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 [ FRONT PAGE EVENTS ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=81)

#  Highland Park Film Festival + Fan Fest back for 2021

September 30 2021

Written by CityWatch.

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WHAT: Highland Park Film Festival + Fan Fest back for 2021

8th annual East LA festival with films, art and music back to in-person

&amp; Fan Fest - Free outdoor music and art festival that happens outside the Highland Theatre at the same time. Includes Alfresco DJ’s, Live Art Demos.

WHEN: : Friday 1st October,

7pm Red Carpet

8pm Free Screening of feature documentary “Carlos Almaraz, Playing with Fire”

At same time, outside in the park, DJ Ana B will perform alongside live artist demonstrations.

WHY: Grassroots community organization who love bringing people together to celebrate the best of LGBTQ, Local, Latinx focused East LA’s art, film and music.

Where: All red carpet, movie screenings, music and art will take at the Historic Highland Theatre, 5504 North Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90042

WHO
HIFF Team Contact

Marita De La Torre | <marita@hpifilmfest.com> | 310.871.3226

Press

Hype World

Danielle McCormick | <danielle@hypeworld.com> | 415.233.5974

Colleen O’Mara | <colleen@hypeworld.com>

PRESS KIT AND PHOTOS <https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vroyHnjavgDNIr2oV6GgK-JBza6GJWxy?usp=sharing>

WHO: Connect with HPIFF:

Website: <http://www.hpifilmfest.com/>

Facebook: [@highlandparkindependentfilmfestival](http://ec2-54-189-84-127.us-west-2.compute.amazonaws.com/x/d?c=15572452&l=a9f2b225-a01f-4638-9af4-03705b61959b&r=40c04300-22ec-4d7a-b0c4-f91bf3777049)

Twitter and Instagram: @hpifilmfest

Filmmakers for most films will be in attendance for Q&amp;A and Red Carpet.

COMPLETE LIST OF FILMS and MOVIE TIMES

Friday, October 1st, 7pm to 8pm

Red Carpet @ Highland Theatre.

THEATRE 2

7pm-10pm: Screening “Carlos Almaraz, Playing with Fire” Feature Documentary Free Admission

Saturday, October 2nd 12pm to 2.30pm

THEATRE 2

FIG Shorts Program

- Pops
- Gardenia
- Navel Gazers
- Repairment (World Premiere)
- Shelter
- Eastside Punks Episode 3: Stains (World Premiere)
- Living for the Likes (LA Premiere)
- The Monster of the Desert
- Voices from the Void (World Premiere)

THEATRE 2

AVE 50 Shorts Program (2.30pm-5pm)

- Wild Animals
- You Missed a Spot
- Lake Forest Road
- Farmer Lee Jones &amp; The Chef's Garden
- Atomic Café: The Noisiest Corner in J-Town
- You're Family Now
- Trying (World Premiere)
- In the Event of My Death

THEATRE 3

York Shorts Program (1pm-3.30pm)

- Getting From Here
- Brandi Finds God
- Lego City Gets Evicted (World Premiere)
- Willie in the Sky
- Ink
- Homie Love (World Premiere)
- Lessons w/ Martha (LA Premiere)
- HLP is Here: El Corrido De Santo, Elotero (World Premiere)
- Skater Dudes (World Premiere)

THEATRE 3

4pm-5.30pm

- The Village That Once Was (World Premiere)
- Unclaimed in Los Angeles

THEATRE 2

5pm-7.30pm

L.A. A Queer History FEATURE (Sneak Peek) (LA Premiere)

THEATRE 2

7pm-8pm Red Carpet

8pm-10pm Lorelei FEATURE (Festival Closer)

The HPIFF showcase includes 1 Narrative Feature, 4 Documentary Features and 25 Shorts. These include 9 World Premieres and 3 LA Premieres.

This year’s festival also includes - Film Fan Fest - a free event which takes place outside of the Highland Theater and includes music, dancing and live painting by Highland Park artists as an outreach component. This year [DJ Ama B](http://ec2-54-189-84-127.us-west-2.compute.amazonaws.com/x/d?c=15572452&l=865357bd-bd97-45a2-a773-d43ae77718d5&r=40c04300-22ec-4d7a-b0c4-f91bf3777049) will provide live music Al Fresco Red Carpet on Figueroa.

Opening night is Friday October 1st and following the red carpet, there will be a screening of the feature documentary “Carlos Almaraz, Playing with Fire” directed by Elsa Flores Almaraz and Richard Montoya. The film explores the life of Carlos Almaraz, a Chicano activist, sexual outlaw, and visionary painter of some of the most unforgettable images of Southern California. A special mention will be made since the Highland Theater is directly across the street from the old Centro de Arte Popular that Carlos Almaraz co-founded and because it was recently approved by The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission to the city's list of Historic-Cultural Monuments as a location important to the Chicano Arts Movement.

Directly before the screening, HPIFF will present the 2021 HPIFF Humanitarian Award to Juan Escobedo. A son of East Los Angeles, Juan uses film and photography to portray issues in society such as domestic violence, HIV prevention, and human trafficking. With the support of nonprofits in Boyle Heights, East LA and Watts, he creates films depicting characters and communities affected by these issues. Juan founded the East LA Society of Film &amp; Arts (TELASOFA) in 2005, a nonprofit which heals children and their families through art and film. Three years later he also started the East LA Film Festival (ELAFF) where youth could showcase their films alongside Hollywood professionals. After 14 years, ELAFF has grown with the help of the East LA community screening films from Australia, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Mexico, USA and his beloved East LA. Juan directed the award-winning short film “Marisol”, based on a true story about a little girl from East LA who dreams of the perfect quinceañera dress until her life takes a drastic turn after an incident with domestic violence. The film too the “Arts and Culture Award” from the East LA Women’s Center, Hollywood Reel Independent Festival “Best Drama” and qualified for the Oscars in 2018. The script is now in the OSCARS ACADEMY Margaret Herrick Library available for research to filmmakers and the public. Juan continues to work with young adults with a grant from Eastside Arts Initiative to provide internships on projects produced by TELASOFA. One of his next projects is BLAXICAN, about an aged out foster youth dealing with generational trauma. He is also in pre-production for CRY LADY, CRY! A film about professional mourners called moirologists.

Closing night is Saturday October 2nd with the screening of the feature film “Lorelei” directed by Sabrina Doyle. A working-class fable about a biker, a mermaid and three shades of blue starring Jena Malone and Pablo Schreiber. Directly after the screening, there will be a question and answer with Sabrina Doyle, Writer/Director, Stephen Paar, Cinematographer and Arnold and Jianulla Zimmerman, Executive Producers who will be in attendance.

Awards will be held directly after the screening. Awards will be given for Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Short Film, Best Documentary Short, Best Cinematography, Best Musical Composition, Audience Awards and Honorable Mentions.

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