The Official Blog of Laemmle Theatres.

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The official blog of Laemmle Theatres

MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINE Opens February 13 at the NoHo 7 with Filmmaker Q&A’s and Live Performances by Randi Driscoll and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles

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MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINE is a powerful feature documentary about Matthew Shepard, the young gay man who was tortured and murdered in one of the most notorious hate crimes in U.S. history. Directed by Michele Josue, a close friend of Shepard’s, the film revisits the shocking case with never-before-seen photos, rare video footage, and new revelations about Shepard’s all-too-brief life.

We will begin screenings of the film at the NoHo 7 on Friday, February 13. Director Michele Josue, producer Liam McNiff and subjects Dennis Shepard and Zeina Barkawi will participate in Q&A’s after the 7:50 PM screenings on Friday and Saturday, February 13 and 14. The Friday screening will feature a live performance by Randi Driscoll and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZj46ewvR6k

 

Indiewire ~ “GETT: THE TRIAL OF VIVIANE AMSALEM: One Film That Could Change the Course of Women’s Rights in Israel”

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An Israeli woman (Ronit Elkabetz) seeking to finalize a divorce (gett) from her estranged husband finds herself effectively put on trial by her country’s religious marriage laws, in GETT: THE TRIAL OF VIVIANE AMSALEM, a powerhouse courtroom drama from sibling directors Shlomi and Ronit Elkabetz. Laemmle Theatres opens the film at the Royal on February 13, the Playhouse, Town Center 5 and Claremont 5 on February 20 and the NoHo 7 on February 27.

In Israel, there is neither civil marriage nor civil divorce; only Orthodox rabbis can legalize a union or its dissolution, which is only possible with the husband’s full consent. Women can’t contact an LA divorce lawyer, for example, to end the marriage it has to be the husband who makes the decision. Trapped in a loveless marriage, Viviane Amsalem has been applying for a divorce for three years but her religiously devout husband Elisha, continually refuses. His cold intransigence, Viviane’s determination to fight for her freedom, and the ambiguous role of the rabbinical judges shape a procedure where tragedy vies with absurdity and everything is brought out into the open for judgment.

What’s more, as reported by Indiewire, the film is having real-world effects in Israel, prompting religious authorities to reevaluate their positions on divorce. Check out this short interview with the filmmakers reacting to the news:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kL1aL3LFIM#t=110
GETT co-directors Ronit Elkabetz and Shlomi Elkabetz.

Blight Made Right: The Trust for Public Land, a Great Charity, Opens a New Public Park in Watts this Weekend. Join Greg Laemmle for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.

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A great charity, the Trust for Public Land, along with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, is holding a ribbon cutting in Watts this Saturday for a beautiful new pocket park. Laemmle Theatres President Greg Laemmle and L.A. City Councilman Joe Buscaino will be there too and the public is invited to join them in celebrating the official opening of this new green space for the people of Watts at 11300 Monitor Avenue. The event is from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM, rain or shine. Entertainment and refreshments will be provided.

“For decades, 1.13 acres of land on Monitor Avenue in Watts lay vacant, overgrown with weeds and strewn with garbage and broken glass. When plans for a housing development fell through, the prospect of giving local children and their parents a safe, welcoming place to meet and play motivated neighbors to step forward and support the creation of a community park. Local residents actively participated in the park planning process. At a series of community workshops, they suggested special features and helped to refine and shape their initial input into a coherent concept for the entire park. Following their wishes, the finished design includes a large children’s playground, walking path, a Fitness Zone® outdoor gym for adults and teens, skate-friendly features, and a down-to-earth grassy lawn with picnic tables.

“The project is a partnership between The Trust for Public Land and the City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks and is due to be completed in winter of 2015.”

The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people all over the United States, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Please join the Laemmle Charitable Foundation in supporting this worthy cause. Every one dollar donated to the TPL conserves more than four dollars worth of land.

P.S., the Watts Towers, one of L.A’s treasures, is less than a mile away from the park, so if you haven’t seen them in a while consider a visit after the festivities at the park.

Monitor Avenue Park design schematic

ABOVE AND BEYOND, Documentary About the Volunteer Fighter Pilots from Abroad Who Helped Save Israel in ’48, Opens February 6

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In 1948, a group of World War II pilots, mostly from the United States, volunteered to fight for Israel in its War of Independence.  As members of “Machal”– volunteers from abroad – this ragtag band of brothers turned the tide of the war, preventing the possible annihilation of Israel at the very moment of its birth.  ABOVE AND BEYOND is their story, told for the first time and we are pleased to open the film Friday, February 6 at the Town Center in Encino and the next day at the Royal in West L.A. ABOVE AND BEYOND producer Nancy Spielberg will participate in Q&A’s after the 10:30 AM screening at the Royal and after the 7:50 PM show at the Town Center on Sunday, February 8.

ABOVE AND BEYOND recounts the harrowing missions of the men who helped repel five Arab armies. The film follows them from the United States – where they met and trained in secret and struggled to stay two steps ahead of the FBI – to Panama, Rome and even behind the Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia, where they flew versions of the very Nazi planes they had tried to shoot down in World War II.

Set against the backdrop of an emerging nation still reeling from the horrors of the Holocaust, ABOVE AND BEYOND uncovers the motivations of these volunteers – Jews and non-Jews, some Zionists, many others not.  It recounts the personal stories of the young pilots, whose experiences in Israel were life altering. And ultimately, the film taps into universal themes of courage, commitment and sacrifice.  At a time when a fledgling nation was under attack, a tiny band of airmen answered the call for help. They risked their citizenship, their futures and even their lives.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNMJGaptDds&feature=youtu.be
Volunteer pilots, 1948.

MONK WITH A CAMERA Q&A’s with the Filmmakers this Weekend at the Royal

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MONK WITH A CAMERA chronicles the life and spiritual quest of Nicholas (Nicky) Vreeland, who for the past twenty-eight years has been a Tibetan Buddhist monk. The son of a United States Ambassador, grandson of legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, and a photographer by trade, Nicky left his privileged life behind to follow his true calling. He moved to India, cutting his ties with society, photography, and his pleasure-filled world, to live in a monastery with no running water or electricity.

MONK WITH A CAMERA co-directors Tina Mascara and Guido Santi will participate in Q&A’s after the 11 AM screenings at the Royal on Saturday and Sunday, January 31 and February 1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07LL-r-Sqzk

Top 10 Most Popular Films on laemmle.com for Weekend 4 of 2015

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Sometimes you don’t hear about a great movie until it’s gone (or nominated for an award). In an effort to help you find films that otherwise might slip through the cracks, we’re going to highlight this weekend’s ten most popular films  on laemmle.com ranked by pageviews. This week is your last chance to see many of these films, so don’t wait! This week’s top film won the coveted Palme d’Or at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival!

We also want to take this opportunity to remind you that word of mouth  is probably  the single most important factor in determining the success of smaller films. So when you see a movie you like, tweet about it, post it on Facebook, or go old school and tell your friends face-to-face! Be sure to tag us on Facebook or cc @laemmle on Twitter so we can help you spread the word! Thanks and happy moviegoing!

Top Ten Most Popular Films on laemmle.com for Weekend 4 of 2015

  1. WINTER SLEEP
  2. TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT
  3. LEVIATHAN
  4. WHIPLASH
  5. THE HUMBLING
  6. FOXCATCHER
  7. SONG ONE
  8. MR.TURNER
  9. CAKE
  10. THE IMITATION GAME

Riveting One-Man Play WRESTLING JERUSALEM ~ Two Nights Only at Pico Union Project

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The good folks at the Pico Union Project are hosting a powerful one-man play called WRESTLING JERUSALEM on Friday and Saturday, February 6 and 7. Set in America, Israel and Palestine, WRESTLING JERUSALEM follows one man’s journey to understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Aaron Davidman, who also wrote the play, delivers a solo performance that grapples with the complexities of identity, history, and social justice. Giving voice to over a dozen characters, the play sheds light on one of the most entrenched conflicts of our time. Tickets are available here.

http://vimeo.com/103364996

The Museum of the San Fernando Valley

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Did you know that if the San Fernando Valley were its own city, it would be the fifth largest in the United States? That alone would merit the a serious museum devoted to its history, art and culture, but especially a place as rich and strange, as somehow simultaneously bland and colorful, as the Valley. As of last November, the Museum of the San Fernando Valley is a reality and, as reported recently in the L.A. Times, it’s in Northridge. As longtime and proud Valley movie theater owner-operators, Laemmle Theatres strongly encourages a visit!

David Orenstein of Woodland Hills examines images of Valley architecture at the new Northridge site. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)