L.A. STORY

ICYMI: 'Robert Therrien: This Is a Story' closes April 5 at The Broad

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 03:43:00 +0000

Will sizes up a giant chair at the Robert Therrien: This Is a Story exhibition, on view at The Broad through April 5.

Talk about larger than life! The Robert Therrien: This Is a Story exhibition at The Broad in downtown Los Angeles is a stunning look at ordinary objects made extraordinary.

The exhibition, which Will and I visited back in December, will be closing on Sunday, April 5, and the museum has a special farewell planned. Local fave Bob Baker Marionettes will be on hand in the East West Bank Plaza to perform multiple 25-minute puppet shows, and Bloom Wild Bookshop Cart will be there, too, with family-friendly titles.

If you've visited The Broad before, you've most likely seen Therrien's work. His iconic Under the Table exhibit, a dining table and chairs that's 10 ft. high and 20 ft. long, takes up an entire room.

In this expanded exhibition from the late artist, who passed away in L.A. in 2019, there are gargantuan chairs, dishes and even a cabinet full of massive pots and pans.

Robert Therrien: This Is a Story features larger-than-life objects, including the exhibit No title (stacked plates, white).

Perspective is everything, and Therrien's work asks you to question exactly that. Adult or child, you definitely feel small in comparison.

No title (room, pots and pans 1) by Robert Therrien.

Many of Therrien's works on view at The Broad have never been part of previous museum exhibitions and offer visitors "unprecedented access to the artist's exploration of scale, memory and perception," according to the museum's website.

Giant metal folding chairs appear to put visitors like me in the position of a small child.

Therrien's pieces evoke a sense of wonder. They're also strangely visceral reminders of what it was like to be a child, walking up to the "adults' table" and wondering if there was a place for you there, too.

The Broad

221 S. Grand Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tickets: Adults ($19), Students 18+ with valid student ID ($12), Kids 17 and under (Free)

Video Store*Age offers indie filmmakers a nostalgically cool way to distribute and monetize their films

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 02:39:00 +0000

Ash Cook (left) and Aidan Dick launched Video Store*Age earlier this year and are giving independent filmmakers a new way to distribute their films. (Photo by Myles Pettengill)

Ash Cook, a former features programmer at the Sundance Film Festival, recognized that something was broken in the world of film distribution, and he wanted to fix it. That's when he partnered with Aidan Dick to form Video Store*Age, a Los Angeles-based film distribution company that blends nostalgia and cool vibes with a business plan that benefits both the company and filmmakers in equal measure.

"There's so many amazing movies out there," Cook, who is the company's CEO and founder, told L.A. Story. "People want to see them, and there's not enough connective tissue being built."

So earlier this year, Cook and Dick, who is COO, launched Video Store*Age (VSA), which distributes independent films on branded USB drives for $29.99 each (one collection of short films is $19.99) and splits the profits 50/50 with filmmakers. They even throw cool launch parties in support of the films at L.A. venues like 2220 Arts + Archives, where filmmakers, friends and fans can connect IRL.

It's a clever idea for the film festival set, especially for those who walk out of screenings wondering when — or if — they'll ever see the film on the big (or small) screen again. Taking home a USB drive of the film offers ease of use (no subscriptions needed) and instant shareability.

"How many times have you been at a festival, you watch a film, you're like, 'I love this. My mom would love this. My friend would love this. Can't wait to tell them about it, if I remember when it comes onto a streaming platform, so far down the line?'" Cook asked.

For the filmmakers themselves, he said it's a great way to capitalize on word-of-mouth promotion, so that they don't have to stall out on the momentum that a festival offers.

"So often a film team is put in a position where it's like, OK, you have hundreds of potential evangelists in front of you, and you basically have to say, 'OK, maintain this momentum for 18 to 24 months,'" Cook added. "It's such a hard thing to do."

The Bulldogs, which premiered at Slamdance Film Festival, is available for pre-order on the Video Store*Age site. (Photo courtesy of The Bulldogs)

VSA was at the Slamdance Film Festival premiere of feature documentary The Bulldogs (see the L.A. Story interview here) in February with hard copies of the film for festgoers to buy as they were walking out of the theater. (The film is available for pre-order on the VSA site now.)

"I was really excited to hear that [The Bulldogs was] world premiering at Slamdance, and we wanted to come on the Video Store*Age end right from the beginning because we feel like a festival presentation is such an exciting opportunity where the momentum begins," Cook said.

The USB drives turned out to be a hit.

"People were so stoked," he added. "The line was way long in front of our table after every show."

With vinyls making a huge comeback, it's no surprise that audiences are leaning into hardware like VSA's USB drives.

"We're squarely in the physical media renaissance," Cook said.

"We have to recognize what that nostalgia craving is for, and what parts of that technology are obsolete," he added. "We don't want to be fully Luddite, but what can we bring into the present tense about those things?"

For VSA's USB experience, it's about "having a library again, getting your hands on a movie, having a very slow, special, intentional experience, plugging it in."

Not only that, but a USB drive is something you can take practically anywhere.

"On a plane, you can throw it in your bag. you can keep it in your wallet," Cook explained. "It's much more nimble and kind of 2026 than, say, a DVD or a VHS."

Valencia launch party

Video Store*Age hosted a launch party for the indie film Valencia, based on the autobiographical novel of the same name by LGBTQ+ author Michelle Tea. (Photo courtesy of Valencia)

Earlier this month, Video Store*Age hosted a launch party for the film Valencia, based on the autobiographical novel of the same name by LGBTQ+ author Michelle Tea.

Partygoers could buy tickets online with or without the additional charge for the film on USB.

The crowd awaits readings from Valencia at the Video Store*Age launch party.

Tea, along with a variety of friends, read excerpts from her book on stage at 2220 Arts + Archives, in Historic Filipinotown. The vibe was welcoming and fun.

In addition to a cash bar and live music, the event was overflowing with a diverse audience eager to enjoy a night of readings, laughs, drinks, music and just community.

"This is recognizing another hunger that we really see in audiences, which is to have social experiences around movies," Cook said, specifically calling out independent film. "But we're also seeing a double movement. People really want that, and people also want to watch films at home.

"And so why not make both of those things possible?"

To find out more about Video Store*Age films and events, subscribe to their newsletter here.

BrickCentric, a LEGO fan convention, debuts in Southern California

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 20:42:00 +0000

BrickCentric, a LEGO convention "created by fans for fans," debuted in Burbank this weekend.

Colorful bricks, outrageously complex creations and excited faces filled the Marriott Convention Center in Burbank this weekend, as LEGO enthusiasts gathered for the Los Angeles debut of BrickCentric.

The convention "created by fans for fans" featured leading builders such as Krystal Star, Brandon Griffith, Kimberly Griffith and more, plus games (Brick Pong, anyone?) and panels featuring LEGO Masters contestants. While there were some pint-sized fans on-site, the event was catered primarily to adult fans of LEGO, aka AFOLs.

LEGO Users Group of Los Angeles display at BrickCentric.

"BrickCentric is about creating a home for the LEGO community in Southern California," said Chip Snell, founder of BrickCentric, in a statement. "First and foremost, we're celebrating the incredible talent in the area and handing them the spotlight to share their creativity and passion with others."

One of those SoCal enthusiasts is Peter Aoun, ambassador for the LEGO Users Group of Los Angeles, or LUGOLA, who was attending with his two young sons (appropriately outfitted in LEGO gear).

Peter Aoun, ambassador of LEGO Users Group of Los Angeles, with his sons.

Aoun said that LUGOLA meets once a month and includes an active membership of around 200 people, who attend meetups and events like next month's LA Maker Faire at least once a year. Some of those members have been part of the organization for more than 20 years.

"We are a very loose organization. We don't have dues. We don't have fees," he explained. "You can come and participate as much or as little as you want."

The group displayed an expansive LEGO neighborhood that included a blue IKEA outlet (perfect for Burbank), an A-frame house and a train.

"That's been a collaborative process over probably a couple of years," Aoun said of the display. "We've been adding to it and expanding it, and it grows and changes as people build new things and we try different things. That train sub-group of our look has been really great at coming up with something new and fresh each time they display it."

Aoun celebrated BrickCentric's debut in Los Angeles, calling out the "great community."

"There's so much interest in bricks here that it's great to all be able to come together and celebrate it," he said.

Suzy Lentchner of Eagle Bricks wants to raise awareness of endangered species in Africa and Asia.

That community includes Suzy Lentchner of Eagle Bricks, who uses her sprawling LEGO display to spotlight endangered species.

"This is a display of endangered species in Africa and Asia," she explained, "and I'm trying to raise awareness, especially with the kids, about these important animals and why it's important for us to save them."

The expansive display also includes trivia cards and hidden items that kids are encouraged to find.

A mother of three, Lentchner's LEGO journey began with her eldest son, who was born with severe asthma.

"They used to give kids this horrible medicine that was like putting a key in his back and winding him up, and he'd have another asthma attack," she explained. "So one day, I bought a Happy Meal that had about eight pieces of LEGO in it, and he sat down and didn't move for three hours."

Lentchner explained that her son was 4 years old at the time, and she and her husband had been told that he might not live because he was so sick.

"So I started buying him LEGO every time he had an asthma attack, and he'll be 45 in a couple months. So it worked," she said, adding that LEGO building has also helped her cope with her own illnesses.

For BrickCentric, Lentchner said she wanted to get as many people as possible to come by so she could teach them about the different species.

"I have information about the animals, including their endangered status, and my hope is just to get people more aware of how important their lives are to our lives," she explained.

While this is BrickCentric's first year, this isn't a one-and-done event.

"At its core, this event is about creating a space where people who love LEGO can come together and build something that lasts year after year," Snell said.

Aoun credited Snell with creating this opportunity, which he believes is just the first step.

"We want to keep it growing, keep it getting bigger and better," Aoun said. "Chip's done an amazing job to set the foundation, and we're all excited to see where we can go from here."

(UPDATE: BrickCentric will return Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2027 at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel.)

The Oscars are tomorrow. Here are some of the nominees and presenters I've talked to this awards season

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 22:07:00 +0000

Clockwise from left: Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners), Stellan Skarsgård (Sentimental Value), Joel Edgerton and Clint Bentley (Train Dreams), Delroy Lindo (Sinners), Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I'd Kick You) and Chase Infiniti (One Battle After Another) hit awards show red carpets and press rooms.

Heading into tomorrow's Oscars, I'm thinking about all of the amazingly talented nominees (and presenters) I've had the pleasure of speaking with this awards season.

Whether it was Sinners nominee Wunmi Mosaku sharing how she feels about all the recognition the Ryan Coogler-directed film has received or fellow castmate Delroy Lindo weighing in on a shout-out from filmmaker Spike Lee or the advice Chase Infiniti got from fellow One Battle After Another castmate Regina Hall or Sentimental Value star Stellan Skarsgård on what advice he'd give his younger self or If I Had Legs I'd Kick You star Rose Byrne sharing what her film meant to her as a mom, I've had some very cool conversations during my coverage for awards site Gold Derby.

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While I definitely have my favorites (Sinners being one of them), there is such a terrific selection of films this year, and I can't wait to see who takes home those coveted awards.

YouTube star and actress Zoe Colletti talks 'BRB,' social media and family

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 22:13:00 +0000

Zoe Colletti, whose YouTube channel ZoeTube has more than 11 million followers, stars in feature film BRB. The film had its world premiere at the 2026 Slamdance Film Festival.

Zoe Colletti is no stranger to the internet. With more than 11 million followers on her YouTube channel ZoeTube, the 24-year-old social media star and actress has found more than a little success creating fun, family-friendly content online.

She's also a film and TV star in her own right, with credits including The Family Plan and Only Murders in the Building.

However, in her latest role in the film BRB ("Be Right Back" in internet slang), Colletti plays one of two teen sisters who embark on a road trip to meet a guy from an online chat room. BRB takes place in the early days of the internet, when web users could (and did) hide behind clever screen names.

L.A. Story had the chance to chat with Colletti, who talked about her experience on the "tight-knit" BRB set. The actress also shared what it was like to star in a film about a time before the YouTube explosion and how family is so important. In fact, her older brother Ian is her creative partner on ZoeTube.

L.A. Story: BRB takes place in the early internet days. Being a YouTube star yourself with ZoeTube, what about the early- to mid-2000s era stood out for you the most?

Zoe Colletti: I got my first phone when I was like 13, 14 years old. So for most of my growing up, I was in the world of my family having a desktop computer in the house, and that's what everyone used. So I get it. Not to as much of an extent as people a little bit older than me, but I was there for the tail end of the 'no technology' situation.

And you know what? I must say, I kind of like it. And that's coming from someone that does have a social media presence, and I do that as a job as well. But there is something really simplistic about everyone not knowing what you're doing all the time, and I think there's something really nice about that.

Autumn Best (left) and Zoe Colletti star in BRB. (Photo courtesy of BRB)

L.A. Story: The film itself is about sisterhood and girlhood, and it tackles a lot of sensitive issues. Was there a scene or a moment from the film that resonated with you the most?

Colletti: I feel like the scenes that I have that are surrounding the relationship aspects and [my 19-year-old character] Dylan's struggle with figuring out who she is separate from the worth that she finds through a relationship, or just through the attention that she's getting from guys, is something that is a common struggle for people and definitely something that I feel like I experienced when I was at that age.

Just watching [Dylan] process the rejection of someone that she clearly cares about so much, and realizing as well that no matter what you have with those ups or downs, you always have your family there for you, even if they're not always perfect, either.

Even if they're like, 'I hate you and never want to see you again,' you'll turn around and they'll be sitting there like, 'Hey, let's go get food later.'

L.A. Story: BRB has a female director, Kate Cobb, and you and co-star Autumn Best, who plays your sister, are front and center. Was there a lot of girl bonding on set?

Colletti: It was a very tight-knit experience, where you're with these 50 people for three weeks straight, all day, every day. So we definitely all got very close throughout the filming of the movie.

L.A. Story: What is something that will stay with you from this experience of working on such a female-friendly film?

Colletti: I think just the concept of being able to be seen and heard and have an environment where people are collaborative and wanting to work together and doing their best to make it a space that is comfortable to work in.

L.A. Story: You've got a lot of great film and TV credits. What is it like going back and forth between scripted projects and your YouTube channel?

Colletti: I've been acting since I was 4, so I've been in that world for so, so long. The entertainment industry is evolving constantly and especially evolving at a crazy fast pace with the way that social media is taking over children's entertainment.

I've wanted to be on board with the new wave of entertainment that's for kids, and I just adore kids. I think they're the sweetest thing.

Being able to make content and make things in a space that I creatively control completely, is also another really cool thing. I make all the content with my older brother, who's an actor as well.

I'm so passionate about putting out content and putting things on the internet, which is just like the Wild West, things that are appropriate for kids and that are right up their alley and are sending good messages and good vibes out.

One thing that I really love is getting to do really serious, dark, crazy things for my acting job, and then getting to have a creative space where I'm making stuff that is light and fun and totally good, correct stuff that kids should be consuming on the internet, which ties back to Be Right Back [BRB] as well.

Watch the full interview here.

(This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

Slamdance Film Festival 2026 Filmmaker Spotlight: 'One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six (淼淼)' filmmaker Yingdan Lai

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 02:13:00 +0000

'One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six (淼淼)' by Yingdan Lai

One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six (淼淼), an animated short film from CalArts grad Yingdan Lai, takes its inspiration from Lai's childhood experience at a Chinese boarding school. In the film, a little girl named MiaoMiao receives a box of chocolates at school. After one goes missing, a quiet rebellion begins to take shape. According to Lai, the film explores themes of "individuality and quiet resistance within a highly structured environment."

L.A. Story had the opportunity to speak with Lai, whose film is screening at Slamdance Film Festival. She talked about her boarding school experience as well as her animation style.

L.A. Story: Tell me what inspired your short film.

Yingdan Lai: It's actually from my personal experience. I remember there was an assignment I did when I was in school, and the teacher, Alexander, asking us to do 20 drawings about your life.

After I finished the 20 drawings, I figured most of the drawings I did [were about] my boarding school. So I started to realize, 'Oh yeah, I spent most of my student life in boarding school,' basically from kindergarten to college. I spent a lot of time with my peers compared to my family. So that's a crazy experience, especially later I talk to my friends who have totally different life experiences, and they are very shocked.

When I recall my life in boarding school, there are several things I remember. It's either something embarrassing or something I did wrong and I was called out by my teacher. So I made these two life stories together. One is my chocolate was stolen and one is I was punished by my teacher because I was talking during nap time, and I was asked to stand outside during the whole nap time under the sun. I remember that, and I combined them together to make this story.

L.A. Story: Your animation style is very minimalistic with some pops of color. Tell me about that.

Lai: There is an artist I really admire, and he is a Japanese animator called Atsushi Wada. His style is minimalist, just with very simple color and very pale color, but he focuses on the subtle movement and the detailed line drawings. I really love that.

For me, I really love movement. That's why I do animation. I love to do all the transformation and the gentle movement of the character. I want to focus on the emotion. I want people to see the line and the movement first, but not really categorize the things by color.

L.A. Story: What are you hoping audiences take away after watching your film?

Lai: Since this film was screened in other festivals before, and I see people's reactions, at least I see people laugh at the part I want people to laugh at, and I see people [say] "aww" at the part where I want them to feel the emotion with the girl.

Maybe they have a similar experience, maybe no, but at least I want them to remember this as maybe humorous but sad at the same time.

Watch the full interview here.

(This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

Slamdance Film Festival 2026 Filmmaker Spotlight: 'Kings of Venice' co-directors Sveinn Ingimundarson and S.D. Saltarelli

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 01:13:00 +0000

Kings of Venice, directed by Sveinn Ingimundarson and S.D. Saltarelli, explores the kooky and competitive world of paddle tennis at Venice Beach in Southern California.
(Photo courtesy of Kings of Venice)

Kings of Venice gets up close and personal with the small yet vibrant Southern California community of paddle tennis players at Venice Beach. From the Italian model to the persistent gambler who's big on confidence, these are the die-hard players who insist that their sport is way better than the seemingly ubiquitous pickleball.

L.A. Story had the chance to chat with co-directors S.D. Saltarelli and Sveinn Ingimundarson about Kings of Venice, which is screening at Slamdance Film Festival. They chatted about the colorful cast of characters, the surprises that happened while filming and what they're most excited for L.A. audiences to see.

L.A. Story: What drew you to paddle tennis, and what made you want to make a documentary about it?

Saltarelli: Sveinn and I were both just members of the paddle tennis community. I used to play tennis in college and had moved out to L.A. and had discovered it and was seeing all these different people down there.

It seems to attract some really interesting characters, and all these people were just our friends. I teamed up with Sveinn, and we started shooting this movie.

L.A. Story: How did you reach out to this motley cast of characters?

Ingimundarson: Stephen [aka S.D.] was a regular at the court, so he had seen that some of the characters there were pretty intersesting and probably worth putting a camera on. I knew just a couple of them that are in the movie, but some of the best characters are friends of Stephen's.

Saltarelli: All these people are just down there. So if you've walked around there, you've probably walked by some of them and seen them down there. We have an Italian ex-Versace model. We've got one of the most elite party crashers in Los Angeles. They're hard to miss.

L.A. Story: With documentaries, I feel like the original story isn't what the end result turns out to be. Were there any surprises during filming?

Ingimundarson: We got a little break in filming when COVID hit that took us out of the game for a long while. Then the intrusion of pickleball into paddle tennis was a surprise. That was not, you know, we didn't set out with that. I don't want to give anything up about the tournament, but that was definitely not planned. That was pretty stressful as it was happening.

Saltarelli: You saw the good version of this movie. There's another version where we have another ending to it. But yeah, definitely a global pandemic was a curveball.

We just kind of follow the characters, see where their stories are going and let them lead us into some fun little corners.

L.A. Story: What are you most excited for L.A. audiences to take away from your film?

Saltarelli: I'm just excited to have all of our characters, all this Venice community, be in one room to watch it all together. It took so many people to make this.

Ingimundarson: L.A. is a huge city, and I bet a lot of people in L.A. don't know what a jewel of a community there is down there on the beach. So I encourage everybody to see the movie and check out Muscle Beach, or Venice Beach, in that area. The paddle courts. It's a really hilarious part of Los Angeles.

Watch the full interview here.

(This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

Slamdance Film Festival 2026 Filmmaker Spotlight: 'BRB' director Kate Cobb

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 18:32:00 +0000

BRB, directed by Kate Cobb, stars Autumn Best (left) and Zoe Colletti as sisters who embark on a road trip to meet a boy from an online chatroom. (Photo courtesy of BRB)

Both funny and poignant, BRB explores internet girlhood in the mid-'00s. Sisters Sam (Autumn Best) and Dylan (Zoe Colletti) go on a multi-state road trip to meet a boy in an online chat room after their parents leave them home alone to go on a cruise. While Sam and Dylan navigate the journey, both girls must confront issues they've been dealing with in silence.

BRB director Kate Cobb spoke to L.A. Story ahead of the film's world premiere at Slamdance Film Festival this week. She spoke about her own experience as a teen in the early internet era and how growing up with severe scoliosis helped connect her with Sam's storyline, played by Best, who has a limb difference.

L.A. Story: BRB is a story about early internet girlhood. Tell me how you decided to make this feature film.

Kate Cobb: I was given the script by the production company Chicago Media Angels, who had made my first film, Okie. They brought this incredible script by Michael Waller and Sydney Blackburn, and I read it and identified with it immediately.

Zoe's character, Dylan, she's 19. It's 2006, and she's about 19. And I was exactly 19 in 2006. I identified so much with the vibes and the chatrooms and the fashion and the makeup and the general feeling of being a girl at that time, what we were inundated with. That just felt so vivid to me, so I felt really lucky to get to really go back to that awkward time.

L.A. Story: Your main character, Sam, played by Autumn Best, has a limb difference. I read that you connected with Autumn's difference in a very personal way.

Cobb: I cast Autumn before that was even addressed. She is just the most authentic, amazing actress.

She was perfect for the part, and that was something we addressed after she was cast. But as a visual medium and her having a limb difference, that's something you do have to reference.

The thing that was so important is that we dealt with that in a very authentic, true way for her, based on her experience. So we worked together a lot to make that experience feel real, and I identified with that a lot.

I grew up with really severe scoliosis, and before my surgery, I had basically what I called my middle school-era hunchback, which is exactly how it sounds. It's exactly the way it would feel to have a hunchback in middle school.

I really identified with that feeling of having a physical manifestation of the awkwardness of that time that everyone felt. So it was just really important for me that we addressed it in a way that felt true to how it actually feels to have somebody that has a visible physical difference.

L.A. Story: Getting back to the whole 2006 era, were the girls, or young women, you cast even born then?

Cobb: They were 22 when we shot, and when they first saw that iMac, you know, the bubble iMac, they asked if it was an air conditioner.

It was an interesting experience. Zoe has an amazing YouTube channel. She's got [11] million followers, so she's in that world in a real specific way, but it is a very different world than it was at the time. There's always those jokey memes out there like, 'This is me when I was 13, and this is them now when they're 13,' and they have extensions and lip filler.

Watch the full interview here.

The remaining BRB screening at Slamdance is sold out.

(This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

Slamdance Film Festival 2026 Filmmaker Spotlight: 'The Bulldogs' co-directors Noah Dixon and Ori Segev

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 00:59:00 +0000

The Bulldogs, directed by Noah Dixon and Ori Segev, follows an Ohio community affected by a disastrous train derailment. (Photo courtesy of The Bulldogs)

In February 2023, a Norfolk Southern train derailed in the community of East Palestine, Ohio, leading to the release of more than 1 million pounds of a known carcinogen. Residents were forced to evacuate and live through a media storm that brought a sea of cameras to their town. Eventually, the community had to return to their regular lives.

The Bulldogs, a documentary from Ohio-based filmmakers Noah Dixon and Ori Segev, invites audiences to get to know some of the residents of East Palestine, from high school band members to a pizza shop owner, who insist that they are doing their best and moving forward. The film is screening at the Slamdance Film Festival today and Sunday.

I had the chance to talk to Dixon and Segev about their first documentary feature, what surprised them during the process and what precautions they took while filming.

L.A. Story: Tell me about the moment you knew you had to make this documentary about the Ohio train derailment.

Ori Segev: Noah and I and the rest of the team, [producers] Drew Johnson and Alexander Hyde, we were wanting to make a documentary, we were talking about the possibility of doing that, and within a couple of weeks, this happened right in our backyard.

Noah Dixon: Narratively, most of the stories that we focus on are rooted in Ohio or the Midwest. It's just kind of a throughline in a lot of the projects we work on. So when this happened, it was such a huge thing here that we wanted to explore.

L.A. Story: What precautions did you take while filming in this potentially toxic environment?

Dixon: Drinking from bottled water was the biggest thing. But so much of the film is in that uncertainty and the proximity of how close to disaster is safe. How long do we have to wait? And unfortunately, there's not an answer at this point in time. It's something that you won't know for years to come.

Segev: We were more interested in telling a story over a shorter amount of time because of that unknown, which the film really cycles through a year after the derailment. And it's a little more nuanced, like what's going on in the town and how everybody's feeling. But it's like, because of the unknown, it might take 10 years to know what the full effects are.

L.A. Story: You found some really amazing community members to speak with — Barb, who runs exercise classes and has a podcast; Rick Tsai, a chiropractor who runs for office; Cozza, the pizza guy. Tell me how you found them and what made their stories resonate with you as filmmakers.

Segev: It all started with us connecting with the football team, which is a great way for us to get to know the community more. Going to a high school football game, you kind of see everybody. It's a really small town, so you kind of get to know everybody.

Everybody was very welcoming, like Cozza, the pizza owner. We were just driving by a street that we hadn't driven by yet and saw him sitting outside on his rocking chair and went up and started talking to him. And he's like, 'You got to come in and see this and see that.' And, you know, it just kind of happened very naturally.

L.A. Story: With documentaries, a lot of times things don't go as planned. Were there any suprising moments where you didn't know the film was going in this direction but you had to take it there?

Segev: I'll give one thing away. There's a small scene with a guy who trains homing pigeons on [Barb's] podcast. And I remember we got there, and he was like, 'Oh, I could go get a pigeon at my house.' He was like, 'I got to go back,' and they, you know, he just brought the pigeon over.

And it was such a moment. It's a very short part of the film, but there's little happy things like that, where you're talking to people and they get the visual style we're going for, and they're excited about it as well.

Dixon: Our background is in narrative filmmaking, where we really plan things to a T and know what we're getting. And I think in a lot of ways, it was just kind of a nice change of pace for us to allow ourselves to be like, 'OK, we don't know what's gonna happen.'"

L.A. Story: What do you hope audiences take away from your film?

Segev: Community is really important. I think this is one of those movies where you might be expecting something that's going to be more investigative, something that is going to tell you what to think about, and I think when we made this film, we really wanted to give the residents an opportunity to just kind of talk. And that's where that observational approach came from.

I'm excited for the discussion that might happen after people watch the film, because I think it won't be exactly what you expect from a tragedy and a derailment like this.

Dixon: The film feels like it matters, and we're excited for people to see it because it shows humanity that's behind this kind of corporate failure and this environmental disaster. And I think when you see working-class people absorb that impact, rather than make it a news headline, like Ori's saying, that it's important to really connect with the people that are behind that and their humor and their uncertainty and who they are, because I think that it leaves you with a better understanding of the situation.

Watch the full interview here.

The Bulldogs is screening at the Slamdance Film Festival February 20 and 22.

(This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

Slamdance Film Festival 2026 Filmmaker Spotlight: 'Still Standing' co-directors Livia Albeck-Ripka and Victor Tadashi Suárez

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 20:41:00 +0000

Still Standing, a documentary short film from filmmakers Livia Albeck-Ripka and Victor Tadashi Suárez, will have its Los Angeles premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival.
(Photo courtesy of Still Standing)

Just over a year after the Los Angeles wildfires devastated communities in Altadena and Pacific Palisades, L.A.-based filmmakers Livia Albeck-Ripka and Victor Tadashi Suárez are screening their documentary short film Still Standing, about the aftermath of the Eaton fire, at Slamdance Film Festival in Los Angeles.

Still Standing, which is screening at the festival today and Sunday, takes audiences inside homes left standing after the Eaton fire ripped through the Altadena community in January 2025. While the homes are technically "still standing," the potential health risks still remain unknown.

I had the opportunity to talk to Suárez and Albeck-Ripka, who are partners and parents of a toddler, about their film, which premiered last month at Sundance. They shared what drew them to the subject, the precautions they had to take while filming and what it means to screen their film for a Los Angeles audience.

Still Standing is screening today and Sunday at Slamdance Film Festival.
(Photo courtesy of Still Standing.)

L.A. Story: What drew you as filmmakers to this particular aspect of the Eaton fire?

Victor Tadashi Suárez: We live in Echo Park. We're maybe a 20-minute drive to the center of the burn zone in Altadena. We started hearing stories from our close friends that live in Altadena about how their homes were never touched by the fires, but they were displaced still, months later. And so we started hearing more stories like that and thought that would be a story worth lifting up.

Because it wasn't just the sort of images that you saw on the news of these burned-down neighborhoods, actually the homes that were still standing — there was a story there to be told as well.

Livia Albeck-Ripka: Many of the people who we spoke to talked about the sort of invisibility of the experience, both in the sense of this invisible threat that created a lot of anxiety for them. You know, you walk into your house and it looks, ostensibly it looks normal, but there's this invisible risk. And the only way to know how dangerous the risk is, is to rely on outside expertise.

Then, at the same time, that struggle itself, what was going on for them, that too was invisible. Because it just wasn't being talked about nearly as much as all of the other elements of the fire recovery. Not to say that the people whose homes burned down, and the businesses burned down, weren't of course deserving of that coverage, too, but just that they felt really unseen.

The more we interviewed people, the more we heard of others in this situation, and the more we came to understand that there were just so many unknowns, and that people were in the dark about the extent of the threat, and also what to do about it.

L.A. Story: There is a powerful quote in your film calling some homeowners the 'lucky unlucky ones.' Can you talk a little bit about what that referred to?

Suárez: Definitely. It was a common feeling that we were hearing from our participants. They felt like they were the 'lucky unlucky ones.' Their homes didn't burn down, but they were still, someone else says, 'stuck in the graveyard,' like the sense of being completely stuck in limbo.

A lot of our participants, they'd say that things would be a lot easier if their houses had just burned down. So their homes were spared in a sense, but also now they're like in this awful place where they're fighting their insurance companies about what is or is not safe to return to.

Albeck-Ripka: In the making of the film, part of the thing we really want to communicate is, in the absence of regulations and information from the authorities or good, established science, what kinds of decisions do people make and how do people function when it's just really, as one person says in the film, 'We think we're making a rational decision, but it's actually an economic decision.' How health-conscious can you afford to be?

L.A. Story: What were the health risks of filming in these homes, especially as parents?

Albeck-Ripka: We, too, were also operating to some degree in the dark. We asked the industrial hygienists that we were interviewing and the scientists we were talking to, 'Well, what exactly are the appropriate precautions for us?' And actually, their responses were different as well. That is how science works. There is often not one clean and simple answer. We're all just relying on the best evidence.

To go out and film, basically we wore hazmat suits. We wore P100 masks, booties, we covering the car in plastic sheeting. We obviously took [our child's] car seat out every time we got home. We would totally de-robe outside. We had clothes that we wore under the hazmat suits, which we've since thrown away and just did our best to decontaminate every time we got home.

Suárez: It reminded me of shooting during COVID, wiping off all the camera gear and not knowing if what you're doing is prudent or insane.

L.A. Story: What does it mean for you to screen your film to an L.A. audience?

Albeck-Ripka: We're very excited to screen it in L.A. Some of the participants in the film are obviously going to be coming to the screenings.

Suárez: It meant a lot to us to have our California premiere so close to everyone's home. It's really like the perfect venue for our audience in L.A. to experience it.

Still Standing is screening at Slamdance on Feb. 20 and Feb. 22.

(This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

Slamdance Film Festival 2026 kicks off in Los Angeles

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 18:03:00 +0000

Slamdance Film Festival, a fest championing independent voices in film and digital media, kicks off today in Los Angeles.

Created "by filmmakers, for filmmakers," Slamdance is celebrating its 32nd outing — and second year in L.A. after moving from Park City, Utah, last year. The festival runs through Feb. 25 at various locations around the city. Individual tickets to screenings are still available.

"Celebrating our second year in L.A., Slamdance is proud to shine an even brighter spotlight on the independent filmmakers who are redefining storytelling," Peter Baxter, co-founder of Slamdance, said in a statement. "At the same time, we recognize the seismic shift of the media landscape, and we're honored to join with partners like Utopia, the DGA and Landmark to deliver a meaningful platform for new voices and together champion the art of independent film."

I covered two fascinating documentaries — Standout: The Ben Kjar Story and Coroner to the Stars — at last year's fest, and I'm thrilled that I've gotten the chance to speak with several filmmakers who have compelling work at this year's festival.

Stay tuned for filmmaker interviews from the following films:

Still Standing

Still Standing, from filmmakers Livia Albeck-Ripka and Victor Tadashi Suárez, explores the aftermath of the Eaton fire in Altadena, Calif., and the impact on residents of homes left standing. (Photo courtesy of Still Standing)

In this harrowing and haunting documentary short film from Los Angeles residents and filmmakers Livia Albeck-Ripka and Victor Tadashi Suárez, audiences go inside the homes left standing after the devastating Eaton fire that ripped through the Altadena, Calif., community in January 2025. While the homes are technically "still standing," what health risks do they pose to homeowners?

Slamdance screenings: Feb. 20 and Feb. 22

Kings of Venice

Kings of Venice, from co-directors S.D. Saltarelli and Sveinn Ingimundarson, gives a close-up look at the colorful paddle tennis community in Venice Beach, Calif.
(Photo courtesy of Kings of Venice)

Kings of Venice gets up close and personal with the small yet vibrant community of paddle tennis players at Venice Beach. From the Italian model to a skillful party crasher to a gambler who's big on confidence, these are the die-hard players who insist that their sport bests the seemingly ubiquitous pickleball.

Slamdance screenings: Feb. 21 and Feb. 22

The Bulldogs

The Bulldogs, from directors Noah Dixon and Ori Segev, follows residents of East Palestine, Ohio, after an explosive train derailment led to the release of more than 1 million pounds of harmful chemicals. (Photo courtesy of The Bulldogs)

In February 2023, a Norfolk Southern train derailed in the community of East Palestine, Ohio, leading to the release of more than 1 million pounds of vinyl chloride, a known carcinogen. While residents were forced to evacuate and endure a media frenzy surrounding their town, they eventually had to return and move on with their regular lives. The Bulldogs, from Ohio-based filmmakers Noah Dixon and Ori Segev, invites audiences to get to know the residents of East Palestine, who insist that they are doing their best and moving forward.

Slamdance screenings: Feb. 20 and Feb. 22

BRB

Autumn Best (left) and Zoe Colletti star in BRB, directed by Kate Cobb, about two sisters who embark on a tumultuous road trip in search of a boy from an internet chatroom.
(Photo courtesy of BRB)

A funny and poignant film set in the early days of the internet, BRB stars Autumn Best and Zoe Colletti as sisters who embark on a road trip to meet a boy from an online chatroom. While they navigate their journey across multiple states, they also have to confront issues they've been hanging onto in silence.

Slamdance screenings: Feb. 20 and Feb. 22

One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six (淼淼)

One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six (淼淼), from animation director Yingdan Lai, explores her childhood experience of attending a boarding school in China.
(Photo courtesy of Yingdan Lai)

In this animated short film from CalArts grad Yingdan Lai, a little girl named MiaoMiao receives a box of chocolates at her Chinese boarding school. After one goes missing, a quiet rebellion begins to blur the lines between order and desire. According to Lan, the film explores themes of "individuality and quiet resistance within a highly structured environment."

Slamdance screenings: Feb. 21 and Feb. 22

Cheers to Native Hands, an Indigenous wine label in Southern California that's blending tradition with modern winemaking

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:07:00 +0000

Native Hands Wine, co-founded by Chris Lobo, a citizen of the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, is based in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.

Raise a glass to the Indigenous-co-owned wine label Native Hands in Southern California!

Launched in 2024 by Chris Lobo, a citizen of the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, alongside his partners Kristin Bunn and winemaker Curt Schalchlin, Native Hands honors the first winemakers of California — the Mission Indians.

In the early 1780s, the first California vines were planted at the Mission San Juan Capistrano in Alta California, and Lobo wanted to honor his ancestors, who brought that wine to fruition.

"Anybody in the wine business will always tell you their end goal or their dream is to make their own wine," Lobo told L.A. Story in December. "And, of course, I had that from Day 1."

Lobo began his career in the beverage industry while working at the Ritz-Carlton, which he joined "right out of high school" and where he worked his way up to beverage director. After that, he started his own company where he worked with different wineries directly.

But it was after his time on tribal council that those two roads — Indigenous identity and wine — truly converged.

"All of a sudden, those two worlds came together," he said.

But that's not to say it came easy.

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A post shared by NATIVE HANDS WINES (@nativehandswines)

"When anyone ever says, 'Hey, it's really easy to start a winery, I tell them, 'Yeah, it is. If you can find someone who has about 100 years of experience and a quarter-million dollars, and has a background that goes back to early 1700s and all that, then yep, you're right, it's very easy," Lobo explained. "But, of course, it's not."

Lobo understands the large role his tribe and ancestors play in Native Hands, which offers Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and more, but he also credits his co-founders for helping to make the brand what it is today.

"It does take a village for sure, and it takes a lot of people to actually believe in you and the project and the history," he said. "This project is nothing without my two great partners and my tribe, and a lot of people actually that came together to assist me in moving this project forward."

In creating Native Hands, Lobo and his partners were adamant about honoring the winemaking traditions of the Mission Indians.

"You have to make good wine, and you have to have a moral compass to make sure you're making the wine appropriately," he explained.

"It really is about not us selecting the vineyards. It's about the vineyards selecting us, meaning we are hands-off. We're considered to be an organic project, all natural," Lobo continued.

That means they add nothing to the wines — no additives or animal products whatsoever, he said.

Continuing that tradition has been Lobo's own mission for the brand, which is available at Hi-Time Wine Cellars.

"It's the Mission Indians of all the missions who were truly the first winemakers," he said. "I consider myself nothing more than a messenger."

Lobo added that he wants to wake up that history and bring it to life, "but also to put it to where it needs to be, which is in the hands of all the Mission Indians. It's their legacy, and it's our legacy."

Watch the full interview here:

Los Angeles choreographer Erin Leigh Crites brings 'joyful movement' to bilingual musical 'Go, Dog. Go! • Ve Perro ¡Ve!' at Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 23:44:00 +0000

Eric Samuel Romero, left, and Kimberly Richardson star in the bilingual musical Go, Dog. Go! • Ve Perro ¡Ve! at Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis. (Photo by Kaitlin Randolph)

If there's any city that could use some wholesome joy and inclusive family fun right now, it's arguably Minneapolis.

The Tony Award-winning Children's Theatre Company, located in Minnesota's largest city, kicked off its run this week of bilingual musical Go, Dog. Go! • Ve Perro ¡Ve!, based on the beloved children's book by P.D. Eastman. With dialogue in both English and Spanish, actors bring colorful canines to life onstage and do everything from play baseball to drive cars.

I had the chance to chat with Los Angeles choreographer Erin Leigh Crites (she/they), who created the fun movement for the show, which is geared toward kids ages 3 to 7 and runs through February 22.

Erin Leigh Crites

"I have a large background in clowning and physical theater and ensemble-created work," Crites told L.A. Story in December as she was about to leave for Minneapolis.

The Los Angeles-based choreographer, who is an international artist that specializes in positive embodied presence and ensemble dynamics, said "clown-oriented movement or joyful movement" was just what Children's Theatre Company was looking for in this bilingual production, rather than something more traditional.

"I think a lot of people, when they hear the word 'choreographer,' might think musical theater or kind of a different style, and this was not necessarily that," Crites, who has collaborated with institutions including Clowns Without Borders USA and Center Theatre Group, explained. "It was more about clown movement that is suggestive of dogs and joy and moving around on scooters and unicycles."

Crites's vision for the musical included bringing "gesture, joy and music" to the forefront to "activate imaginations and connection in young audiences."

"The same thing operates in the clown world, too," Crites explained. "The easiest way to connect with a young person a lot of the time is through shared inspiration or the sense of magic or curiosity or gameplay."

Cooper Lajeunesse, Anna M. Schloerb, Zachary David Hodgkins and Julia Diaz in Children's Theatre Company's production of Go, Dog. Go! • Ve Perro ¡Ve! (Photo by Kaitlin Randolph)

So how does an L.A. choreographer find her way to Minneapolis?

Crites said her artistic work is built around a project-based lifestyle that has her traveling often. But Crites also has a special connection to the city.

"I studied Alexander Technique in Minneapolis and have a very strong theatrical community there, and so being there, I'm very lucky to be hosted by practically family-level friends and colleagues that were also teachers of mine once upon a time," Crites shared. "It feels like a return to home, even though I've never really lived there, because of the really strong kind of community that I've built over the years through physical theater, very specifically, and clown."

As far as what Crites loves about Southern California? She says it's the natural beauty: "I have been very privileged to travel all over the planet, and the coastline of Southern California is one of the most astonishing on the planet."

Go, Dog. Go! • Ve Perro ¡Ve!

Children's Theatre Company

2400 Third Avenue South

Minneapolis, MN 55404

Get tickets here (through February 22)

Watch the full video interview here:

Aleksandra Crapanzano, who covered the culinary side of L.A., takes on Paris in her cookbook 'Chocolat: Parisian Desserts and Other Delights'

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 20:04:00 +0000

Aleksandra Crapanzano, who is also known for her 2019 book EAT. COOK. L.A., is delighting dessert-loving readers with her latest confection, Chocolat: Parisian Desserts and Other Delights.

With the holidays upon us, who isn't thinking about delectable desserts?

Lucky for us, James Beard-award-winning author Aleksandra Crapanzano has recently released her latest cookbook, Chocolat: Parisian Desserts and Other Delights, a gorgeous book with yummy recipes, beautiful watercolor illustrations and moving stories about the author and her family.

Award-winning author Aleksandra Crapanzano (Photo courtesy of the author)

Crapanzano, who is also known for her 2019 cookbook, EAT. COOK. L.A., splits her time between Paris and New York City but was in SoCal recently to discuss her latest book.

L.A. Story was able to connect with the author over email to dish on her deep connection to the City of Light, as well as the deliciousness of the city that inspired her latest work and where she likes to find great food in L.A.:

L.A. Story: Please share how your special connection to Paris inspired your latest cookbook, Chocolat: Parisian Desserts and Other Delights.

Aleksandra Crapanzano: I moved to Paris at 10, and the city captured me. It was so safe that I was allowed to walk all over my extended neighborhood and explore after school — not entirely by myself. I had a 125-pound Bouvier des Flandres from Normandy for protection and for his great sense of direction.

Coming from New York, where I was not allowed anywhere alone, this felt so independent. We'd stop at boulangeries and fromageries and, of course, patisseries. It was the start of my food education. By the way, dogs are allowed in shops and restaurants in France — as it should be!

L.A. Story: There are so many chocolate desserts to choose from. Do you have a favorite?

Aleksandra Crapanzano: I have 9 chocolate mousse recipes in the book, which may hint at my favorite. Each is different. One takes 5 minutes, another 30. All are sensational. Truly, it's hard to beat a great mousse au chocolat, but I do love a good soufflé, too.

L.A. Story: You share intimate moments about your family and how those moments are connected to chocolate. How did it feel delving into those memories?

Aleksandra Crapanzano: When I write about memories in my cookbooks, I think I'm writing about the food but life seeps in. They are, in fact, very personal books. I do have an uncanny memory for taste, and it does conjure the past for me in a very direct, immediate way. I generally like that immediacy.

L.A. Story: The watercolor illustrations from Parisian artist Cassandre Montoriol are gorgeous! How did you decide on that aesthetic for your cookbook? What kind of vibe did you want readers to feel with the art/recipe combo?

Aleksandra Crapanzano: I wanted this series to be timeless because the recipes are timeless. They aren't about trends or fleeting fads. Food photography ages fast. But I also wanted my readers to feel confident and not to compare their desserts to highly styled dishes made by professionals, styled by a pro, and photographed in perfect light. That can be intimidating, I think.

L.A. Story: You also wrote a cookbook about L.A. Given your connection to the city, what are your favorite bakeries and/or chocolate shops here?

Aleksandra Crapanzano: Truly, as someone who lives in NY, what I love to do here in L.A. is shop the farmers markets. That's where I find everything from the best baked goods to the biggest, most plump golden raisins (impossible to get on the East Coast) to sun-ripened fruit and vegetables. I'm a sucker, however, for the bread from Gjelina and Gjusta.

L.A. Story: The holidays are upon us. What chocolate dessert(s) would you recommend after a holiday dinner? Or for gifting, as in a homemade hostess gift?

Aleksandra Crapanzano: A bûche de Noël is a must for Christmas dinner. Homemade Nutella is my favorite sweet to gift. It's memory lane but better — deeper flavor, smoother texture, no chemicals.

Chocolat: Parisian Desserts and Other Delights ($35)

The author illustrated by the cookbook's watercolor artist Cassandre Montoriol.

'Stop the Insanity: Finding Susan Powter' documentary director Zeberiah Newman found the former '90s icon living in poverty

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 21:36:00 +0000

Susan Powter, one of the OG influencers of the 1990s, disappeared from public life after financial ruin. Documentary director Zeberiah Newman found Powter and shares her story in his film Stop the Insanity: Finding Susan Powter. (Photo by Kory Mello/Obscured Pictures)

If you remember the '90s, you most likely remember Susan Powter.

One of the OG influencers, Powter was a dynamic and enthusiastic fitness icon, whose Stop the Insanity infomercials and books showcased her love of wellness — as well as her amazing short, cropped, bleached blond hair. The woman was a force.

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A post shared by Obscured Releasing (@obscuredreleasing)

But after a series of lawsuits with business partners and an eventual personal bankruptcy filing in the mid-'90s, Powter retreated from public life.

It was documentary director Zeberiah (Zeb) Newman, a former supervising producer of The Late Late Show With James Corden, who went in search of the Australian-born Powter for his first feature-length documentary. That film eventually became Stop the Insanity: Finding Susan Powter, with Jamie Lee Curtis serving as an executive producer.

"I'm a total doc junkie, and so I had a list of people that I was thinking about," Newman told L.A. Story in a video interview last week. "I was like, maybe I'll do a biopic. And it just so happens that I started looking for Susan."

Finding the former star wasn't easy. In fact, Newman said it took him about nine months.

"She was nowhere to be found," he explained. "Nobody would email me back. Nobody would give up any information. Nobody really knew where she was."

That's when he found a fan account for Powter's Stop the Insanity on Instagram, and he went down the follower list, one by one, until he found her.

The former fitness icon, at 66, was living in Las Vegas and driving for Uber Eats to get by.

Susan Powter was delivering food for Uber Eats when director Zeberiah Newman found her. (Photo by Kory Mello/Obscured Pictures)

Despite her hardships, Newman said "she still had the magic."

"She still had the energy, that this was like an incredible racehorse that could still race," he said. "Once I met her, I knew that it's what I wanted to do."

The film, which follows Powter on her delivery runs as well as at the grocery store and at home, shows what happens when someone with seemingly everything loses it all. And her story resonates beyond just her fanbase.

"For me, the main thing was that here we have this unicorn character who's living in a very common American experience," Newman said. "She's in poverty. She's a woman of a certain age. She's invisible. She's living in a food drought."

Executive producer Jamie Lee Curtis hugs Susan Powter. (Photo by Kory Mello/Obscured Pictures)

When it came to getting famed actress Jamie Lee Curtis involved in the project, Newman told L.A. Story that it all started with a text chain about gratitude.

Newman and Curtis had met and worked together when she appeared as a guest on Corden's talk show. She then added Newman to a group text chain "that she does every morning where you send gratitudes."

"The day I met Susan Powter, I'm driving back to Los Angeles, and I just texted that group thread. One of the things I was grateful for was that I found Susan Powter," he explained.

"My phone rings two seconds later. It's Jamie Lee Curtis. She wanted to know, the first thing she wanted to know, 'Does she still have that energy?' And I said, 'Yeah, she does.'

"I said, 'It's really dusty, and it's buried under a lot of really intense, horrible circumstances and poverty, but it is still intact," he continued. "And she said, 'Well, what do you need?' And I was like, 'I don't know. I need money, I need infrastructure."

Curtis wired Newman money the next day.

"She said, 'Go back to Las Vegas tomorrow and start filming,'" he explained.

The film doesn't shy away from Powter's vulnerable moments, staying with her as her car breaks down and she tries to stretch what money she has to pay for repairs as well as groceries.

Finding Susan Powter also chronicles her quest for a comeback, or at least a shot at telling her story on her own terms. It's an affecting film that has resonated with audiences, in theaters and on its recent video-on-demand (VOD) release.

Watch the full video interview here.

Lele Pons shares sweet 'mother moment' she had while filming 'The First Snow of Fraggle Rock'

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 22:14:00 +0000

Internet star and new mom Lele Pons sings a duet with Gobo in The First Snow of Fraggle Rock, streaming now on AppleTV. (Photo courtesy of AppleTV)

Musical artist and internet star Lele Pons shared a sweet "mother moment" she had while making the AppleTV holiday special The First Snow of Fraggle Rock.

Pons, who welcomed baby daughter Eloísa with husband Guaynaa in July, told L.A. Story in a video interview that meeting Gobo (pictured above and voiced by John Tartaglia) during the special was "amazing."

"He was so new to my world, and he came out of nowhere, and I was pregnant," she said, referring to how Gobo traveled from his home of Fraggle Rock to Outer Space (aka the human world).

She said it was "good practice" for her to teach Gobo about the world, "which is something I'm gonna have to do with my daughter, so I was getting that mother moment of teaching," she continued.

In the special, Gobo can't write the yearly holiday song that all of his fellow Fraggle Rock friends are expecting, and for the first time ever, he travels to Outer Space. There he meets Pons and sings Our Melody with her.

Pons, who watched Fraggle Rock as a child, said she was the one who was "starstruck."

"He's so iconic, he's so nostalgic," she said. "It was like, OK, I'm gonna be your mom, but you're still my idol."

The internet star was also thrilled that she could include her daughter in the process.

"I'm gonna be the cool mom because when she grows up and she sees herself there, she's gonna go to her friends and be like, 'I was there,'" Pons said about filming while pregnant. "I'm really excited to know that we're gonna bond over this in the future."

One of the special moments Pons had on set was when Gobo hugged her and her pregnant belly.

"Gobo hugged the belly in one of the takes, and it was super beautiful," she said. "So I'm always gonna remember that."

Not only that, but Pons said she'll be able to bond with her daughter over a show she loved as a kid, too. And one she's starring in!

"There's no way that I was watching this when I was a baby with my nanny, and then [Gobo] is hugging my belly, and I'm gonna see this with my daughter," she added. "It's just like a full circle. That's very surreal."

Watch the full video here.

'Endless Cookie,' which is screening in L.A., explores brotherhood and Indigenous life in Canada

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 19:09:00 +0000

Endless Cookie, an animated documentary from directors Seth Scriver and Peter Scriver, explores brotherhood and Indigenous life in Canada. (Photo courtesy of Endless Cookie)

Endless Cookie, an animated film by director brothers Seth Scriver and Peter Scriver, explores the humor and heartbreak that come with family life and cultural collisions in Canada.

The film, which kicked off a theatrical run in Los Angeles on Dec. 5, is based on true stories told by Peter, who is mixed Indigenous. While the half-brothers share the same white father, Peter is also Cree on his mother's side. Seth, who is white and a Toronto-based artist and filmmaker, wanted Peter to share his stories about life in northern Manitoba on the Shamattawa First Nation Reserve.

Seth told L.A. Story that he got the idea for the film while he was traveling around Europe and promoting his previous film.

"People kept coming up to us and being like, 'Oh, you're from Canada. Oh, the model citizen of the world.' Like, 'Oh, you're so, so good to Native people,'" he said in a video interview alongside Peter.

"But I started having to tell people, 'Ah, that's not totally true,' and I was correcting people and talking about the history of the First Nations, the way they were treated in Canada and our environmental practices," Seth continued. "And I found myself telling Peter's stories."

That's when Seth decided he wanted to record some of Peter's stories in his brother's own voice to spotlight his Indigenous experience.

"I hadn't really thought about if there would be any backlash or effects of recording the stories," Peter explained. "Just something that happened. [Seth] wanted to record some of my stories. I said, 'Well, that's interesting.' No one's ever done that. Why not?"

The film, which has taken more than eight years to come to fruition, explores everything from going to the grocery store and seeing the eye-popping prices that come with living in a remote area to darker truths about Indigenous existence including overrepresentation in prisons as well as suicide.

We also see, through Seth's colorful and gonzo-like animation, childlike wonder from Peter's kids (including the chirpy and charming Cookie) and the meandering narratives that come with just hanging out with people you love.

Endless Cookie has earned multiple awards and was recently nominated for a Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary. For Seth and Peter, it's been the gift that's kept on giving. It's also given them the time to connect in a meaningful way.

For Peter's kids, he says they've come to expect the accolades.

"My kids back home, it's just, they figure it's just something that happens," Peter said about winning so many awards. "Every couple of months, you get a new one."

Watch the full video interview here.

'You're No Indian' director Ryan Flynn addresses cease-and-desist letter from Pechanga Band of Indians

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 01:06:00 +0000

You're No Indian, a documentary by Ryan Flynn, takes on the issue of tribal disenrollment among tribes including the Lake County Pomo (Calif.) peoples, pictured here.
(Photo courtesy of You're No Indian.)

You're No Indian director Ryan Flynn knew his film about tribal disenrollment would meet resistance, but receiving a cease-and-desist letter from one of the tribes featured in his documentary was next level.

On Nov. 24, legal representatives of the Pechanga Band of Indians in California and its chairman, Mark Macarro, sent such a letter, demanding Flynn and his team stop all screenings and distribution of the film immediately.

The Pechanga tribe said that Flynn didn't give Macarro an opportunity to respond to assertions in the film, which examines the enrollment practices of the tribe, and statements about the chairman himself.

"We spent years on this project," Flynn responded in a YouTube video posted Nov. 26. "We interviewed families, reviewed documents, spoke with experts, and we reached out to Chairman Macarro multiple times."

L.A. Story spoke with Flynn on Dec. 6. He was in Alaska with one of the film's producers, Santana Rabang, ahead of a screening of You're No Indian in Anchorage (neither ceasing nor desisting).

Asking what he thought prompted the cease-and-desist letter, Flynn said he didn't know.

"We've been trying to reach Mark. We've reached out to the tribe," he said. "We documented ourselves doing it, and we just want to have the conversation. So, in our minds, a cease-and-desist is entirely unnecessary."

He added, "Our invitation to Mark still stands."

The film spotlights former citizens of tribes including the Pechanga Band of Indians, who say they were stripped of their citizenship even though they could prove their connection through documents such as birth certificates and even DNA.

Calling out Macarro specifically, the filmmakers ask Dr. John Johnson, the former curator of anthropology at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, if disenrolled tribal members have a case to make as far as proving their connection to the Pechanga tribe. Not only do they have a case, Johnson says, but he also supports the idea that if Macarro held himself to the same enrollment standards as the former citizens the tribe has disenrolled, then Macarro would run into similar challenges himself.

L.A. Story reached out to the Pechanga Band of Indians for their perspective.

"The Pechanga Band confirms that we have issued a cease-and-desist letter about this film. It contains numerous inaccuracies and a blatant ignorance of Pechanga's tribal governance processes," the Pechanga Tribal Council told L.A. Story in a statement.

"The film also includes a portrayal of Tribal Chairman Mark Macarro that we categorically reject as false, misleading, and harmful. We will not allow falsehoods to undermine the integrity of our tribal community or distort the truth about our tribe and its tribal citizens," the statement continued.

After reading the statement to Flynn, he said, "Come talk to us," addressing Macarro and the tribe.

"We have nothing against the Pechanga Band of Indians, or frankly, any tribe," Flynn continued. "We want to talk, we've reached out. And that continues to be our mission, so let's talk."

Adding that he would fly out to meet with members of the Tribal Council, he said, "Let's stop the threats, and let's open communication."

Watch the full video here.

'The First Snow of Fraggle Rock' star Gobo shares what it was like to sing with musical artist Lele Pons

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 21:02:00 +0000

The First Snow of Fraggle Rock, premiering Dec. 5 on Apple TV, sees Gobo traveling to the human world, aka Outer Space.

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and while we won't be seeing a snowfall in Los Angeles, Fraggle Rock is a different story altogether.

The First Snow of Fraggle Rock, premiering Dec. 5 on Apple TV, is bringing holiday fun and catchy tunes to living rooms this winter season.

In the holiday special, the Fraggles are eagerly awaiting the first snow of the season, but when only one snowflake arrives and Gobo (voiced by puppeteer and executive producer John Tartaglia) can't write his annual holiday song, the season is thrown for a loop. For the first time, Gobo travels to the human world, aka Outer Space, to find some musical inspo.

While there, Gobo meets "silly creature" (aka musical artist and internet sensation) Lele Pons, who sings a duet of song Our Melody with the adorable Fraggle.

"She was the nicest silly creature in the world," Gobo told L.A. Story in a video interview. "And we got to sing together. It was so cool."

Musical artist Lele Pons and Gobo sing a duet of Our Melody in The First Snow of Fraggle Rock.

L.A. Story also had the chance to chat with Gobo about why this season is his "favorite time of year" in Fraggle Rock.

"First of all, the caves get all icy and pretty," he explained. "And we get to all be together and hang out and sing songs and eat fun foods like candied radishes. It's the best!"

Check out the video here!

LA Skins Fest returned for its 19th edition, bringing Native American and Indigenous cinema to Los Angeles

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 01:11:00 +0000

LA Skins Fest opened its 19th annual film festival with a screening of short films and a reception at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in Century City.

LA Skins Fest, the annual Native American and Indigenous film festival in Los Angeles, kicked off its 19th edition on Nov. 19 with a screening of four short films and a filmmaker reception at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in Century City.

After celebratory remarks from Elizabeth A. Morris, CAA's head of inclusion, recruiting and development at the starry agency, festival founder Ian Skorodin welcomed the largely Indigenous audience to the festival, which ran through Nov. 23, and shared just how meaningful it is to have such a long-running Native-founded and -run film festival here in Los Angeles.

That said, this year hasn't been without its challenges, as both Morris and Skorodin acknowledged.

"As Elizabeth mentioned, it has been a year, a special year. A lot of organizations lost quite a bit of support," Skorodin said. "Multimillion-dollar grants have gone away. Now, lucky for us, we've never gotten a multimillion-dollar grant."

All joking aside, the Choctaw founder said that the organization, whose festival director is Patricia Gomes, did feel "that burn, that pinch, that challenge."

"It wasn't an easy year, but yet we still managed to maintain all of our programs," added Skorodin, who oversees the Barcid Foundation, the parent organization of the film festival, and the Native American Media Alliance.

Those programs include a TV Writers Lab, an Animation Lab, an Unscripted Workshop as well as youth programming that includes virtual reality and animation, in addition to the annual film festival that takes place mostly at the TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood. All help to support Indigenous artists and storytelling. Major sponsors include Comcast NBCUniversal, Motion Picture Association, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Cherokee Film.

The four short films that kicked off the festival focused mainly on identity and culture, using comedy, horror and drama to tell compelling stories:

Vaha'a | The Distance Between, from director Pingi Moli, tells the story of a boxer's grief after his mother's death, as well as his strained relationship with his overbearing father.

The Beguiling, from director Ishkwaazhe Shane McSauby, details what seems to be a budding romance between two Indigenous people but takes a sinister turn when suspicions of identity arise.

Legend of Fry-Roti: Rise of the Dough, from director Sabrina Saleha, explores the humorous side of mixed Native/Bengali identity. The laughs come mainly from two aunties, who have a frybread vs. roti showdown in their niece's kitchen.

Braids, from director Elise M. Beers, follows a Native American boy whose culture and customs are ridiculed and misunderstood.

Filmmakers and actors from 20 Pounds to Happiness and Condomania, both of which screened at LA Skins Fest in Hollywood.

I was lucky enough to moderate two sets of filmmaker panels at the film festival. 20 Pounds to Happiness, a comedy about a full-figured Los Angeles Latina who must decide between gastric bypass surgery or the man who loves her for her curves, played to a raucous crowd at LA Skins Fest. Directed by and starring Yelyna De León, with a script by Josefina López (Real Women Have Curves), the film is funny and heartfelt — with some great shots of L.A., too!

That feature film was preceded by Condomania, a funny short film from director Ashley Reese. A store clerk's day takes an awkward turn when she has to help a teen boy choose which condoms to buy. Reese said the film was based on a real-life experience she had as a clerk herself.

The shorts program offered moving films from female filmmakers.

The other filmmaker section I moderated featured a female-led set of powerful short films:

Just One Bite, from director Jennifer Varenchik, tells the story of a man who recalls his childhood memories by making his mom's special soup recipe.

W7éyle (moon's wife), from director Amanda Wandler, looks to the near future when a pill for immortality exists. A Secwépemc woman must choose between living forever or having a child. While her husband wants to live forever, choosing immortality means she won't join her ancestors in the afterlife.

Eyes Twirl Rounds, from director Nanobah Becker, offers up a mesmerizing and snowy film driven by the music of Laura Ortman and dancer Jock Soto.

Choices, from director Jessie Anthony, stars first-time writer Linda St. Pierre as a woman who must choose between her dreams and the love of her life.

Wind Rabbit, directed by January Marie Rogers, takes on trains as conflict. The Haudenosaunee director explores her role as a train enthusiast who also knows that the laying of train tracks displaced Indigenous people from their traditional lands.

Yáamay: An Ode to Blooming, from directors Casse Kihúut and Camaray Davalos, explores what it means to be a modern California Indigenous woman. The film uses original poetry as a foundation with a montage of modern, archival and animatic visuals.

Grey, from director Regina Dezbah Simons, explores aging and identity, as well as its connections to generational trauma and violence.

I was so honored to be a part of this festival. Watching Indigenous filmmakers take pride in their stories, and be lauded by their peers, was such a powerful experience. It was a perfect way to celebrate Native American Heritage Month, and I'm already looking forward to next year!

Passport to Santa brings Christmas cheer to the Beverly Center

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:27:00 +0000

Passport to Santa is bringing family-friendly fun to the Beverly Center.

North Pole magic has come to Los Angeles with the family-friendly Passport to Santa arriving at the Beverly Center this holiday season.

The Christmas-themed attraction, presented by Voss Events and running through December 31, features a two-hour whimsical journey where families can help build toys in Santa's Workshop, train with Rudolph, race in the Gingerbread Tower Challenge and test their strength in the Nutcracker Kingdom.

Not only that, but each guest receive a passport that gets stamped after every activity. Their passport can be redeemed during a personal visit with Santa for exclusive access to his Christmas Carnival, which boasts bounce houses, arts and crafts, and holiday carnival games.

Kids get stamps in their passports after every activity.

Producer Jon Voss told L.A. Story that the inspiration for Passport to Santa came from his own two children, ages 6 and 2, which he shares with producing partner and husband Brandon Voss.

"We've been business partners for nearly 10 years and we had kids, and we've been doing all these events that weren't catering to them," said Jon, who also produces the adult-friendly variety show Santa's Secret with Brandon. "We live in New York City. We came to the conclusion like, wow, we live in New York City, the biggest city in the world. There's not enough things to do with kids."

That's when they decided to take on that challenge themselves.

"We know what we like. We know what works with kids, because if we're having fun, obviously the kids are having fun," he explained, adding that they've expanded to both Los Angeles and Chicago.

"We've been to a few experiences ourselves over the years with the kids, in the holiday space and outside the holiday space. And we'd say, 'Wow, this is what they're doing?'" he added. "We can do this 20 times better."

Getting some kid-friendly holiday inspo from their 6-year-old son also helped.

"He is actually quite the inspiration for a lot of the activities that we put together for the event because he loves to put a game together," Jon said. "He makes his own games up, whether it be a board game, a ball game or hit-the-target kind of game."

Calling Passport to Santa a "family homework assignment," Jon also included his 2-year-old daughter as inspiration for the attraction's activities.

"Given that we do have an older child, we have a younger child, and how do we cater to both of them?" he asked. "It was a great experience to find what works for him, find what works for her and marry the two."

Kids (and kids at heart) get to meet Santa and have their passports redeemed for exclusive access to his Christmas Carnival.

Choosing an L.A. location for the event was just as important since families will be coming from all over the metro area and beyond.

"Beverly Center is quite central to Los Angeles," Jon said. "I know how exhausting it can be to get from point A to point B, just to say hello to a friend and have dinner or something."

He added that the location gives them "the ability to bring out everyone, whether they're from Santa Monica, Del Rey or somewhere from Riverside, somewhere from Anaheim."

Having access to parking, as well as a variety of restaurants, didn't hurt either.

More than anything, he said it's a chance to spend quality time with the kiddos and get a little help with some holiday cheer.

"Life is too short with your children. Spend some time with them," he said. "Get involved with the holidays with them."

And you don't have to do everything yourself.

"We do it all right here at Passport to Santa. You don't have to make your own crafts. You don't have to set up your own Christmas carolers," he added. "Just bring them to our event, and we'll take care of it."

Passport to Santa

Now through December 31 (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.)

Tickets: $35+ per person (Check out the Black Friday deal)

VIP admission: $55 per person — includes priority entry, complimentary supplies for either the Build-A-Bear or Gingerbread Workshop stations and unlimited hot cocoa throughout your visit

Beverly Center, 8th Floor

8500 Beverly Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90048

'You're No Indian' director Ryan Flynn shares how his documentary about tribal disenrollment has become a 'movement'

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 21:07:00 +0000

Ryan Flynn, director of You're No Indian, talks tribal disenrollment and its devastating effects.

Director Ryan Flynn, whose documentary You're No Indian will be screening at the Red Nation International Film Festival in Los Angeles on Nov. 10 and 11, says his doc isn't just a film — it's a "movement."

The documentary explores the devastating practice of Native American tribal disenrollment, which is when tribes strip Indigenous people of their citizenship, calling into question their sense of identity and belonging. Flynn speaks with leaders of West Coast tribes, including the Pechanga and Nooksack Nations, as well as disenrolled citizens.

"It's not about film festivals or distribution," Flynn told L.A. Story about his film. "It's about getting people to talk about this issue, which is a human rights issue."

The documentary spotlights what happens when casino revenue arguably influences who gets to remain a citizen and who, despite birth certificates and DNA tests, does not. Excluded members say that fewer citizens means bigger payouts, while those tribes call former citizens' tribal connections into question.

Executive produced by Cherokee actor Wes Studi and First Nations (Cree and Métis) actress Tantoo Cardinal, who also narrates, You're No Indian sparked a vocal response when it premiered in June at the Dances With Films film festival in L.A. Former citizens spoke out after the screening, sharing emotional stories of severed connections to the only heritage they've ever known.

"When you stand up against disenrollment, even if you're not disenrolled, that puts a target on your back," Flynn said. "It's the weaponization of fear. And if you are disenrolled and you stand up against it, that limits your chances of getting back in."

Check out our Q&A here on video, or read the edited and condensed interview below:

L.A. Story: Your film You're No Indian, which premiered at Dances With Films in June, has gone on to have a whole other life. It's expanded, and you're showing it at different festivals. What initially brought you to this story?

Ryan Flynn: To the first point, it has expanded. We think that this is, it's not just a film. It is a movement, and that's what we're trying to spark. And 60 or 70,000 people on social media following us and getting involved is showing that. We're trying to live that.

What got me into it, I tend to Google random subjects. Sometimes I can't sleep, and I was one day curious about, 'How much does an Indigenous person get from their casino?' C'mon, I want to know, are they all rich? And it turns out that changes tribe to tribe. Sometimes it's literally zero, and sometimes it's over $100,000 a month.

But in looking into this, I came across the subject of disenrollment, where people claimed to be rightful members and they were kicked out because the fewer the people in the tribe, the bigger piece of the casino revenues those remained get.

If they're rightful members, they should be able to appeal. They should be able to go to the state court or the federal court, and it turns out that's not the case.

L.A. Story: For your documentary, you had an Indigenous producer on board who's also in the film. And then there's also Wes Studi and Tantoo Cardinal, who are part of your film as well. How did you initially connect with them?

Ryan Flynn: First off, you're right. It's not just me. My role is to determine what order the interviews are put in. My role is to try to take something very, very complicated and simplify it so that people can understand it and pay attention long enough so it's entertaining. That's my job.

The credit belongs to those that were brave enough to get on camera, many of whom did so at great personal risk. There is a very real risk of retaliation. ... It's the weaponization of hope.

So the people that stood up, that literally cried on camera about this issue, thinking about generational loss, are the people that this film belongs to. And then [Lummi Nation producer] Santana Rabang is a major help.

When it came to connecting with Tantoo, we just love Tantoo. We're giant fans. So we went through standard communication chains to reach out to her, and she connected with the film and the message.

When we brought her into the studio, she said, 'You know, Ryan, I believe in this cause, and I lend you my voice.' It's an honor to work with her, and since then, she's become somebody that I consider a friend. Then she connected us with Wes Studi. ... It's incredible to have his guidance and support.

L.A. Story: How are you, as a non-Indigenous man, navigating working on such an Indigenous-centered film?

Ryan Flynn: It's so easy and so tempting as a non-Indigenous person to think, 'Well, you need to be able to navigate Native culture, but that's not the case. I needed to recognize that every tribe is different. Every tribe has different protocols. Every tribe has different traditions, languages, cultural aspects. All of which need to be navigated with respect and in a good way. What I mean by "a good way" is listening to the elders of that tribe and honoring their cultures.

For me personally, getting to see different cultural elements of different nations that are all right around us right now is incredible. And it is truly an honor.

But, you know, my name is Ryan Patrick Flynn. Coming in as an Irish guy making a film about something as sensitive as disenrollment always comes with initial resistance. But I think that when people see the film, they can see the hearts of the people that made it. Mine and others, and to know that we are doing our best to amplify the message of people whose voices have been systematically silenced.

Watch the video above, or head to the L.A. Story YouTube page to see the full interview.

You're No Indian screens at the Red Nation International Film Festival on Nov. 10 and 11.

AMC The Grove 14

189 The Grove Dr.

Los Angeles, CA 90036

Buy tickets here.

Coming Attraction: Sacred Path x The Autry Pow Wow kicks off Native American Heritage Month in L.A.

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 21:27:00 +0000

Sacred Path x The Autry Pow Wow will feature dancing, drumming, arts and crafts vendors and more on Nov. 1. (Photo courtesy of the Autry Museum of the American West)

Bring your appetite and your fancy dancing mocs! The inaugural Sacred Path x The Autry Pow Wow will be kicking off Native American Heritage Month on Saturday, Nov. 1 at the Autry Museum of the American West.

The free and family-friendly Indigenous celebration will feature dance contests, drumming, arts and crafts vendors, as well as yummy food from Wildhorse Cafe and Lucy Hale's Indian Tacos and Frybread, among others. (Frybread and NDN tacos are a must!)

It's a such a great opportunity to build community, learn more about Indigenous tribes and just enjoy the music, dancing and gorgeous regalia.

While the event kicks off at 10 a.m. the Grand Entry procession, featuring Head Man Dancer Nick Garfield and Head Woman Dancer Dylan Rose Goodwill, starts at 1 p.m.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by sacredpathindigenouswellnesscenter (@sacredpathiwc)

Sacred Path Indigenous Wellness Center in Anaheim offers health resources for kids and families, including individual therapy, support groups, workshops, prevention and intervention services, all while incorporating traditional Indigenous teachings with respect for tribal and cultural diversity.

All are welcome at the pow wow, which is something I've been asked about before from friends who aren't Indigenous. That said, there are some things to keep in mind.

Here are some pow wow etiquette tips, per Sacred Path:

What to do at pow wows:

* It's important to be respectful.

* Stand quietly during prayers and flag songs.

* Always follow the instructions of the emcee or arena director.

What not to do at pow wows:

* Don't touch dancers' regalia.

* Don't take close-up photos without permission.

* Avoid walking through the dance area.

* Don't interrupt ceremonies, dancing or singing.

* No alcohol allowed.

Pow wows are truly special and such an amazing chance to see cultural beauty up close. The kiddos and I always find something — earrings, bracelets, hand-carved animals and more — to take home.

Hope to see you there!

Sacred Path x The Autry Pow Wow

Saturday, Nov. 1 (10 a.m. - 10 p.m.)

Autry Museum of the American West

4700 Western Heritage Way

Los Angeles, CA 90027

'Rental Family' at AFI Fest 2025: 'This film is a love letter to Japan. The address is Loneliness Anywhere'

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 04:28:00 +0000

Brendan Fraser stars as a down-on-his-luck American actor in Japan in Rental Family, directed by Hikari. (Photo courtesy of AFI Fest 2025 presented by Canva)

In Rental Family, the new film directed by Hikari, Brendan Fraser stars as a lonely American actor in Tokyo who finds unexpectedly true connections by essentially being an imposter.

The film, which opens in theaters Nov. 21, screened last night at AFI Fest 2025 presented by Canva in the festival's Special Screenings section, and the audience reaction was rapturous.

Fraser plays Phillip, who starts taking gigs with a so-called "rental family" agency run by Shinji (Takehiro Hira) that provides stand-ins for people who need individual support systems in their lives. One day he might be playing an absent father to a little girl (Shannon Mahina Gorman), while on another he's a journalist engaging with an elderly former actor (Akira Emoto) who thinks everyone has forgotten him.

The Academy Award-winning actor was on hand, along with Hikari and co-star Mari Yamamoto, who plays another actor with the agency, to talk to moderator David Canfield about what it was like to make a film about a very real industry in Japan.

"It's a business that's been around since the '80s, and there's about 300 companies that provide similar services around in Japan," Hikari said before the screening. "There's a lot of reasons behind it, and part of it you're about to see."

"This film is a love letter to Japan," Fraser added. "The address is Loneliness Anywhere. It's written with cherry blossom pink ink and signed with a kiss."

Hikari, who is perhaps best known for directing the Emmy-winning series Beef, said that she wanted to cast Fraser when she saw him in his Oscar-winning turn in The Whale.

"This was like a gift. I went to see, as I was casting and thinking, 'Who's my Phillip?', I went to see The Whale," Hikari explained after the screening. "I was like, 'Wow, Brendan Fraser, he's amazing.'

But it was when he appeared on the giant movie screen for the Q&A that followed that film because he had COVID and couldn't attend in person that really sealed it for the director.

"I saw him, and I just felt it in my gut," she said. "I was like, 'Oh, there's Phillip, because he was so kind."

Fraser, for his part, said that the script, co-written by Hikari and Stephen Blahut, spoke to a "sensibility of longing and a need for connection."

"Tokyo, as you all saw, it's just so much energy and activity," he explained, "and astonishingly, there's so much loneliness at the same time."

Yamamoto called the "rental family" concept "a necessity in Japanese society."

"Why is the interesting part, I think, because the concept is so foreign perhaps to a Western audience," she explained. "But one thing I kind of beg people to consider is that in Japan, the love language between families ... is that we don't burden the other person. The worst thing you can do is burden somebody with your problems, with your feelings, with something that will trouble them, too. So oftentimes, we keep it from our loved ones."

That's what's behind the idea of the "rental family" service, she said. "People don't want to trouble their loved ones or friends with their problems, so it's sometimes easier to pay somebody to be there for them."

The actress went on to tell a story about Fraser, who she said was practically hanging off of a small balcony to make sure she could see him next to the camera, and have someone to play off of, during their scene together. While she said she was grateful, she admitted to worrying about headlines screaming that the Oscar winner had fallen from the Japanese balcony.

"He just wants to be there for you so badly," she said. "He made everybody on set feel like he was gonna catch us if we fell, and that's him as an actor, a leader, a person, and I'm so grateful to have gotten to work with him."

AFI Fest 2025 Filmmaker Spotlight: Lilian T. Mehrel | 'Honeyjoon'

noreply@blogger.com (L.A. Story) — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 18:50:00 +0000

Filmmaker Lilian T. Mehrel talks about her feature film Honeyjoon, which is screening at AFI Fest 2025 presented by Canva.

For filmmaker Lilian T. Mehrel, living is all about balancing light and dark.

In her comedy-drama Honeyjoon, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and is screening Oct. 25 at AFI Fest 2025 presented by Canva, the writer-director-producer does exactly that, balancing grief with humor, loss with life, all through the lens of a mother-daughter trip to the Azores.

Amira Casar (l to r), Ayden Mayeri and José Condessa star in Honeyjoon. (Photo by Inés Gowland)

While navigating loss among the gorgeous vistas, Persian-Kurdish Lela (Amira Casar) and her American daughter June (Ayden Mayeri) share awkward moments where cultures and generational differences collide — all while being surrounded by honeymooners and handsome tour guide João (José Condessa).

"It's about being alive. It's celebrating being alive," Mehrel told L.A. Story about her film, which won the 2024 Tribeca AT&T Untold Stories Award. "It's celebrating reclaiming pleasure amidst everything."

Mehrel shared more about her talented cast, filming in the Azores and the "beautiful coincidence" of finding her Lela while watching Timothée Chalamet starrer Call Me By Your Name.

Check out our Q&A here on video, or read the edited and condensed interview below:

L.A. Story: Honeyjoon is the story of a mother-daughter trip, but you also described it as being about the "balance of light and dark." How did you balance a story about grief, loss and oppression with the humor that comes with familial bonds?

Lilian T. Mehrel: Thank you for saying that. That's what I do as a storyteller. I love to take audiences on a ride, on a rollercoaster ride of laughter and feelings.

And to me, it just lent itself very naturally. This film about living with loss — emphasis on living. There's that balance between light and dark. And the characters, they go on this trip for a grief anniversary, but you know how people say the flip side of grief is love? So there's a lot of duality in this film.

These two characters, they sort of represent the yin-yang in their approach to living and living with loss. And ultimately, feeling alive means feeling all of it.

L.A. Story: There are moments when June, who's young and attractive, is seeking male attention. But it's her mother who's attractive but older. She's the one getting more of the attention at some points. Was it important to you to show that older women can have that appeal as well?

Lilian T. Mehrel: Yes, I think there's something radical about women reclaiming their pleasure. Women of all ages, all cultures. And this film embodies that spirit. ...

I wanted to celebrate women's bodies and center women's joy and their pleasure. Ultimately, because it's human joy and pleasure. And because we're all human, we're all alive.

L.A. Story: There's some irony, speaking of the body itself. June is very into showing her body, which is amazing. And then, her mom, who supports Woman Life Freedom, has her own views of that (and wants her daughter to cover up). How did you want to portray that contradiction?

Lilian T. Mehrel: I think contradiction is inherent to being human. We're full of complexities. And there's that duality again.

I also think contrast is what comedy is about. They're on this beautiful island surrounded by honeymooners, but they're grieving. The mom is obsessed with Woman Life Freedom and wants women to be free, but she's covering her daughter's bikini body up. And that's just throughout. Those are the absurdities of life that I find both poetic and meaningful, and real and funny.

Honeyjoon is also a travel movie that takes audiences along for the ride. (Photo by Inés Gowland)

L.A. Story: The setting of the Azores is so gorgeous and meaningful in a lot of ways within the film. What made you decide on that location? And were there any challenges, especially with dolphins and weather?

Lilian T. Mehrel: Yes, dolphins are wonderful, and they're hard to catch on film.

This film was inspired by a real trip, real grief, real feelings, but it is fiction and it took on a life of its own. But I wanted to shoot in the place that inspired it and also honor the island in the Azores where you come back to life.

I actually not only wanted to capture the beauty of the nature there, which is really something else, but also the people. We actually cast local people ... all the couples in the film are real couples who live on the island. They're actually all together.

I think there is something also about, I love a travel movie. I love characters going somewhere because it's taking us, the audience, on a trip, too. And it's a reminder that no matter where you go, no matter our different cultures that what seems different on the surface, underneath we're all connected.

L.A. Story: Amira Casar, who also starred as the mother of a child struck by love while on vacation in Call Me By Your Name ... is that what drew you to her for the role of Lela?

Lilian T. Mehrel: That is a beautiful coincidence. When I was casting, I was thinking, 'Where am I going to find my Lela?' But the whole summer I was watching Call Me By Your Name with my cinematographer [Inés Gowland] as our cinematography reference. And so she was right in front of me the whole time, and then it just clicked.

My cast was so amazing. [José Condessa] is a big star in Portugal. He's on this Netflix series [Turn of the Tide] that was shot on the same island. And then Ayden Mayeri, my star who plays June, people recognize her from a Paul Feig film or Veep. But then when they see what she can do, that she's fluent in comedy and drama, it's really beautiful.

So yeah, the cast was magic, and it all just came together serendipitously.

L.A. Story: What's next for Honeyjoon?

Lilian T. Mehrel: I love to connect with audiences. And so sharing it in theaters as the film festivals have started has been so special and just makes me feel [like] I can't wait to share it all over the world.

Honeyjoon screens Oct. 25 at AFI Fest 2025 presented by Canva. (Advanced tickets are sold out.)