First, a confession. The idea of moving the Los Angeles Film Festival, long held semi-centrally at the Laemmle Sunset 5, to the far, far away Westwood Village? Not what I considered the best idea. After all, I hadn't been to the Westwood area in more than two years (it's on the other side of La Cienega for goodness sakes) and that was for shooting coverage of a protest rally at the federal building. Actually setting foot in Westwood Village? The most recent memory I have was attending the premiere of Terry Gillam's 12 Monkeys. Seriously, that long.
Sure, Westwood is only seventeen miles away (although driving it could take 25 minutes and could take an hour and a half - but before you get snotty about Los Angeles traffic, let me just say that I was in Chicago last week and St. Louis and any idea that traffic is somehow smooth and easy elsewhere is a huge myth), but it really feels like a whole 'nother galaxy. Add to that the fact that the village, adjacent to UCLA, has seen far better days, and there was a general sense of "I have to trek over there everyday?"
But two days into the festival and I have to say that the Film Independent folks have stumbled on something. Sure, there are kinks to be worked out and logistics that will improve with time, but for the first time that I can remember, there seems to be a real sense of a festival community. It's nice to see everyone walking around this five or six block area going from the venues to the Target Red Room to sidewalk cafes. It was great to walk out of a screening last night to see a street packed with people for an outdoor screening of West Side Story.
There was a huge feeling of a film gathering - which is somewhat rare here in the film capitol of the world.
I'm back today for day three and I am sitting on the documentary feature jury, so I will limit my reports these first few days to the general festival experience. Once the fest is over and awards handed out, I will post my thoughts on this year's crop of non-fiction features.
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