It’s not unusual to find a film screening at LACMA on a Saturday night—but this weekend, we’ll be celebrating emerging filmmakers at the 13th-annual Young Directors Night—an event dedicated to showcasing up-and-coming talent.
Hundreds of films are sent to LACMA for consideration in this event every year, and this year was no exception. Eight unique shorts have been selected from over 160 submissions, giving eight young directors the chance to see their work on the well-loved silver screen of LACMA’s Bing Theater.
The featured films and their directors are:
Twenty-Two Date Palm Way, directed by Tamar Levine
The last moments of a woman’s life—a swirl of personal memories and fragments of beauty routines as felt and seen in reflections, all leading to the moment of her death.
[vimeo 84247438 w=500 h=281]
Me + Her, directed by Joseph Oxford
When Jack and Jill of Cardboard City are separated by Jill's untimely death, Jack goes on a journey to mend his (literally) broken heart.
Boys of Soweto, directed by Meja Shoba
Six men wait for the chance to catch the attention of a beautiful woman.
Bunion, directed by Jessica Sanders
Bunion is a short comedy about a man, his foot and finding happiness. Inspired by an actual bunion.
Kepler X-47, directed by Erin Li
A woman volunteers to live in a human zoo on an alien planet but soon realizes that life is not what she expected.
[vimeo 90416398 w=500 h=281]
Drum-Off, by Miles Crawford
The same argument, but different.
Out of the Blue, by Margot Ye
LOS ANGELES, 1959: Scarlett is a recluse with an extraordinary ability: she sees sound and hears color. Jack is a recovering addict and jazz pianist who has lost his creative compass. As neighbors, the two begin to intermingle. Jack finds his muse, and Scarlett finds the courage to leave her apartment.
[vimeo 26947292 w=500 h=281]
Mr. Bear, by Andres Rosende
It's Christmas again: family, presents, parties . . . the worst time of the year for Steve. Driving through New York City for Christmas Eve dinner, his car breaks down and he accidentally stumbles upon a crime scene. Mistaken for the notorious cleaner, Mr. Bear, Steve has to face a difficult choice: dismember and get rid of some bodies or become a corpse himself.
Following the screening, host Elvis Mitchell (Film Independent at LACMA curator and host of KCRW’s The Treatment) will take the stage with our directors, leading them in a conversation that promises to shed light into each distinct process. Audience and artists alike will head to the outdoor plaza for a celebratory reception, featuring late-night access to the just-opened exhibition Helen Pashgian: Light Invisible. Complimentary wine and dessert will be served (plus, we’ll have a full cash bar) and the “Art of Film” award will be presented to the best in show.
For more details and tickets, visit lacma.org.
Meghan McCauley, New Members Manager