7th ANNUAL HIGHLAND PARK INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL
ANNOUNCES 2020 PROGRAM LINE UP
To be screened
AT THE DRIVE-IN
(LOS ANGELES, CA – September 2020) The Highland Park Independent Film Festival (HPIFF), the grassroots Northeast Los Angeles based festival that is a first of its kind is doing something for the first time again for the NELA community. Every year, HPIFF celebrates the art of independent film and in 2020, it will be no different except for one thing: it will be a Drive-In experience. The group of filmmakers who put on the show decided that this year’s content providers deserved a big screen too so armed with possibility, they searched and found a partner in the Eagle Rock Plaza management where they will proudly showcase the array of quality films for the 2020 line up. HPIFF announced their program line up for the 7th annual edition. The showcase includes 22 Short Films ranging from live action narrative, comedy and documentary and across the spectrum in genres. Included are 5 World Premieres, 2 US Premieres and 2 Los Angeles Premieres.
The HPIFF Drive-In will take place for two nights on October 2nd and 3rd. Cars will be line up in a first come first serve basis starting at 7 pm and show starts at 8 pm at the Eagle Rock Plaza located at 2700 Colorado Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90041. VIP ticket option are available for the first two rows. Music by DJ AmA on Friday night and by DJ CEEZ on Saturday night. Engagement on the screen will start at 7 pm for those early arrivals! Pre-Sale tickets available now and going fast at www.hpifilmfest.com.
The two programs feature filmmakers from NELA, Los Angeles, the US and around the world. The Friday program titled From NELA W/Love: Cinerama spotlights films ranging from narratives of sci-fi, drama, action and thrillers. This line-up includes a World Premiere in Foghorn, a US Premiere in Fear of the Woods and an LA Premiere in Sunshine Room, a semi-finalist in the Student Academy Awards about how cutting-edge technology allows a young woman to grow up alongside her beloved Abuela but her financial realities threaten to erase their relationship - for good. The Saturday program, From NELA W/Love: Dramarama showcases strong narrative dramas, a documentary and a sprinkle of comedy. We are excited to boast of 4 World Premieres in Tristan and Isaac, Where the Stars Look Different, Menagerie, and We Belong Here and 1 US Premiere, Wilderness in this line-up. The lone documentary is Jimmy Alvarado’s “Eastside Punks: Episodes 2 - The Brat” focusing on East L.A. legends The Brat formed in the late 1970s and how they quickly cornered the market on smart, taut pop delivered with righteous punk fury by one of the tightest bands in the area.
Judging the films in competition will be Joe Palladino - Academic Advisor for Film Studies Program at UCSB and Awards will be announced at the end of each night.
COMPLETE LIST OF FILMS and MOVIE TIMES
Friday, October 2nd, 8 PM
We Choose To Go directed by Marlene Emilia Rios
Sunshine Room directed by Nick Lopez – LA Premiere
Green Cobra directed by Sigurd Culhane
Get Away directed by Christine Donlon, Amelia Morck
A Beautiful Nightmare directed by Kevin Lee Maxwell
Foghorn directed by Anna Salinas – World Premiere
The Fixer directed by Michael Schilf
TGIF the 13th - A Voorhees Vacation directed by Christopher Abbey
APPyness directed by Ryan Turner
Luvsik directed by Norman Bertolino
Fear of the Woods directed by Titus Paar – US Premiere
Saturday, October 3rd, 8 PM
Eastside Punks: Episodes 2: The Bratt directed by Jimmy Alvarado
Coupled directed by Emma Sofia Fazzuoli
Acuitzeramo directed by Miguel Angel Caballero
Bye Luna directed by Alexis Duran
Tristan and Isaac directed by Michaela Myers – World Premiere
Are You My Mommy directed by Gavin Michael Booth
Where the Stars Look Different directed by Daniel Addelson – World Premiere
Wilderness directed by Andrew Vasquez – US Premiere
Lydia Chlamydia directed by Juan Escobedo – LA Premiere
Menagerie directed by Lauren Mahoney – World Premiere
We Belong Here directed by Anna Lian Tes – World Premiere
For all synopses of films, www.hpifilmfest.com
About Highland Park Independent Film Festival (HPIFF)
We founded this festival with the express mission to promote the art of film. HPIFF is the first of its kind in Highland Park. Our grassroots organization invites filmmakers who produce the most unique and captivating independent cinema to share their work with our community. We foster emerging and established filmmakers providing forums for screening projects, networking with professionals, and mentoring students. To this end, our organization consists of three components: the Highland Park Independent Film Festival, which is an annual event held the first weekend in October featuring the works of filmmakers from Highland Park and around the world; the HPI Film Series, which consists of film screenings or participation in events designed to build community through film including the HPIFF Summer Film Series in association with the Arroyo Arts Collective and La Tierra De La Culebra Art Park, Lummis Days and Occidental College; and the HPIFF Mentorship Program, which offers film education primarily at Franklin High School and Monte Vista Elementary but open to schools throughout Northeast Los Angeles. (Example of our programming with the students: https://vimeo.com/367333606). Since our debut in 2014, we have mostly programmed at our home, the historic Highland Theatre, located off the Figueroa corridor of Historic Route 66. In addition to screenings of feature-length and short films, guests enjoy red carpet events, industry mixers, and panel discussions with film professionals. We are always searching for successful collaborations with local businesses, organizations and schools in the area. We build community through a shared love of film.
HPIFF Team:
Co-Founder & Artistic Director: Alessandro Gentile (Cinematographer, Film/Docu Director)
Co-Founder & Development Director: Mark Reitman (Music Producer, Sound Designer & DJ)
Co-Founder & Executive Director: Marita De La Torre (Actress, Writer, Film & Theater Director)
Production Coordinator / Producer: April Ibarra (Theater & Film Director)
Associate Producer: Terrence Butcher (Film Blogger)
Associate Producer: Max Solomon (Film Producer)
Brand Designer: Kristopher Lee Bicknell of Absurd Digital Imagery (Graphic Designer)
2020 Highland Park Independent Film Festival Sponsors include:
Presenting Sponsors: California Arts Council, Eagle Rock Plaza and Uptown Gay & Lesbian Alliance
Contributing Sponsor: Soquel Arts Collective
Media Sponsors: Boulevard Sentinel and LA Art News
Connect with HPIFF:
Website: http://www.hpifilmfest.com/
Facebook: @highlandparkindependentfilmfestival
Twitter and Instagram: @hpifilmfest