The Official Blog of Laemmle Theatres.

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The official blog of Laemmle Theatres

7 MINUTES Filmmaker at the NoHo Opening Night

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7 MINUTES, which premiered at the 2014 Austin Film Festival, follows three desperate young men who are forced by circumstance to commit a brazen robbery. As each minute of the event unfolds, true motives are revealed and stakes intensify. What begins as a simple plan – ‘in and out in seven minutes’ – quickly becomes a dangerous game of life and death.

7 MINUTES writer-director Jay Martin will participate in a Q&A after the 7:30 screening at the NoHo on Friday, June 26. The Q&A will be moderated by Marc Webb (The Amazing Spider-Man 1 and 2, (500) Days of Summer).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU3to9EmkeM

“An exquisite rumination on life, love and art that tickles the heart and mind in equal measure,” LA SAPIENZA Opens June 26 at the Royal.

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Named for the famous seventeenth-century Roman church Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza, which was designed by the legendary architect (and Bernini rival) Francesco Borromini, LA SAPIENZA echoes Rossellini’s Viaggio in Italia in its tale of Alexandre Schmid (Fabrizio Rongione), a brilliant architect who, plagued by doubts and loss of inspiration, embarks on a quest of artistic and spiritual renewal guided by his study of Borromini. His wife Aliénor (Christelle Prot), similarly troubled by the crassness of contemporary society – as well as the couple’s listless marriage – decides to accompany him. In Stresa, a chance encounter with adolescent siblings Goffredo (who is about to begin his own architectural studies) and his fragile sister Lavinia upends the couple’s plans. As Borromini’s spirit and the vertiginous splendour of his structures spin a mysterious web among them, within the course of a few days the foursome experiences a series of life-altering revelations.

“Green’s richly textured, painterly images fuse with the story to evoke the essence of humane urbanity and the relationships that it fosters, whether educational, familial, or erotic.” (Richard Brody, New Yorker)

“An exquisite rumination on life, love and art that tickles the heart and mind in equal measure.” (Scott Foundas, Variety)

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From left to right: Christelle Prot Landman, Arianna Nastro, Ludovico Succio, Fabrizio Rongione in LA SAPIENZA.

 

About his film, LA SAPIENZA writer-director Eugène Green has said:

“This film has two sources of inspiration. On the one hand the desire to illustrate through film the works and life of the Baroque architect Francesco Borromini. On the other the interest for contemporary architecture and urban planning. The first inspiration would suggest a biography, while both would be very suited to a documentary style narrative. I don’t however believe that one may reconstruct a life through film, nor any other element of a distant past and, despite having all due respect for the documentary as a form of expression, I have always had the instinctive belief – that tends to be sidelined in today’s Europe – that the greater truth can be found in fiction. Thus it is through an action that is a product of my imagination, that I have attempted to approach these two themes. This story involving two couples, a man and a woman, a brother and sister, sheds light on human relations, which are further investigated by introducing a separation, a concept developed out of a long-standing western tradition whereby knowledge is acquired through emptiness, and presence is established through absence. One way or another, the characters of this screenplay face the challenge of letting the past feed the present in a harmonious fashion, and each of them achieves a new understanding of the nature of love. At the heart of the story we also encounter the problem of how tradition may be passed on, one of man’s eternal preoccupations, an issue that is of great moment for contemporary European society.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STgmzlVGKaE

Save the Date! 2nd Annual Tour de Laemmle on July 19th

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Laemmle’s involvement with cycling events such as CicLAvia and Climate Ride stems not just from our love of the sport, but as a way to encourage alternative transportation and inspire creative thinking about our traffic and environmental challenges.

Last year we stepped up to the plate with our own event, the TOUR DE LAEMMLE, a 125-mile Greg Laemmle-led bicycle tour of all our theaters that included a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new bike corral parking outside of the NoHo 7.  This year, we’re pleased to announce the 2nd Annual Tour on Sunday, July 19!  Departing at 7:00am from the Royal in West L.A., we’ll visit the following venues in succession:

– Music Hall (Beverly Hills)
– Claremont 5
– Playhouse 7 (Pasadena)
– NoHo 7 (North Hollywood)
– Town Center (Encino)
– The new Monica Film Center in
Santa Monica (opening soon!)
– Back to the Royal around 7 PM (phew!)

Also, this year we are adding a brief stop at the future home of our Glendale venue (between the Playhouse and NoHo leg).

Tour de Laemmle is FREE to all participants. Riders can complete the entire 125-mile circuit or choose to do specific legs.

The tour is geared toward intermediate to advanced cyclists but we include a slower-paced, FAMILY-FRIENDLY leg along the S.F. Valley Orange Line Bike Path.  The tour will be supported with refreshments at most stops.

VISIT the TOUR WEBSITE for details and sign up!

About the route:
The Tour de Laemmle takes you on a powerful cultural and historical journey through the heart of the L.A. region. First and foremost, you will get the opportunity to see how so many diverse LA County neighborhoods are connected. El Serreno transitions to Alhambra which transitions to San Gabriel, and so forth.  Whether crossing the Arroyo Seco or the Sepulveda Pass, you’ll also see how geographical features have shaped the city.  While riding on Huntington Drive or historic Route 66, you’ll get to see how older roadways and railway right-of-way passages connected communities in the era before the modern interstate.  For early morning riders, you’ll get to appreciate the beautiful buildings on Wilshire Boulevard as we traverse through mid-town.  And for those who join later in the day, you’ll get to see how bike paths like the L.A. River bikeway and the Orange Line Bike Path can provide safe avenues of connectivity for those who choose to get around without a car.

 

Animated Palestinian Documentary THE WANTED 18 Opens this Weekend at the NoHo; Q&A’s Scheduled.

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Through a clever mix of stop motion animation and interviews, THE WANTED 18 recreates an astonishing true story: the Israeli army’s pursuit of 18 cows, whose independent milk production on a Palestinian collective farm was declared “a threat to the national security of the state of Israel.”

We’ll be hosting Q&A’s after the 7:40 PM screenings of THE WANTED 18 at the NoHo this Friday and Saturday, June 19 and 20 and after the 5:30 show on Sunday, June 21:

June 19: Ina Fichman, Producer of THE WANTED 18; Salam Al-Marayati, President of Muslim Public Affairs Council; Suhad Babaa, Executive Director of Just Vision;

June 20: Ina Fichman, Producer of THE WANTED 18; Suhad Babaa, Executive Director of Just Vision;

June 21: Suhad Babaa, Executive Director of Just Vision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmSBrMvI2XM

REVENGE OF THE MEKONS Filmmaker and Rico Bell of the Mekons in Person at the Playhouse, Royal and NoHo.

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The acclaimed new documentary Revenge of the Mekons charts the unlikely career of the genre-defying collective notorious for being—as rock critic Greil Marcus notes—“the band that took punk ideology most seriously.” Born out of the 1977 British punk scene, the Mekons progressed from a group of socialist art students with no musical skills to the prolific, raucous progeny of Hank Williams. Joe Angio’s exuberant documentary follows their improbable history and reveals how punk’s reigning contrarians continue to make bold, unpredictable music.

Revenge of the Mekons filmmaker Joe Angio will participate in Q&A’s after the 9:55 PM screenings at the Playhouse on Friday, June 19 as well as the 7:30 PM screenings at the NoHo 7 on Monday, June 22 and at the Royal on Tuesday, June 23. Rico Bell of the Mekons will join him for the NoHo and Royal screenings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsTqSsiPMxk

 

CHAGALL-MALEVICH Opens at the Music Hall and Town Center June 19; Lead Actress in Person.

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The artistic and political revolution of early 20th century Russia is mythologized in CHAGALL-MALEVICH, a magical period drama about the uneasy relationship between two artistic geniuses that we’re opening the Music Hall and Town Center on Friday, June 19. Lead actress Kristina Schneidermann will participate in Q&A’s after the 7:15 PM screenings Friday, June 19 at the Town Center and Saturday, June 20 at the Music Hall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Enaho11_x8Q&feature=youtu.be

Inspired by the memoirs of Marc Chagall and those of his contemporaries, the film blends fact and folklore to evoke the return of the iconic Jewish artist (portrayed by Leonid Bichevin, “Cargo 200”) to his childhood home of Vitebsk. Having left behind immense success in Paris, Chagall returns to the Russian empire in 1917 hoping to marry the love of his life, Bella Rosenfeld (Kristina Schneidermann); he produces copious paintings and establishes the Academy of Modern Art. A rivalry develops with abstract painter Kazimir Malevich (Anatoliy Belyy), invited to teach at the art school. As Bella rekindles a childhood friendship with military Red Commissar Naum (Semeon Shkalikov), Chagall competes for the affections of his muse and future wife. As the October Revolution sweeps across Russia, historical events intrude on personal struggles and upend the quiet provincial life in Vitebsk.

The 21st Annual Los Angeles Film Festival Begins this Week

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Living in a megalopolis has its advantages, not least abundant cinematic choices. This week Angelenos need only journey to our revivified Downtown to enjoy the the lucky number 21 Los Angeles Film Festival. According to the L.A. Times, this year’s fest features a strong focus on diversity and fresh voices and includes a whole bunch — 45 — of world premieres.

“As the primary exhibition arm of Film Independent, The Los Angeles Film Festival’s mission is to showcase diversity, innovation, and unique visions in independent American and international cinema.

“We are inspired by Los Angeles, a city of abundant creativity, and our programming reflects our city-muse through films, performances and panels. The Festival presents unparalleled access to creative voices through energetic film programming, master classes, live performances and conversations with the most compelling artists working today. Discover new voices, watch the most anticipated titles of the summer, and rekindle the excitement and glamour of storytelling at the Los Angeles Film Festival – only in L.A.

“New this year are competitive sections for independent, feature-length U.S. fiction films; a diverse selection of documentary films from around the world; and a smaller round-up of exceptional international films, curated to showcase break-out global talent. Also newly launched is Nightfall, a robust line-up of genre films by independent filmmakers making their world premieres; and a section exclusively dedicated to discovering the brightest emerging voices in independent filmmaking. 2015 is also the inaugural year of Launch, a section introducing new talent that’s crafting fiction in digital spaces, through a program dedicated to expanded forms of storytelling: web series, music videos and podcasts, the best in independent gaming, and anticipated premieres of TV series.

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“From Inglewood to the Valley, L.A. has been an inspiration for artists to find their voice, tell their story and perfect their craft. Returning for its second year, the highly lauded L.A. Muse section showcases world premieres of films that capture the spirit of Los Angeles. The Festival offers mentorship for high school students with the Future Filmmakers program, including a screening of short films created by high school students.

“The Festival’s signature programs include Master Classes, invaluable talks from prominent artists about their trade; lively discussions at Coffee Talks on the craft of filmmaking by composers, cinematographers, actors, writers, directors, and more; Diversity Speaks, a day-long convention of filmmakers and storytellers of color; the Music in Film Nights at The GRAMMY Museum®, featuring live performances in an intimate venue by some of the world’s most acclaimed musicians; the Spirit of Independence Award; the Glory to the Filmmaker Award in celebration of women filmmakers; and the Filmmaker Retreat, exclusively for feature filmmakers with films world premiering at the 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival. Films selected for competition, which premiere in the US for the first time at the Los Angeles Film Festival, are eligible for multiple juried and audience awards.”

Expert Panel Discussion Following Friday Evening’s Screening of EVERY LAST CHILD at the Music Hall

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EVERY LAST CHILD is the dramatic story of five people impacted by the current polio crisis in Pakistan. Taking place on the front line of the fight against the disease, it is a story of sacrifice, fearless determination and sorrow in the face of mistrust, cynicism and violence.

The Los Angeles World Affairs Council will conduct a panel discussion following the 7:20 PM screening at the Music Hall on Friday, June 12. Participants include Danielle Perissi, Head of Documentary, Image Nation Abu Dhabi and Executive Producer of EVERY LAST CHILD; Peter L. Salk, MD, President of the Jonas Salk Legacy Foundation; and Gitanjli Arora, MD, Co-Director of the Global Health Education Programs at the UCLA Center for World Health. The discussion will be moderated by Sandra de Castro Buffington, Founding Director of the Global Media Center for Social Impact.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5EFFPKgBR4&feature=em-subs_digest