Affleck to do most of the talking. Clips from some of his films were shown including the ...

The latest offering from highly respected German independent filmmaker Percy Adlon, a glossy, heady, off-beat biopic about the famous turn of the century Viennese composer Gustav Mahler, his tumultuous affair and stormy marriage with Alma Schindler, a woman twenty years younger, and his presumed (but undoubtedly fictitious) couch sessions with Sigmund Freud to sort out his emotional problems, was definitely the class film of the Los Angeles Film Festival. This was a world Premiere scoop leverage...

The latest offering from highly respected German independent filmmaker Percy Adlon, a glossy, heady, off-beat biopic about the famous turn of the century Viennese composer Gustav Mahler, his tumultuous affair and stormy marriage with Alma Schindler, a woman twenty years younger, and his presumed (but undoubtedly fictitious) couch sessions with Sigmund Freud to sort out his emotional problems, was definitely the class film of the Los Angeles Film Festival. This was a world Premiere scoop leverage...

            Festival director Rebecca Yeldham, actress Melissa Leo, actress Gena Rowlands, L...

         Actress Kristen Stewart arrives to the premiere of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse at Nokia The...

The Global Film Village: DAVID ANSEN, Artistic director of the LA film festival shares his insights todayDAVID ANSEN, Artistic director of the LA film festivalby Marla LewinI just got off the phone with David Ansen, who I have known from the festival circuit, as well as I must admit we are neighbors. Through the years I loved reading his Newsweek reviews, as he is so highly regarded as one of Americas top film critics. It was an honor to speak with him today in his new position.Marla: So David...

DAVID ANSEN, Artistic director of the LA film festival by Marla Lewin I just got off the phone with David Ansen, who I have known from the festival circuit, as well as I must admit we are neighbors.  Through the years I loved reading his Newsweek reviews, as he is so highly regarded as one of Americas top film critics.  It was an honor to speak with him today in his new position. Marla: So David, I remember last year you were on the Jury of the LA film festival, and w...

Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced today that esteemed Newsweek film critic David Ansen is joining the organization as Artistic Director of the 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival.   Senior Programmer Doug Jones has been promoted to Associate Director of Programming for the Los Angeles Film Festival. "As a consummate movie lover, David is one of the finest critics thinking, watching, and writin...

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. The Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by The Los Angeles Times, ran from Thursday, June 18 to Sunday, June 28. “One of our goals at Film Independent is to help filmmakers build an audience for their work, and the Los Angeles Film Festival does just that,” said Film I...

Industry Editor Sandy Mandelberger sat down with veteran documentary filmmaker Kirby Dick, whose lastest film, THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED, is one of the most talked about at the Festival. The film is an eye-opening investigation into the secret works of the Motion Picture Association of America, the official ratings board for films that are released in theaters. THIS FILM IS NOT RATED features spectacular (and sometimes spectacularly funny) interviews with such prestigious filmmakers as John Wat...