<\/a><\/span><\/p>\nFestival Guest Director, Emmy-award-winning,<\/span> Lauren Greenfield<\/strong> (Generation Wealth<\/i>, Queen of Versailles<\/i>) was awarded the Spirit of Independence Award<\/strong> at the event for her work advancing the cause of independent film and championing creative freedom as a celebrated documentarian, famed photographer and artist.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe Festival\u2019s juried awards include: the U.S. Fiction Award, World Fiction Award, Documentary Award, LA Muse Awards, Nightfall Award, Music Video Award, Episodic Award, well as the Short Fiction Award and the Short Documentary Award. Audience awards are presented for Fiction Feature Film, Documentary Feature Film, Episodic Story, Episodic Pilot, Short Film, Music Video and Series from the Web.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe LA Film Festival kicked off on Thursday, September 20 with the World Premiere of Andrew Slater\u2019s Echo in the Canyon<\/i>, with a performance with special guests Jackson Browne, Jade Castrinos, Jakob Dylan, Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power) and Michelle Phillips.\u00a0 Gala screenings during the Festival included Eva Vives\u2019 All About Nina<\/i>, Ike Barinholtz\u2019s The Oath<\/i>, Rupert Everett\u2019s The Happy Prince <\/i>and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin\u2019s<\/span> documentary <\/b>Free Solo.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nAdditionally the 25th anniversary of Film Independent\u2019s diversity mentorship initiative Project Involve honored Effie T. Brown (Real Women Have Curves<\/i>, Dear White People<\/i>), Jon M. Chu (GI Joe: Retaliation,<\/i> Crazy Rich Asians<\/i>), Cherien Dabis (Amreeka, Empire<\/i>) and MACRO\u2019s Founder & CEO Charles D. King (Mudbound, Fences)<\/i> at the home of Catharine and Jeffrey Soros during the Festival and the inaugural New Wave brunch celebrated the work of Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine Nine<\/i>), Jay Ellis (Insecure<\/i>), Dominique Fishback (The Hate U Give<\/i>), Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (Bumblebee<\/i>), Leonardo Nam (Westworld<\/i>) and Millicent Simmonds (A Quiet Place<\/i>).<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nVR and immersive storytelling were showcased at The Portal in partnership with Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television at their new Playa Vista campus. Lastly, over two days We the People offered a free series committed to advancing inclusion within the entertainment industry by serving as a solution-oriented call to action, Regina Hall (The Hate U Give, Support the Girls<\/i>) was the keynote conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe Festival\u2019s competitions featured a diverse slate of 40 feature films, 41 short films and 10 short episodic works representing 26 countries. Across the competition categories 42% of the films are directed by women and 39% are directed by people of color.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe Festival will close later today with the World Premiere of David Raymond\u2019s Nomis <\/i>starring Henry Cavill, Sir Ben Kingsley, Nathan Fillion, Minka Kelly, Alexandra Daddario and Stanley Tucci at the ArcLight Hollywood Cinerama Dome and <\/i>the Closing Night Documentary will be the LA Premiere of Dyana Winkler and Tina Brown\u2019s United Skates<\/i> at the ArcLight Culver City.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nAwards were given out in the following categories:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nThe U.S. Fiction Award<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nWinner: <\/b>This Teacher<\/i>, dir. Mark Jackson, World Premiere<\/span><\/p>\nScreenwriters: <\/b>Mark Jackson, Dana Thompson<\/span><\/p>\nProducers:<\/b> Mark Jackson, Dana Thompson, Gigi Graff, Josh Mandel, Javier Gonzalez<\/span><\/p>\nCast:<\/b> Hafsia Herzi, Sarah Kazemy, Lucy Walters, Kevin Kane, Lev Gorn<\/span><\/p>\nFilm Description:<\/b> A young Arab-French woman on an introspective journey visits her childhood friend in New York City before heading to the woods upstate.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nJury Members:<\/b> Karin Chien (Producer), Leena Pendharkar (director, 20 Weeks<\/i>), Erica Winograd (VP of Development, Refinery29)<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nU.S. Fiction Special Mention<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nWinner: <\/b>In Reality<\/i>, dir. Ann Lupo, California Premiere<\/span><\/p>\nScreenwriters:<\/b> Ann Lupo, Esteban Pedraza, Aaron Pryka<\/span><\/p>\nProducers:<\/b> Ann Lupo, Nadine Martinez, Holly Meehl<\/span><\/p>\nCast: <\/b>Ann Lupo, Miles G. Jackson, Kimiko Glenn, Jill Eikenberry, Olivia Washington, Esteban Pedraza, Lauren E. Banks<\/span><\/p>\nFilm Description<\/b>: A young woman takes a journey through her own fantastic mind as she investigates her relationship to unrequited love.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWorld Fiction Award<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nWinner: <\/b>Border<\/i>, dir. Ali Abbasi, California Premiere<\/span><\/p>\nCountry: <\/b>Sweden<\/span><\/p>\nScreenwriters: <\/b>Ali Abbasi, Isabella Ekl\u00f6f, John Ajvide Lindqvis<\/span><\/p>\nProducers<\/b>: Nina Bisgaard, Peter Gustafsson, Petra J\u00f6nsson<\/span><\/p>\nCast: <\/b>Eva Melander, Eero Milonoff, J\u00f6rgen Thorsson\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nFilm Description:<\/b> Despite having the remarkable gift of being able to smell emotions, a border agent leads a mundane existence until she meets a stranger who shares her unique abilities and upends her life.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nJury Members: <\/b>Roxanne Benjamin (actress\/director, V\/H\/S<\/i>), Anna Rogers (COO\/VP Production at The Art of Elysium\/EB Studios), Yuval Sharon (Artistic Director, TheIndustry in Los Angeles)<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWorld Fiction Special Jury Prize, Directing<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nWinner: <\/b>The Day I Lost My Shadow<\/i>, dir. Soudade Kaadan, US Premiere<\/span><\/p>\nCountry: <\/b>France\/Lebanon\/Qatar\/Syrian Arab Republic<\/span><\/p>\nScreenwriters: <\/b>Soudade Kaadan<\/span><\/p>\nProducers: <\/b>Amira Kaadan<\/span><\/p>\nCast: <\/b>Sawsan Arshid, Reham Al Kasar, Samer Ismail, Ahmad Ali<\/span><\/p>\nFilm Description:<\/b> In the midst of a gas crisis during the early days of the Syrian Arab Spring, a young mother takes the day off work and strays far from home with only one objective in mind: finding a working cylinder so that she may cook a meal for her son.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nDocumentary Award<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nWinner: <\/b>hillbilly<\/i>, dir. Sally Rubin & Ashley York, LA Premiere<\/span><\/p>\nCountry: <\/b>USA<\/span><\/p>\nProducers: <\/b>Sally Rubin & Ashley York<\/span><\/p>\nFeaturing:<\/b> bell hooks, Billy Redden, Ronny Cox, Frank X Walker, Crystal Good, Silas Howard<\/span><\/p>\nFilm Description: <\/b>Two filmmakers visit rural Kentucky, one returning home to Appalachian to unpack the stereotype of \u201chillbilly\u201d and explore the personal and painful experiences fueling our polarizing political climate.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nJury Members:<\/b> Michael Bodie (director\/professor, USC School of Cinematic Arts), Hans Charles (Cinematographer, 13th), <\/i>Rae Dawn Chong (actress, The Color Purple)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0\u00a0 Documentary Special Jury Award for<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nExcellence in Social Justice Storytelling<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nWinner: <\/b>False Confessions<\/i>, dir. Katrine Philp, North American Premiere<\/span><\/p>\nCountry:<\/b> Denmark<\/span><\/p>\nProducers:<\/b> Katrine A. Sahlstr\u00f8m<\/span><\/p>\nFilm Description:<\/b> \u201cWould you confess to a crime you did not commit?\u201d A defense attorney fights against the complex and manipulative tactics of US police interrogations, focusing on victims of coerced confessions as she helps exonerate her incarcerated clients.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nLA Muse Award<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nWinner:<\/b> Staycation<\/i>, dir. Tanuj Chopra, World Premiere<\/span><\/p>\nCountry: <\/b>USA<\/span><\/p>\nScreenwriters: <\/b>Tanuj Chopra, Anthony Ma, Grace Su<\/span><\/p>\nProducer:<\/b> Lalithra Fernando<\/span><\/p>\nCast:<\/b> Anthony Ma, Grace Su<\/span><\/p>\nFilm Description:<\/b> A modern millennial codependent couple in DTLA have their relationship thrown for a loop when he discovers a photo from an ex on her phone.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nJury Members: <\/b>Tamar Halpern (filmmaker, Llyn Foulkes One Man Band<\/i>), Jorge Lendeborg (actor, Bumblebee), <\/i>Jamil Walker Smith (director, The American Dream<\/i>, actor, Code Black)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nLA Muse Documentary Award<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nWinner: <\/b>Fire on the Hill<\/i> dir. Brett Fallentine, World Premiere<\/span><\/p>\nCountry:<\/b> USA<\/span><\/p>\nProducers:<\/b> Brett Fallentine, Jordana Glick-Franzheim, Steven Amato<\/span><\/p>\nFilm Description:<\/b> Three black cowboys in South Central share their stories following a mysterious fire that burnt down the community\u2019s stables, leaving the fate of the culture in question.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nJury Members:<\/b> Tamar Halpern (filmmaker, Llyn Foulkes One Man Band<\/i>), Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (actor, Bumblebee), <\/i>Jamil Walker Smith (director, The American Dream<\/i>, actor, Code Black)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/i><\/span><\/p>\nLA Muse Special Mention, Best Ensemble Cast<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nWinner: <\/b>Solace<\/i>, dir. Tchaiko Omawale, World Premiere<\/span><\/p>\nCountry:<\/b> USA<\/span><\/p>\nScreenwriter: <\/b>Tchaiko Omawale<\/span><\/p>\nProducers:<\/b> Tchaiko Omawale, Maya Emelle, Hope Olaide Wilson, Sabine Hoffman, Sascha Brown Rice<\/span><\/p>\nCast:<\/b> Hope Olaide Wilson, Lynn Whitfield, Chelsea Tavares, Glynn Turman, Luke Rampersad, Sydney Bennett<\/span><\/p>\nFilm Description:<\/b> A teenage orphan moves to LA to live with her estranged grandmother and works to win a performance art grant while secretly struggling with binge eating.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nNightfall Award<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nWinner: <\/b>The Dead Center<\/i>, dir. Billy Senese, World Premiere<\/span><\/p>\nCountry<\/b>: USA<\/span><\/p>\nScreenwriters: <\/b>Billy Senese<\/span><\/p>\nProducers: <\/b>Billy Senese, Denis Deck, Jonathan Rogers, Shane Carruth<\/span><\/p>\nCast: <\/b>Shane Carruth, Poorna Jagannathan, Jeremy Childs, Billy Feehely<\/span><\/p>\nFilm Description:<\/b> When a mysterious John Doe wakes up in a morgue and wanders into a psychiatric ward, a devoted doctor and curious medical examiner must slowly uncover dark and sinister secrets about the man that reveal a more horrifying truth than they could have ever imagined.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nJury Members: <\/b>Niyia Mack (producer, Delusion: The Blue Blade)<\/i>, Alex Neustaedter (actor, A.X.L.)<\/i>, Sarah Adina Smith (<\/b>director, Legion, Room 104)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nNightfall Special Jury Prize, Lead Actor<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nActor: <\/b>Ashleigh Morghan<\/span><\/p>\nFilm:<\/b> Head Count<\/i>, dir. Elle Callahan, World Premiere<\/span><\/p>\nCountry:<\/b> USA<\/span><\/p>\nScreenwriters: <\/b>Michael Nader<\/span><\/p>\nProducers: <\/b>Samuel Sandweiss, Brandon Somerhalder<\/span><\/p>\nFilm Description<\/b>: During a weekend getaway to Joshua Tree, a group of teenagers find themselves under mental and physical assault from a supernatural entity that mimics their appearances as it completes an ancient ritual.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nNightfall Special Jury Prize, Ensemble Cast<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nCast:<\/b> Barak Hardley, Jackie Tohn, Magn\u00fas J\u00f3nsson, Birna R\u00fan Eiriksd\u00f3ttir, Tom Wright, Stacey Moseley, Michael Nanfria, Michole Briana White, Brynd\u00eds Haraldsd\u00edttir<\/span><\/p>\n