LA FILM FEST ‘07 | “Talk To Me” and “Sunshine” Bookend LA Fest; 19 Films Set for Competition

iw by Eugene Hernandez and Brian Brooks (May 8, 2007)
LA FILM FEST ‘07 | “Talk To Me” and “Sunshine” Bookend LA Fest; 19 Films Set for Competition
Don Cheadle in Kasi Lemmons' "Talk to Me." Photo provided by Focus Features

Kasi Lemmons’ “Talk To Me” will open Film Independent‘s 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival on June 21st. The film, from Focus Features, stars Don Cheadle, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cedric the Entertainer, Taraji P. Henson, Mike Epps, Martin Sheen and Film Independent’s Board of Directors president Vondie Curtis Hall. It is described as “the funny, dramatic, and inspiring real-life story of Ralph Waldo ‘Petey’ Greene (Cheadle), an outspoken ex-con who talked his way into becoming an iconic radio personality in the 1960s in Washington, D.C.  Lemmons, the secretary of FIND’s board, is also married to actor Vondie Curtis Hall. The festival will close on July 1 with Danny Boyle‘s “Sunshine” starring Rose Byrne, Cliff Curtis, Chris Evans, Troy Garity, Cillian Murphy, Hiroyuki Sanada, Mark Strong, Benedict Wong, and Michelle Yeoh. It is set fifty years in the future, when a crew of eight men and women are traveling into space to try and prevent the death of the sun.

Eight films will screen in the festival’s narrative competition and eleven films will show in the documentary competition.  Seven films in each section will have their world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival. A total of 230 features, shorts, and music videos are on tap for the 2007 festival, which takes place primarily in Westwood Village on the West Side of town.

“The 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival line-up includes films from all over the world, encompassing everything from cutting-edge independent dramas to goofball comedies,” said Rachel Rosen, Film Independent and Los Angeles Film Festival Director of Programming, in a statement, “Audiences will have a wealth of choices and many chances to interact with filmmakers and discover new talent.”

As previously announced, Clint Eastwood will receive the Spirit of Independence Award on Thursday, June 28, saluted by Tony Bennett, who is the subject of a new documentary executive produced by Eastwood. Also on the festival’s lineup are a Spotlight on Romanian Cinema, a roster of Summer previews featuring upcoming independent film releases, the Dark Wave section for genre work, a group of family friendly screenings, and other special events.

Los Angeles Film Festival Competition and Showcase Lineups (information provided by Film Independent):

Narrative Competition:
“August Evening,” directed by Chris Eska - World Premiere
“The Beautiful Ordinary,” directed by Jess Manafort - World Premiere
“How to Rob a Bank,” directed by Andrews Jenkins - World Premiere
“Kabluey,” directed by Scott Prendergast - World Premiere
“Liberty Kid,” directed by Ilya Chaiken - World Premiere
“Owl and the Sparrow,” directed by Stephane Gauger
“Severed Ways: The Norse Discovery of America,” directed by Tony Stone - World Premiere
“What We Do Is Secret,” directed by Rodger Grossman - World Premiere

Documentary Competition:
“Billy the Kid,” directed by Jennifer Venditti
“Cat Dancers,” directed by Harris Fishman
“Constantine’s Sword,” directed by Oren Jacoby - World Premiere
“The Cool School,” directed by Morgan Neville - World Premiere
“Join Us,” Ondi Timoner - World Premiere
“JUMP!,” directed by Helen Hood Scheer - World Premiere
“Prison Town, USA,” directed by Katie Galloway and Po Kutchins
“Resolved,” directed by Greg Whiteley - World Premiere
“Saint Death,” directed by Eva Aridjis - World Premiere
“Second Chance Season,” directed by Daniel H. Forer - World Premiere
“The Town That Was,” directed by Chris Perkel and Georgie Roland

International Showcase:
“Ad Lib Night,” directed by Lee Yoon-ki - South Korea
“Bajo Juarez, the city devouring its daughters,” directed by Alejandra Sanchez and Jose Antonio Cordero - Mexico
“Blame It on Fidel,” directed by Julie Gavras - France
“Build a Ship, Sail to Sadness,” directed by Laurin Federlein - England - North American Premiere
“The Champagne Spy,” directed by Nadav Schirman - Israel/Germany
“Copacabana,” directed by Martin Rejtman - Argentina - US Premiere
“The Elephant and the Sea,” directed by Woo Ming Jin - Malaysia
“Fireworks Wednesday,” directed by Asghar Farhadi - Iran (Facets Multimedia)
“Honor of the Knights,” directed by Albert Serra - Spain
“It’s Winter,” directed by Rafi Pitts - Iran
“Lady Chatterley,” directed by Pascale Ferran - Belgium/France (Kino International)
“Love for Sale,” directed by Karim Ainouz - Brazil/Germany/France/Portugal (Strand Releasing)
“My Best Friend,” directed by Patrice Leconte - France (IFC Films)
“Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation,” directed by Charles Burnett - Namibia
“On the Rumba River,” directed by Jacques Sarasin - France/Congo (First Run Features) - North American Premiere
“Pool of Princesses,” directed by Bettina Bluemner - Germany - North American Premiere
“Razzle Dazzle,” directed by Darren Ashton - Australia
“Salty Air,” directed by Alessandro Angelini - Italy
“Times and Winds,” directed by Reha Erdem - Turkey
“The Year After,” directed by Isabelle Czajka - France
“Young @ Heart,” directed by Stephen Walker - England - North American Premiere

posted on May 8, 2007
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