10 Films You Need to See From the L.A. Film Festival

Here's everything you need to see from this year's L.A. Film Festival.

Jun 10, 2015
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Complex Original

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

If there’s one thing the name Los Angeles immediately calls to mind, it’s this: movies. From June 10 to 18, the entertainment capital of the world is holding its annual L.A. Film Fest. The festival is a week-long celebration of the finest flicks from around the world, some of which we’ve already enjoyed at other fests (like Dope) and others from so far around the world that L.A. cinephiles are lucky to have access to it (like South Africa’s Ayanda and the Mechanic). Programmed by Film Independent, the line-up is guaranteed to have something for everyone, whether you’re into more classic European fare or gritty American dramas.

Unfortunately, you can’t be everywhere at once, so we’re here to help you find the best of the best. Plan out your schedule with this: 10 Films You Need to See From the L.A. Film Festival. 

'Caught'

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Directed by: Maggie Kiley

Stars: Anna Camp, Stefanie Scott, Amelia Rose Blaire, Sam Page

As Pitch Perfect fans know, if there’s anything Anna Camp can do well, it’s play absolutely insane. In this quintessential midnight movie, the former Barden Bella plays a twisted suburban housewife who takes hostage her husband’s mistress in their pristine American dream home. Imagine, if you will, The Stepford Wives with an American Horror Story twist, plus ample amounts of camp (pun totally intended), and you’ve got your guilty pleasure of the festival.

'Manson Family Vacation'

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Directed by: J. Davis

Stars: Jay Duplass, Linas Phillips, Leonora Pitts, Adam Chernick, Tobin Bell, Davie-Blue

Neither of the Duplass Brothers can do wrong—just take into account Mark’s Togetherness and Jay’s Transparent—which is why this is on our must list. That and the fact that the plot sounds absolutely insane: a man’s suited-up Los Angeles life is shaken up by the visit of his brother, who takes him on a road trip visiting every site related to the infamous Manson Family. Yes, that includes every murder home. Don’t get deterred by the inherent horror of it though—the movie promises some good ol’ brotherly love and your run-of-the-mill investigation into the hero worship of the convicted serial killer.

'It’s Already Tomorrow In Hong Kong'

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Directed by: Emily Ting

Stars: Jamie Chung, Bryan Greenberg

If you’re in the mood for love, indulge in Emily Ting’s newest romance. Real-life engaged couple Jamie Chung and Bryan Greenberg play a pair of Americans who fall for one another during her first business trip to Hong Kong. A film reminiscent of Before Sunrise, Already Tomorrow is not only a love letter to Hong Kong—as it beautifully captures the wonders the city has to offer—but also a charming display of what true chemistry looks like.

'Grandma'

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Directed by: Paul Weitz

Stars: Lily Tomlin, Julia Garner, Marcia Gay Harden, Judy Greer, Laverne Cox, Nat Wolff, John Cho, Sam Elliott

The festival’s opener, Grandma is a Lily Tomlin-starrer that’s got film critics revving to see it. Here, Tomlin plays Elle Reid, a leather-jacket wearing, cool grandma (by every definition) who, while coping with a break-up with her girlfriend, unexpectedly welcomes her distressed granddaughter Sage (Julia Garner) into her life. With Sage needing $600 before sundown, the duo set out on a quest to obtain the cash, which forces them fess up to what they’ve left behind and confront the skeletons in their closet.

'The Final Girls'

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Directed by: Todd Strauss-Schulson

Stars: Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, Adam DeVine, Thomas Middleditch, Alia Shawkat, Alexander Ludwig, Nina Dobrev, Angela Trimbur, Tory N. Thompson, Chloe Bridges

Already a hit at SXSW, this horror-comedy is a young Hollywood fan’s twisted wet dream. The film tells the story of a high school senior who, with her friends, is transported back to a 1980s horror movie that starred her mother, a famous scream queen. Reunited, the group of girls must fight their way out of the film to get back to the future by defeating a machete-happy psycho killer.

'My Love, Don’t Cross That River'

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Directed by: Mo-Young Jin

Stars: Byong-man Jo, Gye-Yeul Kang

The title alone already suggests you should bring a box of tissues. The highest grossing Korean indie film of all time, the documentary follows “the 100-year-old lovebirds” as they spend their last days together. An intimate portrait of true and lasting love, the film gives audiences a tearful glimpse at a life well lived, filled with play-fighting in the snow, holding hands while sleeping, and more romantic daily gestures that’ll shatter the cynic in you. 

'Be Here Now (The Andy Whitfield Story)'

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Directed by: Lilibet Foster

Stars: Andy Whitfield, Vashti Whitfield

This sounds like a riveting narrative script you’d read at a studio desk, but nothing about this story is made up. Imagine getting everything you’ve ever wanted, only to know it’s not yours to keep for long. Actor Andy Whitfield was just cast in Starz’s critically acclaimed first season of Spartacus when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and given only a 25 percent chance of survival. Devastated by the news, he and his wife Vashti decided to cope by filming his journey in hopes of inspiring those battling life-threatening illnesses. Inspiring is an understatement. This is a call to action for everyone to seize the day, and their dreams, despite the odds.

'A Girl Like Grace'

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Directed by: Ty Hodges

Stars: Meagan Good, Garcelle Beauvais, Raven-Symone, Romeo Miller, Blair Redford, Paige Hurd, Ryan Destiny

Bullying, rebellion, teen angst, sexual abuse, suicide— these are all of the heavy themes in Ty Hodges coming-of-age tale. Dealing with the death of her best friend, Grace, a high school student, is taken under the wing of her best friend’s older sister, only to fall into a sea of trouble with her new crowd. Lost in the madness of high school, Grace battles her inner demons and peer pressure to find a sense of peace.

'Ratter'

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Directed by: Branden Kramer

Stars: Ashley Benson, Matt McGorry, Rebecca Naomi Jones

Ashley Benson is running scared again. This time however, it’s not on your TV screen in Pretty Little Liars. It’s in this tech thriller that follows Benson’s Emma as a stalker begins tracking her. All told from the POV of her laptop, cellphone, and any Internet-connected device, first-time director Branden Kramer’s experimental film is an all-too-real cautionary tale about the dangers of our culture’s reliance on technology.

'Too Late'

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Directed by: Dennis Hauck

Stars: John Hawkes, Vail Bloom, Joanna Cassidy, Jeff Fahey, Robert Forster, Brett Jacobsen, Dichen Lachman, Dash Mihok, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Crystal Reed, Rider Strong, Natalie Zea

Too Late is a love letter to Los Angeles that’s punctuated by a very L.A. story. John Hawkes plays private investigator Mel Sampson, who’s hired to track down a woman from his past. His mission not only gets him reacquainted with his hometown—everywhere from Radio Hill to The Beverly Hilton—but also with the crazy cast of characters that make up the City of (truly bizarre) Angels. To top it off, it’s shot on 35 mm film, which delivers a truly sumptuous visual feast for film geeks everywhere.

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