Hollywood Film Festival finalizes lineup, adds movies celebrating L.A.
The Hollywood Film Festival, revamped as a showcase of socially conscious cinema, has finalized its lineup with Celebrate Hollywood, a program of seven films that were shot in Tinseltown or that reference show business.
The category will include “Alex of Venice,†actor-director Chris Messina’s drama about a workaholic attorney forced to reinvent her life after her husband leaves; “The Dramatics,†Scott Rodgers’ comedy about a stressed-out actress who lands a starring role in a sexually explicit miniseries; and “Becoming Bulletproof,†Michael Barnett’s documentary following a group of disabled actors who set out to make a western.
“Celebrate Hollywood provides opportunity to pay homage to the motion picture capital and its impact on entertainment,†HFF executive director Jon Fitzgerald said in a statement. “As the festival grows and becomes more relevant in the community, and as incentives continue to be given for filmmaking in Hollywood, we expect this will become one of the more competitive sections of the fest.â€
The program will provide a local angle to HFF, which has at times struggled to make a name for itself since its founding in 1997. In March, festival veteran Fitzgerald acquired the HFF under CineCause, his philanthropic platform connecting audiences with the causes behind social-issue films.
The relaunched festival will take place Oct. 16-19 at the ArcLight Hollywood, featuring screenings, Q&As, calls to action and a Global Summit for Good.
Festival organizers also announced Tuesday that Gina Belafonte, daughter of actor and activist Harry Belafonte, will present an award to a filmmaker who “successfully demonstrates the power of film to create change.â€
For more information, go to hollywoodfilmfestival.com.
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