Erykah Badu Tapped As Presenter At 2011 LA Film Festival
LOS ANGELES (LAFilmFestival.com) — The Los Angeles Film Festival on Wednesday announced Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Erykah Badu and composer Daniele Luppi as Artists in Residence, as well as a conversation with Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine, stars of the Festival's opening night film Bernie, sponsored by Virgin America.
Screen Gems' Attack the Block and Lionsgate's The Devil's Double have also been added to the Galas section. As previously announced, the 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival will screen a diverse slate of over 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, representing more than 30 countries. The Festival is produced by Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that also produces the Spirit Awards. Artists in Residence and additional talent and programming will be announced in the coming weeks.
As an Artist in Residence, Erykah Badu will present a screening of Ricky Gervais' The Invention of Lying, followed by a conversation.
Universal Motown artist Erykah Badu, best known for her eccentric style and cerebral music, is a Grammy Award-winning American soul singer and songwriter. Regarded as the Queen of Neo Soul, Erykah's sound — a concoction of soul, hip-hop and jazz — cannot be contained to a single genre.
Self-described as a "mother first," Erykah is a touring artist, DJ, actress, director, teacher, community activist, holistic healer, vegan, recycler and conscious spirit. "Baduizm," her highly acclaimed debut album, was released in early 1997 and went triple platinum, with her song "On & On" winning at the 1998 Grammy Awards.
In 2010, Badu released her fifth studio album, "New Amerykah, Part II: Return of the Ankh" — the second installment of a two-part New Amerykah series. Her charity Beautiful Love Incorporated Non Profit Development (B.L.I.N.D.) provides development for inner-city youth through music, dance, theater and visual arts in her native Dallas, Texas.
Daniele Luppi will present a screening of Italian genre maestro Sergio Corbucci's Navajo Joe, followed by a conversation about movies and music. Daniele Luppi has spent the last decade quietly making his mark upon the landscapes of film and popular music with his sophisticated, sleekly modern and wonderfully timeless sounds.
If you've listened to Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse's epic "Dark Night of the Soul," Gnarls Barkley's Grammy-winning "St. Elsewhere" or John Legend's platinum-selling "Once Again," you've already experienced the beguiling musical talents of this Italian-born composer, record producer and arranger.
Early in the past decade, with several indie film scores already under his belt, Luppi began writing his acclaimed debut album, 2004's "An Italian Story," in homage to the cinematic sounds he discovered in his youth. "Rome," Luppi's latest album with Danger Mouse, Jack White and Norah Jones, has received rave reviews and catapulted Luppi into the spotlight, earning him the title "this generation's Morricone."
"To bring two artists of this pedigree and vision to the Festival and expose audiences to their passionate movie choices is a privilege and an honor. As exciting as it will be to see Erykah and Daniele's selections through the lenses of their own work, the conversations that will follow will no doubt be unforgettable and illuminating, and amongst the most memorable experiences of the Festival," said Festival Director Rebecca Yeldham.
As part of the Festival Conversations, Bernie co-stars Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine — two beloved and celebrated actors — (try to) answer questions about their careers and body of work in a fun, game show approach to the old career discussion. This freewheeling evening will be moderated by Leonard Maltin and is sponsored by Regal Entertainment Group.
The Festival has added two more high-profile films to its Gala section. Screen Gems' Attack the Block is written and directed by Joe Cornish and stars Jodie Whittaker, John Boyega, Alex Esmail, Franz Drameh, Leeon Jones, Simon Howard, Luke Treadaway, Jumayn Hunter and Nick Frost. From the producers of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, Attack the Block follows a gang of tough inner-city kids who defend their turf against an invasion of savage alien creatures, turning a South London apartment complex into an extraterrestrial warzone.
Lionsgate's The Devil's Double is directed by Lee Tamahori, written by Michal Thomas and stars Dominic Cooper, Ludivine Sagnier, Mimoun Oaissa, Raad Rawi and Philip Quast. Based on an unbelievable, but true story of money, power and opulent decadence, The Devil's Double is about an Iraqi army lieutenant ordered to become the body double for "Black Prince" Uday Hussein, a reckless, sadistic party-boy with a rabid hunger for sex and brutality.
Returning to downtown Los Angeles, with its central hub at L.A. LIVE, the Festival will run from Thursday, June 16 to Sunday, June 26. Now in its seventeenth year, the Festival is recognized as a world-class event, showcasing the best in new American and international cinema and providing the movie-loving public with access to critically acclaimed filmmakers, film industry professionals, and emerging talent from around the world.
Passes to attend the Festival are currently available to the general public, with special rates for Film Independent members. In addition to screenings and events, Festival passes provide access to a series of networking receptions and entry to the Jameson Filmmaker Lounge, where Festival pass holders can interact with Festival filmmakers and professionals in the film community. Contact the Ticket Office for passes, tickets and event information by calling 866.FILM.FEST (866.345-6337) or visit LAFilmFest.com.
Festival passes and tickets can also be purchased in person beginning on Monday, June 13 at the Coca-Cola Ticket Center, located in the Festival Village on the rooftop of the West Parking Garage at L.A. LIVE's Event Deck. The Official Film Guide, the comprehensive source for all movie info, screenings, locations, and related events is produced by the Los Angeles Times. It will top The Los Angeles Times on Sunday, June 12 in Los Angeles and Orange County and be made available throughout downtown during the ten-day event.
ADDITIONAL FILMS & PROGRAMMING
Artist in Residence Selection (2):
• Navajo Joe (1966), Sergio Corbucci – Italy
• The Invention of Lying (2009), Ricky Gervais
Galas (2):
• Attack the Block, Joe Cornish (Screen Gems)
• The Devil's Double, Lee Tamahori (Lionsgate) - Belgium
