The Sixteenth Annual Valley Film Festival (VFF) Announces Complete Line-Up

North Hollywood, California - The sixteenth annual Valley Film Festival (VFF) announces its feature selections and complete line-up.  

VFF returns in full force with a five-day festival showcasing over 50 of the best independent films, from the (818) and from around the world, September 28-October 2 at Laemmle NoHo7 in the NoHo Arts District. Tickets are $12 and available at ValleyFilmFest.com.

The Festival kicks off Opening Night, Wednesday, September 28, with the dramatic feature, A LIFE LIVED, the story of a single dollar and the many lives it passes along the way. Directed by Riley Wood and produced by Chris Cashman (VFF07, Carts) A Life Lived features Denise Richards (Wild Things, Love, Actually), Jennifer Taylor (Two and a Half Men), Brendan McCarthy (True Blood), Lili Bordan (Battle Star Galactica: Blood and Chrome) and Marshall Manesh (How I Met Your Mother, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End).

Currently nominated for an Emmy in the Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series category, HER STORY, Directed by Sydney Freeland, lights up the NoHo7 screen with the friendship of two trans women in Los Angeles who have given up on love, when chance encounters give them hope. Executive produced by Eve Ensler (“The Vagina Monologues”) and Katherine Fisher, the cast includes Jen Richards and Laura Zak.

VFF16’s Centerpiece Screenings include the World Premiere of BADSVILLE, Directed by April Mullen, about a violent greaser gang ripped apart when their leader finds love and is determined to leave BADSVILLE - a town where love doesn't exist. Cast: Robert Knepper (Prison Break, Heroes) Emilio Rivera (Sons of Anarchy) and Tamara Duarte (Degrassi: The Next Generation) and ELECTRIC SLIDE, a chronicle of the life of furniture salesman turned bank robber Eddie Dodson, Directed by Tristan Patterson and featuring Jim Sturgess (Cloud Atlas, 21) Chloë Sevigny (Bloodline, Big Love, American Horror Story) Isabel Lucas (Red Dawn, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), Kate Micucci (Garfunkle and Oates, The Big Bang Theory) and Academy Award Winner, Patricia Arquette (Boyhood, Medium, True Romance).

The World Premiere of DRUGS & OTHER LOVE, Directed by Noah Applebaum, closes out The 2016 Valley Film Festival. In this comedy, a charming, terrible older sibling keeps his stoner brother high on drugs so he can win the heart of a lady dope dealer who happens to owe money to a gangster. Cast: Noah Applebaum (VFF12, Route 30, Too, VFF14, Route 30 Three!), John Weselcouch (The Purge), Angelina Spicer (Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live), Whitney Moore (Birdemic: Shock and Terror, Birdemic 2: The Resurrection) and Teri Fruichantie (Hollywood is Hard).

The Documentary selections launch with an intimate oral history of the trials, tribulations, heartbreak and joy of bringing some of the most iconic and memorable motion pictures to the screen in IT’S ALWAYS ABOUT THE STORY: CONVERSATIONS WITH ALAN LADD, JR., Directed by Stanley Isaacs, featuring interviews with Alan Ladd, Jr., Jay Kanter, Michael Gruskoff and Mel Brooks. “The Creative Life” documentary program also includes FOSSE: RECREATED, Directed by Wolfgang Glattes (All That Jazz, Star 80, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) and #NONAHENDRYX: TRANSORMATION from VFF alumni and two time Emmy Award winners, Renee Sotile and Mary Jo Godges (VFF06, Christa McAuliffe: Reach for the Stars).

The Festival remains fully committed to supporting local independent production by showcasing twenty-six films made by Angelenos, Vals, and shot in or about the glamorous San Fernando Valley, while continuing to promote diverse films from around the world, with shorts from Canada (Chaos Management, Flush, The Silence), France (West Empire), Germany (Chamber Music), Italy (Black Comedy), Kazakhstan (The Sky Over Berlin of my Childhood), Korea (I Am Grace), Serbia (Play!), Switzerland (Stories Upon Your Lips) and the United Kingdom (Dead Fred, I Used to be Famous).

Other features include:

BAD PEOPLE/U.S.A./World Premiere (Director: Alex Petrovitch) - Bad People is a dark comedy feature film that begs us to laugh at the absurdity that is all around us: crack smoking politicians, prostitutes turned reality stars, religious charlatans, sex obsessed online dating, elitist parents, infidelity, and political correctness. Told through the lens of several short stories, the film examines the hysterical dark side that permeates our society today. Cast: Ben Gleib (Showtime's Neurotic Gangster), Leah McKendrick (Bad Moms) Andy Mackenzie (HBO's True Detective Season 2), Christopher Goodman (Showtime's Ray Donovan), Jason Faunt (Power Rangers Time Force) and Jordan Wall (A&E's The Glades).

CHANGEOVER/U.S.A./Los Angeles Premiere (Director Estes Tarver) - After Haley suffers the loss of her parents in a fatal car wreck, she moves in with her almost estranged single uncle and his young son. Together the trio must attempt to move on and make a life as a new family. Cast: Madeline Taylor (John Adams, The Girl Next Door), Estes Tarver (Under the Dome, Finding Carter) and Carter Godwin (Solace).

THE RICH WOMAN/Vietnam/World Premiere (Director: Le-Van Kiet) – When an international business owner informs authorities that her partner has criminal ties, she is forced to face her enemy to save her daughter. Cast: Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen, Truong Quynh Anh and Quang Su.

VIRTUAL REVOLUTION/U.S.A./France (Director: Guy-Roger Duvert) – The year is 2047 and most of the population spends their time online, connected into virtual worlds where they can fulfill all of their fantasies, losing all interest for reality and leaving it to a small minority. A shadow Agent is tracking and eliminating terrorists who want to destroy this system. Cast: Mike Dopud (Stargate Atlantis, Stargate Universe, 300) and Jane Badler (V).

THE BUSINESS OF NOSTALGIA/U.S.A./Los Angeles Premiere (Directed by Mark DiNatale) – This documentary offers a glimpse into eleven business owners who own, operate, or create something that harkens back to a previous era.

The Valley Film Festival 2016 will open on Wednesday, September 28 and continue through Sunday, October 2 with daily screenings at the Laemmle NoHo 7, located at 5240 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood. Tickets are $12. For more information and tickets, visit ValleyFilmFest.com.

THE VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL 

2016 SCREENING SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY – 9/28

8:00 pm - Opening Night Feature: A Live Lived with I Used to Be Famous and Hands Up (music video)

THURSDAY – 9/29

7:30 pm - Dramatic Shorts Program: Becoming a Man, Frieda’s Turn, Protocol: New Orleans, Rain, The Serene Heartache, Shackled, The Sky Over Berlin of my Childhood, Three-Legged Stool and West Empire.

10:00pm - Feature Program: Bad People with The Unconventional Gourmet and Dead Fred (Trailer)

FRIDAY – 9/30

7:30pm - Feature Program: Electric Slide with Welcome to the Party and Stories Upon Your Lips (music video)

10:00pm - Feature Program: Virtual Revolution with 2BR02B and Synapse (trailer)

SATURDAY – 10/1

12:00 pm/noon – “The Creative Life” Documentary Program: It’s Always About the Story: Conversations with Alan Ladd, Jr. with Fosse: Recreated and #NonaHendryx Transformation

2:00pm – Feature Program: Changeover with I Am Grace

4:30pm – “The Past is Present, and for Sale” Documentary Program: The Business of Nostalgia with Dockery & Son

6:30pm – Feature Program: The Rich Woman with Boxer and Chaos Management

9:00pm – Centerpiece Screening: Badsville with Black Comedy and Caihong City (trailer)

SUNDAY - 10/2

12:00 pm/noon – “Voices of Troubled Youth” Documentary Program: Be More with The Silence and Play!

2:00pm – Celebrating the LGBTQ Community: Her Story with The Prisoner

3:45pm – Girls on Film Shorts Program: Chamber Music, Chippy, Doble 9, Fanny Pack, Flush, Jordan Almonds, The Last Course, Slow Fade to Autumn and Tea & Therapy

6:00pm – Closing Night Program: Drugs & Other Love with The Invitation to Armageddon and $5

The 15th Annual Valley Film Festival Announces Film Line-Up

FIFTEENTH ANNUAL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL

ANNOUNCES FILM LINE-UP

North Hollywood, California – The fifteenth annual Valley Film Festival (VFF) announces its complete line-up and Opening Night screening.  VFF returns in full force with a five-day festival showcasing 40 of the best independent films, from the (818) and from around the world, October 21-25 at Laemmle NoHo7 in the NoHo Arts District. Tickets are $12 and available at ValleyFilmFest.com.

The Festival kicks off Opening Night, Wednesday, October 21, with a special screening of  FORBIDDEN ZONE – in color! Referred to as the Citizen Kane of underground movies, a French girl falls into an insane underworld ruled by a horny little king and his jealous queen. This cult classic stars Susan Tyrrell, Herve Villechaise, Danny Elfman, Matthew Bright, and Marie-Pascale Elfman. The soundtrack features music by Danny Elfman, Cab Calloway, Josephine Baker and others.  Preceded by a fun, live pre-show with Richard Elfman, this screening is a tribute to Producer, Jack F. Murphy, who served on VFF’s Advisory Board from 2008 until his passing in 2014.

Other celebrity-driven films include TOM IN AMERICA, with Academy Award® nominees Sally Kirkland (JFK) and Burt Young (Rocky), OUR FATHER (Michael Gross, Family Ties), MARIYLN AND I (Ray Anthony, legendary trumpeter) ALL INTIME (Lynn Cohen, Sex and the City) PRETTY GOOD DAY (Chris Woods, comedian/violinist, Abby Elliott, Saturday Night Live and Marion Ross, Happy Days), I’LL TEXT YOU (Victor Williams, The King of Queens), BONED (Bai Ling, The Crow) and FRENCH KISS (Tyler Ritter, The McCarthy’s).

The Festival continues to proudly support local independent production, with twenty films made by Angelenos, Vals, and shot in or about the glamorous San Fernando Valley. THEWRISTWATCH, a drama directed by Gino Gaetano, uses Woodland Hills as the backdrop to transform the lives of four people who come in contact with a supernatural wristwatch.  Other local features include DIRTY BEAUTIFUL, a dysfunctional love story, and our closing night feature, ACTOR FOR HIRE, a comedy about a bald actor in Hollywood who discovers the power of persona in the form of a cheap wig. 

VFF continues to program diverse films from around the country and the world. This year’s programs include films from New Jersey to Ohio and Spain to Serbia.

7 DAYS IN SYRIA kicks off our documentary programming and follows Newsweek Middle East Editor, Janine di Giovanni, who risks it all to ensure the world knows about the suffering of the Syrian people. While CONGOBEAT THE DRUM takes us on an adventure, to catch-up with forgotten Reggae artists of the 70s & 80s, SLINGSHOT takes us into the world of Segway inventor, Dean Kamen, and his work to solve the world’s water crisis.

LA Premieres include the feature films: Boned, Congo Beat the Drum, It Plays Like Love, and The Wristwatch. Short films making their LA debut are: As it is in Heaven; A Divinely Twisted Comedy, Blue-Eyed Me, Californication, Fruitcake, It’s a Journey, Not a Destination, Number 2: If I Were Marilyn, Omid, Marilyn and I, My Sardasht, Pretty Good Day, and Wings

THE VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL:

CINEMA SO INDEPENDENT 
IT CAN ONLY BE FOUND IN THE (818)!

Founded in 2000, The Valley Film Festival, a project of Community Partners®, is the first and longest continually running film festival in the San Fernando Valley.  With a mission to join established and emerging talent with adventurous audiences in Los Angeles, VFF screens shorts, features, documentaries, animated films, experimental works, and music videos from around the world.  While emphasizing independent film, the festival also has screened studio productions including BOOGIE NIGHTS, CHINATOWN, ENCINO MAN, FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH, MAGNOLIA, TERMINATOR 2, VALLEY GIRL, and WORLD TRADE CENTER.

In addition to screenings, the festival provides educational panels, social mixers, audience awards, and the juried "Ten Degrees Hotter" award.

THE VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL 2015 will open on Wednesday, October 21 and continue through Sunday, October 25 with daily screenings at the LAEMMLE NOHO 7, located at 5240 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood. Tickets are $12. For more information and tickets, visit ValleyFilmFest.com.

THE VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL 
2015 SCREENING SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY - 10/21
8:00 pm - Opening Night Feature: Forbidden Zone – in Color! Includes Fun, Live Pre-Show with Richard Elfman

THURSDAY – 10/22

8:00 pm - Girls on Film Shorts Program: It’s a Journey, Not a Destination, Our Father, Pig, Pretty Good Day, Texting: A Love Story, and Wings

FRIDAY – 10/23
7:30pm – “Made in the (818)” and Alumni Shorts Program: Attraction, The Co-Star, Cocaine vs. Corn 4 Gold Malt Liquor, A Craigslist Exorcism, Did You Hear the One About…, Dog Bowl, and The One and Only Eddie Duke
9:00 pm - Feature Program: Boned with Number 2: If I Were Marilyn

SATURDAY – 10/24

12:00 pm/noon – Documentary Program: 7 Days in Syria with My Sardasht and Omid.

2:00 pm – Feature Program: The Wristwatch with As it is in Heaven: A Divinely Twisted Comedy

4:00 pm – Feature Program: It Plays Like Love with Dreamcatchers

6:30 pm – Feature Program: Dirty Beautiful with Mulligan’s Island

9:00 pm – Feature Program: All in Time with Shelter from the Storm

SUNDAY – 10/25
12:00 pm/noon - Documentary Program: Congo Beat the Drum with The Fallen Phoenix
2:30 pm – Documentary Program: SlingShot with Blue-Eyed Me
4:00 pm – “Love My Way” Shorts Program: The After Party, Californication, French Kiss, Hanky Panky, I’ll Text You, Marilyn and I, and Tom in America

6:00pm – Closing Night Program: Actor for Hire with Fruitcake

Last Chance to Submit to VFF15 ~ Submissions Close August 15th

Dear Filmmakers: 

Don't let the VFF15 submission deadline pass you by. Once submissions are closed, they're closed. We have a record number of submissions (and they're still coming in) and made a promise to filmmakers to view every film, from start to finish. No exceptions. 

Have no fear. If you miss the August 15th deadline, you can always submit to VFF16, in January 2016. 

Film submitted through July 31 are $75 USD and submissions sent in between August 1-15 are $100 USD. Now don't you wish you submitted in February when it was pay-what-you-can?

If you're unsure whether or not to submit your film, we encourage you to look through our archives to get a feel for our programming. 

You may submit through FilmFreeway.com, Festhome.com, or to VFF directly. 

The Valley Film Festival 2015 Call For Entries

North Hollywood, CA (February 9, 2015) – The Valley Film Festival is now accepting submissions for its fifteenth annual season of independent films from around the Valley and the world.  The initial period is “pay what you can.”  The final deadline is August 15, 2015.

We have begun accepting short and feature-length submissions for our 2015 season.  We are seeking quality narrative / fiction films, documentaries, animation, and music videos that were produced independently anywhere in the world.  The films or filmmakers may have some connection to the San Fernando Valley area, but this is not required. 

We are accepting entries from now through August 15, with a total of five submission periods.  For each period, the application fee is the same for any film, whether short or feature-length.  Here is the schedule of dates and fees (US dollars) per film:   

February 1 - 28, 2015 -- pay what you can

March 1 - April 25, 2015  -- $25

April 26 - June 20, 2015 -- $50

June 21 - July 31, 2015 -- $75

August 1 - August 15, 2015 -- $100

The initial submission period (February 1 to February 28) is “pay what you can.”  During this time, applicants may pay whatever they like, including nothing.  If they pay little or nothing, we request that they do something additional of their own choosing that helps promote the festival. This could include, for example, “liking” the festival on Facebook, or perhaps distributing some useful information or praise via Twitter.  After this initial period, the per film entry fee then gradually increases until the final deadline in August. 

The tentative festival dates are October 28 - November 1, 2015, to be held at the Laemmle NoHo 7, located in the NoHo Arts District.  For further details, see http://www.ValleyFilmFest.com.

Founded in 2000, The Valley Film Festival, a project of Community Partners®, is the first and longest continually running film festival in the San Fernando Valley.  With a mission to join established filmmakers and emerging talent with adventurous audiences in Los Angeles, the VFF has screened a total of nearly 500 shorts, features, documentaries, animated films, and music videos from all over the world.  While emphasizing independent film, the festival also has occasionally shown studio productions, including Boogie Nights, Chinatown, Encino Man, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Magnolia, Terminator 2, Valley Girl, and World Trade Center. 

In addition to screenings, the festival provides educational panels, social events, and awards.  The juried "Ten Degrees Hotter" award is for one short and one feature from a competitive section.  Additionally, there is an award for short films, in the non-competitive section, as chosen by the audience.

For more information, visit the festival website www.ValleyFilmFest.com

Or send an email to Info@ValleyFilmFest.com

And follow us on:

Twitter (@ValleyFilmFest)

Facebook (“The Valley Film Festival”)

Our blog (http://www.ValleyFilmFest.blogspot.com)

Countdown To VFF14....Featuring Our Features

VFF sifted through hundreds of feature films this year, from near and far. While we loved many, screening time was limited and cuts were made. We encourage you to browse through our shortlist to see the features we continue to support in spirit. In the here and now, check out the features we'll be screening December 10-14, 2014 at Laemmle NoHo7.


GONE SOUTH: HOW CANADA INVENTED HOLLYWOOD
100 min/Documentary/Canada
Directed by Leslie D. Bland

Don't let the running time scare you off. Trust us when we say you'll be laughing all the way through this comedic and campy look at Canada's pop culture contributions to "Hollywood." Like, did you know Mack Sennent, founding father of Studio City, was from Quebec? VFF loved it because we could totally relate to The Valley's own pop culture contributions being overlooked.  Celebrity interviews are aplenty too, including: Howie Mandel, David Foster, Alex Trebek, Alan Thicke, Shannon Tweed, Dave Thomas, Tommy Chong, Will Sasso, Neve Campbell, Harland Williams, Monty Hall, Arthur Hiller, David Shore, Ted Kotcheff, and Erin Karpluk.

Screens Saturday, December 13 at 12:00pm. Tickets and Info.

THE GREEN GIRL
97 min/Documentary/Los Angeles, CA
Directed by George Pappy

VFF first screened George Pappy in 2011 with his gritty drama, Few Options (currently available on Netflix and Amazon) and The Green Girl is polar opposite. Other than an appearance on Star Trek, George knew nothing else about actress Susan Oliver. Out of curiosity, he looked her up on IMDB and was astonished at her lengthy resume spanning four decades. Not only that, he discovered that she was a rock star director of celebrated TV shows such as M*A*S*H and Trapper John, M.D. during the thick of male-dominated television AND one of the first women to ever pilot a Lear Jet. A crush was born. George's fervor to share what he uncovered shines through, leaving you wanting more.

Screens Sunday, December 14 at 12:00pm. Tickets and Info. 

LA VIE NOUS APPARTIENT/MAYBE TOMORROW
89 min/Drama/Austria
Directed by Alex K. Lee

At its core, La Vie Nous Appartient is a buddy road trip...if the road were the mountains of Austria and the buddies were two misunderstood young adults meeting for the first time. With a pact to end their lives, Sarah and Philip trek through the forest and share their struggles with family, depression, and personal fulfillment...y'know... life! VFF loves it for its simplicity and unique look at growing up with modern demands.   Plus, it doesn't hurt that it was produced by Angelo D'Agostino, producer of one of our favorite fest flicks, Little World.

Screens Sunday, December 14 at 2:30pm. Tickets and Info. 

TRAILER

ODD BRODSKY
93 min/Comedy/Los Angeles, CA
Directed by Cindy Baer

Film festival circuit "It Girl," Cindy Baer first splashed on to the screen 10 years ago with cult favorite, Purgatory House, and has honed her directing skills over the years with a series of awesome shorts, including those screened at VFF: Morbid Curiosity (VFF08),  Stalked (VFF11) and Seymour Sally Rufus (VFF12).  Odd Brodsky is Cindy's leap back into features, with a lovable cast that you're cheering on from beginning to end. We can all relate to Audrey -- the lovable loser who decides to f-it and go all-in to following her dream. OK, so her dream is being an actress and she's not that good at it. Who cares? Audrey opens herself up to limitless possibilities and that message is what we connected with.

Closing Night Film
Sunday, December 14 at 5:00pm. Tickets and Info.

RIPPED
100 min/Sci-Fi Musical/State College, PA
Directed by Rod Bingaman

It's the 1960s and British heartthrobs, Norman's Normans, have accidentally rocketed to a planet inhabited by women - Hormone. Using their catchy tunes to temper Queen Fallopia, the band brings peace to a neighboring planet of men and finds their way home.  VFF loved it for its ambition, attention to period detail, and the music of course! We guarantee you'll be singing along with Norman and his Normans in no time.

Screens Friday, December 12 at 9:30pm. Tickets and Info. 

 TRAILER

ROUTE 30 THREE!
94min/Romantic Comedy/Los Angeles, CA
Directed by John Putch

Our opening night feature is a no-brainer. VFF has a long history of screening micro-budget films directed by John Putch, starting in 2003 with Bachelorman, and as long as he continues to make 'em, we'll continue to screen 'em.  Route 30 Three! is the final chapter of the Route 30 trilogy (don't worry, you don't need to have seen the previous two to appreciate #3) and follows the mysterious disappearance of Rotten Egg, a camera that reveals the truth in every photo, and a man's quest to become less boring. We love Putch for his no B.S. approach to filmmaking and for treating his cast, crew, and festivals with the utmost respect. 

Take a gander at this Moviola clip featuring John Putch on the "Making of the Anti-Hollywood Movie."

Opening Night Film
Wednesday, December 10 at 8:00pm.  Tickets and Info. 

TRAILER

SING YOUR OWN SONG: AN OPERA LOVE STORY
61 min/Documentary/Los Angeles, CA
Directed by Anne Davis O'Neal

Music is the tie that binds and this documentary proves you don't need a fancy opera house to sing your libretto off. While many of the subjects have been performing together for over 50 years, others are new to the art, and yet they all share the same level of loss when their venue unexpectedly closes. As the saying goes, "it's not over until the fat lady sings." (P.S., This film has serious "faccia tosta" AKA chutzpa. Bravo!)

Screens Friday, December 12 at 7:00pm. Tickets and Info. 

YOU OR A LOVED ONE
86 min/Drama/Los Angeles, CA
Directed by Matt Mercer

Reclusive illustrator, Parker, navigates withdrawal effects from a pharmaceutical drug trial and, after a chance meeting with Teresa, is thrust back into daily life, and love, sooner than he wished.  Using Los Angeles as a backdrop, we love this film for its authentic performances and sobering situations.

Centerpiece Screening
Saturday, December 13 at 7:30pm. Tickets and Info. 

 TRAILER

Announcing The Valley Film Festival’s 2011 Program

We are now ready to announce our eleventh annual lineup of cinema so independent it can be found only in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley!

With over 30 films on our program, including eighteen premieres and five foreign films, the VFF continues to showcase independent cinema from around the Valley and the world.  Our selections include a range of short and feature-length films, both documentaries and fiction.  VFF Founder and Director, Tracey Adlai, says that this was “by far the most competitive year, making our selections that much harder.  We wish we could screen everything.”

The VFF continues to promote local independent production, with over fifteen films made by San Fernando Valley residents and/or in the Valley or about it.  Filmed in Van Nuys, FEW OPTIONS, an L.A. premiere directed by George Pappy, is a gritty drama starring Kenny Johnson (“The Shield,” “Sons of Anarchy”) as an ex-con starting over with everything against him.  FEW OPTIONS also features Erin Daniels (“The L Word”) and Rainn Wilson (“The Office”).

The Festival’s documentary showcase includes the L.A. premiere of RATS & BULLIES, the powerful story of fourteen-year old Dawn-Marie Wesley, who, after being repeatedly bullied and receiving death threats at school, hung herself with her dog’s leash. Filmed in Canada and the U.S., this film documents the horrifying incident that outraged a nation and led to a groundbreaking court case in which, for the first time in North America, teens stood trial for bullying.  Also featured is Alexia Anastasio’s ADVENTURES IN PLYMPTOONS!, a profile of animator Bill Plympton.

The “Girls on Film” program of short films includes the U.S. premiere of THE SAFEST PLACE FOR FRUIT IS IN CARMEN MIRANDA’S HAT, a comedy about not fitting in with society’s expectations, directed by Kal Bonner.

Formerly known as (818), the VFF11 closing night feature, BAD ACTRESS, directed by Robert Lee King (“Psycho Beach Party”), is a dark comedy starring Beth Broderick (“Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,” “Lost”) as a has-been TV star living in The Valley.  Her career is revived when she’s accused of killing her husband, played by Chris Mulkey (“Saving Grace,” “Twin Peaks”).  The VFF has paired this film with THE POTENTIAL WIVES OF NORMAN MAO, a comedy short directed by Derek Nguyen and narrated by George Takei (“Star Trek”).

In addition to screenings, we provide educational panels, social mixers, and awards.  The juried "Ten Degrees Hotter" award is for one short and one feature from a competitive section.  Additionally, there is an award for short films, in the non-competitive section, as chosen by the audience.

Tracey Adlai says that she is “excited to return to Sherman Oaks” for three days, beginning November 11^th, at the Whitefire Theatre, located at 13500 Ventura Blvd., in the Restaurant Row District.  Tickets are $10-$15.  

The Valley Film Festival 2011 Program

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11th

7:00 pm – Alumni Shorts Program (Dessert & Suicide, The Further Adventures of Cupid & Eros, League of S.T.E.A.M: Zed’s Clutter Calamity, Made in Japan, Mine, Stalked)

9:30 pm – Feature Program: We Gotta Get Buscemi with Public Museum

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12th

11:00 am – Panel TBA (topical to independent filmmaking)

1:00 pm – Dramatic Shorts Program (Ghost of Syllables, Kiss, Live for the Day!, Method Actor, Mirk Riders, Valley Relics)

3:30 pm – Documentary Program: Adventures in Plymptoons! with TBA

7:00 pm – Feature Program: Few Options with The Secret Friend

10:30 pm – Comedy Shorts Program (Fish!, The Gran’ Scam of Things, Hold the Mayo, The Hunter, Mrs. Christmas, Two Broken Hearts)

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13th

11:00 am – Panel TBA (topical to independent filmmaking)

1:00 pm – “Girls on Film” Shorts Program (12 Hours, 52 Seconds, Beyond Essays, Legacy, Mind the Gap, The Safest Place for Fruit is in Carmen Miranda’s Hat)

3:30 pm – Documentary Program: Rats & Bullies with Red Princess Blues

7:00 pm – Closing Night Feature Program: Bad Actress with The Potential Wives of Norman Mao

For more information and tickets, visit www.ValleyFilmFest.com.

VFF10 Shorts Program ~ Documentary Short Subjects

Nonfiction film is an art in itself. Trying to find a common thread to program a documentary showcase around is also an art. The Valley Film Festival took an unorthodox artistic approach and programmed four very different films that have absolutely nothing in common, other than being kick ass and entertaining.

Renee Sotile and Mary Jo Godges, co-directors of ASTRONAUT PAM: COUNTDOWN TO COMMANDER love space! This talented directing duo was last seen at VFF06 with CHRISTA McAULIFFE, REACH FOR THE STARS and we're glad they're back! This was one of the first films we screened, possibly back in May or June, and everyone sat fixed like school children as Commander Pam took us on a journey to the International Space Station. Not only is the footage from outer space amazing, but the crew had a lot of fun on their journey, making us wish we were on the Space Shuttle Discovery too!

FOUND: NOTHING MISSING is an experimental documentary that uses missing pet posters to explore the larger meaning of loss. This short film by Patricia McInroy is only three minutes long, but we guarantee that you will never look at a missing pet poster the same way ever again. 

We had to have some rock 'n roll in the festival and found it in the form of THE MAKING OF: THE NUKES an all-teenage local band and fan favorite at The Roxy, Viper Room, and Troubadour. Journey with Hunter, Dimitri, Gracie, Kody, and Emilio from their auditions to their latest release! These talented teens will be at The Valley Film Festival and are surely going places. 

Our final short subject documentary comes to us from Poland and is true cinéma vérité, PYTANIE (The Question). Jan Wilkiewicz & Jacek Kiejko, co-directors, stopped people on the street to ask them a single question. This fleeting moment captured by their camera shed a faint light on each individual's intimate relationship with their world, highlighting priorities and the matters closest to their hearts.

The Documentary shorts program screens on Saturday, November 13, 12:30pm, at CAP Theatre in Sherman Oaks. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased here.