IN THE CITY OF ANGELS, THE LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL FLIES AGAINThe Los Angeles Film Festival took wing with an ideal opener, the North American premiere of David Jacobson’s Down In The Valley at the Cinerama Dome, Hollywood on Thursday, June 16. With an excellent cast and strong performances, the film captures the valley’s famous slackness with an apt tobacco-stained tanginess. Nocturnal images of snaking highways act as rivers of light isolating valley dwellers from the world and, as in th...

At yhe upcoming Los Angeles Film Festival (June 16 – June 26) George Clooney will receive the inaugural Spirit of Independence Award, and the Festival premier sponsor has increased the cash prize of the Target Documentary Award to an unrestricted grant of $50,000. On Saturday, May 14, the festival will celebrate these announcements at the 2005 Festival de Cannes on the Budweiser Yacht from 8:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. The Spirit of Independence Award will be given to Clooney at a special event on J...

FULL PROGRAM LINE-UPDirector of Programming Rachel Rosen joined Festival Director Rich Raddon in announcing the full program line-up for the 2005 Los Angeles Film Festival (June 16-26), including the Centerpiece Premiere, the Guest Director, the Artist in Residence, and the Closing Night Film. The Festival also announced that Don Cheadle, Lisa Kudrow, and Elijah Wood will serve as Honorary Festival Chairs for the 2005 Los Angeles Film Festival. “We are thrilled to be highlighting two films ...

Questions and Answers with Thierry Frémaux Cannes Festival Managing Director and Artistic Director.Cannes May 11-21, 2005 - What makes up the Official Selection?As it does every year, the Official Selection of the Festival de Cannes 2005 comprises the Compétition, Un Certain Regard, Hors Compétition screenings, special screenings and midnight screenings. It also offers a short film competition and a film school competition (Cinéfondation). Cannes Classics is a selection of heritage films, sh...