LA Film Festival Unveils 2016 Competition Lineup; 42 World Premieres Chosen Across All Categories

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Category: Entertainment News

Published on Friday, 29 April 2016 11:43

Opening Night

Lowriders – USA (DIRECTOR Ricardo de Montreuil WRITERS Elgin James,

Justin Tipping, Joshua Berne-Golden PRODUCERS Brian Grazer, Jason Blum CAST Eva Longoria, Demián Bichir, Melissa Benoist, Theo Rossi, Tony Revolori and Gabriel Chavarria) – Set within culturally vibrant East LA, a young Chicano muralist struggles to mend the rift between his tradition-loving Mexican father and his ex-con older brother by immersing himself in lowrider car culture. World Premiere

Buzz

Don't Think Twice – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Mike Birbiglia PRODUCERS Mike Birbiglia, Ira Glass, Miranda Bailey, Amanda Marshall CAST Gillian Jacobs, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Birbiglia, Kate Micucci, Chris Gethard, Tami Sagher) – The unbreakable bonds of a struggling improv group are put to the test when they lose their performance space and one of them lands a coveted spot on the holy grail of all comedy shows. LA Premiere

Equity – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Meera Menon WRITER Amy Fox PRODUCERS Sarah Megan Thomas, Alysia Reiner CAST Anna Gunn, James Purefoy, Sarah Megan Thomas, Alysia Reiner) – A senior investment banker thrives in the brutality of her high-power, big money world until a controversial IPO threatens the fragile balance of power. LA Premiere

Jean of the Joneses – Canada/USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Stella Meghie PRODUCERS Amos Adetuyi, Stella Meghie, Floyd Kane CAST Taylour Paige, Sherri Shepherd, Erica Ash, Gloria Reuben, Michelle Hurst, Mamoudou Athie, Francois Arnaud, Anna Hopkins, Demore Barnes) – When the estranged patriarch of the Jones family abruptly drops dead on their doorstep, sharp-witted Jean Jones stirs up familial dysfunctions to distract herself from an unraveling love life and a stalled writing career. LA Premiere

Kicks – USA (DIRECTOR Justin Tipping WRITER Joshua Beirne-Golden PRODUCER David Kaplan CAST Jahking Guillory, Christopher Meyer, CJ Wallace, Kofi Siriboe, Mahershala Ali) – After getting his dream pair of Air Jordans snatched, Brandon and his friends go on a dangerously epic mission through Oakland to get them back in this vibrant coming-of-age story bursting with magical realism. LA Premiere

Life, Animated – USA (DIRECTOR Roger Ross Williams PRODUCERS Roger Ross Williams, Julie Goldman) – Based on Ron Suskind's best-selling book, the emotional story of an autistic boy who is unable to speak for years, but finds a way to communicate to his family by embodying—to precision—his favorite characters in animated Disney movies. LA Premiere

The Music of Strangers – USA (DIRECTOR Morgan Neville PRODUCERS Morgan Neville, Caitrin Rogers) – Members of a collective of global innovative performers, composers and storytelling musicians, brought together by cellist Yo-Yo Ma as the Silk Road Ensemble, discuss their philosophies on music and culture. LA Premiere

Limelight

FREE CeCe! – USA (DIRECTOR Jacqueline Gares WRITERS Laverne Cox, Jacqueline Gares PRODUCER Laverne Cox) – CeCe McDonald survived a brutal attack, only to be incarcerated for defending her life. After an international movement to free her, CeCe emerges as a leader who interrogates the prison industrial complex and inspires women to fight back when attacked. World Premiere

A Hundred Streets – UK (DIRECTOR Jim O'Hanlon WRITER Leon Butler PRODUCERS Pippa Cross, Leon Butler, Idris Elba, Ros Hubbard CAST Idris Elba, Gemma Arterton, Charlie Creed-Miles, Franz Drameh, Kierston Wareing, Tom Cullen, and Ken Stott) – A powerful multi-stranded drama set in one specific area of contemporary London, with a cast of characters who face major choices and change in their separate lives as their paths sometimes cross. World Premiere

Lights Out – USA (DIRECTOR David F. Sandberg WRITERS David F. Sandberg, Eric Heisserer PRODUCERS Lawrence Grey, James Wan CAST Teresa Palmer, Maria Bello) – A woman and her young brother are haunted by a creature with a mysterious attachment to their mother that appears only when the lights go out. World Premiere

Opening Night – Mexico/USA (DIRECTOR Isaac Rentz WRITERS Gerry De Leon, Gregory Lisi PRODUCERS Daniel Posada, Jason Tamasco, Topher Grace, Alex Garcia CAST Topher Grace, Taye Diggs, Anne Heche, Alona Tal, JC Chasez, Rob Riggle, Paul Scheer, Lauren Lapkus, Brian Husky) – A musical comedy centered on a failed Broadway singer turned production manager who must save the show on opening night by wrangling his eccentric cast and crew before they wreak havoc. World Premiere

So B. It – USA (DIRECTOR Stephen Gyllenhaal WRITER Garry Williams PRODUCERS J. Todd Harris, Orien Richman CAST Talitha Bateman, Alfre Woodard, John Heard, Jessica Collins, Jacinda Barrett, Dash Mihok, Cloris Leachman) – Based on The New York Times best-selling young adult novel, a twelve-year-old travels alone across the country to unravel the mysteries of her and her mentally disabled mother's past. World Premiere

The Sweet Life – USA (DIRECTOR Rob Spera WRITER Jared Rappaport PRODUCERS Julie Lynn, Bonnie Curtis CAST Chris Messina, Abigail Spencer) – Two unlucky strangers with nothing left to lose head out on an impulsive road trip to jump off of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. World Premiere