If you happened to be in Los Angeles in early November your timing couldn’t possibly be better especially if you are a connoisseur of cinema. Celebrating its 25th year making it the longest running film festival in LA, the American Film Institute’s annual AFI Fest is now running (from November 3 through 10, 2011). Kicking off the Hollywood awards season, the AFI Fest showcases both domestic and international films with daily screenings at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, the Mann Chinese 6 Theatres, and the Egyptian Theatre. Honored by the Hollywood Reporter as the best film school in the world, The American Film Institute’s mission is to “preserve the history of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work and to educate the next generation of storytellers” and all of those things find their expression in the film festival.
Several red-carpet gala screenings are planned throughout the film festival and Friday November 4, 2011 film-festival enthusiasts were treated to “The Lady.” French director Luc Besson known for action flicks tells the powerful compelling story of Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi played by Michelle Yeoh and her husband Michael Aris played by David Thewlis. Before entering the theatre Michelle Yeoh spoke to this writer briefly and said that she feels like she is on a campaign to increase public awareness of the political events taking place in Burma. David Thewlis once again finds himself playing an Englishman in love with an Asian woman (something similar took place in the film Seven Years in Tibet).
There are still plenty of activities planned for the film festival and the best part perhaps is that several screenings are free. For box office information, click here.
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