Sundance Next Fest brings attitude of creative adventure to downtown L.A.

Even for the most dedicated movie fan, a film festival’s cycle of screenings, Q&As and receptions can come to feel a bit self-same — lather, rinse, repeat.

Which is why this year’s Sundance Next Fest sets itself up to be more than just an ordinary film festival.

Now in its third year at the downtown Theatre at Ace Hotel, the festival has lined up the Los Angeles premieres of six feature films that first screened at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, this past winter. But musical performers, comedy, conversations and a youth talent show are also part of the program.

“This is one where we get to go a little wild and crazy. It’s weird and eccentric and we have fun with the programming,� says John Cooper, director of the Sundance Film Festival, which has begun to put on events in London, Hong Kong and other global locations. “Next Fest is where we get to spread our wings a little bit.�

“And really experiment,� adds director of programming Trevor Groth. “For us the original concept was pairing movies with concerts, which was something we had never really done before. You challenge yourself to find the right alchemy, the mixing of this film and this musical artist and seeing if the audience connects to it. It’s been fun to watch it take shape.�

The festival begins Friday night with a screening of the tender romantic drama “Lovesong,� directed by So Yong Kim and starring Riley Keough and Jena Malone. The film will be followed by a performance by the young R&B singer Shamir.

The movie, the story of two young women reconciling their deep-rooted emotional relationship even as one of them is about to marry a man, might more obviously lend itself to a singer-songwriter sort of musical companion. But the Next Fest folks wanted something more surprising.

A song by Shamir plays during a pivotal scene in the film, and so, Groth says, “it just made sense. It brings a different energy to it, but still connected to what I think the experience of ‘Lovesong’ is too. I think that’s going to be one of the most exciting combinations we have.�

Kim, who has had numerous films play at the festival in Park City and was among the most recent invitees to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, agrees.

“I’m thrilled at the idea of pairing our screening with Shamir because his songs are so beautiful, upbeat and fun,� Kim says via email. “The prospect of discovering a new audience for the film through his music is very exciting.�

Saturday’s program begins with a screening of Chad Hartigan’s warm father-son comedy “Morris From America,� starring Craig Robinson and Markees Christmas. A talent show follows, hosted by Robinson, with a reading by students from the writing-focused nonprofit 826LA, a dance routine by Inner-City Arts, live beat-making from Stones Throw Records and a short film screening from Venice Arts.

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For “Morris� writer-director Hartigan, there is no concern of the post-screening event taking anything away from the experience of the film.

“If someone comes because of something else, that’s two eyes gained I would not have had,� says Hartigan, who won the screenwriting prize this year in Park City for the film. “And that’s never a bad thing.�

Saturday also includes a screening of Elizabeth Wood’s portrait of troubled youth, “White Girl,� followed by a conversation between Wood and filmmaker Catherine Hardwicke, director of “Thirteen� and the first “Twilight� film. Then Andrew Neel’s frat-hazing drama “Goat,� starring Nick Jonas, screens, followed by a music performance by the trio Sunflower Bean.

A program of short comedy films from Sundance 2016 hosted by performer Nick Kroll kicks off Sunday. (There will also be a Short Film Master Class.) The cross-cultural horror film “Under the Shadow� will be followed by a conversation with writer-director Babak Anvari and “An American Werewolf in London� director John Landis moderated by Simon Barrett, screenwriter of the upcoming “Blair Witch.�

Next Fest concludes with a program that begins with a screening of the short film “Royal,� the directing debut of the L.A. musical artist known as Flying Lotus, followed by Jim Hosking’s absurdist serial-killer comedy “The Greasy Strangler.� The weekend wraps up with a performance by New Orleans’ “Queen of Bounce� Big Freedia, who was featured earlier this year on Beyoncé’s “Formation.�

Also scattered through the weekend’s program will be music videos for Blood Orange’s “Best of You,� Neon Indian’s “Annie� and Mark Pritchard’s “Beautiful People� with vocals by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke.

Next Fest doesn’t officially begin until Friday night, but on Thursday there a benefit event called Night Before Next will be held at the Ace. Though Sundance Institute has long held a summer benefit, this is the first time the event is being held in conjunction with Next Fest.

The Institute’s Vanguard Award will be presented at Night Before Next to Nate Parker, director and star of “The Birth of a Nation,� winner of both the Grand Jury and Audience awards at January’s festival in Park City. Actor Michael B. Jordan is scheduled to present the award to Parker.

In its continuing expansion of Next Fest, this year will be the first time the event will take over an adjacent outdoor space known as Next Door for socializing before and after screenings.

Next Fest began as an extension of the adventuresome section of the Sundance Film Festival known as Next, but has grown into having an identity of its own. And while the films in this year’s Next Fest actually played in sections other than Next at Park City, they do all have something in common.

“Attitude,� Groth says without missing a beat. “I’ve always said there are a lot of films that are in the festival that have the same attitude. They are bold, uncompromising visions. That’s what Next is about in Park City and that’s what Next Fest is about too.�

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Sundance Next Fest

When: Friday, August 12 — Sunday, August 14

Where: Theatre are Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles, 929 S. Broadway, Los Angeles 90015

Tickets: $15-$25

Info: www.sundance.org/next

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