The 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by Film Independent in conjunction with Los Angeles Times will be hosted at L.A. Live in downtown LA from Thursday, June 14th to Sunday, June 24th. The LA Film Fest (LAFF) has now grown up into it’s 18th year of celebrating the best in new American and international cinema. The LAFF is recognized as a world-class event and this will be the 3rd year it will hosted by L.A. Live and located in the heart of LA.

This LAFF will be screening a diverse ticket of nearly 200 feature films, short films, and music videos, representing more than 30 countries from around the world. The event will feature their signature programs like the Filmmaker Retreat, Coffee Talks, Poolside Chats, music events and more. Opening night will feature Woody Allen’s To Rome With Love in addition Ava DuVernay’s Middle of Nowhere, Benh Zeitlin’s Beasts of the Southern Wild, and Lorene Scafaria’s Seeking a Friend for the End of the World were also selected to screen throughout the festival.

To Rome With Love

“There is nothing more satisfying than shining a spotlight on so many unique films from both seasoned and emerging filmmakers. Come experience the wonder of Beasts of the Southern Wild, let Call Me Kuchu break your heart and call you to action, or simply be entertained by Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey in Magic Mike,” said Festival Director Stephanie Allain. “These are just a few of the diverse stories that bring us into new worlds or put a fresh twist on familiar ones. ‘Exclusively for Everyone’ isn’t just a tag line. It’s an invitation to experience both the specific and the universal, and hopefully come away entertained and enlightened. Enjoy!”

Magic Mike

Closing night will feature the World Premiere of director Steven Soderbergh’s Magic Mike created by Warner Bros. Pictures and written by Reid Carolin. Stars in the cast include Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Alex Pettyfer, Matt Bomer, Riley Keough, Cody Horn, Olivia Munn, Kevin Nash, Adam Rodriguez, Joe Manganiello and Gabriel Iglesias. This movie is set in the world of male strippers. The dramatic comedy follows Mike (Tatum) as he takes a young dancer called The Kid (Pettyfer) under his wing and schools him in the fine arts of partying, picking up women and making easy money. Warner Bros. Pictures will release the film nationwide in theaters on Friday, June 29th, 2012.

People Like Us

Another anticipated World Premiere amongst the Summer Showcase screenings is director Alex Kurtzman’s People Like Us created by Dreamworks Pictures and written by Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Jody Lambert. Starring in this film is Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Wilde, Philip Baker Hall, Michael Hall D’Addario, Mark Duplass and Michelle Pfeiffer. A story inspired by true events, Sam (Pine), a twenty-something, fast-talking salesman, is tasked with fulfilling his estranged father’s last wishes, which is delivering an inheritance to a sister he never knew he had. Dreamworks Pictures will release the film in theaters on Friday, June 29th, 2012.

Woody Allen on To Rome With Love

“We’ve got a marvelous mix this year that reflects the incredible diversity of world cinema and of Los Angeles itself. I’m excited to have such giants as Woody Allen, Steven Soderbergh and André Téchiné alongside some amazing first-time filmmakers whose names you’ll be hearing a lot in the future. We want to offer festival-goers stories and visions they haven’t seen before and a chance to meet the most creative minds working in movies. It’s going to be a fun and mind-expanding ten days,” said Festival Artistic Director David Ansen.

Dirty Dancing 25th Anniversary

The LAFF will also feature free outdoor programming for fans to crowd around. In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the film Dirty Dancing there will be a Dance-A-Long at the California Plaza on June 22nd at 7:00 pm. This production is a cooperation with Dance Camera West and Grand Performances. Attendees may take a free salsa lesson by Contra-Tiempo. There will also be an interactive screening of the film with special guests and a shadow cast consisting of performers from local dance companies to dance on stage below the screening corresponding to key scenes.

The LAFF received 5,283 submissions from filmmakers around the world this year, compared to 5,025 submissions last year. From all these submissions the final selections represent 30 countries from around the world, North American and US premieres, which includes premiere status for films previously announced. There will be 19 premieres that are in the Narrative and Documentary Competition sections.

Make arrangements to attend this 10 day event. There are passes available for sale to Film Independent members and to the general public. The Festival passes give you access to screenings, events, a series of networking receptions and entry to the Filmmaker Lounge. This gives Festival pass holders opportunity to interact with Festival filmmakers and professionals in the film community at the Filmmaker Lounge.

LA Film Festival Information:

Beginning Tuesday, May 29th, general admission tickets to individual films go on sale. Contact the Ticket Office for passes, tickets and event information by calling (866) FILM-FEST, (866) 345-6337, or visit the official website at LAFilmFest.com.

This will be the seventh year the Los Angeles Times will be serving as the LAFF Presenting Media Sponsor. The LA Times will produce the Official Film Guide which is a comprehensive source for all movie information, screenings, locations and related special events. The Film Guide will be on top of their paper on Sunday, June 10th, in Los Angeles and Orange County, and will be made available throughout downtown Los Angeles during the 10 day event.

Films to be Featured at LAFF:

OPENING NIGHT:

To Rome With Love – (DIRECTOR/WRITER Woody Allen PRODUCERS Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum CAST Woody Allen, Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni, Penélope Cruz, Judy Davis, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig, Ellen Page) – Written and directed by Woody Allen, To Rome With Love is a story about a number of people in Italy — some American, some Italian, some residents, some visitors — and the romances and adventures and predicaments they get into. North American Premiere

CLOSING NIGHT:

Magic Mike – (DIRECTOR Steven Soderbergh PRODUCERS Reid Carolin, Gregory Jacobs, Channing Tatum, Nick Wechsler WRITER Reid Carolin CAST Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matthew McConaughey, Cody Horn, Olivia Munn, Matt Bomer, Riley Keough, Joe Manganiello, Kevin Nash, Adam Rodriguez, Gabriel Iglesias) – Set in the world of male strippers, the dramatic joefollows Mike (Tatum) as he takes a young dancer called The Kid (Pettyfer) under his wing and schools him in the fine arts of partying, picking up women, and making easy money. World Premiere

GALA SCREENINGS:

Beasts of the Southern Wild – (DIRECTOR Benh Zeitlin WRITERS Lucy Alibar, Benh Zeitlin PRODUCERS Michael Gottwald, Dan Janvey, Josh Penn CAST Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry) – This stunningly imaginative, boldly original film follows six-year-old Hushpuppy as she fights to protect her father and their unique way of life in a remote, dreamlike area of the Delta threatened by apocalyptic floods.

Middle of Nowhere – (DIRECTOR/WRITER Ava DuVernay PRODUCERS Howard Barish, Ava DuVernay, Paul Garnes CAST Emayatzy Corinealdi, David Oyelowo, Omari Hardwick, Lorraine Toussaint, Edwina Findley, Sharon Lawrence) – How do you maintain a marriage — and your own identity — when your husband has been sentenced to eight years in prison? Writer/director Ava DuVernay’s elegant and powerful portrait of a strong woman contending with conflicting feelings of love, guilt and desire marks the arrival of a bold new voice in independent cinema.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World – (DIRECTOR/WRITER Lorene Scafaria PRODUCERS Steve Golin, Joy Gorman, Steven M. Rales, Mark Roybal CAST Steve Carell, Keira Knightley, Connie Britton, Rob Corddry, Gillian Jacobs, Derek Luke, Melanie Lynskey, T.J. Miller, Mark Moses, Patton Oswalt, William Petersen) – Taking audiences on a humorous, moving and intimate journey against an epic backdrop of Earth’s final days, the film is Lorene’s feature directorial debut (she previously adapted Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist). Set in a too-near future where time at once stands still and is slipping away forever, the film explores what people will do and how they will feel when humanity’s end is near. World Premiere

Narrative Competition (10): The Narrative Competition is comprised of films made by talented emerging filmmakers that compete for the Filmmaker Award. The winner is determined by a panel of jurors, and films in this section are also eligible for the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature or Best International Feature.

All Is Well, Pocas Pascoal – Portugal – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Breakfast with Curtis, Laura Colella – WORLD PREMIERE

The Compass is Carried by the Dead Man, Arturo Pons – Mexico – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Crazy and Thief, Cory McAbee – NORTH PREMIERE

Dead Man’s Burden, Jared Moshé – WORLD PREMIERE

Four, Joshua Sanchez – WORLD PREMIERE

A Night Too Young, Olmo Omerzu – Czech Republic – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Pincus, David Fenster – WORLD PREMIERE

Red Flag, Alex Karpovsky – WORLD PREMIERE

Thursday till Sunday, Dominga Sotomayor – Chile – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Documentary Competition (9): The Documentary Competition is comprised of films made by talented emerging filmmakers that compete for the Documentary Award. The winner is determined by a panel of jurors, and films in this section are also eligible for the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature or Best International Feature.

25 to Life, Mike Brown – WORLD PREMIERE

A Band Called Death, Jeff Howlett, Mark Covino – WORLD PREMIERE

Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and the Farm Midwives, Sara Lamm, Mary Wigmore – WORLD PREMIERE

Call Me Kuchu, Katherine Fairfax Wright, Malika Zouhali-Worrall – US PREMIERE

Drought, Everado González – Mexico – US PREMIERE

The Iran Job, Till Schauder – USA/Germany/Iran – WORLD PREMIERE

Sun Kissed, Maya Stark, Adi Lavy – WORLD PREMIERE

Vampira and Me, R. H. Greene – WORLD PREMIERE

Words of Witness, Mai Iskander – Egypt/USA – US PREMIERE

International Showcase (15): The International Showcase highlights innovative independent narrative and documentary features from outside of the United States. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature, Best Narrative Feature, or Best Documentary Feature.

Bestiaire, Denis Côté – Canada

Bunohan: Return to Murder, Dain Said – Malaysia (Oscilloscope Pictures)

Canícula, José Álvarez – Mexico

The First Man, Gianni Amelio – France – US PREMIERE

The Last Elvis, Armando Bo – Argentina

Neighboring Sounds, Kleber Mendonça Filho – Brazil (The Cinema Guild)

On the Edge, Leila Kilani – France/Morocco/Germany

P-047, Kongdej Jaturanrasamee – Thailand

Return to Burma, Midi Z. – Taiwan/Myanmar

Sister, Ursula Meier – Switzerland (Adopt Films) – NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

The Strawberry Tree, Simone Rapisarda Casanova – Canada/Cuba/Italy

Summer Games, Rolando Colla – Switzerland

Teddy Bear, Mads Matthiesen – Denmark (Film Movement)

Unforgivable, André Téchiné – France (Strand Releasing)

Without Gorky, Cosima Spender – UK

Summer Showcase (16): The Summer Showcase section offers an advance look at this summer’s most talked about independent film releases from the festival circuit. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature, Best Narrative Feature, or Best Documentary Feature.

About Face, Timothy Greenfield-Sanders (HBO Films)

Beauty Is Embarrassing, Neil Berkeley

Big Easy Express, Emmett Malloy

Celeste and Jesse Forever, Lee Toland Krieger (Sony Pictures Classics)

Gayby, Jonathan Lisecki (Wolfe Releasing)

Gimme the Loot, Adam Leon (IFC Films)

The House I Live In, Eugene Jarecki

It’s a Disaster, Todd Berger – WORLD PREMIERE

La Camioneta: The Journey of One American School Bus, Mark Kendall – USA/Guatemala

Neil Young Journeys, Jonathan Demme (Sony Pictures Classics)

An Oversimplification of her Beauty, Terence Nance – USA/France

People Like Us, Alex Kurtzman (Dreamworks Pictures) – WORLD PREMIERE

The Queen of Versailles, Lauren Greenfield (Magnolia Pictures)

Reportero, Bernardo Ruiz

Robot and Frank, Jake Schreier (Samuel Goldwyn Films)

Searching for Sugar Man, Malik Bendjelloul (Sony Pictures Classics)

Community Screenings (6): These films will be presented free to the public. New films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best Narrative Feature or Best Documentary Feature.

Dirty Dancing (1987), Emile Ardolino – Grand Performances Screening

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Steven Spielberg – FIGat7th Screening

G-Dog, Freida Mock – WORLD PREMIERE

The Invisible War, Kirby Dick (Cinedigm)

LUV, Sheldon Candis – Project Involve Screening (Indomina)

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), Nicholas Meyer – FIGat7th Screening

The Beyond (3): The Beyond offers films that dare to be different. Films in this section are eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature or Best Narrative Feature.

The History of Future Folk, J. Anderson Mitchell, Jeremy Kipp Walker – WORLD PREMIERE

Juan of the Dead, Alejandro Brugués – Cuba

Saturday Morning Massacre, Spencer Parsons – WORLD PREMIERE

Retro (3):

Ballads, Blues and Bluegrass (1961), Alan Lomax – WORLD PREMIERE

Banishment (2007), Andrey Zvyagintsev – Russia – LAFCA’s The Film That Got Away

The Breaking Point (1950), Michael Curtiz – Film Foundation Screening

Short Films (48): Shorts are shown before features and as part of four short film programs. With their diverse and complex content, these films shine brilliantly. Most short films, domestic and international, will compete for prizes in Narrative, Documentary, and Animation/Experimental categories. The winner is determined by a panel of jurors. An Audience Award for Best Short Film is also presented.

Shorts Program 1-4

Future Filmmakers Showcase: High School Shorts (31): These two programs of shorts are made by high school students from around the country, featuring work by the next generation of filmmakers.

Programs 1-2

Music Videos (40): The Music Video Showcase consists of two programs. Eclectic Mix is a visual mix tape of this year’s best independent music videos with a few innovative major label artists thrown in for good measure. As a Special Focus, DANIELS and Walter Robot go head to head in an event peppered with music videos, shorts, production secrets, feats of strength, audience challenges and possible mime. Music videos will compete for an Audience Award.

Eclectic Mix 1

Thunderdome: DANIELS vs Walter Robot

For more information visit the official website at LAFilmFest.com.

Guests onboard enjoyed a hosted bar flowing with specialty drinks courtesy of Status Vodka, Tequila Loca, Lucadia Winery, Cascal, and O.N.E. Coconut Water, while enjoying the fashions of Designer Eloise Lapidus and Richie Williams of Bobo House Fashion, who presented elegant fashion from their collection of front drape leather vests, long and short pants for women, as well as a variety of tank tops.  Also onhands were French designers showcasing collections from Jean Paul Gaultier, BoBo House, Eloise Lapidus, Cosmo Queen, Babylone, Jen Mood, and Blue Glue.

There was creative stimuli everywhere to be found, including French Film sneak-peeks. Celebrity DJ’s Christos Kedras and Sonikem were spinning live on the decks, while guests perused and bid on designer and luxury silent auction items. Guests delighted in raffle prizes and giveaways, and took intimate boat rides throughout the harbor, all while being treated to white glove services and pampering in true “Cote Azure” style.

Liz Kelly introduced the Goody Awards, which recognizes those making positive contributions to their communities , particularly those with disabilities.   More information can be found at GoodyAwards.com.  Jason Goodman, CEO of 20th Century 3D, explained how he has been in the 3D movie business for 20 years and there is an increasing demand for 3D entertainment, growing every day.

It’s So LA™ presented this event in true style, as they always do. They are a trans-media entertainment company dedicated to bringing the “LA experience” to any event (services include hosted media lounges, luxury gifting suites, sketch comedy event experiences, branded integrated digital production services, and branded social media event gaming).

Mamz’ elle Margalette was created by Stephanie Audoin in 1997. With 20 years of haute couture expertise, her clients include: Armani, Emmanuel Ungaro, Kenzo, Barbara Bui, Robert Clergerie, Paul Ka, and Eloise Lapidus. It’s So LA™ and Mamz’elle Margalette collectively expose the French flavor to the United States and the Los Angeles spirit to the French.

A little over two years ago, a very determined and adventurous family of five moved across the country to L.A. from Florida, leaving almost everything behind, including family. The goal: to conquer Hollywood — or at least leave their mark indelibly upon it. This wasn’t an easy decision, and plenty of tears were shed as the family left a comfortable and spacious lakeside home to move to a cramped two-bedroom apartment in the Valley.

The Peñas consist of parents Willie and Diana along with their three children who were very active as actors and models in the Orlando market for several years. The family knew that in order to really make it big, they would have to take the plunge and leave that small market to pursue opportunities in Hollywood. After moving and experiencing an encouraging year of steady auditions and bookings for the kids — including a Criminal Minds episode, a Disney educational DVD series, and a few commercials — the family hatched a plan to take things one step further: they would make their own movie.

“We knew how talented our kids are and we didn’t want to wait for some Hollywood bigwig to notice them in order for them to star in something. So, we just got busy and created a project that would showcase a lot of new Hollywood talent, not just our kids,” said Diana, who produced the 30-minute movie. “I was also determined to make the project as legitimate as possible, so I insisted we do it under a SAG New Media contract rather than go non-union. That enabled us to cast more professional actors.”

Made with a budget of under $10,000, the film deals with the struggles the resident class nerd encounters when he is suddenly faced with a much smarter boy from India. The boys compete first academically, then physically via a game of dodgeball and an after school playground climax.

The father, entrepreneur and writer Willie Peña, wrote the script intending to appeal to younger kids and teens, but not in the formulaic way that a company like Disney might. “Unlike a typical bully vs. nerd movie, in our film the nerds pretty much start all the problems. They are not innocent little victims, so it’s funnier,” says Willie.

Oldest son Michael helped develop the story and also stars in the short film, along with his younger brother, Nathaniel. Their little sister Keira has a supporting role as well. All three children are gifted students, with the two boys having started college at ages 12 and 10. Rounding out the cast are Alfonso Freeman (Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman’s son), Lia Marie Johnson, a YouTube celebrity, and Danika Yarosh from “A Christmas Wedding.”

This project is just a small demonstration of what aspiring filmmakers can accomplish if they are determined and have a passion for the arts. In addition to writing, shooting, directing and producing the movie entirely on their own, the family did all the post-production work and is self-distributing through Dynamo Player and Amazon Instant Video. The film has been supported by good reviews in the media and word-of-mouth, and has been accepted into the “Lessons in the Dark” school sessions in Mumbai and Delhi, India.

For more information on the inspiration behind “Nerd Wars!” or to rent it, visit www.penatalent.com/nerdwars

Reviews:
“Overall, Nerd Wars! is funny and entertaining and certainly well made…” (Anthony’s film review: http://www.anthonysfilmreview.com/Other/Nerd_Wars.htm)

“A-, as an adult I found myself laughing out loud various times, more so than in most full length movies. (…)For a short film that was produced with a very small budget it was very entertaining and fun to watch. (Frank: http://www.nospoilers.net/movietitle/n/nerdwars2011.htm)

“I’m positive they [kids] will find this [movie] funny and educational.” (Cool Awesome Movies: http://coolawesomemovies.com/2012/01/nerd-wars/)

Videos:
Music video (end credit song) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuxG5-Kx7M4
Premiere at the Screen Actors Guild http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNMz-077MHk&feature=related

The Q&A will be broadcast live from The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Austin, Texas. This event is INVITE ONLY and closed to the public, but fans can tune-in online at AintItCool.com.

“Get The Gringo”

“Get The Gringo” stars Mel Gibson as Driver, an American criminal who violently crashes his car into the border wall as he tries to outrun the U.S. Border Patrol. Driver survives the crash only to land inside a hard-core Mexican prison where he enters the strange and dangerous world of “El Pueblito.” Driver finds unlikely guidance from a 10-year-old kid who shows him the ropes.

Film Will Debut Exclusively on DIRECTV Beginning May 1st.

#GetTheGringo

NowLive
NowLive is a leading entertainment production and streaming company for live events. Comprised of a team of Hollywood studio and network digital alums, NowLive provides clients an interactive platform that allows fans an exclusive all-access pass to a wide range of live events such as red carpet premieres, awards shows, cast chats, concerts and original productions. In just over a year, NowLive has produced and livestreamed the premieres of Hollywood’s biggest events including The Hunger Games, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 and Fast Five premieres as well as concert events for Project X and Avril Lavigne. Additionally, NowLive has produced and streamed live chats with Steven Spielberg, Johnny Depp and the cast of the Academy Award winning Best Picture, The Artist as well as live shows for Macy’s Fashion’s Night out, The Oscar Red Carpet and the Independent Spirit Awards.

For more information on NowLive and upcoming events, visit: www.nowlive.com

This event is brought to you by Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Icon Productions,
Ain’t It Cool News and NowLive.

Richard Weiss is a native of Lyon, France, and has made a career of composing music for film in Europe.  He has also spent time working as a graphic artist, which he says has helped him enormously as a director.

Before taking the reigns as a filmmaker, he was asked to direct a small music video in France.  The video was well-received by audiences worldwide, and it sparked a lust in Weiss to follow his true passion.

“I wanted to make a movie for a long time”, says Weiss.  “I wanted to make a feature film to be able to have free reign to do whatever I want.”

That, he did.  Weiss moved to the United States to make a career transition in the world of moviemaking.

He describes “The Book” as being “science fiction- more fantasy than sci-fi.  It’s a very visual movie.  The story is important, but it’s almost secondary to the visual.  It’s very fun and takes place in the future.  It’s Invasion of the Body Snatcher meets Buck Rogers, done in the style of the 1950’s and 1960’s.”

The images in the film are unlike nearly anything that is seen in the industry now.  The costumes and sets are reminiscent of classics like The Wizard of Oz and a more colorful version of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Weiss, like his film work, is eccentric and unconventional.  He prefers to be known as the symbol “Ø”, rather than his legal name.  Despite oddities, or perhaps because of them, his debut film has made an impression in the festival circuit, taking home more than a dozen awards.  The unique film has found a loyal audience.  “The Book” has seemed to fulfill a niche in the market, and may be on its way to becoming something of a cult classic.

Richard Weiss has two upcoming feature films in development.

“I want to keep doing some weird visuals, but I want to tackle comedy now”, he says.  One of the developing projects is called “Pandemonium “.  Weiss describes it as, “Peter Pan meets Wizard of Oz, for the whole family.  There will be partying teenagers and an elf, and an element of whimsical.”

In “The Book: They Came From Inner Space”, Weiss aims to present more than just an over-the-top display of costumes and characters.

“It has plenty of messages.  It depends on what way you look at it.  Be very careful, because you never know what you’re reading, because it could change you.  There could be subliminal messages that are hidden and could change you.”

For more information about “The Book: They Came From Inner Space”, visit the website at http://www.thebook-themovie.com/

Sneak Peek! “Welcome To Sweetie Pie’s” owner Robbie Montgomery excels at turning lemons into lemonade. Robbie was one of the original backup singers to Ike and Tina Turner in the 60’s and now the star of OWN Network’s reality TV show Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s, premiering March 31, 2012. But her journey was not all mountain-top experiences.

After a collapsed lung that disabled her singing voice, she focused her creativity into cooking. Robbie took her mother’s soul food recipes and opened Sweetie Pie’s. Sweet Pie’s has become an iconic St. Louis soul food restaurant, now with two successful locations, and another one on the way with the help of her son, Tim.

In the second season of Welcome To Sweetie Pie’s, we see a miracle take place:  Tim and his fiancee, Jenae, during a visit to the doctor, discover there is a problem with the pregnancy and that they must do an emergency c-section at 6 months; viewers get to witness a miracle through pray and love, see the baby through the next 3 months and the day they take the baby home.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tim and Jenae move into Robbie’s home,  tend to their newborn son, who is as precious as can be, and plan their wedding.  But her life is not dull as although she loves having her grandson there, she let’s Tim know she is not his live in babysitter! Miss Robbie keeps the family in line, including her wise-cracking nephew Lil’ Charles, while she struggle with the demands of expanding their family-owned business.

Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s follows the loud, loving and still very musical Montgomery family. The show is heartfelt, authentic and has a whole lotta soul…this show will warm your heart and make you laugh. Watch for yourself when Welcome To Sweetie Pie’s  premieres March 31st and runs to June 18th on OWN TV.

Tim Norman
Tim Norman was born and raised in St. Louis, MO by his single mother Robbie Montgomery. His father passed away before he was born, so Tim and his mother remain close. At the age of 17, Tim was arrested for armed robbery and sentenced to serve 10 years in prison. Upon his release he vowed to make something positive out of his life and joined the family business, where he now helps to manage his mother’s two successful restaurants: Sweetie Pie’s, and Sweetie Pie’s at the Mangrove.

Tim also gives back to the community by creating jobs for newly paroled and homeless residents and providing food to those in need. He also participates in several youth-oriented organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club, where he works with at-risk youth to help inspire self-confidence and guide them down a positive life path. He has received numerous awards recognizing his community service.

www.oprah.com/own-sweetie-pies/Welcome-to-Sweetie-Pies
#SweetiePies

Welcome to

Highlights included Debi Mazar’s speech about her love and adoration for her husband. She also spoke about future plans if her “Extra Virgin” cooking show on Cooking Channel didn’t work out – she would move to Tuscany and eat, drink and make love!

Gabriele Corcos and Debi Mazar of Extra Virgin, Kristine and Chef Ludo of Ludo Bites. Photo credit David Livingston

Tony Tripoli, comedy writer for Joan River’s Fashion Police on E!, brought the house down with his irreverent quibbles.

Jolene Sugarbaker of Trailer Park Test Kitchen, one of the celebrity award presenters at the Taste Awards, also charmed the audience with her blonde bouffant, neon blue eyeshadow and southern twang.

Jolene Sugarbaker of Trailer Park Test Kitchen with fans at Taste Awards

Other celebrity presenters included the Food Network’s Carrie McCully, Tanya Holland, Manouschka Guerrier, and Candice Kumai, Bravo TV’s Fabio Viviani, Nyesha Arrington, and Danielle Keene, Public Television’s Joanne Weir and Nathan Lyon, ION TV’s Michelle Harris, food broadcast gurus Bobby Bognar, Zuzy Martin Lynch, and Susan Irby, plus food and drink humorists Zane Lamprey.

Special Achievement Honoree Awards presented during the evening went to Kung Fu Panda 2 (The Seiji Horibuchi Award for Outstanding Animation) and Debi Mazar (Outstanding Passion). Mad Fashion (Bravo), Kaitlyn’s Beauty Journal (KTSF), and Nail Files (TV Guide) were given the Breakout Fashionistas of the Year Award, and Cuisine Culture (Public Television), Ludo Bites America (Sundance Channel), and Restaurant Impossible (Food Network) were given the Kikkoman Award for Breakout Foodies of the Year. Kikkoman was a sponsor of the event.

Queens of the Quirky Cocktail: Alie and Georgia at Taste Awards

Among the evening’s Award Winners were television programs such as the Travel Channel’s “No Reservations” for Best Food Program and for Best Food Travel Series, Zane Lamprey’s HDNet series “Drinking Made Easy” for Best Drink or Beverage Program, Cooking Channel’s “Originals with Emeril” for Best New Series and “Extra Virgin” for Best Home Chef in a Series, Lifetime’s “Project Runway” for Best Fashion or Design Program, Bravo’s “Top Chef: Just Desserts” for Best Single Topic Series and “Top Chef” for the Kikkoman Award for Best Reality Series – Food or Drink, the Food Network’s “Aarti Party” for Best Green or Organic Program, and ABC’s “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” for Best Chef in a Series.

Public Television series “Check Please, Bay Area” picked up Best City or Regional Program, and “Mexico – One Plate at a Time” received the award for Best Ethnic Program.

Hannah Hart of My Drunk Kitchen web series. Photo credit David Livingston

Web winners included “My Drunk Kitchen” for Best Comedy Series, “Without Borders” for Best Food Travel Program, “Style.com” for Best Fashion or Design Programs on the Web, “Average Betty” for the Best Critic or Review Series (on TV or Web), “Raising the Bar with Jamie Boudreau” for Best Drink or Beverage Program, and “Food Wishes”, which was presented by Austin Lau of YouTube and which won the award for Best Food Program on the Web, along with a foodie trip to Estonia. “Bon Appetit” magazine won for Best Newspaper or Magazine Program.

In the film category, “Magnum Ice Cream Original Short Film Series by Karl Lagerfeld” picked up the award for Best Film or Documentary, and in the new Radio category, Evan Kleiman “Good Food on KCRW” got the win, along with “Come Dine With Me” (BBC America) for Best International Program.

The Taste (pronounced tasty) Awards after party was a Dionysian feast of succulent roasted goose from Pig n’ Whistle, Estonian Chef Marika Blossfeldt‘s uber-delicious and healthy beet salad and fresh baked bread and tipples from Alquimia Tequila tastings to vodka cocktails to wine.

Chef Marika Blossfeldt interviewed by travel journalist, Lindsay Taub.

A full list of Award Winners, Honorees, and Nominees, plus event photos and coverage, can be seen on the site, www.TheTasteAwards.com.

Screening details below:

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: CHIPWRECKED
Saturday, December 10
AMC Burbank 16
125 E. Palm Ave.
Burbank, CA
11AM

To reserve and download your pass, visit gofobo.com/RSVP and enter the promotional code: LATHPLGN2P. The first 50 fans will be guaranteed seats for the screening.

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: CHIPWRECKED
Animated comedy-adventure
Release:  December 16, 2011
Director: Mike Mitchell
Written by: Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger, based on the characters created by Ross Bagdasarian and Janice Karman
Producers: Janice Karman, Ross Bagdasarian
Cast: Jason Lee, David Cross, Jenny Slate, and Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Amy Poehler, Anna Faris, Christina Applegate

The vacationing Chipmunks and Chipettes are turning a luxury cruise liner into their personal playground, until they become ‘chipwrecked’ on a remote island.  As the ‘Munks and Chipettes scheme to find their way home, they accidentally discover their new turf is not as deserted as it seems.

A Hollywood ladies power-packed meeting, The New Women’s Em(Power)ment luncheon at Soho House featured the latest 2011 Glamour Reel Moment directors Eva Longoria, Olivia Wilde and Zoe Saldana discussing women’s roles in the film industry.

Moderated by Shaun Robinson, the panel also featured Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith, a screenwriter known for such female-empowered films as Legally Blonde and House Bunny, and Chris Payne, the VP Marketing for Clarisonic – the underwriting sponsor of 2011 Glamour Reel Moments series and a company with a strong position on female empowerment.

Glamour Reel Moments is a three-part video series showcasing inspiring real-life story submissions from Glamour readers, brought to life by Hollywood A-listers.  For most of the actors, this is their directorial debut. Proceeds from Reel Moments benefit a charity chosen by each director.

Free Hugs, Directed by Olivia Wilde

A Proper Send-Off, Directed by Eva Longoria:

Kaylien, Directed by Zoe Saldana:

The panel covered the subject of women in film, as well as women feeling empowered through directing and challenging their role within the industry. LA’s The Place, courtesy of Glamour Magazine, brings you direct quotes from Eva, Olivia and Zoe shared yesterday:

Eva Longoria on directing her first film:
“Oh my god, it was so fun because I’m naturally bossy, in life… there is something so empowering about it. I love it [directing] because you have more creative control, as an actor you sit there and you just hope they edit you well, and you hope they use the best take, and you hope you look good.”

Zoe Saldana on why there is a lack of women in film:
“Look at now, its like all about vampires, if women were cool, female topics were cool and they were making a lot of money, studios would be green lighting left and right.”

Olivia Wilde on the inspiration behind her Glamour Reel Moments film, Free Hugs:
“I was very inspired, actually, by “Bridesmaids” in terms of a kind of tone of storytelling because I feel so often the stories about women are told in a very melodramatic way that kind of alienates the male audience, it makes people feel like ‘oh its a chick flick,’ it’s not going to be as biting or crass.”

Eva Longoria on not being afraid:
“As women, you can be rooted in being a woman, but not constrained by it. I find that you should celebrate it, but many women feel constrained by it.”

Zoe Saldana on women finding the confidence to lead:
“Everyone is born with the power to lead, just not everybody is given the tools to believe in themselves. I think that now we have a lot of women, throughout our lives, our politics, our country, our community, our world, in our art that are inspiring us and taking leadership, we just have to follow that and not be afraid. You don’t have to please everybody…”

The actresses-turned-directors also shared how working in the role as director had helped them see the many other sides of the production of a film besides acting, and how it rounded out their vision from an actor’s standpoint.

They also spoke about how the challenge it is for women in Hollywood to succeed as directors and writers. Of the roughly 13,400 members of Directors Guild of America, only about 1,000, or 7 percent, are listed as female directors. No woman has ever won an Academy Award for best director. Glamour’s Reel Moments is about empowering the women of Hollywood and the women of Hollywood lending their support for their charities and getting people’s stories of inspiration and courage out there, spreading good, positive, informative messages.

Panal included Chris Payne, Kirsten Smith, Olivia Wilde, Eva Longoria, Zoe Saldana

Glamour Magazine Online

Clarisonic is the sponsor of the 2011 Glamour Reel Moments series. Clarisonic puts the power of a woman’s beauty in the palm of her hand. Clarisonic Skincare Brush is a professional-grade skincare brush, and provides a gentle sonic micro-massage for cleaner, healthier skin at home!

Clarisonic featured their new Clarisonic PLUS Sonic Skin Cleansing System, for Face and Body.

Read why Clarisonic was the best-kept secret at LA Fashion Week in our article here..

The new Clarisonic PLUS Sonic Skin Cleansing System, for Face and Body.

Maximum Warrior tests 20 contestants in 15 action-packed, adrenaline-filled challenges. This challenge tests the strength, agility and endurance of the Maximum Warrior competitors. Challenge #3 was won by U.S. Air Force 48th Rescue Squadron Pararescue Luke D. with the fastest time of 7:24.

The Challenge: Obstacle Course

In challenge number three, each of the 10 Warriors, while carrying their weapons, had to traverse and negotiate a 600-meter course containing 20 different obstacles. The Warriors were challenged with completing the entire course in the quickest time possible. The Maximum Warrior competitors ascended a rope climb, hoisted themselves over cargo netting, crawled under Jeep Wrangler SUVs, climbed through windows, and had to cross a river using only a rope stretched from bank to bank.

About Maximum Warrior

Maximum Warrior is broken down into two separate programs – the authentic Maximum Warrior Competition that pits actual special ops operatives against one another; and the inaugural Maximum Warrior Pro-Am that pairs a special ops operative with a civilian contender to create a 10 team competition. The competition series was recently completed at the state-of-the-art T1G training facility in Crawfordsville, Ark.

About Alpha Media Group

Alpha Media Group Inc. is a multimedia company and publisher of the Maxim brand and magazine, the largest young men’s lifestyle magazine in America reaching nearly 12 million readers each month. Maxim Digital encompasses Maxim.com and reaches more than 3 million unique visitors each month.

About Jeep

Built on 70 years of legendary heritage, Jeep is the authentic SUV with class-leading capability, craftsmanship and versatility for people who seek extraordinary journeys. The Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by offering a full line of vehicles that continue to provide owners with a sense of security to handle any journey with confidence. The Jeep vehicle lineup consists of the Compass, Grand Cherokee, Liberty, Patriot, Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited.

To watch the Maximum Warrior series, visit www.maximumwarrior.com

“Québec in Hollywood” opens with a free concert at the Hard Rock Café on September 9th by Québec rock bands – The Respectables, Steve Hill, Tailor Made Fable and Dance Laury Dance.

Québec, with its European-French influence, has one of the highest concentrations of artists per capita in the world. Angelenos will get to experience the vast creativity and flair during “Québec in Hollywood” of Québécois culture in their own backyards.

Slated events at “Québec in Hollywood” include a Québec film festival at the Egyptian Theatre, performances by top bands and comedy acts on renowned stages, a Montréal fashion runway show at Hollywood & Highland Center, restaurant tastings crafted by top Québécois chefs, a green transportation design symposium, gallery exhibitions and more.

“Québec in Hollywood’s” events will take place in different locations around and near Hollywood from September 9th – 25th; culminating with the premiere of Cirque du Soleil’s IRIS at the legendary Kodak Theatre. For IRIS Cirque du Soleil preview:

Click here to view the embedded video.

“In 1987, the Québec Government Office in L.A. played a pivotal role in bringing Cirque du Soleil to Los Angeles, introducing their unique brand of entertainment to the U.S,” explains Yanick Godbout, Director of Governmental Relations and Public Affairs, Québec Government Office in Los Angeles.

“We are now bringing a selection of the best new talent from Québec to Los Angeles. We hope that ‘Québec in Hollywood’ will create the same effect and will serve as a springboard for the next wave of Québécois success.”

Highlights of “Québec in Hollywood” include:

9/9: Hard Rock Café: Free show by Québec rock bands, The Respectables, Steve Hill, Tailor Made Fable and Dance Laury Dance.

9/12‐17: The Grill on Hollywood: Chef Jean‐Pierre Curtat of the 5 Diamond AAA‐rated Nuances Restaurant at the Casino de Montréal, presents a unique menu featuring some of Québec’s best products.

9/15 Comedy Store: Sugar Sammy, named “One Of 10 Rising Comedy Talents From Around The World” by the Hollywood Reporter, performs at the Comedy Store, with opening act, Daniel Tirado.

9/16‐18: Egyptian Theatre: Québec in Hollywood partners with the American Cinematheque to host “Québec in Hollywood Films: The Other North American Cinema.” Opening night features red carpet.

9/19‐24: Public Kitchen & Bar, Roosevelt Hotel: Chef/Owner Laurent Godbout of Chez l’Épicier presents a customized Québec inspired menu for Hollywood.

9/22: Hollywood & Highland Center, Fashion & Opéra Fashion Show: The spring and summer 2012 collections from six of Montréal’s most acclaimed designers.

9/25: Kodak Theatre, Iris: Journey through the world of cinema with the premiere of “Iris” the latest sensation from Cirque du Soleil.

9/9‐25: Roosevelt Hotel: Daily Québec Happy Hours featuring a special menu with Québec drinks and appetizers. Monday‐Thursday at the Tropicana bar and Friday‐Sunday at the Library bar.

A complete list of events is available at www.Quebecinhollywood.com, or at www.facebook.com/Quebecinhollywood

Whether you peek through your fingers or not, the world of Horror Films just turned up the dial on gore!  The Summer of Massacre is the anthology child of Director Joe Castro.  With the partnering of Executive Producer Steven Escobar and Cult Movies Magazine Publisher, Shroeder, The Summer of Massacre broke records with over 100 killings onscreen beating out the body count on all the Friday the 13th movies combined.  Right now the new gore epic has been submitted to The Guinness Book of World Records hoping to be accepted for the most onscreen killings in a single film.

“The Summer of Massacre is more of a slasher film than a horror film,” explains Executive Producer Steven Escobar. “Joe Castro, my partner and Director of the film, and I have been making different horror films throughout the last 10 years and we wanted to do something different and original.”  Original they did!  “The Summer of Massacre is a 100pmh slasher/gore ride that takes you on an adventure through the eyes of not one, but eight maniacal killers.”

For Joe Castro, this has been a long time coming!  “Over the years I accumulated ideas/synopsis’s for a splatter/slasher epic,” said Castro. “As an artist and director, I chose to create a film that would be an anthology incorporating all my ideas. Like a father, Herschel Gordon Lewis always told me to make something that is truly original and that is why I wrote and produced The Summer of Massacre.”

Anthology it truly was!  “Joe has always had many original ideas, so we decided to make four movies and combine them into one gore epic!” said Escobar.  “When we realized that with people’s attention spans getting shorter, YouTube and other internet streaming, we felt that making an anthology film was going to be our best bet for a new kind of splatter film.”

When it comes to the record breaking kills onscreen, Escobar admits that it was all part of the initial concept of the film. “We had always intended to break the record for the most kills onscreen,” said Escobar. “It took nearly three years to complete The Summer of Massacre and Joe and I are very proud of our accomplishment.  We hope our audiences will enjoy it as much as we put our heart and soul into making it.”

Since its world premier in May 2011, the film has won ten awards including: Best Horror Film, Best Director, Best Experimental Director, Best Experimental Film, Best Experimental Production Design, Best Experimental Costume Design, and the award of Merit for Experimental Film.  The film has also been shown at top film festivals such as the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival, American Independent Film Festival, Indie Gathering International Film Festival, The Accolade Competition and Los Angeles Reel Film Festival.

So, what’s next for the horror film duo?  Currently the two are working on Terror Toons 3, which is the third installment of their Terror Toons series.  After that, a change is coming to the lighter or more comedic side.

For more information visit: thesummerofmassacre.com

Both based on true stories, the documentaries took viewers to another area of life during the Film Festival and now have brand new followings. “Somewhere Between” is directed by Linda Goldstein Knowlton, a woman who adopted her daughter from China. The film is based on this aspect of her life, as it follows four teenage girls in different parts of America, all bonded by one thing—they were adopted from China as a baby.

Linda Goldstein Knowlton working on "Somewhere Between"

Due to China’s controversial One Child Policy, these young girls could not be kept by their birth families, so they were raised in the United States. They completely adapt to American culture with the love of “Sesame Street” and such, but eventually, they all start to wonder about their heritage.

Filmed all across the country, the documentary takes a closer look at their lives through their eyes as they struggle for acceptance and yearn to feel a full sense of belonging. The girls venture to Europe where they discover other young women in their same situation, and then they travel to China to find their birth parents, but the result is an eye-opening experience.

Knowlton is also known for her full-length documentary “The World According to Sesame Street,” where she co-directed and co-produced. She has also produced feature films in the fiction category like “Crazy in Alabama” and “Mumford.”

“Somwhere Between” won the Hot Docs Sundance Channel Audience Award, and “Crime After Crime” was recognized at the Sundance Film Festival, the San Francisco International Film Festival and the Atlanta Jewish Festival. Set right in America, the documentary takes a closer look at the current judicial system and the many issues that it faces in modern day.

In 1983, Deborah Peagler was put in prison when found connected to the murder of her abusive boyfriend. After more than 26 years in jail, California passed a law allowing domestic violence survivors’ cases to be reopened. With little experience, Joshua Safran and Nadia Costa take on Peagler’s case.

The stars of "Crime After Crime"

Working to finally set her free from being wrongly accused of association with the murder, her two attorneys work tirelessly searching for new witnesses, new evidence and even more information from the men who committed the crime. Names a “must-see” by several film critics, “Crime After Crime” opens many eyes to the issues faced in the court of law.

For more information on these two documentaries, visit www.somewherebetweenmovie.com and www.crimeaftercrime.com.

In addition to these films, the LAFF acknowledged winners in various categories for achievements this year, allowing these smaller pieces a chance to shine in the spotlight. Winners included:

• Narrative Award – Stephane Lafleur for “Familiar Ground”
• Documentary Award – Beverly Kopf & Bobbie Birleffi for “Wish Me Away”
• Best Performance (Narrative) – Amber Sealey, Kent Osbourne, Amanda Street & Gabriel Diamond for “How to Cheat”
• Best Narrative Short Film – Saba Riazi’s “The Wind is Blowing on My Street”
• Best Documentary Short Film – Susan Koenen’s “I Am a Girl”
• Best Animated Short Film – Mikey Please’s “The Eagleman Stag”
• Audience Award (Narrative Feature) – “Attack the Block”
• Audience Award (Documentary Feature) – “Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest”
• Audience Award (International Feature) – “Senna”
• Audience Award (Best Short Film) – “Blind Date”
• Audience Awards (Music Video) – “Shake this Feeling” by Grum

“It was such a rich year in competition films, so our juries had really tough choices to make. The winning films are the cream of a particularly delicious crop, and we’re delighted that they reflect the Festival’s dedication to movies from all over the world,” said Festival Artistic Director David Ansen.

For more information, visit www.filmindependent.org.

On Sept. 30, a live webcast of the Video on Demand Premiere Party will be filmed in a secret location, leading up to the first VOD screening for free at midnight on Oct. 1. But before “The Perfect House” could get to these types of premiere events, it had to get made by those who believe in it most.

Vahl (producer), Kent (producer/director) and Hulbert (writer/producer/director) were interested in filmmaking at an early age. “I think I have always naturally been interested in story telling and filmmaking was a natural progression of that,” Hulbert told LA’s The Place. He realized he would have to make it his career when, “it didn’t matter if my scripts were good or not because nobody was interested in reading them.”

Kent had a little bit of a different experience at first. “I really wanted to be an actor at first, but the more film sets I got on, the more I realized acting wasn’t really doing it for me, and I was much more fascinated by what was going on behind the camera. Then when I started to actually make my own stuff, I grew to really love filmmaking and transitioned to that,” he explained.

The idea for the horror “The Perfect House” first came up between Kent and Hulbert after some Craigslist exchanges. Hulbert saw Kent’s Craigslist ad asking for someone to help him make a horror film, and the two began discussing ideas based on Hulbert’s short that he submitted.

“It was a short and I wanted to do a feature so we went back and forth trying to figure a way to stretch it and it wasn’t working,” Kent told LA’s The Place. “So I came up with the idea of making it part of an anthology about this house and he wrote some more and it grew very quickly from there into what we have today.”

The movie revolves around newlyweds Mike and Marisol who have just purchased their dream house, but it’s quickly realized that the ‘perfect house’ has a terrifying past. This past is conjured up in three separate back stories.

“The film is a story about the horrors that occur inside an ordinary house that is not haunted,” Vahl explained.

Hulbert adds, “It’s an homage to horror told through an anthology. Each story is set in a specific time period based on the filmmaking styles used in that era of horror.”

Things like the short shoot schedule and receiving funds for “The Perfect House” made the production difficult, something many young filmmakers are facing today.

“Aside from the raising the money part of it, which is the toughest thing in indie filmmaking, period, not having enough time to do things while we were shooting. We shot this in 14 days, and although it turned out better than we ever imagined it would, there are several things that if we just had another couple of days to shoot, we knew we could’ve really done something special. And every time I watch it, I think of different ways to do it but we were under the gun on certain things and had to move on,” Kent revealed.

On the reverse side, everyone also had a favorite part of the film, including Vahl who enjoyed the audition process.

“Since I was producing the film since the very beginning I was able to see the character development in the script through each draft. When we held auditions, it was fascinating to see how actors interpreted the script and delivered the lines so differently than how we had expected,” Vahl said.

Hernke had many favorite instances, including getting to know everyone on the set of the small movie.

“One of the things I enjoyed was getting to know everyone and their personalities on day one of filming. From there on, I knew how to work with everyone while I was in the position of being the 1st A.D. for the shoot. Once everyone got into the groove of how I ran the set, things were great and everyone got along and worked very hard, but actually enjoyed the work they were doing and not complaining about anything! We all became like a family,” Hernke told LA’s The Place.

With the intense violence and disturbing themes, horror fans are enjoying the movie, and according to its producers, they are receiving very positive reviews so far.

“I have yet to see a bad reaction, unless you consider people being so disturbed that they had to leave the theatre or someone throwing up in their cup during the movie a bad review, but I consider that to be the best reactions yet!” Vahl said.

Hulbert has seen a different kind of reaction to “The Perfect House”—one of passion and support.

“People have loved the film and more importantly the cause behind the film and what we are trying to do with it,” he explained. “Some of the biggest opportunities and breaks we have gotten have been directly through audience members that loved the film and just wanted to help out in any way.”

Now, the cast and crew are busy promoting the work through social media and looking towards their Oct. 1 worldwide release date.

Kent sums it up: “The biggest compliment we get, and I agree completely, is that it ‘actually has a story and great script.’ I’ve heard that more times than I can count and that is the biggest shock that people have in seeing the movie, aside from the gore. Most people think, ‘Oh, low-budget horror movie with no huge stars, it’s going to be schlock crap!’ Then most end up being pleasantly surprised and happy to be wrong about the movie. I think that is where a lot of the passion comes in, that we threw them a huge curve ball and they are grateful for it.”

For more information, visit www.theperfecthousemovie.net and www.facebook.com/theperfecthousemovie.

The Disney film held a sneak peek at the LA Film Festival, and its world premiere event hit Walt Disney Studios on July 10 with voice actors Jim Cummings, Travis Oates, Tom Kenny, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Wyatt Hall and late-night host Craig Ferguson, who star in the movie.

In the 1920s, A.A. Milne began writing his series of books based on his real son and stuffed friends. Walt Disney’s daughters adored the books, so in 1966, the first Disney Pooh story was born—a short called “Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree.” In 1977, Disney produced a full-length feature based on the bear with little brains called “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh,” and after that, the character became one of the most loved and well-known in Disney’s history.

The Hundred Acre Wood continued to reign in children’s eyes and with the start of the 1988 ABC series based on Winnie, Jim Cummings was cemented as the voice of both Pooh and his pal Tigger. The latest film, simply titled “Winnie the Pooh,” uses the same animation from the ‘80s and ‘90s versions and enlists the help of Cummings’ voice talents to keep it as close to those pieces as possible. It’s directed by Pooh newcomers Stephen Anderson and Don Hall, who might be venturing into new territories, but they don’t make it obvious that this is their first Hundred Acre Wood journey with skilled direction and seamless writing.

Other actors have changed, but the casting works well, as they keep similar phrasing and tones from the previous voices of their respective characters. The most surprising is Ferguson for Owl, the wise but often incorrect mentor to the group. An odd choice at first, its clear that Ferguson has a love for the stories as well, and he’s a welcome addition to the gang. Eeyore is just as depressed as ever with Bud Luckey’s stylings, and this is not Oates’ first turn as the scared and small Piglet.

Veteran actor John Cleese serves as the narrator of the storybook-formatted tale of one fateful day in the Hundred Acre Woods. Pooh wakes up with one thing—per usual—on his brain: honey. He begins looking for his tasty treat when he bumps into Eeyore who has misplaced his tail again.

Wanting to help his forlorn friend, Pooh pauses his honey hunt to enlist the help of everyone (including Kanga, Roo and Rabbit) to give Eeyore a new tail. This act is harder than it seems, and just when they are about to ask Christopher Robin (voiced by Jack Boulter) for help, they find a note he has written.

Zooey Deschanel with Winnie the Pooh

Owl—the reader of the group—interprets the piece in a skewed way, and soon, the gang has decided that Christopher has been kidnapped by a mysterious monster called the Backson. Pooh still hasn’t received his honey, Eeyore still doesn’t have his tail, but they have a more important task, and that’s to save Christopher Robin.

“Winnie the Pooh” is the perfect little film for the entire family, bridging all generations, as Pooh is a character from everyone’s childhood. Back to the 2D animation that really makes Pooh and his friends sparkle, the new movie will have older audiences reminiscing about their favorite Pooh stories of years past, and new fans of the series will want to revisit classics like “The Blustery Day” and “Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too.”

With sharp humor, interesting dialogue and the most lovable characters around, “Winnie the Pooh” does what Disney does best: entertains audiences of all ages. Leaving a nostalgic aura with a feeling of scrumptious sweetness, it’s hard to not just simply adore the new movie after it closes.

Giving the franchise a mild revamp is actress/singer Zooey Deschanel’s reworking and arrangement of the opening theme song and the ending credits song “So Long.” The indie singer/songwriter is on vocals and the ukulele, backed by her She & Him partner M. Ward for the opening number, which allows for a subtle update on the classic tune without overpowering and changing the basics too much. The “So Long” piece—written by Deschanel and Ward—is a lovely ending and new addition to the Pooh legacy.

In addition to Deschanel’s stamp on the music, several new songs were created for the characters to sing written by Robert Lopez (a Tony winner for “Avenue Q”) and his wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez (voice of Kanga).

Clocking in at a short 70 minutes, “Winnie the Pooh” shows storytelling at its finest with perfect visuals and a narrative that both evokes laughter and teaches a lesson of friendship to the young ones—and older ones—in the room. Pooh might be a willy, nilly, silly, ole bear, but he is loyal to his friends through whatever problems they may be facing. He’s even more loyal to them than his rumbly tumbly.

For more information, visit www.disney.com/Pooh and www.facebook.com/WinniethePooh. The film also features a short at the beginning called “The Ballad of Nessie” and a brief scene at the end of the credits.

“Wild animals exploited by filmmakers are scared, confused, and out of their element, but time is money, so if they don’t perform on cue, they can expect to be beaten or given an electric shock,” says PETA Director Delcianna Winders. “The makers of Zookeeper hired confirmed animal abusers, so moviegoers should steer clear of this film and all others that use exotic animals and should support only willing human performers.”

PETA members will converge outside Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles, Wednesday, July 6, 4:30 p.m. to protest against the use of live wild animals in films and to encourage filmmakers to use lifelike animatronics or computer-generated imagery (CGI) instead.

The action follows the death of a giraffe named Tweet, who suddenly collapsed and died during the production of the movie. Also, in May, Animal Defenders International released undercover video footage that shows trainers at Have Trunk Will Travel—the company that supplied the elephant who appears in Zookeeper—forcefully abusing its elephants with sharp, steel-tipped bullhooks and electric prods.

PETA points out that the American Humane Association’s certification stating that “No animals were harmed in the making of this film” applies only to what transpires on the set, not to what happens during off-set training sessions, where abuse is most likely to occur.

hgc

Chris Weitz directs his stars in A Better Life.

“A Better Life” held its world premiere at the LAFF, complete with red carpet arrivals from cast, crew and director Chris Weitz. He even invited friends Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart from his 2009 project in the “Twilight” series “New Moon.” Weitz introduced the film giving credit to its cast of Hispanic actors, the heart of the film.

Starring Demian Bichir (a long resume but most known in the States for his role in “Weeds”) as Carlos Galindo, a long-suffering father trying to give his son the life he was never able to have. They are living in Los Angeles, but Carlos is not here legally. He works seven days a week to provide for his teenage son and yearns to have his “papers,” but luck is not on Carlos’ side.

Fifteen-year-old Luis Galindo (Jose Julian in his first feature film) struggles to accept his position in society and find exactly where he fits in. He is forced to attend high school in a less-than-desirable area and soon discovers that gangs rule the town. His best friend is debating on joining a gang, but Luis just can’t figure out the right thing to do, especially when he sees his father come in day in and day out, just hoping to catch a break and make ends meet.

A riveting performance by Bichir propels this story of the issues plaguing this country where illegal immigration is concerned. Completely made in Los Angeles, local Hispanics took part in the filming and are central to the plot. After catching a glimpse into a world that many have not seen first-hand, it’s hard to go back to the days of not knowing the corruption that lies in Los Angeles’ backyard.

A Better Life's Demian Bichir and Jose Julian.

Heartbreaking and impactful, Weitz’ direction leads “A Better Life” into a arena that many filmmakers strive to, much like documentary filmmaking, where a true-to-life story is told in such a way that others want to make a difference. The two leads’ performances are so captivating that leaving the film having not been emotionally moved might mean you’re missing the ability to feel at all.

On the other hand, the LAFF offers several popcorn flicks too for those days that mindless entertainment is needed. Not every trip to the cinema should bring about tears, and “Life Happens” definitely does not force important themes or thought-provoking dialogue on anyone.

A “Bridesmaids” wannabe with female leads and raunchy comedy, “Life Happens” was directed and co-written by Kat Coiro; BFF and lead actress Krysten Ritter participated in the writing portion too. The plot is simple: best friends Kim (Ritter) and Deena (Kate Bosworth) have the perfect roommate life with unlimited opportunities and hopes for the future until Kim unexpectedly gets pregnant.

Krysten Ritter, Rachel Bilson and Kate Bosworth star in Life Happens

Kim and Deena continue to live together while one friend takes care of her child and the other continues pursuing her dreams of becoming a published self-help book author for women. Kim has had to put her aspirations of opening the first-ever puppy mall on hold and works for a horrible rich lady played by Kristen Johnston (“3rd Rock From the Sun”).

When Kim decides to finally get back into the dating scene, she gets nervous and lies about having a baby at all. It’s actually worse than that because she says the baby is Deena’s. As a typical romantic comedy goes, things continue to spiral out of control, and the laughs are supposed to ensue.

Co-starring Rachel Bilson, Jason Biggs, Geof Stults and Justin Kirk, “Life Happens” has its moments of good-natured humor and interesting one-liners on young adults in Los Angeles, but with an unlikable lead actress, the compliments end there.

Bosworth steals the show from Ritter as an opinionated feminist who can’t figure out how to balance her relationship with a new mom. It’s hard to feel sorry for Ritter’s plight, and at one point when she exasperatingly asks why no one warns that motherhood is so hard, Deena bitingly retorts that that is all anyone ever really says about it.

Not a film that will stay with the audience for years to come (like “A Better Life” will), “Life Happens” provides ladies with a harmless girls’ night out flick that remains watchable if not all that memorable. Its original title “BFF and Baby” at least spurred intrigue and added creativity, but it was changed to the drab “Life Happens” at some point during production.

“A Better Life” opened in limited release on June 24 through Summit Entertainment. More information can be found at www.facebook.com/ABetterLifeMovie. “Life Happens” does not currently have a release date, but its twitter continues updating: www.twitter.com/lifehappensfilm.

The first showing of “Drive” was this past May in the French Riviera at the Cannes Film Festival. It won Refn the Best Director award at the Festival and was nominated for the grand prize—the Palm d’Or. The thriller is set to debut stateside in theaters on Sept. 16.

"Drive" red carpet at LAFF: Oscar Isaac, Christina Hendricks, Nicolas Winding Refn, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, Ryan Gosling and Ron Perlman (photo by: Alberto E. Rodriguez)

With a brilliant and flawless opening scene, Refn quickly sets the stage for what exactly “Drive” is—an amazing vehicle (no pun intended) for Gosling to showcase his enormous acting chops and ability to hold an audience’s attention in the palm of his hand. Dark and mysterious, “Drive” begins with Gosling slickly and expertly driving a getaway car for some mediocre thugs. He’s brilliant at his job but why he is in this line of work is unclear.

Never even given a real name, Driver works as a Hollywood stunt driver and a car mechanic by day moonlighting occasionally as the perfect getaway driver by night. He has strict rules and little expression. This quiet and unflinching persona could be ruined by a lesser actor, but Gosling fully embraces it making the personality quite attractive.

Driver works for Shannon (Bryan Cranston) at the mechanic shop, but Shannon has other plans for the talented lad. He begins talks with some serious mobster-like acquaintances to invest in Driver’s abilities in the race car department. Bernie Rose (Brooks) must meet him first, and within a moment, he is sold on the young man’s talents too.

However, his colleague Nino (Perlman) is not so sure about any form of money funding these pipe dreams. A violent bunch, Shannon wants to remain on their good sides, but this proves difficult.

In the meantime, Driver is quickly and innocently befriending his next door neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her young son.

Irene is a working mom with her own problems, including her husband being in jail. Intrigued by Driver, she continues to allow him in their lives, accepting his help with chores around the apartment and enjoying his company. They take romantic drives around Los Angeles and have quiet chats, but Driver remains mysterious and thoughtful. Somehow Gosling makes his character solemn and off-putting in a likable way—a fete many actors would love to achieve.

Their lives are disrupted when her husband Standard (Oscar Isaac) is released from jail but saddled with a giant debt to local thugs. Soon, Standard’s and Driver’s lives collide in a mish-mash of seedy transactions, forcing the two to be on the same side in the violent underworld of Southern California.

Stars Ryan Gosling (enjoying Sweet Tarts), Christina Hendricks and Bryan Cranston helping introduce the film. (Photo by: Alberto E. Rodriguez)

What begins as a gorgeous ode to Los Angeles with breathtaking shots of downtown quickly changes into an insider look at the corruption that lives in the city and the blood bath that surrounds these characters. An edge-of-your-seat thriller, Hossein Amini’s screenplay is not cluttered with unimportant dialogue but edited to only include the most important and memorable lines.

The provocative film takes a no-holds-barred approach to storytelling with many closeups to reveal every inch of expression on the talented ensemble cast’s face. Refn’s direction is seamless from the humanity and love between Mulligan and Gosling on one side of the spectrum to the complete villainous opposition with Brooks and Perlman pulling off realistic and believable bad guys.

Mixing silence and a spellbinding soundtrack, the tone perfectly straddles whimsy and gritty realism putting “Driver” in a league of its own when it comes to filmmaking. The noir feeling of the first portion of the movie turns hostile when the gore and blood of the action begins to seep in, however, Refn never loses focus, and his cast never loses sight of what they are attempting to create.

After Gosling’s performance in last year’s “Blue Valentine,” he’s quickly being named the best actor of his generation by critics and audiences alike. Mulligan also continues to garner acclaim in her choices since she broke onto the scene with “An Education,” and dependable co-stars Brooks, Perlman and Cranston don’t ever disappoint.

Though not for the faint of heart, “Drive” has elevated current filmmaking to an entirely new level putting Refn and Gosling in the driver’s seat of Hollywood.

On June 16, the Festival will open with “Bernie,” the new movie starring Jack Black, Shirley MacClaine and Matthew McConaughey. Directed by Richard Linklater, “Bernie” revolves around the true story of assistant funeral home director Bernie Tiede, a very likable man who befriends an elderly lady. No one has a bad word tpo say about him, even when he commits a terrible crime.

June 16 also has a screening of “Green Lantern” starring Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively available. The film will be in nationwide release the next day, June 17, so the screening gives LAFF-goers a chance for a sneak peek. This special Gala screening will be hosted by Premier Sponsor Pechanga Resort & Casino with a unique exciting casino experience in the VIP hospitality area, with table games and opportunities to win resort getaways and free slot play at the largest casino in the Western USA. The Pechanga Resort & Casino is a Four-Diamond resort, located in the Southern California Wine Country of the Temecula Valley, and it offers: 517 newly-renovated guest rooms and suites; a world-class golf course; eight critically acclaimed restaurants; five bars and nightclubs; a relaxing spa, ful fitness center and pool; and more.

The official beer of the festival has been announced as Stella Artois with Jameson Irish Whiskey® the official spirit, and World Wine HeadQuarters as the official wine purveyor. The Los Angeles Athletic Club is the Official Host Hotel and Virgin America is the Official Airline Partner. WireImage is the Official Photography Agency and PR Newswire is the Official Breaking News Service of Film Independent.

This year’s Los Angeles Film Festival is the 17th annual event and will screen more than 200 feature length movies, short films, retro screenings and music videos, including “Attack the Block,” “Another Earth,” “A Better Life,” “Boyz n the Hood,” “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” and “Rudy.”

Another huge draw of LAFF are the special conversations and interviews with guest. This year the list has a wide variety of speakers, including Julie Taymor, Erykah Baduh, Jack Black, Shirely MacClaine, Jason Ritter, Diablo Cody and James Franco.

Taking over more than six city blocks, the LAFF is one of the region’s most active ‘live content and event campus with 15 restaurants and huge nationally recognized venues like Staples Center, Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, the Conga Room, Club Nokia, the Grammy Museum, Lucky Strike Lanes and Lounge and Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14.

On June 26, the LAFF will close with the world premiere red carpet screening of “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark,” starring Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce, Bailee Madison and Jack Thompson. The much-anticipated horror film from director Troy Nixey and writer Guillermo del Toro tells the terrifying story of a young girl sent to stay with her father and stepmother who discovers there are creatures ready to take her into their own way of living. It’s a remake of the 1973 TV movie of the same name with stars Kim Darby, Jim Hutton and Barbara Anderson.

Contact the Coca-Cola Festival Ticketing Center for passes, tickets and event information by calling 866.FILM.FEST (866.345.6337) or visit LAFilmFest.com. Festival Passes and tickets can also be purchased in person beginning today, at the Coca-Cola Ticket Center located at the Festival Village on the West Garage at L.A. LIVE (1005 Chick Hearn Court).

Special support is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, UCLA Latin American Institute and the University of Guadalajara Foundation.

For more information or to become a member, visit FilmIndependent.org.

Read more about Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic; it was the first article LA’s The Place ever published!

Spike is coming to Utah specifically because of Baird and Clark. “Flipping Foreclosures” has a definite Spike TV spin to it — this is the “wild, wild West” of house flipping, according to Clark. It starts at foreclosure auctions in Salt Lake City, where 30 to 120 homes per day are being sold at the Matheson Courthouse.

“The heart of the series is our enterprising, ambitious hosts,” said Tim Duffy, Spike’s senior vice president of original programming.

Mike Baird and Doug Clark

The Clark & Baird Expedition

Baird, 33, grew up in San Diego and moved to Utah to attend Brigham Young University. Clark is a native of Utah who grew up in Murray. They met at a foreclosure auction in 2004, and Clark quit his career as a commercial pilot to join Baird as a foreclosure flipper.

Each of the six episodes ordered by Spike TV will follow Baird, Clark and their team through the story of one home. See them throughout the entire process – buying the foreclosure, cleaning it, repairing structural damage, rehabilitating and redecorating, and selling to a new owner.

They buy and sell an average of 50-60 homes a year and have 15-20 in their portfolio at any one time.

Turning Filth into Fortune

“Some of these homes have been vacant for years and years,” Baird said. “They’re rat-infested. And neighbors are just wishing that something would finally be done to some of these homes.”

Many times they encounter the unthinkable. Dead animals. Stolen cars. Meth labs.

“You have mold throughout the entire home,” Baird said. “You have people who have left meat that has been rotting there for months and months and it’s completely infested with flies.”

“One time we sent in people in biohazard suits to clean out meat,” Clark said. “By the time we put it in the Dumpster, the health department had already come to cite us because the Dumpsters smelled so bad. It was absolutely awful.”

“You never know what you’re going to find,” Clark said. “We had one home that had tens of thousands of hypodermic needles. There are situations we’ve seen that kids have lived in that would just blow your mind — worse than a third-world country.”

Clark & Baird Making A Difference

The plan for “Flipping Foreclosures” is to concentrate on the happy endings. “It’s tough when people are losing their homes,” Baird said. “But the reality is that there are victors in this, too. In the beginning, the neighbors are really curious. And then at the end, it’s kind of a hugs-and-kisses thing. They’re excited to have a new family in their neighborhood.”

“If we’re fixing America one house at a time, then at least we’re making a difference,” Clark said.

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Bradley Cooper at Hangover II Premiere

Robert Downey Jr. and wife.

Alyssa Milano

Zach Galifianakis

Jaime Chung

Ed Helms

Director Nathan Ruegger

Coming from an entertainment family, he was lucky to see that success is possible in this business. He saw early success himself as a young voice over actor on the animated show “Animaniacs”.  His own work as an actor helped shape his vision of how to be a hands-on director and pull amazing, true-to-reality performances from his actors. His hard work and determination to make a film that truly speaks for those who may not always be able to tell their story is bringing him accolades for his film “Another Life” which recently screened at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Nathan for a Q & A interview.

Kali Cook:  How was the casting process for Another Life?

Nathan Ruegger: This film was cast-dependent. We hired an amazing casting director, Cheryl Faye, who has worked with Quentin Tarantino and Sam Raimi. We spent a while with the breakdowns, called in about 200 hundred actors and narrowed that down to approx. 10 actors for each part in the callbacks.

KC:  What were you looking for in the lead role of Angela? The actress you choose was incredible.

NR: The most important thing was that she be believable as being in Iraq killing people, yet also vulnerable and likable.

KC: That is a lot to ask for, what stood out with Tracy?

NR: I think what stood out the most was the way I could see the whole movie on her face without her saying a word.

KC: And Robert, what was key in choosing him to play Scott?

NR: Robert actually made us cry with his audition. We managed to hold it in until he left the room.

KC: What type of prep did you do with these two before filming? Their chemistry exploded on screen.

NR: We rehearsed for about a week and they both had their own processes with becoming the characters. For example Tracy took her uniform home to wear it and immerse herself  with being a veteran.

KC: Can you tell us a little about the other actors?

NR: Harrison’s scene is so complicated, he plays the mob boss and has the job of setting up the whole story, as well as this character needing to scare people almost to death. Bobbie, who plays Kaylie is just adorable and so easy to work with. She played the scene perfectly when she knows her Dad has been killed, it shows in her eyes so subtlety.

KC: What made you interested in writing this film?

NR: I love crime dramas and thrillers, they interest me the most. I didn’t want to just make a fun movie, I wanted it to tell a real story.

KC: You absolutely accomplished that. Lets talk directing for a moment. What would you say your style on set is?

NR: Soft spoken. Very focused. I like to work with each actor individually to get the moments the scene calls for.

KC: The colors of the film are so “real” and beautiful, what inspired this?

NR: Jay Visit and I have similar styles, very easy going, so we work well together. We chose the colors for Tracy’s world, thinking in terms of cold, blues, shadows. Robert’s world is warm, bright and yellows.

KC: I have to say, the ending surprised me. Did you always know that is how you wanted it to end?

NR: I wrote 20 drafts of the script. I grappled with how to end it. A mentor had told me that a short needs to be emotional 1 or 2 moments. Angela is trapped, can’t see a way out.

KC: Do you have a particular message you would like viewers to leave with after watching Another Life?

NR: Very much so, “Talk to someone”. Angela could not see a way out, she felt done. She should have talked to someone. Reached out. I want people to see and know that we aren’t alone. To reach out to someone before it becomes too late, no matter what that is.

KC: In closing our interview, what would you say was something influenced you growing up?

NR: My grandfather was an actor and a director, my Dad is a producer, Mother, actress. Each of them taught me and showed me different areas and I gained endless knowledge from their particular perspective.

For more info on the film and Nathan Ruegger, visit: www.anotherlifefilm.com.

At the age of 30, Vescio was working as a TV photojournalist with CBS News and was earning high praise—even talks of an Emmy—but it forced him to reevaluate his career path.

After a stint teaching at Virginia Tech, he decided to pursue professional acting instead. It was 2001, and in that summer he enrolled in David Mamet’s Acting Conservatory. Mamet is an American playwright, essayist and film director, notably helming projects like “The Verdict” and “Wag the Dog.” After reading many acting books, it was Mamet’s that stood out to Vescio, so the school seemed like a perfect fit.

“I found out that I finally got accepted into his acting conservatory, and then the following summer, I moved to NYC and started training at his school,” Vescio told LA’s The Place. “And that decision was the best thing that I ever did with in my life. I just love acting more than anything else in life! And I honestly practice and study this art form every single day of my life.”

In 2005, Vescio was cast in several projects, two short films “Manic” and “SomePlace Wonderful” and one movie “Blue Hour.” All a little on the dark and supernatural side, those pieces are where Vescio first began professionally working, and since then he has performed in about three dozen short films in a two-year period. From those experiences, Vescio has learned a lot.

“I’ve learned how to work on a film set without ever seeing the camera at all, that way I can totally be in the moment as the character, and not worry where the camera is,” Vescio explained. “That way, my performance can look like a documentary film, versus a fictional film. It’s just more natural-looking versus pretend-looking.”

He continued, “I’ve also learned how to take direction from all different types of directors as well. Which is definitely a plus, because I can now take direction from any kind of director that there is, because I’ve pretty much seen and/or heard it all.”

Frequently, Vescio is seen playing the villainous and evil role, but it’s what he enjoys and he wouldn’t have it any other way, even commenting that there are no other genres of film he’d like to pursue.

“Yes, I definitely do enjoy being the villain, but I also feel that the villain portrayal isn’t properly being told by most actors here in Hollywood, so it’s my duty as a professional actor to be these character types as truthfully as humanly possible—as if it is real life,” Vescio revealed. “And in the end, I definitely do want the audience to learn these hard cruel facts the easy way, by watching me perform in a film, versus the hard way of it actually happening to them in real life instead.”

The action/sci-fi flick “Gemini Rising” is currently in post-production starring Lance Henriksen, Amy Hathaway, John Savage, Brian Krause and Vescio as Dr. Bainbridge, a role he says is different from previous outings.

Here is his brief synopsis on the mysterious film: “When my character (Dr. Bainbridge) was a child, his father was a top medical scientist for the CIA. So basically, I was his guinea pig for most of his experiments, from sleep deprivation to LSD injections, etc. My character grew up being as anti-social as humanly possible, but, now, he’s the top medical scientist working for the U.S. government, figuring out how to control human beings telepathically, and that’s where the storyline begins. You have a mad scientist and a super smart colonel trying to control human beings telepathically, but, at the same time destroying human life in order to achieve this mission. That’s where the protagonist of the story comes in and tries to destroy us for doing these cruel things, but my character is, well, not up for any of that at all. His medical research means everything to him, and he will literally kill it.”

Vescio has a lot on his plate coming up, including roles in two movies in the pre-production stage, “Blood on the Border” and “Showdown in Durango,” the latter starring Martin Landau. He just finished shooting “Hick” with the ensemble cast of Alec Baldwin, Blake Lively, Juliette Lewis, Chloe Mortez, Eddie Redmayne and Rory Culkin. It was shot in Wilmington, N.C. and tells the story of a Nebraska teen leaving her small town for Las Vegas. It’s based on the novel of the same name by Derick Martini and Andrea Portes. It will hit theaters next year. And again, Vescio is the villain.

Vescio is also appearing in the horror flick “Q for Death” starring Jeremy London, who portrays a man who loses everything and decides to punish criminals for their wrongdoings themselves in a “Boondock Saints” type of thriller. Vescio just so happens to be one of those criminals.

“I’m a Hollywood producer who loves conning people out of their hard earned money, and for some reason, I always get away with it, because I have the best lawyer in town,” he explains laughing. “Isn’t life great!”

The screening for this incredible, thought-provoking film will be Tuesday night May 3rd at 8:30 pm as part of the Suspenseful Shorts series at the prestigious Newport Beach Film Festival. This is not a film to be missed.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The film has performed well at six other festivals for its thrills and chills as well as its provocative portrait of a veteran coming back home with PTSD.

You can see the trailer, links, and more here

The impressive cast includes Tracy Coogan, K. Harrison Sweeney, Robert W. Evans and Bobbie Prewitt.

The writer/director is Nathan Ruegger, a recent graduate with honors in Filmmaking at USC School of Cinematic Arts. We will be featuring a special Q and A interview with him on how he poured his heart and soul, along with his fantastic crew, including award-winning cinematographer Jay Visit, into “Another Life” to allow its audience an extremely real look into something we may not otherwise get to see, yet he also seems to understand the simple, yet often misunderstood fact that we are not alone with our personal demons.

Check out the film’s impressive website for the trailer and much more about “Another Life”

Article by:  Kali Cook