Programming:

Programming for the festival will be a combination of Hollywood studio premieres, independent films (features and short films) and international cinema, which will reflect Downtown’s diverse cultural and ethnic demographics. Also offered will be more specialized presentations, such as environmental documentaries, panel discussions and an eco-expo during the Sustainable L.A. program, and a tribute to the art of stunt performance in film, featuring a live demonstration at a Downtown plaza.  A variety of venues will be utilized, from the historic movie palaces on Broadway to the Laemmle Downtown multiplex on Figueroa, as well as other nontraditional venues such as outdoor parks (for night-time screenings) or one of the many Downtown film production soundstages.

Envisioned is a festival in which each day could be focused on a different Downtown neighborhood. Programming would reflect the locale with theme-appropriate content. For example, a screening at one of the movie palaces on Broadway might include a presentation that evening of both new and classic films that have used Downtown as a shooting location. Films in Chinatown and Little Tokyo would include new works by internationally acclaimed Asian filmmakers. 

At the same time, the festival will be inclusive of all of Downtown’s constituents – the daytime business community as well as its 24/7 residents.  For example, the business community might enjoy a sample of the festival during a 30-minute program of short films screening during the weekday lunch hour or a feature screening at 6:00 pm, to coincide with the end of the business day. Screenings held later in the evening on weekdays, and in the afternoon and evening on weekends, will attract not only Downtown workers but also local residents and will draw visitors from other parts of the city.  

Screenings would be followed by parties, receptions and musical performances in restaurants, lounges and clubs located in each Downtown neighborhood. In this way, the Festival becomes as much a way to explore the many facets of Downtown as it does for enjoying the latest and best in films and films-related entertainment.