An Evening with Ellen Durkan
On this evening, we invite you to join us in welcoming Ellen Durkan as she shares her unique and exquisite work in an hour long talk and visual feast, followed by a question-and-answer period. This event is a prelude to her three-day class in Forging Fashion that will begin the following morning in Adam’s Forge.
Highland Park Independent Film Festival is Almost Here!
The HPIFF showcase includes 1 Narrative Feature, 4 Documentary Features and 25 Shorts. These include 9 World Premieres and 3 LA Premieres.
This year’s festival also includes - Film Fan Fest - a free event which takes place outside of the Highland Theater and includes music, dancing and live painting by Highland Park artists as an outreach component. This year DJ Ama B will provide live music Al Fresco Red Carpet on Figueroa.
Opening night is Friday October 1st and following the red carpet, there will be a screening of the feature documentary “Carlos Almaraz, Playing with Fire” directed by Elsa Flores Almaraz and Richard Montoya. The film explores the life of Carlos Almaraz, a Chicano activist, sexual outlaw, and visionary painter of some of the most unforgettable images of Southern California. A special mention will be made since the Highland Theater is directly across the street from the old Centro de Arte Popular that Carlos Almaraz co-founded and because it was recently approved by The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission to the city's list of Historic-Cultural Monuments as a location important to the Chicano Arts Movement.
Directly before the screening, HPIFF will present the 2021 HPIFF Humanitarian Award to Juan Escobedo. A son of East Los Angeles, Juan uses film and photography to portray issues in society such as domestic violence, HIV prevention, and human trafficking. With the support of nonprofits in Boyle Heights, East LA and Watts, he creates films depicting characters and communities affected by these issues. Juan founded the East LA Society of Film & Arts (TELASOFA) in 2005, a nonprofit which heals children and their families through art and film. Three years later he also started the East LA Film Festival (ELAFF) where youth could showcase their films alongside Hollywood professionals. After 14 years, ELAFF has grown with the help of the East LA community screening films from Australia, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Mexico, USA and his beloved East LA. Juan directed the award-winning short film “Marisol”, based on a true story about a little girl from East LA who dreams of the perfect quinceañera dress until her life takes a drastic turn after an incident with domestic violence. The film too the “Arts and Culture Award” from the East LA Women’s Center, Hollywood Reel Independent Festival “Best Drama” and qualified for the Oscars in 2018. The script is now in the OSCARS ACADEMY Margaret Herrick Library available for research to filmmakers and the public. Juan continues to work with young adults with a grant from Eastside Arts Initiative to provide internships on projects produced by TELASOFA. One of his next projects is BLAXICAN, about an aged out foster youth dealing with generational trauma. He is also in pre-production for CRY LADY, CRY! A film about professional mourners called moirologists.
Closing night is Saturday October 2nd with the screening of the feature film “Lorelei” directed by Sabrina Doyle. A working-class fable about a biker, a mermaid and three shades of blue starring Jena Malone and Pablo Schreiber. Directly after the screening, there will be a question and answer with Sabrina Doyle, Writer/Director, Stephen Paar, Cinematographer and Arnold and Jianulla Zimmerman, Executive Producers who will be in attendance.
Awards will be held directly after the screening. Awards will be given for Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Short Film, Best Documentary Short, Best Cinematography, Best Musical Composition, Audience Awards and Honorable Mentions.
