Downtown Film Festival begins tomorrow in Los Angeles

Downtown Film Festival L.A. runs from August 12-22.

The Festival runs from August 12-22 at various theaters in Downtown Los Angeles. Here’s a quick rundown of a few films that have caught my eye, the entire film series can be viewed here.

Commit. Two strangers meet at a coffee shop for what seems like a blind date. But as the conversation progresses, it becomes clear that this couple, who have never seen each other face to face and who met on the Internet, have actually formed a suicide pact. Problems arise when the couple realizes that they may have finally found something worth living for. Comprised of three continuous takes—one take for each act—and shot over the course of two days, Mickey Blaine manages to keep the film exciting and unnerving, with sharp and witty dialogue and dark humor. The two lead performances are flawless. This film will be shown Tues. August 18^th at the AT&T Center.

 

In the Drink. A bartender and a longtime customer struggle to keep their beloved dive bar from perishing in a modern world. A young hipster strolls in representing the potential downfall. To keep the dogs at bay the two older men regale the youngster with three stories of tragic, darkly humorous and mythological proportions and have an added story as told by a gardener who walks in to get himself high as hell. The stories are wild, imaginative and just awkward enough to send the young man back into his world of Starbucks and Facebook. Writer-director Richard Sears weaves these tales together like a great collection of Los Angeles short stories by Raymond Carver or Charles Bukowski (in fact, one of the stories is an adaptation of Bukowski’s short story “An Evil Town”). This film will be shown Mon. August 17^th at 7:30pm at the AT&T Center.

 

Junkie Nurse (aka Boppin’ at the Glue Factory). Eric LaBudde (Henry Dittman) is a junkie nurse who finds himself caring for the old folks at the St. Joseph’s Convalescent Home. He strikes up an unlikely alliance with a surly jazz saxophonist Tharin Sanders (Conrad Roberts). They enable each other through drugs and the illusion of freedom. This darkly humorous tale waxes on about growing old, dying, poor elderly care and the joys of narcotic abuse without ever sermonizing or proselytizing. Writer-director Jeff Orgill creates an amazing head space that jostles between a druggy slur and a jazzy be-bop bounce. This film will be shown on Sun. August 16^th at 7pm at the AT&T Center.

 

What’s great about the festival is that there are amazing special events that guests can attend in addition to the films. On Thursday, August 13^th, the Festival is holding a night attributed to the late Paul Newman. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Hud are both being shown to audiences for free. There will also be a music documentary series featuring Johnny Cash’s performance at Folsom State Prison on August 18^th and a Jackson 5 documentary from Africa originally made in 1974 and never broadcasted in the U.S., both of which will screen at the Grammy Museum.

 

Tickets must be purchased for each individual show. Schedule, film descriptions and venue information can be obtained through the Festival’s official web site. The Festival is a great opportunity to get out and see some great film in one of the most historical areas of the City of Angels. Below, you will find the Festival's trailer for a sneak peak of what you can expect.