Los Angeles Film Festival programmer Elvis Mitchell had to exhort the audience at the Regal Cinemas in downtown Los Angeles to get rowdier when he walked to the front of the theater on the festival’s opening night, and when he got to the microphone his opening line was, “Thank you for that tepid round of applause.”
The apparently dearth of enthusiasm shouldn’t be taken as a sign that the opening-night film, Paul Weitz‘s “Grandma,” was lacking, but it was emblematic of the most low-key kickoff that LAFF has seen in recent years.
In its sixth year at LA Live downtown, the opening screening saw more empty seats than usual in the Regal’s huge premiere house, and the post-screening party wasn’t as jam-packed as usual.
Then again, it’d be hard to top opening night in 2010, the fest’s first year downtown, when the opening-night film, “The Kids Are All Right,” went on to land a best-picture Oscar nomination after screening at the festival at exactly the same time that the Lakers were winning the NBA championship a block away.
Since then, the festival has been trimmed from 11 days to nine, plus a couple of days of pre-fest screenings. This year’s opener had debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January, where it was bought by Sony Pictures Classics, and also screened at the Tribeca Film Festival in April, making it less of an event than some past openers.
But “Grandma” was still well-received in its Los Angeles premiere, drawing solid laughs and raves for Lily Tomlin‘s performance as a misanthropic woman who unexpectedly bonds with her granddaughter as they drive around Los Angeles trying to raise money for the girl’s abortion.
Afterwards, Tomlin accepted congratulations from a constant stream of admirers, along with fellow cast members Julia Garner, Sam Elliott, Marcia Gay Harden and Judy Greer, among others.
While it’s premature to say that the role could put Tomlin in the running for a best-actress Oscar, the one award she needs to complete the Emmy-Grammy-Oscar-Tony grand slam known as the EGOT, the respected veteran comic and actress is both very funny and very touching, and will certainly be part of the awards conversation once SPC releases the film in August.
The challenge for Film Independent, which puts on the festival, will now be to follow its low-key launch with eight days of enthusiasm for a lineup that has fewer studio premieres and more indie films that are completely unknown quantities to viewers.
Of course, that lineup could be stocked with gems — and LAFF has made a statement with a slate of films in which 40 percent are directed by women, and a similar number by people of color.
With diversity a burning issue in Hollywood, it can’t hurt for the hometown festival to make it a priority.
11 Films That Could Ignite Independent Box Office (Photos)
The Wolfpack Crystal Moselle’s documentary Grand Jury Prize winner at Sundance is about the seven Angulo children, who were home-schooled by their parents and confined to their New York apartment. Everything changes when one of the brothers escapes. Magnolia Pictures opens it Friday.
Magnolia Pictures
Eden This French import follows DJ Paul, who pioneers the electronic dance music genre “French Touch” and, with his band Cheers, crosses party paths with Daft Punk. It debuts on June 19 via Broad Green Pictures.
Broad Green Pictures
Infinitely Polar Bear Featuring Mark Ruffalo as a manic depressive dad trying to win back his wife (Zoe Saldana) by caring for his two precocious daughters, this first feature from writer-director Maya Forbes is prickly but charming. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” writer-director J.J. Abrams is an executive producer. Sony Classics opens it on June 19.
Sony Classics
The Overnight The full-frontal hijinks of Jason Schwartzman and Adam Scott have brought a degree of notoriety to writer-director Patrick Brice’s sex comedy “The Overnight.” But reviews out of Sundance make clear the lighthearted romp has more than that going for it. Taylor Schilling (“Orange is the New Black”) co-stars and Mark and Jay Duplass are executive producers. It opens on June 19 via The Orchard.
The Orchard
The Tribe This Ukrainian drama is set in a boarding school for deaf children that is rife with crime. Director Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy’s tale, in Ukrainian sign language with no subtitles, follows a new arrival who crosses the line when he falls for a girl he’s assigned to pimp. Drafthouse rolls it out on June 17.
Drafthouse
Big Game Featuring Samuel L. Jackson as the President of the United States, the film depicts the brash actor stranded in the wilds of Finland when terrorists shoot down Air Force One. His hopes for survival rest with a 13-year-old boy (Ommi Tommila). Felicity Huffman and Jim Broadbent co-star in the thriller directed by Jelmari Helander and set for a June 26 release by EuropaCorp.
EuropaCorp
Cartel Land Matthew Heineman’s documentary follows two vigilante groups — Autodefensas and Arizona Border Recon — that take on the Mexican drug cartels along the border. Heineman won top documentary director honors at Sundance for this unsettling look at the contemporary wild West, which was also honored for cinematography. Orchard rolls it out on July 3.
The Orchard
Do I Sound Gay? Writer-director David Thorpe’s smart and funny documentary takes a look at the speech patterns and stylings that make a “gay voice.” Margaret Cho, Tim Gunn and George Takei weigh in, too. It opens July 10 via IFC Films.
IFC Films
Tangerine The Caitlin Jenner story this ain't. The comedy-drama, another Sundance film, takes a look at the grittier transgender life of prostitute Sin-Dee Rella. Just out of prison, she and her trans friend Alexandra meet at Donut Time and chase down her cheating boyfriend and pimp Chester. Magnolia Pictures will debut it on July 10.
Magnolia Pictures
Amy The British documentary on the life and tragic death of torch singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse directed by Asif Kapadia drew raves at the Cannes Film Festival. It features new footage and tracks recorded by Winehouse in the months before her death and debuts July 10 via A24.
A24
War Room Alex Kendrick directs this faith-based drama about a Christian family facing marital issues. Karen Abercrombie stars as a wise older woman fighting to save the family. It opens via TriStar on August 28.
TriStar Pictures
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From Samuel L. Jackson as a U.S. President stranded in a Finnish forest in ”Big Game“ to the hell-bent transsexual prostitutes of ”Tangerine,“ larger-than-life characters abound