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.
“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.”
To celebrate last year’s grant to FOLAR, Greg and his wife Tish hosted a group kayaking tour led by L.A. River Kayak Safari. Happily, Greg captured his experience on a GoPro camera. The video has since been edited into a three-minute short — 
What’s more, large scale restoration projects envisioned by L.A. city officials could channel billions in funds (some from the federal government) over the next couple of decades into the river project. In it’s wake, we could be left with a truly unique river area that both reflects our aspirations as a modern city and yet stays true to our region’s pre-industrial heritage. On the cusp of real change, now is an exciting time get to know the L.A. River and be part of its transformation. To be able to flow down the river at your own leisurely place, picking the right kayak will make all of the difference in your experience of the river. You might decide that the