Experience the Los Angeles Film Festival through the eyes of Lisa Murray as she captures the entire experience on her blog and for FilmFestivals.com. The festival launched Thursday, June 21, and will conclude with a Closing Night Gala on Sunday, July 1. Murray will be attending the galas and events and will upload pictures and video as well as interviews with filmmakers and festival-goers.
"I am doing this blog for the girl or guy in a small town who may not have the resources to attend a festival like this. She or he may have dreams of being a filmmaker and moving to Los Angeles and I want to show people, through my eyes, and through the power of the internet, what it's really like to further help make the dream 'real'," Murray explains. Murray's blog begins at the Opening Night Gala which followed the premiere of Kasi Lemmons' TALK TO ME, starring Don Cheadle. The opening night gala was an open-air block party in Westwood, where the festival is taking place.
Murray is currently in production with her documentary, "I Have Dreams Dammit!," a film about the pursuit of a dream.
Murray explains: "Talking with the festival-goers and filmmakers is really solidifying my dream and clarifying why I want to be a filmmaker. The ability to touch people's lives has always been a compelling force to me and film is one of the most powerful ways to do it."
A big event for the festival is the premiere of the summer blockbuster, Transformers, on Wednesday, June 27. The LA Film Festival attendees had the opportunity to purchase tickets to this now sold-out event which includes a huge block party immediately following the film. The pairing of big, Hollywood films and talent with new, undiscovered films and talent at the film festival is a popular theme and adds excitement to the after screening parties. Murray was amongst a select group of invitees who attended a special preview screening of Transformers prior to arriving at the press junket.
"Transformers is the perfect film for this festival," Murray explains. "the theme in Transformers (unlike other popular alien movies) is about 'hope' and not making judgments based on appearances. This is something that a lot of filmmakers will relate to! Oh, and it's really visually amazing and exciting too! All the things you want in a summer blockbuster movie!"
Murray's blog will include interviews with the cast of Transformers as well as her one-on-one interview with Transformers producer, Lorenzo di Bonaventura.
Murray's "Free Hugs in Hollywood" video, which has generated over a million views, recently won a Yahoo! Veddy Award for "Best Documentary." Murray was inspired by Juan Mann's Free Hugs movement.
You can catch Murray's Los Angeles Film Festival blog on her production company website, www.SkyLifeProductions.com">www.SkyLifeProductions.com and on http://festivalsinla.fest21.com
26.06.2007 | Editor's blog
Cat. : Don Cheadle Entertainment Entertainment Film Film festival Films Free Hugs in Hollywood Human Interest Human Interest I Have Dreams Dammit! Juan Mann Kasi Lemmons Kasi Lemmons Lisa Murray Lorenzo di Bonaventura Los Angeles Los Angeles Film Festival TALK TO Technology Technology the LA Film festival the Los Angeles Film Festival Transformers Yahoo!