Life, Animated, Director Roger Ross Williams

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From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Roger Ross Williams (“Music by Prudence”), is the inspirational story of Owen Suskind, a young man who was unable to speak as a child until he and his family discovered a unique way to communicate by immersing themselves in the world of classic Disney animated films. This emotional coming-of-age documentary follows Owen as he graduates to adulthood and takes his first steps toward independence. The subject of his father Ron Suskind’s New York Times bestseller, Owen was a thriving three-year-old who suddenly and inexplicably went silent—and for years after remained unable to connect with other people or to convey his thoughts, feelings or desires. Over time, through repeated viewings of Disney classics like The Little Mermaid and The Lion King, Owen found useful tools to help him to understand complex social cues and to re-connect with the world around him. Life, Animated evocatively interweaves classic Disney sequences with vérité scenes from Owen’s life in order to explore how his identification and empathy for characters like Simba, Jafar and Ariel gave him a means to understand his feelings and allowed him to interpret reality. Director and Producer Roger Ross Williams (God Love Uganda) joins us to talk about the challenge of presenting a balanced portrait of Owen Suskind and his family.

For news and updates go to: lifeanimateddoc.com/

Winner of the Audience Award – San Francisco Film Festival

Winner of the Audience Award – Full Frame Film Festival 

Winner of the Directing Award – Sundance Film Festival, Life, Animated

“A captivating portrait of a young man for whom Disney animated movies have provided a powerful lifeline to progress, language and understanding. – Justin Chang, Variety

“Williams smartly devotes large portions of the documentary to Owen on his own, letting him explain his fears himself rather than relying on the other Suskinds for clarification and translation. – Noel Murray, A.V. Club

“Incredibly moving documentary takes us into the interior life of an autistic person, and explores how films helped him communicate with the outside world.” – Lanre Bakare, The Guardian

“Instead of false hope, it offers up possibility, the chance of a stimulus that might get past the blocks of developmental disorder.”- Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Indian Point, Director / Producer Ivy Meeropol

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INDIAN POINT takes an unblinking look at the dramatic debate over nuclear power by going inside the aging plant that looms just 35 miles from New York City. With over 50 million people living in close proximity to the facility, it has stoked a great deal of controversy in the surrounding community, including a vocal anti-nuclear contingent concerned that the kind of disaster that happened at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant could happen here. At the same time, its continued operation has the support of the plant’s operators and the NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) as they campaign to relicense Indian Point for another 20 years of operation. INDIAN POINT presents a complex story through the people who are most invested in the nuclear industry—the owners of the plant, the workers at the plant and the activists who want to shut it down. The debate at the center of INDIAN POINT is more timely now than ever. In February of 2016, news broke that the groundwater below Indian Point had been contaminated with radioactive material, prompting a state investigation.
 Director and producer Ivy Meeropol takes full advantage of her unprecedented access to the plant at the center of the most contentious relicensing process in the history of the industry. Her even-handed approach to the history and issues surrounding nuclear energy in general and INDIAN POINT specifically makes the film compelling filmmaking and indispensable viewing for anyone who cares about our energy future.

For news and updates go to: firstrunfeatures.com/indianpoint

“See it if you want to lose sleep.” – Vulture

“A cautionary tale about a technology once seen as an abundant and non-polluting energy source, but with downsides that could make oil spills and electrical brownouts seem as minor as a fender bender.” – Lewis Beale, The Daily Beast

“Must-see” – New York Post

“A startling portrait.”– The Hollywood Reporter

“Rigorously balanced… disturbing.” – Newsday

March of the Living, Director Jessica Sanders

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MARCH OF THE LIVING tells the story of the last generation of Holocaust survivors traveling to Poland with thousands of teenagers from around the world to revisit the sites of the Holocaust and retrace the Death March from Auschwitz to Birkenau, in a journey of remembrance. Filmed in Brazil, Germany, Poland, Israel and the US, the film tells the moving story of the survivors’ hope of passing down their history and memory of the Holocaust to the next generation. MARCH OF THE LIVING follows survivors and teens from Sao Paulo, Los Angeles and Berlin on an emotional journey as they confront the enormity of the past and the possibility of hope in a visit to Israel on its 60th anniversary. A contemporary and unique look at the Holocaust, the film features striking cinematography of the concentration camps today and images and artifacts never seen. MARCH OF THE LIVING raises questions about Holocaust memory as it relates to genocides worldwide today, and about what will happen when the remaining survivors, now in their 80’s and 90’s, will be gone. MARCH OF THE LIVING director and writer Jessica Sanders joins us to talk about the desire of Holocaust survivors to share their memories and the hope that the world will say once and for all never again to racism, indifference, anti-semitism and injustice.

For news and updates on Jessica Sanders go to: jessicasandersfilm.com

For news and updates on March of the Living go to: www.visitfilms.com

MARCH OF THE LIVING will be available on VOD 
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
on iTunes and Amazon Prime


iTunes Link: https://itunes.apple.com/movie/march-of-the-living/id1111106663

Vimeo On Demand Link: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/marchoftheliving

Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Producer Carthew Neal

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HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE is a zany tale of a defiant city kid, Ricky, raised on hip-hop and foster care, gets a fresh start in the New Zealand countryside. He quickly finds himself at home with his new foster family: the loving Aunt Bella, the cantankerous Uncle Hec, and dog Tupac. When a tragedy strikes that threatens to ship Ricky to another home, both he and Hec go on the run in the bush. As a national manhunt ensues, the newly branded outlaws must face their options: go out in a blaze of glory or overcome their differences and survive as a family. Equal parts road comedy and rousing adventure story, director Taika Waititi (WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, upcoming THOR: RAGNORAK) masterfully weaves lively humor with emotionally honest performances by Sam Neill, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House and Julian Dennison. A hilarious, touching crowd-pleaser, HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE reminds us about the journey that growing up is (at any age) and those who help us along the way. Producer Carthew Neal (Tickled, A Band Called Hook Ups) joins us to talk about how Barry Crump’s classic book, Wild Pork and Watercress found its way into the hands of the talented director and writer Taika Waititi and onto the screen.

For news and updates go to: wilderpeople.film

“Hunt for the Wilderpeople” takes a troika of familiar story types – the plucky kid, the crusty geezer, the nurturing bosom – and strips them of cliché.” – Manohla Dargis, New York Times

“Every once in a while, a small, unheralded film comes along, so smart and funny, such a pleasure to experience, you can’t believe your luck. “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” is such a film.” – Kenneth Turan, LA Times

“It’s off-beat in all the best ways, has fantastic actors all delivering fantastic performances, and is a uproarious adventure with endless heart.” – CinemaBlend.com

“An oddball and oddly affecting take on two misfits finding their metaphorical partner-in-crime match.” – David Fear, Rolling Stone

Wiener Dog, Director Todd Solandz

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“I love dogs and would love one of my own, the only problem being that I don’t like walking them or feeding them or cleaning them or having to stay home because of them. When I was a child we (my family) went through a lot of them, and they never lasted very long.”WIENER-DOG Director Todd Solondz.

WIENER-DOG is a dark, starkly funny story of a single dog and the many different people she touches over her short lifetime.  Man’s best friend starts out teaching a young boy some contorted life lessons before being taken in by a compassionate vet tech named Dawn Wiener. Dawn reunites with someone from her past and sets off on a road trip. After leaving Dawn, Wiener-Dog encounters a floundering film professor, as well as an embittered elderly woman and her needy granddaughter—all longing for something more.  Solondz’s perversely dark comedy offers an appallingly honest look at the American experience, brought to life by its all-star cast.  As to be expected, WIENER-DOG has all the characteristics of the Solondz oeuvre — quick wit, dark tragedy, familiar characters, and an incredible ensemble cast—but the film’s brainchild also found inspiration in classic films. As Solandz says, “The touchstones were movies like AU HASARD BALTHAZAR and BENJI. In between those two is where I think this film lies.” Solandz joins us to talk about the making of Wiener Dog and the state of independent filmmaking in 2016.

For news and updates go to: ifcfilms.com/films/wiener-dog

“En route to the harshest, most unremittingly bleak film of his career, Solondz unleashes some of his sharpest commentary on human mortality and regret” – Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out

“Solondz gives no quarter, nor does he mince words about where we’re all headed. His vision of our predicament is bleakly funny and weirdly heartfelt.” – Ella Taylor, NPR

“Writer/director Todd Solondz makes insightful movies about innocents suffering the worst human impulses from a viewpoint that suggests arrested adolescence mixed with intellectual black humor and a critical eye towards America.” – Laura Clifford, Reeling Reviews

Art Bastard, Artist and subject Robert Cenedella

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In a madcap art world obsessed with money, fame and hype, how does an artist driven by justice, defiance and his own singular style thrive? ART BASTARD is the rousing tale of a rebel who never fit into today’s art world… yet has become one of its most provocative, rabble-rousing characters nevertheless. At once a portrait of the artist as a young troublemaker, an alternate history of modern art and a quintessential New York story, ART BASTARD is as energetic, humorous and unapologetically honest as the uncompromising man at its center: Robert Cenedella. Cenedella was a contemporary of Andy Warhol. But he has essentially served as the anti-Warhol. His noisy, raucous, color-splashed paintings of city scenes approach the world with a sincerity that defies the irony, frivolity and controversy-for-the-sake-of-controversy that have become the cultural currency since the 60s. In a fast-moving series of riveting interviews with family members, art critics, museum directors, New York power brokers, art students and Cenedella himself, director Victor Kanefsky candidly presents Cenedella’s personal journey – and reveals the creation of a modern art career that ignored all the modern art rules. What ART BASTARD shows, in stunning cinematic detail, are the living, breathing, storytelling canvases that Cenedella has created for six decades. The result is a visceral art documentary that also has the sweeping impact of a feature film – at once an investigation of a man’s identity, an inquiry into what art is and who it’s for and a feisty portrait of the ups and downs of a life lived on one’s own terms. The artist and subject of ART BASTARD, Robert Cenedella joins us for a spirit discussion of love, life and art.

For news and updates go to: artbastard.com

Opening Friday June 17 at the Laemmle Monica Theatre in Santa Monica

Artist Robert Cenedella and ART BASTARD executive producer Chris Concannon will participate in Q&A’s at the Monica Film Center following the 7:30 PM screenings on Friday and Saturday, June 17 and 18, as well as after the 2:30 and 5 o’clock screenings on Saturday the 18th.

*New York Times CRITIC’s PICK! “Robust documentary portrait of lifelong rebel and art-world gadfly.” –Stephen Holden, THE NEW YORK TIMES

Meet The NYC artist who crucified Santa Claus -by Barbara Hoffman, NEW YORK POST

“An intimate portrait of the iconoclastic artist Robert Cenedella… Socially conscious and often mordantly humorous, the paintings are wonderfully exhibited in this film which benefits from being seen on the big screen.” –Frank Scheck, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

“THE BEST FILM ABOUT ART I HAVE SEEN… A scintillating, visually splendid look at the life and satirical work of socially conscious, talented and articulate art rebel Robert Cenedella. The art establishment should take a fresh look at Cenedella’s work, which certainly deserves a major, reflective New York exhibition at this point in time.” – William Wolf, wolfentertainmentguide.com

**Winner – Best Documentary – 2016 Manchester Film Festival**

**Winner- Best Documentary, Best Director – 2016 IDYLLWILD**

**Winner – Focus on Art Award – 2015 Orlando Film Festival**

**Winner – Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Creativity – 2015 Utopia Film Festival

Tickled, Co-director Dylan Reeve (David Farrier)

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One of the most talked-about films at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, TICKLED begins with reporter David Farrier stumbling upon a bizarre “competitive endurance tickling” video online, wherein young men are paid to be tied up and tickled, and reaching out to request a story from the company. But the reply he receives is shocking—the sender mocks Farrier’s sexual orientation and threatens extreme legal action should he dig any deeper. So, like any good journalist confronted by a bully, he does just the opposite: he travels to the hidden tickling facilities in Los Angeles and uncovers a vast empire, known for harassing and harming the lives of those who protest their involvement in these films. The more he investigates, the stranger it gets, discovering secret identities and criminal activity. Discovering the truth becomes Farrier’s obsession, despite increasingly sinister threats and warnings. With humor and determination, Farrier and co-director Dylan Reeve summon up every resource available to get to the bottom of this tickling worm-hole. Reeve joins us for a conversation on the world of competitive tickling, the competitors and promoters involved in tickling as well as the litigious and threatening environment that making TICKLED has engendered.

For news and updates go to: tickledmovie.com

Tickled opens on Friday, June 17 2016 at the Nuart Theatre in West Los Angeles and the Sunshine Cinema 5 in New York City

“Gunning to be the year’s strangest doc, ‘Tickled’ takes a Dantean descent into a shadowy netherworld as bizarre as the ones in ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ and J.G. Ballard’s ‘Crash.’” – Matt Prigge, Metro

“Tickled morphs from an offbeat caper to a disturbing exposé on the dangers of cyberbullying.” Nigel Smith, The Guardian

“In its genial, low-key way, the film … is a chilling account of cyberbullying, perpetrated on a disturbingly wide scale over many years.” – Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter

The Witness, Director James Solomon

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Fifty years ago, the name “Kitty Genovese” became synonymous with urban apathy after 38 eyewitnesses did nothing while an attacker stabbed her to death on a street in New York City. “For more than half an hour,” The New York Times report began, “38 respectable, law-abiding citizens watched a killer stalk and stab a woman in three separate attacks.” Forty years later, her brother Bill Genovese, who was 16 at the time of his sister’s death, decides to re-examine the details of the crime. THE WITNESS is a probing and deeply personal investigation into one of the most iconic crimes in New York history, featuring interviews with those closest to the murder including the surviving witnesses to Kitty’s death. It offers an illuminating look into the way stories take form and their rippling effects on the lives they touch.  THE WITNESS, a gripping and emotional documentary look at the mythic death and little-known life of Kitty Genovese, is the directorial debut of New York screenwriter (“The Conspirator”) James Solomon.  James sits down to talk about Kitty’s brother and his personal story and how Kitty’s tragic story came to condemn a city and define an era.

For news and updates go to: thewitness-film.com

Pasadena – Laemmle Playhouse 7 – TICKETS – opens 6/17
Director James Solomon will participate in a Q&A on Saturday, June 18th after the 3pm screening.

Santa Monica – Laemmle Monica Film Center – TICKETS – opens 6/17
Director James Solomon will participate in Q&As on Friday, June 17th and Saturday, June 18th after the 7:20 screenings.

THE WITNESS will also open in Los Angeles on June 17 at the Edwards Westpark 8 in Irvine and the Laemmle Claremont 5 in Claremont.

New York Times Critics’ Pick



“STUNNING!” – Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal



“EXTRAORDINARY!” – Richard Brody, The New Yorker

“ASTONISHING!” – Alexander Nazaryan, Newsweek



“FASCINATING!” – Jordan Hoffman, The Guardian



“A VISUALIZED SERIAL!” – John Surico, Vice

“A RIVETING DEEP DIVE INTO A CULTURAL FLASHPOINT!” – Jason Bailey, Flavorwire

The Music of Strangers, Director / Producer Morgan Neville

Music of Strangers film poster i 

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THE MUSIC OF STRANGERS: YO-YO MA AND THE SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE follows an ever-changing lineup of performers drawn from the ensemble’s more than 50 instrumentalists, vocalists, composers, arrangers, visual artists and storytellers as they gather in locations across the world, exploring the ways art can both preserve traditions and shape cultural evolution. Over the past 16 years, an extraordinary group of musicians has come together to celebrate the universal power of music. Named for the ancient trade route linking Asia, Africa and Europe, The Silk Road Ensemble, an international collective created by acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma, exemplifies music’s ability to blur geographical boundaries, blend disparate cultures and inspire hope for both artists and audiences.  Blending performance footage, personal interviews and archival film, Academy Award winning director of 20 FEET FROM STARDOM Morgan Neville (Cool School, Beauty is Embarrassing, Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story, Best of Enemies) and producer Caitrin Rogers focus on the journeys of a small group of Silk Road Ensemble mainstays from across the globe to create an intensely personal chronicle of passion, talent and sacrifice.

For news and update go to:themusicofstrangers.film

THE MUSIC OF STRANGERS SPECIAL APPEARANCE: The universal power of music is celebrated in THE MUSIC OF STRANGERS: YO-YO MA AND THE SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE, opening at The Landmark on Thursday, June 9 at 7:15pm, with daily screenings beginning Friday, June 10. The film’s Oscar-winning director, Morgan Neville (20 Feet from Stardom), will appear in person on Saturday, June 11 for a Q&A after the 7:40pm show; and Monday, June 13 for a Q&A after the 7:40pm show.

**2016 Berlin Film Festival – Special Gala**

**2015 Toronto International Film Festival – Official Selection**

“Neville is keenly aware of how to show the musicians’ kinetic energy onscreen, and he relies on this talent to keep the film consistently alive and moving.” – Tina Hassannia, Rogertebert.com

“Neville is as expert at getting the human stories behind the songs as he is in capturing the music.” – Kenneth Turan, LA Times

“Morgan Neville’s documentary is a joyous revelation, a group portrait of superb musicians from all over the world offering music as an emblem of what people can do in these fractious times when they live in concert with one another.” – Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

King Jack, Director / Writer Felix Thompson

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KING JACK is the story of a scrappy fifteen year-old kid, Jack, stuck in a run-down small town. Trapped in a violent feud with a cruel older bully and facing another bout of summer school, Jack’s got all the problems he can handle. So when Jack’s aunt falls ill and his runty younger cousin must stay with him for the weekend the last thing Jack wants to do is look after him. Unfortunately no one really cares what Jack wants. Set over a hazy summer weekend, KING JACK is a tough and tender coming of age story about friendship and finding happiness in rough surroundings. It feature a terrific ensemble cast of young actors headed up by an beautifully realized performance from Charlie Plummer, as Jack. Director Felix Thompson previous short films have been in competition at festivals such as SXSW, Tribeca and the BFI’s London Film Festival. His first short film “Bedford Park Boulevard” was awarded a grant from the National Board of Review and also picked up the top prizes at NYU’s First Run Film Festival in 2010. KING JACK is his first feature film and was selected for the Sundance Creative Producing Labs along with producer Gabrielle Nadig. Director Felix Thompson joins us to talk about his honest, gritty, award winning feature film debut.

For news and updates go to: kingjackmovie.com

Winner of the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival Audience Award and the Independent Spirit Award for the Someone to Watch Award (Felix Thompson)

KING JACK will open in the following theaters June 10th as well as On Demand

LOS ANGELES – Laemmle’s Music Hall 3 – 9036 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA  – NEW YORK – Cinema Village – 22 E 12th St, New York, NY

“Thompson’s leads are so natural in their roles, and his filmmaking is so immediate and intimate, that King Jack is instantly absorbing.” = Tasha Robinson, The Verge

“For everyone who ever had a close call as an adolescent and kept it from the grown-ups, “King Jack” will hit you where you live.” – Helen T. Verongos, New York Times

“An exceptionally powerful coming-of-age story that pairs the charm and heart we’ve come to expect from the genre with some especially intense and brutal drama.” – Perri Nemiroff, Collider

“With a beautifully poised script, King Jack delivers an honest depiction of adolescent sexuality and a terrifying depiction of teen violence.” – Tara Brady, Irish Times

Misfortune, Director / Writer/ Producer / Actor Desmond Devenich

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In his feature film debut crime heist thriller, MISFORTUNE, director-writer-producer-lead actor Desmond Devenish takes us through a world of intrigue, family secrets and double crosses. Mallick, after his prison release, hunts down his ex-partner’s son, Boyd, an out of work mechanic, whom he believes could lead the way to the missing, stolen diamonds, which landed him in lockup years earlier. With the threat of death and chance at a potential small fortune, Boyd, his girlfriend Sloan and best friend Russell, a small time crook, set out on a rugged search through the treacherous Arizona desert. As events spiral out of control, the prospects of a criminal fugitive lifestyle become an inevitable reality. In addition to Devenish MISFORTUNE also stars co-screenwriter Xander Bailey, Jenna Kanell, Kevin Gage, Steve Earle and Nick Mancuso. Director-writer-producer-lead actor Desmond Devenish joins us to talk about the challenges and rewards that come with taking on the heavy responsibilities of the multi-hyphens he takes on for MISFORTUNE while staying true to his original vision.

For news and updates go to:facebook.com/MisfortuneFilm

Jaipur International Film Festival (Winner – Yellow Rose)

Arizona International Film Festival (Sold out)

Black Hills Film Festival (Winner – Best Feature Film)

The God Cells, Director Eric Merola

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Director Eric Merola’s THE GOD CELLS explores one of the most controversial and polarizing subjects facing mankind today: the harvesting of stem cells from aborted fetuses to be used for therapeutic use. Currently, the clinical practice fetal stem cell therapy is illegal in the United States, but research toward seeking FDA-approval has been underway for more than a decade. Stem Cell research and therapy have been growing at a rapid rate over the past 15 years. Scientific advances coupled with consumer demand has proven that stem cell therapy is the wave of the future, and is poised to change the face of medicine. THE GOD CELLS takes the audience on a journey by following those who are seeking fetal stem cell therapy abroad—while avoiding these seemingly insurmountable roadblocks at home. THE GOD CELLS follows patients from all walks of life who sought fetal stem cells for a variety of reasons: including Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Lupus and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Also included are interviews with some of the patients’ doctors, who were once highly skeptical, but now stand baffled by the full remissions their patients have achieved due to fetal stem cells. In addition to THE GOD CELLS  Merola’s other documentaries, Burzynski (2010-2013), and Second Opinion have received rave reviews by the mainstream press with the New York Daily News saying: “Though a documentary, it’s dramatic enough to be reminiscent of ‘The Insider,’ the whistleblowing thriller about Big Tobacco.” Director Merola stops by to talk about many of the religious, scientific, cultural, financial and political reasons this very promising therapy will have to overturn to become a viable option for people in need.

For news and updates go to: stemcellsmovie.com

Puts heartbreaking faces of very human people into the [stem cell] debate.” – Frank Lovece, Film Journal International

Remains intriguing despite its troublesome issues.“ – Michael Rechtshaffen, LA Times

“The film relies solely on patient testimony to argue for the legalization of the injections. But what it lacks in comprehensive research, it makes up for in fascinating rhetoric. – Amy Brady, Village Voice

Dr. Feelgood, Director / Producer Eve Marson

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In 2004 Dr. William Hurwitz was convicted of over 50 counts of narcotics distribution and handed a 25-year prison sentence. Eve Marson’s documentary, DR. FEELGOOD, traces Dr. Hurwitz’s trial and eventual appeal, detailing the events that lead to his arrest. Testimonies from the witnesses in Dr. Hurwitz’s case contradict one another – some revere him, while others condemn him. Taken together, their accounts reveal a profile of a compassionate yet flawed doctor. DR. FEELGOOD, in telling his story, underscores the tension between every patient’s right to pain relief and the lawful need for drug control. In 2016, statistics of drug abuse are skyrocketing nationwide and doctors continue to be targeted by the DEA. The federal government recently issued its first national guidelines to control opioid prescriptions. There could not be a more critical time to spark a discussion on this topic and call for careful thought and action.  Director Eve Marson has worked on a wide variety of documentary projects, including television programming for PBS, Discovery Channel and Animal Planet and independent feature films such as Fed Up (released with Radius-TWC May 2014) and Craigslist Joe (released with Gravitas Ventures, August 2012). Marson has also created a large library of nonfiction video work in collaboration with GOOD Inc. and other social-action organizations. evemarson.com. Director / Producer Marson join us for a conversation on her balanced and thought provoking portrait of a doctor who’s life and practice embodies the best and the worst in modern medicine.

For news and updates go to: drfeelgoodfilm.com

I Am Gangster, Director / Writer Moritz Rechenberg

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Inspired by real-life stories from the perspective of youth street gang members in Los Angeles and by Los Angeles filmmaker Charles Burnett’s KILLER OF SHEEP,   I AM GANGSTER brings a realistic non-judgmental portrait of life on the street set in the contemporary City of Angels. First time feature director Rechenberg has assembled a spectacular cast of talented individuals who show us the hurt and love that these characters go through in dealing with street gangs and the challenges of daily survival.  Newcomers  Rick Mancia (EAST LOS HIGH), Gilberto Ortiz (LADY DYNAMITE) and impressive first timer  Abraham Bobadilla lead the cast with explosive and touching performances that will leave audiences wanting to see more of them on screen in the future. Director Moritz Rechenberg stops by for a conversation on his electrifying feature film debut.

For news and updates go to: reflektivfilms.com/iamgangster or iamgangsterfilm.com

Premiered at the Dances with Films Film Festival in Los Angeles

The House on Coco Road, Director Damani Baker

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THE HOUSE ON COCO ROAD is the personal and intimate account of filmmaker Damani Baker’s mother – Fannie Haughton – and her role and participation in American history. Over the years she has been active as a student, teacher, writer, scholar, and activist/organizer.  In this family portrait of nationalism and freedom, Baker draws on poignant archival footage and insights from well-respected activists, including Angela Davis offering historical and emotional truths through the journey of one family striving for a better society. In the midst of the racial violence sparked by President Reagan’s war on drugs, leading a normal life had become unfeasible for many citizens of Oakland, California. In a moment of inspiration, activist and teacher Fannie Haughton decided to show her children a different way of life. She and her children moved to the island nation of Grenada to participate in an Afro-centric revolution with the goal of realizing a utopian, socialist society. But in Grenada, a U.S. military invasion threatened their safety and dreams. THE HOUSE ON COCO ROAD director Damani Baker joins to talk about his family’s remarkable journey through the worlds of racism, activism and international politics.

THE HOUSE ON COCO ROAD will have it’s WORLD PREMIERE at the LA FILM FESTIVAL

facebook.com/The-House-on-Coco-Road

damanibaker.com/grenada-a-dream-deferred

They Call Us Monsters, Director Ben Lear

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THEY CALL US MONSTERS takes viewers behind the walls of the Compound, the facility where Los Angeles houses its most violent juvenile criminals. To their advocates, they’re kids. To the system, they’re adults. To their victims, they’re monsters. Three such young offenders sign up to take a screenwriting class to write a movie while they await their respective trials: Jarad, who was arrested at 16 and faces 200-years to life for four attempted murders; Juan, who was arrested at 16 and faces 90-to life for first-degree murder; and Antonio, who was arrested at 14 and faces 90-to life for two attempted murders. Halfway through the class, Antonio returns to juvenile court and gets released with time served. Once back in his neighborhood, he quickly falls victim to the same environment and patterns that led to his incarceration in the first place. Meanwhile, the realities of Jarad and Juan’s crimes and pending trials set in.  Ultimately, the film asks how should the system deal with offenders like these young boys. Do they have a capacity to change and return to society one day? Does society have a responsibility to these kids? Or to their victims? Do they deserve a second chance? Director Ben Lear stops by to talk about all of the social, political and cultural issues that have made children “irredeemable” and vilified when it comes to crime and punishment.

For news and updates go to: theycallusmonsters.com

World Premiere – 2016 Los Angeles Film Festival

Screenings:

Monday, June 6th, The Bing Theater at LACMA, Los Angeles – 7:30 pm (Sold Out)

Tuesday, June 7th, Culver Theater 1 – 4:15 pm