World of movies in O.C.
Global cinema is all over Irvine this fall, with two major film festivals running concurrently.
The Silent River Film Festival, on through Sunday, endeavors to bridge the divide between East and West by showcasing South Asian films. Created by filmmaker Kalpna Singh-Chitnis, the festival is geared toward bringing important issues to light while awarding filmmakers for their efforts in a competitive format.
On Friday, the festival includes “East and West”-themed as well as family-friendly short films; Korean cinema; “A Gran Plan” from Singapore; “186 Dollars to Freedom,” from Peru; “In a Race Against Time,” from Uganda; and an afterparty at the Melting Pot in Irvine.
Saturday includes screenings of “Bloom” from the United States, “Arjun: The Warrior Prince,” a feature animation film from India; “California State of Mind: The Legacy of Pat Brown;” “English Vinglish,” from India; “Aung San Suu Kyi: Lady of No Fear,” from Denmark; “Road Map to Apartheid;” “Greening the Revolution;” a Directors of the Future showcase; short documentaries; and Hollywood- and “Adam and Eve”-themed short films. An afterparty is slated for JT Schmid’s Restaurant and Brewery in Tustin.
Sunday, enjoy Indian film “Lessons in Forgetting;” “How I Became an Elephant,” a USA/Thailand joint effort; “The King of Pigs” from South Korea; A “Cinema for Causes” seminar; teen shorts; and a red carpet cocktail party with awards and live entertainment at the Irvine Marriott.
For more information and a full schedule, visit silentriverfilmfestival.com.
The Independent & Inspired Film Series, held by the Orange County Great Park with the Irvine International Film Festival, runs through Nov. 15. Geared for viewers of high school age and older, the screenings are spread over several evenings filled with 18 award-winning short films, and also include post-screening panels with film cast and crew.
Seating for each evening is limited; seat passes will be distributed at 6:30 the night of each screening, organizers said, with the films beginning at 7 p.m.
The festival continues Oct. 18 with “To Rest in Peace,” an eight-minute film based on the true story of a Kuwaiti man who finds two unburied bodies during the time of Operation Desert Storm and wants to learn the truth of why they were unburied. It is followed by “Mossadegh,” set in 1959 Iran and depicting the post-coup life of democratic Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh; “Love at First Sight,” a British film depicting exactly what it sounds like; and “The Potential Wives of Norman Mao,” a Chinese short about an unwed businessman whose parents seek to find him a wife.
On Oct. 25, Australian short “The Maker” opens the night with five minutes about an uncommon creature; it is followed by “The Burying Beetle,” about a boy facing his atheistic father’s imminent death; and “Nanuq,” about a sick young girl and her protector.
“The Desperate” begins the Nov. 1 screening, with a compelling plot: A Nazi general who must beg a condemned Jewish doctor to save his dying son. “Walter” is the tale of a widower who finds solace in unlikely friendships, while “The Carrier” tells of a mother learns more about the life of her deceased son.
On Nov. 8, “Love, At Last” features celebrities from the Golden Age of cinema facing death; “Lost Player,” a locally made film about a boy who loses his cleats; “Test Subject B,” about a genius child who attempts to build a time machine; and “Shanghai Love Market,” in which parents seek to find spouses for their children.
Nov. 15 features “Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone,” including interviews with top musicians discussing the legacy of the Southern California band.
For more information, visit ocgp.org or call (866) 829-3829.
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