This year’s festival featured an impressive lineup of screenings, panels, receptions, and parties over its five-day duration. Its commitment to providing a comprehensive experience was evident, leaving festival goers eager to participate in every moment. The diverse range of programs ensured attendees had ample opportunities to explore different aspects of Black cinema and engage in … Read more
The 2023 lineup showcases a number of world premieres including “Murder City”, produced by filmmaker Oz Scott and Kevin Garnett, starring Michael Colter; “Jagged Mind,” directed by Kelley Kali; and “Phels High”, starring Omari Hardwick, Allen Maldenado and Elise Neal. Producers Oz Scott and Kevin Garnett will also bring their feature film “Cinnamon” starring Pam … Read more
This year, LFF features films from eight countries and five continents. Its streaming portion consists of more than 30 films including narrative features, documentaries, and shorts written, directed, or starring a person of color. On June 9th, LFF will recognize the twentieth anniversary of the acclaimed Brazilian film “City of God” as one of its … Read more
Then there’s Jonathan Glazer’s “The Zone of Interest,” an outright masterpiece and a welcome return from a filmmaker that takes far too long between projects. It may have taken the second prize, but my gut says it’s the work from this year’s selection that will have the greatest reach and longest-lasting legacy. It will be … Read more
Chaz Ebert Chaz is the CEO of several Ebert enterprises, including the President of The Ebert Company Ltd, and of Ebert Digital LLC, Publisher of RogerEbert.com, President of Ebert Productions and Chairman of the Board of The Roger and Chaz Ebert Foundation, and Co- Founder and Producer of Ebertfest, the film festival now in its … Read more
Speaking of imposing presences: The festival will show a new 20-minute piece by Jean-Luc Godard, who died last year. The festival catalog calls it “Trailer of the Film That Will Never Exist: ‘Phony Wars.’” Even with its brief length, it promises to be more densely packed with ideas than just about any other film that’s … Read more
FRIDAY, MAY 5th 7PM: “BLACKBERRY” (includes Q&A with star/writer/director Matt Johnson) Johnson paces “Blackberry” like that rocket. It moves quickly without being overly stylized, clicking through dialogue and character instead of cheap tricks. We’ve seen a lot of movies about tech nostalgia lately (the far-inferior “Tetris” premiered across town at the same fest), but Johnson … Read more
“The Mundanes” Shorts Program #1 (Saturday, May 6, 11:45 am) opens with Nicole Daddona and Adam Wilder’s “The Mundanes,” a truly bizarre PSA that seems influenced by Joe Dante’s “Twilight Zone – The Movie” segment, as well as the “Eerie, Indiana” TV series. Here, a faceless suburban American family is depicted as the ideal life, … Read more
Filmmaker Emily Hagins. Joanna has also played an indispensable role in this year’s festival, serving as its Creative Director, while Carolann Cohen Grzybowski devoted her own time and talents as the team’s Social Media & Operations Assistant. All four shorts blocks will also be available to stream virtually on Eventive from Friday, April 28th, through … Read more
Plus, there were appearances from Hollywood A-listers such as director Paul Thomas Anderson, Ann-Margret, Diane Baker, Tom Berenger, actor-director George Clooney, director Joe Dante, cinematographer Ernest Dickerson, Angie Dickinson, Richard Dreyfuss, director William Friedkin , Louis Gossett Jr., actor-director Danny Huston, Amy Irving, Shirley Jones, director John Landis, composer-conductor David Newman, Edward James Olmos, director … Read more