Los Angeles Film Festival 2015 Official Trailer

The 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival produced by Film Independent features a line up of International cinema and embraces diversity, innovation and unique perspectives.

We already knew that Lily Tomlin’s Grandma will open the Los Angeles Film Festival, and now we have the full schedule. The 21st annual event has chosen 30 pics to battle it out in the U.S. Fiction, Documentary and World Documentary competitions, 18 of which are world premieres. The program includes 74 features, 60 shorts and 50-plus new-media works from nearly three dozen countries. New to the fest this year are the U.S. Fiction and World Fiction competitions and Launch section.

“Aligned with Film Independent’s mission, our curatorial focus at the Los Angeles Film Festival this year was to create a program of vibrant and diverse stories and storytellers who exhibit true and singular voices,” said Roya Rastegar, Associate Director of Programming. “We saw thousands of submissions and chose films with unique perspectives that take a risk in whatever story they tell. This year’s films range from micro-budgets to large-scale productions, by first-time directors and widely celebrated veterans. They each hold their own by projecting a distinct way of seeing the world.”

Produced by Film Independent, LAFF is set for June 10-18 at downtown’s L.A. Live. Here’s the full lineup of films and events:

US Fiction Competition (10)

Original voices with distinct visions from emerging and established American independent filmmakers.

3^rd Street Blackout, dir. Negin Farsad, Jeremy Redleaf, USA, World Premiere

A Country Called Home, dir. Anna Axster, USA, World Premiere

Bastards Y Diablos, dir. A.D. Freese, USA/Colombia, World Premiere

The Girl in the Book, dir. Marya Cohn, USA, World Premiere

How He Fell in Love, dir. Marc Meyers, USA, World Premiere

It’s Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong, dir. Emily Ting, USA, World Premiere

Mekko, dir. Sterlin Harjo, USA, World Premiere

Out of My Hand, dir. Takeshi Fukunaga, USA/Liberia, N. American Premiere

Puerto Ricans in Paris, dir. Ian Edelman, USA/France/Czech Republic,World Premiere

Too Late, dir. Dennis Hauck, USA, World Premiere

Documentary Competition (12) Sponsored by Netflix and Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television.

Compelling, character-driven non-fiction films from the U.S. and around the world.

A New High, dir. Samuel Miron, Stephen Scarpulla, USA, World Premiere

The Babuskhas of Chernobyl, dir. Holly Morris, USA/Ukraine, World Premiere

Be Here Now (The Andy Whitfield Story), dir. Lilibet Foster, USA/Australia, World Premiere

Catching the Sun, dir. Shalini Kantayya, USA, World Premiere

In a Perfect World, dir. Daphne McWilliams, USA, World Premiere

Incorruptible, dir. Chai Vasarhelyi, Senegal/USA, International Premiere

Love Between the Covers, dir. Laurie Kahn, USA, U.S. Premiere

Maiko: Dancing Child, dir. Åse Svenheim Drivenes, Japan/Norway, World Premiere

Missing People, dir. David Shapiro, USA, U.S. Premiere

My Love, Don’t Cross That River, dir. Mo-Young Jin, South Korea, U.S. Premiere

Oriented, dir. Jake Winternitz, UK/Palestine/Israel, International Premiere

Treasure; From Tragedy to Trans Justice, Mapping a Detroit Story, dir. dream hampton, USA, World Premiere

World Fiction Competition (8)

Unique fiction films from around the world from emerging and established filmmakers, especially curated for LA audiences.

Atomic Heart, dir. Ali Ahmadzadeh, Iran, North American Premiere

Ayanda and the Mechanic, dir. Sara Blecher, South Africa, World Premiere

Elvira, Te Daria Mi Vida Pero La Estoy Usando (Elvira, I’d Give You My Life But I’m Using It), dir. Manolo Caro, Mexico, International Premiere

Flocking (Flocken), dir. Baeta Gardeler, Sweden, North American Premiere

Las Malas Lenguas (Sweet and Vicious), dir. Juan Paolo Arias, Colombia,World Premiere

A Midsummer’s Fantasia, dir. Jang Kun-Jae, South Korea/Japan, U.S. Premiere

Sin Alas (Without Wings), dir. Ben Chace, Cuba, International Premiere

White Moss (Belyy Yagel), dir. Vladimir Tumaev, Russian Federation,International Premiere

Short Films (60): From over 3,000 submissions, the short films selected represent 15 countries, and 50% are directed by women. Short films are shown before features and as part of six short film programs. Shorts will compete for juried prizes for fiction and documentary shorts, as well as an Audience Award for Best Short Film.

Future Filmmakers Showcase: High School Shorts (27): The Los Angeles Film Festival’s Future Filmmaker Showcase brings to the big screen the best films made by budding young filmmakers from across the country and the globe. In this diverse slate of films, incredibly accomplished high school students will present wild comedies, moving dramas, mesmerizing animation, introspective experimental films and everything in between. Program funded by Lisa Argyros/Argyros Family Foundation, Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television and Time Warner Foundation.

Launch (50+)

Independent storytelling crafted through digital media, including music videos, web series, podcasts, interactive games and digital activism shorts.

Making Cool Sh*t: The Music Videos of OK Go (10)

Equally comfortable with filmmaking and songwriting through with visual art and rock concerts, OK Go have bridged art forms that used to be considered distinct. This showcase of their music videos will be followed by an extended talk with frontman and director Damian Kulash.

Episodes: Indie Series from the Web (13)

A showcase of independently crafted web series, celebrating rising show creators whose work is innovative and unfiltered.

Movies For Your Ears: Making Picture-less Films (1)

Creator Jonathan Mitchell explores his podcast The Truth, which showcases crafted, colorful and diverse works of short fiction that are at once cinematic and musical.

Interactive Storytelling: IndieCade Gaming Favorites (9)

Innovation and artistry in interactive media is showcased through a collection of rich, diverse, and culturally significant games on custom gaming PCs provided by Dell Computers.

#BlackLifeBlackProtest (5)

Bridging content creations and social justice issues, this curated selection of socially relevant short films precedes a public dialogue among noted artists, activists and educators.

JASH Presents: An Evening of Buh Comedy

An intimate evening with comedy luminaries screening unreleased videos of their creation along with favorite inspiring videos of their choice. Hosted by Dead Kevin, guests include Doug Lussenhop, Henry Phillips, and more.

Funny or Die’s Make ‘Em LAFF Showcase

A live comedy showcase of today’s most diverse and original independent comedic voices, featuring comedians such as Beth Stelling, Solomon Georgio and Chris Garcia, with additional performers to be announced.

Previously announced Festival sections include Buzz, LA Muse, Nightfall and Zeitgeist. Three new titles have been added to Buzz and are listed below.

Buzz (13)

Los Angeles premieres of celebrated favorites from around the world.

JUST ANNOUNCED: Brand: A Second Coming, dir. Ondi Timoner, UK/USA

Chuck Norris vs Communism, dir. Illinca Calugareanu, UK/Romania/Germany

The Dark Horse, dir. James Napier Robertson, New Zealand

Diary of a Teenage Girl, dir. Marielle Heller, USA

In Football We Trust, dir. Tony Vainuku, co-dir. Erika Cohn, USA

Infinitely Polar Bear, dir. Maya Forbes, USA

JUST ANNOUNCED: Jimmy’s Hall, dir. Ken Loach, UK/Ireland/France

Manson Family Vacation, dir. J. Davis, USA

The Overnight, dir. Patrick Brice, USA

People, Places, Things, dir. James C. Strouse, USA

JUST ANNOUNCED: The Vanished Elephant, dir. Javier Fuentes León, Peru/Colombia/Spain

Victoria, dir. Sebastian Schipper, Germany

Sweet Micky for President, dir. Ben Patterson, Haiti/USA

LA Muse (10)

A competitive section of world premieres of fiction and documentary films that are quintessentially L.A.

A Beautiful Now, dir. Daniela Amavia, USA, World Premiere

Aram, Aram, dir. Christopher Chambers, USA, World Premiere

Can You Dig This, dir. Delila Vallot, USA, World Premiere

Day Out of Days, dir. Zoe R. Cassavetes, USA, World Premiere

The Drew: No Excuse, Just Produce, dir. Baron Davis, Chad Gordon, USA,World Premiere

The Escort, dir. Will Slocombe, USA, World Premiere

Flock of Dudes, dir. Bob Castrone, USA, World Premiere

French Dirty, dir. Wade Allain-Marcus & Jesse Allain-Marcus, USA, World Premiere

No Más Bebés (No More Babies), dir. Renee Tajima-Peña, USA, World Premiere

Weepah Way for Now, dir. Stephen Ringer, USA, World Premiere

Nightfall (8)

From the bizarre to the horrifying, these are films to watch after dark. Films premiering for the first time in the U.S. are nominated for the Nightfall Award.

Caught, dir. Maggie Kiley, USA, World Premiere

The Confines, dir. Eytan Rockaway, USA, World Premiere

Crumbs, dir. Miguel Llansó, Spain/Ethiopia/Finland, North American Premiere

Crush the Skull, dir. Viet Nguyen, USA, World Premiere

Dude Bro Party Massacre III, dir. Tomm Jacobsen, Michael Rousselet, Jon Salmon, USA, World Premiere

Plan Sexenal (Six Year Plan), dir. Santiago Cendejas, Mexico, North American Premiere

Ratter, dir. Branden Kramer, USA, LA Premiere

Shut In, dir. Adam Schindler, USA, World Premiere

Zeitgeist (6)

A competitive section of curated, World Premiere films that embody key trends in American independent filmmaking. 2015 captures hard knock, coming of age stories.

A Girl Like Grace, dir. Ty Hodges, USA, World Premiere
Band of Robbers, dir. Aaron Nee & Adam Nee, USA, World Premiere
In the Treetops, dir. Matthew Brown, USA, World Premiere
Manifest Destiny, dir. Michael Dwyer, Kaitlin McLaughlin, USA, World Premiere
Stealing Cars, dir. Bradley Kaplan, USA, World Premiere
What Lola Wants, dir. Rupert Glasson, USA, World Premiere