Now in its 16th year, the Los Angeles Film Festival has earned a reputation for being a showcase of both independent and bigger-budget features. The 2010 Festival, which runs through Sunday, will offer film aficionados more than 200 features, shorts and music videos from more than 40 countries. A few of the more highly anticipated screenings include Focus Features’ The Kids Are All Right; Revolución, a collaboration by 10 renowned Mexican filmmakers; and a number of classic retrospectives.
CalArts’ REDCAT is one of the festival’s dozen venues, and one of the films that will be screened is the 1938 Frank Capra comedy You Can’t Take It With You, with James Stewart and Jean Arthur. It’s a special screening chosen by actor Paul Reubens (Theater BFA 73), who will be in conversation with Phil Rosenthal (Writer-Producer, Everybody Loves Raymond) about classic films and comedy. He’s one of three guest artists curating films at the festival: LA Weekly Food Critic Jonathan Gold screened Udon (2006, Japan) with a conversation about food and film on June 19, and Quincy Jones screens The Color Purple (1985) and will discuss music and film tonight at REDCAT.
Reubens is best known for creating the now-iconic character of Pee-wee Herman while with The Groundlings improv group, which led to TV’s The Pee-wee Herman Show in 1981. He later co-wrote a film adaptation in 1985 that was directed by fellow CalArtian Tim Burton (Film/Video 79). That film, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, screens Saturday also as part of the Los Angeles Film Festival.
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