Cannes Winners 2019

72nd Cannes Film Festival Winners

Palme d’Or: PARASITE - Bong Joon-ho

Grand Prix: ATLANTICS - Mati Diop

Jury Prize (tie): Les Misérables (Ladj Ly) and Bacurau (Kleber Mendonça Filho, Juliano Dornelles)

Best Actress: Emily Beecham - Little Joe

Best Actor: Antonio Banderas - Pain & Glory

Best Director: Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne - The Young Ahmed

Best Screenplay: Portrait of a Lady on Fire - Céline Sciamma

Special Mention of the Jury: It Must Be Heaven - Elia Suleiman

Camera d’Or: Our Mothers - César Díaz

Golden Eye Documentary Prize: For Sama - Waad al-Khateab and Edward Watts

Ecumenical Jury Prize: Hidden Life - Terrence Malick

Palme d’Or (Short Film): The Distance Between Us and the Sky - Vasilis Kekatos

Special Mention of the Jury: Monstruo Dios - Agustina San

Queer Palm (Feature): Portrait of a Lady on Fire - Céline Sciamma

Queer Palm (Short): The Distance Between Us and the Sky - Vasilis Kekatos

UN CERTAIN REGARD

Un Certain Regard Award: The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão - Karim Aïnouz
Jury Prize: Fire Will Come (O Que Arde) - Oliver Laxe
Best Director: Kantemir Balagov - Beanpole
Best Performance: Chiara Mastroianni - On a Magical Night
Special Jury Prize: Albert Serra - Liberté
Special Jury Mention: Joan of Arc - Bruno Dumont
Coup de Coeur Award: A Brother’s Love - Monia Chokri and The Climb - Michael Angelo Covino

DIRECTORS’ FORTNIGHT

Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers Prize: An Easy Girl - Rebecca Zlotowski
Europa Cinemas Label: Alice and the Mayor - Nicolas Parisier
Illy Short Film Award: Stay Awake, Be Ready - An Pham Thien

CRITICS’ WEEK

Nespresso Grand Prize: I Lost My Body - Jérémy Clapin
Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers Prize: César Díaz - Our Mothers
GAN Foundation Award for Distribution: The Jokers Films, French distributor for Vivarium by Lorcan Finnegan
Louis Roederer Foundation Rising Star Award: Ingvar E. Sigurðsson - A White, White Day
Leitz Cine Discovery Prize for Short Film: She Runs - Qiu Yang
Canal Plus Award for Short Film: Ikki Illa Meint - Andrias Høgenni

FIPRESCI

Competition: It Must Be Heaven - Elia Suleiman
Un Certain Regard: Beanpole - Kantemir Balagov
Directors’ Fortnight/Critics’ Week: The Lighthouse - Robert Eggers

CINÉFONDATION

First Prize: Mano a Mano - Louise Courvoisier
Second Prize: Hiéu - Richard Van
Third Prize — TIE: Ambience - Wisam Al Jafari and Duszyczka (The Little Soul) - Barbara Rupik

Hola México 2019

11th Hola México Film Festival
May 31 - June 8, 2019 - Regal L.A. Live - The Montalbán Hollywood

The largest Mexican Film Festival outside of Mexico that showcases the best feature films, documentaries, animations, and shorts produced in Mexico. 

Founded in 2008, Hola México Film Festival strives to highlight the best and brightest talents in Mexican cinema. The festival features high profile films in a festive atmosphere in conjunction with exclusive parties and outdoor concerts. 

Celebrating its 11^th year, Hola México Film Festival returns to Los Angeles from May 31 to June 8, offering film enthusiasts a chance to watch many beloved Mexican films and interact with the filmmakers and talents through special events and Q&A sessions. 

The following is the lineup of the films of the festival by category: 

GALAS & PARTIES & CONCERTS

• LAS NIÑAS BIEN (The Good Girls) - Opening Night Film followed by after-party at The Montalbán 

Surrounded by extravagant luxury, Sofía de Garay (Ilse Salas) lives in a dreamlike cloud of opulence in 1980s Mexico City. Her days are filled with lavish soirees, designer dresses, country-club tennis matches, and all the pleasures reserved for the upper crust. In this world, appearances are everything and friendships are only as strong as your financial status. However, when Mexico’s 1982 economic crisis hits her husband’s business hard, the elegant lifestyle Sofia is accustomed to falls to pieces right before her eyes. Soon, her arrogance turns into desperation, as she is forced to confront her new reality. It’s only in her infatuation with Spanish singer Julio Iglesias that Sofia finds solace from the unbearable turmoil. Director Alejandra Márquez Abella’s film is a sumptuous examination of the privileged few trapped in their artificial microcosm of hypocrisy, superficiality, and immense loneliness.

• RITA: EL DOCUMENTAL - Special Event followed by a concert by La Santa Sabina 30th Anniversary

Celebrating the life of rock star and activist Rita Guerrero, this intimate and music-fueled documentary by Arturo Diaz Santana captures the energy and artistry of a brilliant performer who was taken too soon. As the lead singer of famous band La Santa Sabina, Guerrero became a central figure in Mexico’s 90s rock scene and a fierce advocate for social justice who supported the Zapatista movement. Blending footage from her role as an entertainer that the audience came to love, with personal moments highlighting her off-stage personality, as well as interviews with those who were touched by her magic, the film honors her legacy but also serves a portrait of a woman who was  a fighter till the end. Adoring fans, as well as younger generations who will discover her for the first time, will enjoy this moving cinematic tribute.

• MIRREYES CONTRA GODINEZ - Closing Night Film followed by a performance by Sandra Echeverría

Genaro Rodríguez (Daniel Tovar), a young “godín” (a colloquial term that refers to low-level office workers), is a loyal employee of Kuri & Sons. His boss, Don Francisco Kuri, sees him like a son and trusts him completely with the business. However, circumstances change when Don Francisco dies and his real son, Santiago (Pablo Lyle), a spoiled “mirrey” (a term that refers to a young person from a wealthy family), decides to take over the company even if he has no skills to so. Afraid that Santiago and his fellow “mirreyes” will bankrupt the company he’s worked so hard to build, Genaro bands with the company’s other “godínez” to fight to keep their jobs. While being so intensely focused in their dispute, both groups lose sight of their real enemy, someone who is planning to destroy the company from within. This comedy by Chava Cartas explores class and power dynamics in Mexican society from a humorous and light-hearted point of view.

MX AHORA - MEXICO NOW

• LEONA

Going against her traditional Jewish family, Ariela (Naian González Norvind), a young woman from Mexico City, is secretly dating a non-Jew named Iván (Christian Vazquez). As the relationship deepens emotionally, Ariela realizes that her happiness doesn’t fit within the expectations of her community and their religious parameters. However, renouncing to her cultural identity would also mean leaving behind everyone in her life. Anchored by superb performances, this intimate and moving portrait of a forbidden love affair is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking. 

• OCHO DE CADA DIEZ (Eight Out of Ten)

Sergio Umansky’s fierce and psychologically complex drama explores the aftermath of a tragedy that evidences the rampant impunity and insecurity problem across Mexico. Chameleonic actor Noé Hernández shines as Aurelio, a man whose son was violently murdered in broad daylight. Searching for whoever was responsible, Aurelio meets Citlali (Daniela Schmidt) in a Mexico City hotel. She has also been unjustly separated from her child and wants to fight back. This shared struggle for justice forges a dangerous alliance between them. Soon, their desire for answers transforms into thirst for revenge.

• MUSEO

Gael García Bernal stars in the latest film from visionary director Alonso Ruizpalacios (“Güeros”) as Juan, a directionless man still living with his parents in Mexico City’s Satelite suburb and who has been planning an improbable heist to loot Mexico’s sacred National Museum of Anthropology. His best friend and accomplice, Benjamin (Leonardo Ortizgris), isn’t so sure that the outrageous scheme can work, but still plays along out of loyalty. In the aftermath of their criminal act, the two friends embark on a journey not just to pursue financial gain, but also for personal introspection through their failures and the singular characters they meet on the road. Inspired by true events, Ruizpalacios’ tragicomedy brilliantly dissects the value of irreplaceable art, the nature of patriotism, and the frustration of underachievers with great ambitions.

• CÓMPRAME UN REVÓLVER (Buy Me a Gun)

Set in an unspecified near-future version of Mexico, the new film by talented director Julio Hernández Cordón reinterprets the literary classic “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” as a dystopia where women are disappearing, and brutal cartels have complete control of the country.  In this dark world, a young girl named Huck (Matilde Hernandez), who wears a mask to hide her gender, helps her father, a tormented addict, take care of an abandoned baseball field where local narcos gather to play. To survive and defeat the local capo, Huck bands together with a group of lost boys that have learned to camouflage themselves in the windy desert. In their fight there may be hope for a better future.

• LA BODA DE MI MEJOR AMIGO (My Best Friend's Wedding)

This reimagining of the classic 90s romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz follows the same formula but with a Mexican twist. Actress Ana Serradilla plays Julia, a renowned food critic afraid of settling down. Despite her aversion for commitment, Julia and her best friend Manuel (Carlos Ferro) had promised to marry each other if they were both single by age 35. To her surprise, the time has come and Manuel is marrying another women. With only four days before the ceremony and certain that she is the only woman for him, Julia plans to stop the wedding at any cost.

• SI YO FUERA TÚ (If I Were You)

A new take on the body swap sub-genre, this hilarious comedy tells the story of Claudia (Sophie Alexander) and Antonio (Juan Manuel Bernal), a couple which has been married for 15 years. With time their relationship has turned lackluster and meaningful communication is nonexistent. One night, following a heated argument, the rare planetary alignment of Venus, Earth, and Mars causes a shocking transformation. Antonio’s consciousness if now in Claudia’s body and vice versa, which will give them an opportunity to empathize with the other person’s daily life and reconnect with each other. DIR Alejandro Lubezki. SCR. Alejandro Lubezki, Amaranta Arguelles, Miguel Necoechea, Beto Cohen. CAST Juan Manuel Bernal, Sophie Alexander-Katz, Sebastián Zurita, Rosa María Bianchi, Isela Vega, Anabel Ferreira.

• HUACHICOLERO (The Gasoline Thieves)

Lalo (Eduardo Banda), a teenager from a small town, has a crush on girl at school and decides the only way to win her heart is buying her an expensive smartphone. At the same time, his mother is in need of financial support to cover medical bills. In order to help and achieve his romantic goals, Lalo gets involved with the local huachicoleros (gasoline thieves), who enlist him to illegally siphon the fuel and resell it on the black market. What first appeared like a solution to his troubles proves to be a deadly bargain. His choices could land Lalo in the hands of the authorities or in a much worse situation. This stunning debut feature touching on a relevant issue positions filmmaker Edgar Nito as one of the most exciting new voices in Mexican cinema.

• DULCE FAMILIA 

A bittersweet comedy with a message of body positivity and acceptance, “Dulce Familia” follows five women from different generations all of whom have struggled with dieting, low self-esteem, eating disorders, and an insatiable sweet tooth. Talented baker Tami (a transformed Fernanda Castillo) is in a wonderful relationship with her loving fiancé (played by Vadhir Derbez), but others don’t think that’s enough. Ignoring her happiness, Tami’s family is adamant for her to lose weight before getting married. Feeling insecure and aching to please them, Tami submits herself to torturous regimens in order to fit in her mother’s wedding dress. Renowned actress Florinda Mesa (known for playing La Chilindrina and Doña Florinda) is Tami’s judgmental mother for whom superficial beauty carries more weight than personality. Regina Blandón and Paz Bascuñán appear as her equally critical sisters.

EL OTRO MÉXICO - THE OTHER MEXICO

• LA NEGRADA (Black Mexicans)

Shot entirely in small towns throughout Oaxaca’s gorgeous Costa Chica, this is the first Mexican fiction film to portray the country’s long-neglected black population. Director Jorge Pérez Solano hired local non-professional actors to tell the story of two women, Juana and Magdalena, who are romantically involved with the same man, Neri. Through its central love triangle, the sun-lit movie addresses the alienation and discrimination black Mexicans face within their own homeland.

• LA CAMARISTA (The Chambermaid)

Lila Avilés’ superbly acted directorial debut is an intimate look at the life of a housekeeper in a lavish Mexico City hotel. Despite her labor-intensive job, Eve (Gabriela Cartol), the film’s quiet heroine, is eager to pursue her ambitions for a better life. Even if constantly combating everyday perils, she decides to enroll in an adult education program and forms bonds with other women in her environment, both the working class and those from more affluent circles. “The Chambermaid” is an introspective journey alongside a woman stronger than her circumstances.

• EL OMBLIGO DE GUIE'DANI (Guie'dani's Navel)

Featuring a star-making performance by Sótera Cruz, a young actress who plays the title character, this unique coming-of-age narrative explores the racism encountered by indigenous people in Mexico. Guie’dani (Cruz) is a Zapotec teenager who moves to Mexico City with her mother to work as a housekeeper for an upper-middle-class family. There, their language is mocked, and psychological subjugation is inflicted. Yet, Guie’dani rejects the life of servitude and seeks her own identity through a friendship with another rebellious teen.

• NIEBLA DE CULPA (Mist of Guilt)

Starring Academy Award nominated actress Marina de Tavira (“Roma”), Francisco Laresgoiti’s searing feature comments on the abuse, lack of opportunities, and injustices afflicting people from disadvantaged backgrounds in Mexico, and the entitlement of the ruling class. Yolanda (Alma Moreno), an illiterate woman from a rural town in Michoacán, accepts a job in the capital taking care of a wealthy family’s infant child. Eventually, her lack of basic skills results in an unexpected tragedy. Visually, the poetic drama plays with black-and-white and color cinematography creating a contrast between chaos and tranquility.

DOCUMENTAL - DOCUMENTARY

• MAR DE SOMBRAS (Sea of Shadows)

Executive produced by Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio, this hard-hitting documentary follows environmental activists, the Mexican navy, and undercover investigators who are trying to save the vaquita, the world’s smallest whale, from extinction. The whale’s habitat is being destroyed at an alarming pace by Mexican cartels and the Chinese mafia, who harvest the swim bladder of the totoaba fish, also known as the “cocaine of the sea” for its high value. Featuring famed Mexican journalist Carlos Loret de Mola, the film bravely shines light on this illegal multi-million-dollar business.

• UN VIAJE EN TAXI (One Taxi Ride)

Unable to find emotional stability, Erick, a gay man living in Mexico City, must grapple with a harrowing incident that changed his life forever. A decade ago, on the night of his birthday, the then 17-year-old was sexually assaulted. Erick tried to move on with his life without going to the police, seeing a doctor, or finding any support groups, but it’s clear that the unresolved trauma is preventing him from having meaningful relationships with family and romantic interests. This observational and inspirational documentary captures the journey of this survivor as he faces his innermost fears in order to strive for happiness and a life worth living in spite of the terrible adversity he’s encountered.

• MAMACITA

Filmmaker José Pablo Estrada Torrescano fulfills his promise of making a documentary about his charismatic and demanding grandmother, Mamacita, in this loving and revelatory portrait of a self-made woman, her pride, and her many secrets. A savvy businesswoman who built an empire of beauty products and clinics, Mamacita is as warm as she is sternly direct. At 95, the strong-willed matriarch reminisces about her achievements and cries about her disappointments inside an extravagant home that hides many stories within its walls. Through the film, her grandson captures Mamacita in all her complexity and rediscovers their unbreakable bond.

NOCTURNO - NOCTURNAL

• FERAL

Told through videotape diaries and interviews, this terrifying vision centers on Juan Felipe de Jesús (Héctor Illanes), a priest and psychoanalyst in the Oaxacan mountains who in 1986 documented the process of reintegrating three feral children back into civilized society. However, when a mysteriously tragic fire halts the priest’s good intentions, many unanswered questions are left behind about what really happened in the inhospitable terrain. Only the locals know the dark truth. 

• INQUILINOS (The Tenants)

Running away from a devastating incident that haunts them, Luzma (Danny Perea) and Demián (Erick Elias), a young couple, move to an old apartment in Guadalajara to start over and save their relationship. Their desire for normalcy and tranquility are thwarted when they discover that a supernatural force inhabits their new home. Confronted with a series of paranormal phenomena involving their worst fears, the couple drifts further apart as the malevolent presence threatens to destroy them. 

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

• ROMA - Rooftop Screening at The Montalbán
• BELZEBUTH - Saturday Night Screening at the Regal L.A. Live

For more information and film schedule please visit HOLA MÉXICO

LAGFF 2019

13th Los Angeles Greek Film Festival
June 3-9 - UCLA - Egyptian Theatre - Hollywood

BRINGING GREEK FILM TO LOS ANGELES SINCE 2007

Monday, June 3 at 7:00 pm
Opening Night at UCLA, James Bridges Theater

THE RIGHT POCKET OF THE ROBE 

A lonely monk tries to manage the unbearable sadness and loneliness that suddenly and unexpectedly “return” when he loses his only companion. His dog. Extreme emotions will make him “converse” with his past, and due to this “humble”, for some, trigger, he will reposition his course and his life.

Born in Athens in 1958, Lapatas attended the School of Fine Arts and, at the same time, he attended History of Art, Theatre and Film seminars in Venice and in Bologna, Italy In 1980, he graduated from the Doxiadis School (Interior Design). In 1983, he graduated from the Directing department of The Hellenic Cinema and Television School Stavrakos.

* 2018 Thessaloniki TIFF – Youth Jury Awards, Best Feature Film Greece

Wednesday, June 5 at 7:00 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Rigler

MELTEM

July 2015. Elena, a young French woman of Greek origin returns to Lesbos with her friends Nassim and Sekou to inherit her mother’s house one year after her death. But the holiday takes a totally new course when Elena and her friends encounter Elyas, a Syrian migrant of their age.

Basile Doganis is a Greek-French director-screenwriter. After studying philosophy in Paris and Tokyo, he started making fiction films and documentaries. Meltem (2018) is his first feature film.

Thursday, June 6 at 6:15 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Rigler

PAUSE

In a desperate attempt to escape from the misery of a loveless marriage, Elpida finds refuge in a fantasy world of vindictive violence. Soon, reality and fantasy start to blur.

Tonia is a Cypriot filmmaker and producer who loves making films that deal with social and women’s issues. Member of the European Film Academy and the European Women’s Audiovisual Network, Berlinale Talents alumna, artistic director of Cyprus Film Days International Festival, served as vice president of the Directors Guild of Cyprus board.

* 2018 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
* 2018 Panorama of European Cinema – Best Film award by the Union of Film Critics of Greece
* 2019 Germany Emerging Filmmakers – Best Film Award
* 2018 Thessaloniki International Film Festival – FIPRESCI award for Best film and ERT award

Thursday, June 6 at 8:30 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Rigler

OLYMPIA

This revealing and unfiltered documentary follows the life and career of Academy Award-winning actress, Olympia Dukakis. This film deals with the struggles and pains surrounding identity and the roles. A deeply moving narrative explores not only Olympia’s rich and storied career  but also her struggle to find a sense of belonging between her American values and the values of her immigrant parents.

* 2019 Thessaloniki Documentary Festival
* 2019 Cleveland International Film Festival
* 2018 Doc New York City

Thursday, June 6 at 8:30 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Spielberg

EPIPHANY

Epiphany follows the story of Luka desperate to connect with her negligent father in a Greek sponge diving town in Florida. While also struggling in her relationship to her pill-addicted uncle, Luka befriends an older man and slowly uncovers her family’s mysterious past.

Koula Sossiadis Kazista worked in New York film production on many projects. She co-owns Monster Remotes, a specialized film equipment rental company. With Katina Sossiadis wrote and co-directed the short film Lynn’s Wake. Katina also completed a documentary Virgins of New York. A college film professor, Katina directed her first play in 2016 and was an Associate Producer on a feature film.

* 2019 Sarasota Film Festival
* 2019 Sunscreen Film Festival

Friday, June 7 at 5:30 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Rigler

BACK TO THE TOP

Leonidas, a 33-year old punk rock paraplegic and his friends plan to climb on the highest peak of Mount Olympus. For whom is it going to be more difficult?

Stratis Chatzielenoudas was born in Athens and studied drawing, painting and Electrical Engineering in Technological Institute of Larissa. He has been working in the film industry since 2006 as Assistant Director and Casting Director. He has directed commercials, short films, documentaries, and TV shows. His films have been nominated in many international film festivals.

* 2018 Thessaloniki Documentary Festival – Audience Award, ERT Award
* 2018 International Documentary Festival of Ierapetra
* 2018 Athens International Film Festival

Friday, June 7 at 7:45 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Spielberg

½ NEW YEAR

An ensemble dramedy, about a group of friends who celebrate 6 months into a year with a big party. Last year, relationships were tested and truths were revealed that would forever change the way this fun-loving group sees the world and each other. This year, pieces are still being picked up as the group bands together to wish one of their own a farewell, as he prepares to move cross-country.

Tom has been involved in film, television, and theater for over a decade. His career began at Clark University earning a B.A. in Film and Technical Theater. He’s designed lighting for dozens of plays including an entry in the Dublin Fringe Festival.

* 2019 Hoboken Film Festival in Greenwood Lake
* 2019 Vero Beach Film Festival Florida

Friday, June 7 at 8:00 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Rigler

CLIFFS OF FREEDOM

The story of an ill-fated romance between a young Greek village girl and a conflicted Turkish officer during the dawn of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire in 1821.

Friday, June 7 at 9:00 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Spielberg

HOLY BOOM

Multiple storylines take place in a multicultural area of Athens during Orthodox Easter. The lives of four strangers, who live in the same neighborhood, change dramatically when, on Palm Sunday, the neighborhood’s postbox is blasted just for laughs. The consequences are relentless while Thalia watches everyone in the neighborhood, having lost her only chance to find happiness.

Maria Lafi studied Photography and Audiovisual Arts at Technological Educational Institute of Athens and Film Direction at Hellenic Cinema and Television School of Stavrakos in Athens. Now she studies Master of Arts in Video Production, Audiovisual Media and Motion Graphics at West Attica University. “Holy Boom” is her first feature film.

* 2019 Festival International Du Film De Fes Morocco – Grand Prix
* 2019  Aswan International Women Film Festival – Best Screenplay Award & 1st Actress Award
* 2019  II Festival de cine Chipriota y Griego en Barcelona, Spain – Best Film & Audience Award
* 2018 Thessaloniki International Film Festival – Greek Films Greece
* 2018 Tirana International Film Festival  – Best Balkan Film
* 2018 Festival de Cine de Zaragoza Spain –  Best Feature Film

Saturday, June 8 at 1:00 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Rigler

THE MOUNTAIN TEARS

The tears of the mountain’ follows the odyssey of a company of stonemasons during the troublesome first years of the previous century. Driven away from their land, with war at their heels, cut off by winter, they will perish one by one. Only Markos, the master of the builders, will keep going, like a modern Ulysses, relentless in his quest.

Born in Athens in 1956, Stelios Charalampoloulos studied economics and film in Greece, followed by post-graduate studies in Paris. He was the publisher of the art magazine Graphi. He has published a poetry collection as well.

Saturday, June 8 at  3:15 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Rigler

IN THIS LAND NOBODY KNEW HOW TO CRY

Something magical is happening in a small uncharted island, somewhere in the Aegean Sea: Two unsuspecting foreigners, a French member of the European Parliament and a young economist, arrive in idyllic Armenaki with a fishing boat and become acquainted with the bizarre lifestyle and subversive moral values of its people and let themselves get carried away by the vortex of love and this charming place that has the power to change people’s lives.

Giorgos Panousopoulos lives and works in Athens. He was the leading director of photography, working with various well known Greek directors. He directed his first film in 1967, which was subsequently censored by the Greek junta. Τill today he has directed 7 more feature films. Being a cinematographer, he has been director, producer, scriptwriter, DP and editor of some of his films.

* 2018 Montreal The World Film Festival
* 2018 Busan IFF World Panorama
* 2018 Athens Premier nights IFF
* 2018 Thessaloniki IFF

Saturday, June 8 at 5:45 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Rigler

STILL RIVER

Anna and Petros, a Greek couple living in Siberia, are shocked to learn that Anna is pregnant with no prior intercourse. With Petros looking for a logical explanation and Anna turning to the spiritual for answers, their previously unshakeable bond starts to falter and cracks begin to show. Set against the striking frozen landscapes of Siberia, “Still River” is a haunting, touching suspense drama about love, trust, and faith struggling in the face of doubt.

Angelos Frantzis was born in Athens and studied film direction at “INSAS” in Brussels. He has made 5 shorts and 5 feature films. His films have been screened and won awards at many international FF. Besides film directing, Angelos Frantzis has been involved in art projects and has worked as a film critic, and as a cinema teacher.

* 2019 Istanbul IFF
* 2018 Thessaloniki IFF
* 2018 Tallinn Black Nights IFF

Saturday, June 8 at 7:30 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Spielberg

LAMBDA PI

Lena Platonos, a Greek artist ahead of her time in terms of her groundbreaking work in electronica, is now receiving a surge of international attention. With the help of collaborators and international musicians of the electronic music scene such as Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip and the Red Axes, the film goes back to the time her revolutionary records were made.

Christos Petrou was born in Athens, Greece, where he studied cinema. Works as a director for commercials, music videos, TV, short films. He is currently is in pre-production of his first feature film, a musical.

Saturday, June 8 at 8:00 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Rigler

THE WAITER

Renos, a lonely professional waiter, sees his well-organized life routine changing after an unexpected series of events.

* 2019 Hellenic Academy Awards – Iris Award for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Music, Best Production Design
* 2019 Beijing Film Festival – Best Actor & Best Music Awards
* 2018 Thessaloniki IFF – Best Debut Director &  Best Locations Awards – Awards from the Greek Film Center

Saturday, June 8 at 9:15 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Spielberg

OBSCURO BARROCO 

Obscuro Barroco is a documentary-fiction about the dizzying heights of gender and metamorphosis. It is also a cinematographic homage to a land of extremes; the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Evangelia Kranioti is a Greek-born director and visual artist based in Paris, working with film, photography, and installations.

* 2018 Berlinale Berlin – Teddy Jury Award
* 2018 Guanajuato IFF, Mexico – Best International Documentary Feature
* 2018 ZineGoak, Spain – Best film KRAK Award
* 2018 Rio International Film Festival – FELIX  Award for Best Documentary Feature

AENIGMA (Animation Short)

Sunday, June 9 at 12:30 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Rigler

9 ANIMATION SHORTS

• Aenigma
• Chimera
• Forest Red
• From the Same Thread
• How Many Hugs?
• Inverse
• Maybe It's Me
• The Leaf of Poplar
• War and Trees

Sunday, June 9 at 2:00 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Rigler

KAZANTZAKIS

The true story of the greatest Greek author of the 20th century, Nikos Kazantzakis, based on his autobiography “Report to Greco”.

The award-winning director Ioannis Smaragdis has had a long-standing and creative career, counting many commercial and artistic successes in cinema and television.

* 2018 WorldFest Houston USA – Best Film, Best Leading Actor, Best Photography, Best Music
* 2018 EUFF Toronto, Canada
* 2018 Thessaloniki Film Festival

Sunday, June 9 at 2:30 pm
Egyptian Theatre - Spielberg

NOCTURNE

Once more the town faces a severe water shortage. The chosen one gets prepared for his journey to the cistern, a place that no resident has seen; a place that no emissary has ever returned from. Following the established order, a farewell reception has been organized before the departure.

* 2019 International Film Festival of Larissa – Special Mention for Art Direction
* 2019 Kinoki Film Festival
* 2018 Izmir International Short Film Festival

Sunday, June 9 at 6:00 pm
Closing Night at Egyptian Theatre - Rigler

HER JOB

Panayiota, a 37-year-old illiterate housewife, leads a quiet life with her family in a modest neighborhood in Athens, Greece. To cope with the recession, Panayiota for the first time in her life finds a job as a cleaner and breaks free from domestic monotony. Gradually gains the respect she never had from her family and face again her personal dead ends. But Panayiota cannot be the same anymore.

Nikos Labôt studied film direction in Athens, Greece. He has worked as an assistant director in feature and short films in Greece and France. He has shot music videos, 3 short films, and a creative documentary. Her Job is his first feature film as a director.

* 2019 Athens Iris Award for Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best First Film Director
* 2018 Toronto IFF
* 2018 Warsaw IFF – Best First Film Director.


For more information please visit LAGFF2019

Critics’ Week Cannes 2019

CANNES 2019 - 58e Semaine de la Critique

Félix Maritaud - Aurélie Lamachère

COMPETITION, FEATURE FILMS

About Lelia - Amin Sidi-Boumédiène
Land of Ashes - Sofía Quirós Ubeda
A White, White Day - Hlynur Pálmason
I Lost My Body - Jérémy Clapin
Our Mothers - César Diaz
The Unknown Saint - Alaa Eddine Aljem
Vivarium - Lorcan Finnegan


COMPETITION, SHORT FILMS

Party Day - Sofia Bost
The Trap - Nada Riyadh
Ikki Illa Meint - Andrias Høgenni
Journey Through a Body - Camille Degeye
Community Gardens - Vytautas Katkus
Lucia en el limbo - Valentina Maurel
The Manila Lover - Johanna Pyykko
Tuesday From 8 to 6 - Cecilia de Arce
She Runs - Qiu Yang
The Last Trip to the Seaside - Adi Voicu


OPENING FILM

Litigante - Franco Lolli


CLOSING FILM

Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains - Gu Xiaogang


SPECIAL SCREENINGS, FEATURE FILMS

Les héros ne meurent jamais (Heroes Don't Die) - Aude Léa Rapin
Tu mérites un amour (You Deserve a Love) - Hafsia Herzi

SPECIAL SCREENINGS, SHORT FILMS 

Demonic - Pia Borg
Naptha - Moin Hassain
Please Speak Continuously and Describe Your Experiences as They Come to You - Brandon Cronenberg
Invisible Hero - Cristèle Alves Meira
Tenzo - Katsuya Tomita

CANNES 2019

72nd CANNES International Film Festival MAY 14 - 25 

Poster Credit: “La Pointe courte”/Flore Maquin/Cannes

Competition - Palme d'Or

The Dead Don’t Die - Jim Jarmusch – Opening Film
Atlantique - Mati Diop
Bacurau (Nighthawk) - Kleber Mendonça Filho & Juliano Dornelles
Frankie - Ira Sachs
A Hidden Life - Terrence Malick
It Must Be Heaven - Elia Suleiman
Les Misérables - Ladj Ly
Little Joe - Jessica Hausner
Matthias and Maxime - Xavier Dolan
Oh Mercy! - Arnaud Desplechin
Parasite - Bong Joon-ho
Portrait of a Lady on Fire - Céline Sciamma
Sibyl - Justine Triet
Sorry We Missed You - Ken Loach
Pain and Glory - Pedro Almodóvar
The Traitor - Marco Bellocchio
La Gomera (The Whistler) - Corneliu Porumboiu
The Wild Goose Lake - Diao Yinan
The Young Ahmed - Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
Mektoub, My Love: Intermezzo - Abdellatif Kechiche
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - Quentin Tarantino

Un Certain Regard

Adam - Maryam Touzani
Dylda - Kantemir Balagov
A Brother’s Love - Monia Chokri
Bull - Annie Silverstein
The Climb - Michael Covino
Evge - Nariman Aliev
Liberté - Albert Serra
Invisible Life - Karim Aïnouz
Jeanne - Bruno Dumont
Room 212 - Christophe Honoré
Papicha - Mounia Meddour
Port Authority - Danielle Lessovitz
Summer of Changsha - Zu Feng
The Swallows of Kabul - Zabou Breitman & Eléa Gobé Mévellec
A Sun That Never Sets - Olivier Laxe
Zhuo Ren Mi Mi - Midi Z
Odnezhdy v Trubchevske - Larissa Sadilova
The Bears' Famous Invasion of Sicily - Lorenzo Mattotti


Out of competition

The Best Years of a Life - Claude Lelouch
Diego Maradona - Asif Kapadia
La Belle Époque - Nicolas Bedos
Rocketman - Dexter Fletcher
Too Old to Die Young – North of Hollywood, West of Hell - Nicolas Winding Refn (TV series)
The Specials (Hors normes) - Olivier Nakache & Éric Toledano - Closing Film


Midnight screenings

The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil - Lee Won-Tae
Lux Æterna - Gaspard Noé


Special screenings

Family Romance, LLC - Werner Herzog
For Sama - Waad Al Kateab & Edward Watts
Que Sea Ley - Juan Solanas
Share - Pippa Bianco
To Be Alive and Know It - Alain Cavalier
Tommaso - Abel Ferrara
Ice ob Fire - Leila Conners
5B - Dan Krauss
La Cordillera de los sueños - Patricio Guzmán
Chicuarotes - Gael García Bernal

LA Asian Pacific Film Festival 2019

35th Annual Asian Pacific Film Festival
MAY 2-10, 2019 - Little Tokyo - L.A. Live - West Hollywood

This year’s Festival kicks off with the World Premiere of YELLOW ROSE, written and directed  by first time feature female filmmaker Diane Paragas. The film stars Tony Award nominee Eva Noblezada, Tony Award winning actress and Grammy nominee Lea Salonga, country music star Dale Watson, Liam Booth, Gustavo Gomez (“The Walking Dead”), Libby Villari (“Boyhood”), and Princess Punzalan (“Mula Sa Puso”), and features original songs written by Watson, Paragas, Noblezada and cast.

YELLOW ROSE tells the story of a headstrong Filipino girl, from a small Texas town, fighting to pursue her country music dreams while facing the threat of deportation.

YELLOW ROSE

The Festival Centerpiece Presentations features two outstanding films: GO BACK TO CHINA and MS. PURPLE from two rising Asian Pacific American filmmaking voices.  GO BACK TO CHINA, directed and written by EMILY TING, is Ting’s second feature film which recently had its World Premiere at SXSW.  Justin Chon returns to LAAPFF after his award-winning film GOOK screened in 2017, with his latest directorial and co-written feature, MS. PURPLE.  The film gathered critical and audience accolades at this year’s Sundance Film Festival where it world premiered.

GO BACK TO CHINA -  A semi-autobiographical film following spoiled rich girl Sasha Li (Anna Akana), who after blowing through most of her trust fund, is forced by her father (Richard Ng) to go back to China and work for the family toy business. What begins simply as a way to regain financial support soon develops into a life altering journey of self discovery, as Sasha discovers her passion for toy designing and learns to reconnect with her estranged family.  A bittersweet portrait of a fractured family, the film also offers an honest look at the human cost of things that are made in China.

MS. PURPLE

MS. PURPLE - Partially taking place in the dark karaoke rooms of Los Angeles’s Koreatown stripmalls, Kasie (Tiffany Chu) works as a doumi girl - a young hostess paid to cater to rich businessmen’s capricious whims. As she struggles to hide her sorrow through soju and MDMA-fueled nights, her mind is focused on one thing: earning enough tips to continue providing for her bedridden father. When her father’s caretaker unexpectedly quits, Kasie seeks help from her estranged brother, and the siblings are forced to reconnect and reconcile the suppressed trauma that led to their separation.

Both CENTERPIECE FILMS will be presented on Saturday, May 4th at the Aratani Theatre at the JACCC in Little Tokyo - Downtown Los Angeles with filmmakers and cast in attendance. 

EMPTY BY DESIGN

The Festival’s Closing Night film features the World Premiere of EMPTY BY DESIGN, written and directed by Andrea A. Walter. For the first time in the history of the Festival, LAAPFF will open and close with feature films written and directed by Asian Pacific American female filmmakers and as world premieres.

EMPTY BY DESIGN tells the story of Samantha (Rhian Ramos), who moves back home to Manila from the US after a loss in her family, and Eric (Osric Chau) who also travels back for a job.  Both ex-patriates find themselves struggling with their new identities.  Despite the disconnection to their culture, they find a sense of place by confiding in each other and eventually discover what they have long been looking for. The film also stars Chris Pang (CRAZY RICH ASIANS), Dante Basco (HOOK ), Desmond Chiam (NOW APOCALYPSE), Yoshi Sudarso (POWER RANGERS: NINJA STEEL), and Madeleine Humphries (THE STEPDAUGHTERS). The film is produced by Chau, Pang, and Basco.

LAAPFF kicks off the celebration of Asian Pacific Heritage Month through this year’s slate of over 200 films (shorts and features)  from both Asian Pacific American and Asian international artists. In addition, this year’s selections marks a milestone with 24 female directors - both documentary and narrative feature films. For over three and a half decades, the Festival has presented close to 4,000 films by Asian Pacific American and Asian international talent. This year,  the Festival will also feature over a dozen films from local Southern California filmmakers.

COMPETITION FILMS

LAAPFF presents Grand Jury Awards for Outstanding Asian Pacific International Documentary and Narrative features.  This year’s competition is as follows:

DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION - INTERNATIONAL

●FOR MY FATHER’S KINGDOM - Directed by Vea Mafile'o, Jeremiah Tauamiti (New Zealand)
●FOR SAMA - Directed by Waab Al-Kateab, Edward Watts (UK, USA, SYRIA)
●MERATA: HOW MUM DECOLONIZED THE SCREEN - Directed by Heperi Mita (New Zealand)
●LAST NIGHT I SAW YOU SMILING -Directed by Kavich Neang (Cambodia)
●OUR TIME MACHINE - Directed by S. Leo Chiang, Yang Sun (China)

NARRATIVE COMPETITION - INTERNATIONAL

●CITIES OF LAST THINGS -Directed by Wi Ding Ho (Taiwan, China, France)
●EERIE - Directed by Mikhail Red (Philippines, Singapore)
●HOUSE OF HUMMINGBIRD - Directed by Bora Kim (South Korea)
●LONG TIME NO SEA - Directed by Heather Tsui (Taiwan)
●SONG LANG - Directed by Leon Le (Vietnam)
●VAI - Directed by Becs Arahanga, Amberley Jo Aumua, Matasila Freshwater, Dianna Fuemana, Miria George, Ofa Guttenbeil, Marina McCartney, Nicole Whippy, Sharon Whippy (New Zealand)

Films from North America are eligible for the Grand Jury Awards for Outstanding Asian Pacific American documentary and narrative features. The competition jury will be announced later in April. These competition films are:

NARRATIVE COMPETITION - NORTH AMERICA

●ANJING (THE DOGS) - Directed by Dean Yamada
●COME AS YOU ARE - Directed by Richard Wong
●EMPTY BY DESIGN - Directed by Andrea A. Walter
●GO BACK TO CHINA -Directed by Emily Ting
●HAPPY CLEANERS - Directed by Julian Kim, Peter S. Lee
●IN A NEW YORK MINUTE - Directed by Ximan “Mandy” Li
●MS. PURPLE - Directed by Justin Chon
●NORMAL. - Directed by Mragendra Singh
●PLUS ONE - Directed by Jeff Chan, Andrew Rhymer
●YELLOW ROSE - Directed by Diane Paragas

DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION - NORTH AMERICA

●A WOMAN’S WORK: THE NFL’S CHEERLEADER PROBLEM - Directed by Yu Gu
●EATING UP EASTER - Directed by Sergio M. Rapu
●JADDOLAND - Directed by Nadia Shihab
●JOURNEY TO IFUGAO - Directed by Nicanor Evangelista Jr.
●MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN. ONE PEOPLE. ONE CANOE. - Directed by Na’alehu Anthony
●NO DATA PLAN - Directed by Miko Revereza
●ORIGIN STORY - Directed by Kulap Vilaysack
●SEADRIFT - Directed by Tim Tsai

SHORT FILMS/ACADEMY AWARD® QUALIFYING

LAAPFF is proud to be an Academy Award®-qualifying festival for the Short Film Awards.  Recipients of the Film Festival’s qualifying awards will be eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film/Live Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards^® without standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules.  With over 60 eligible films, recipient(s) of LAAPFF’s Golden Reel Award for Narrative/Animated Short Film will be eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film/Live Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards®. Additionally, the Film Festival grants a Golden Reel Award for Excellence in Documentary Short Films.


SPECIAL PRESENTATION

OMENG SATANASIA (ABS-CBN Film Restoration) - The restored 1977 cult classic of Philippine Cinema starring the late "King of Comedy," Dolphy, in his award winning, multi-role performance.  A Faustian tale told with equal parts campy surreal fantasy, touching melodrama, and Dolphy's trademark comic mastery.  Directed with exuberant experimentation by then first time director Frank Gray Jr.

OMENG SATANASIA

A TRIBUTE TO ELIZABETH SUNG -  A collection of short films directed by and starring the late award winning actress/filmmaker/community supporter Elizabeth Sung.

Even as she was hard at work carving out a career on both the big and small screen, Elizabeth Sung (1954-2018) actively sought opportunities to transcend her one-dimensional persona as an actress, the better to become an all-encompassing artist and auteur. From her early work with future acting colleagues and an extended career on daytime network soap operas, a pivotal invitation to the American Film Institute’s Directing Workshop for Women set the stage for Elizabeth’s development into a multi-hyphenate artist: as actor, director; writer, producer, and even mentor. In this special tribute program, we recognize Elizabeth’s wide-ranging career and, in particular, her impact on generations of Asian Pacific American cinematic and performing talents who would follow her.

SPOTLIGHT ON TAIWAN

As part of an ongoing partnership with the Taiwan Academy of Los Angeles and the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan, LAAPFF will once again screen films highlighting the best in Taiwanese cinema that display the country’s rich culture and history that have shaped the island nation into one of the most dynamic countries in the Asia-Pacific Rim. This year, LAAPFF is honored to present two feature films in the SPOTLIGHT ON TAIWAN section, both films winning prestigious Golden Horse Awards for their actors - first time feature director/ writer Heather Tsui’s LONG TIME NO SEA and CITIES OF LAST THINGS directed by Wi Ding Ho.

LONG TIME NO SEA - Ethnography and entertainment are neatly mixed in LONG TIME NO SEA, an uplifting drama set among the indigenous Tao community from Orchid Island in Taiwan. Based on life experiences of first-time feature writer-director Heather Tsui (also known as Tsui Yung-hui), this tale of a newbie teacher from the city who prepares students for a dance competition is sweet without ever getting sticky, and sends strong but never-didactic messages about the need to preserve traditional cultures and languages.

CITIES OF LAST THINGS - Spanning generations, CITIES OF LAST THINGS builds a searing portrait of societal and political change through the lens of an emotional drama. Reminiscent of the early work of Wong Kar-wai, it finds its heartbeat in the pulse-pounding rhythm of the underbelly of the unnamed city. Through his seamless blending of genres, from sci-fi to noir to romance, the Malaysian-born Ho commandingly employs cinematic language as a tool to discuss the root of our collective sadness, which is perhaps the very thing that makes us human. SPOTLIGHT ON TAIWAN films will be presented on Monday, May 6th at Regal L.A. LIVE.

VC 50: PING PONG PLAYA (RETRO) - SCREENING AND CONVERSATION WITH JESSICA YU

In a nearly three-decade career distinguished by an impressive portfolio of non-fiction features and shorts, Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Jessica Yu has rarely attempted narrative films. No doubt, the thinking goes, her incisively-essayed portraits of real people living on the margins of society/community/reality have provided a wealth of stories that greatly mitigate the need for Jessica to ever have to extend into the narrative format. Yet, on those rare occasions that she has dipped her toes into narrative filmmaking, Yu has struck pure gold. PING PONG PLAYA (2007), a splashy feature produced in collaboration with Cherry Sky Films and co-written and starring Jimmy Tsai, allowed Yu to display a wry left-of-center sense of humor previously unknown to anyone outside of her circle of friends. Populated with an esteemed group of Asian Pacific American acting talents (Jim Lau, Roger Fan, Elizabeth Sung, Smith Cho) in a total send-up of San Gabriel Valley sports culture, PING PONG PLAYA both lampooned and honored the concept of family and community, and established director Yu's unique talents for narrative storytelling.  This screening will take place on Thursday, May 9th at 8PM at Regal L.A. LIVE.

The Festival is proud to be partnering with the following screening venues across Los Angeles and Southern California: 

●341 FSN: 341 E 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
●Aratani Theatre @ JACCC – Little Tokyo (DTLA): 244 S San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
●Aratani Central Hall at JANM (Japanese American National Museum): 100 N Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012
●Tateuchi Democracy Forum @ National Center for the Preservation of Democracy: 111 N Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012
●Downtown Independent – Downtown L.A. (DTLA): 251 S Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
●Pacific Design Center: 8687 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069
●Regal L.A. LIVE: A Barco Innovation Center: 1000 W Olympic Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90015

For program information please visit LAAPFF2019

EATING UP EASTER