Dances With Films: Indie film fest celebrates sweet 16

The indie film festival Dances With Films is celebrating its sweet 16th anniversary this year.

The festival, which annually attracts some 8,000 attendees, will feature nearly 100 films from around the world including 60 world premieres, as well as industry conversations and panels over an 11-day period. It begins Thursday and continues through June 9 at the TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood.

Dances With Films opens with the world premiere of HBO Documentary Films’ “Miss You Can Do It,” which shines a spotlight on Abbey Curran, Miss Iowa 2008, who was the first woman with a disability to compete at the Miss USA Pageant.

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Among the films in competition for the festival’s 10 awards are Tom Glynn’s noir “Automotive,” starring Will Estes, Joe Eddy’s drama “Coyote” and Daniel Bonjour’s romantic drama “Reach.”

Other films in the festival include narrative features such as Sam Hancock’s “Us” and Charlie LaVoy’s “Steve Chong Finds Out That Suicide Is a Bad Idea” and feature documentaries “Kumpania Flamenco Los Angeles” and “Tumor: It’s in the System.”

The festival also highlights short films including “Man Up, Little Boy” with Bradley Whitford, “Barbie Boy” and “Crossing the River,” as well as music videos.

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