It’s lights, camera, Long Beach as the city welcomes a new film festival this summer.
Tickets are now on sale for the inaugural Long Beach Film Festival, which is set for Aug. 29-30 at the city’s historic 340-seat Art Theatre. Boasting 30 films, including shorts and feature-length movies, plus panels and industry events, the new festival is intended to highlight Long Beach’s art scene and film cred with movies by independent and established filmmakers, including locals.
“We’re planting a flag for those who want to build something here. We want to create a creative community and connect Long Beach with the greater film industry at large,” said Hunter Steibel, director of programming for the new festival. “We’re going to have all sorts of stories at this festival.”
The festival opens at noon with a block of short films dubbed “Out of This World!,” which tells stories about different worlds and dimensions. Back on Earth, day one will also feature a few scares with “Ugly Cry,” an 84-minute psychological horror film that follows an aspiring actor whose devastating audition sends her spiraling into a dangerous obsession with perfection.
“Again Again,” a feature-length film that follows Agatha, a woman who has spent ten years reliving the same day before finally escaping the time loop, will be part of the new Long Beach Film Festival. (Photo courtesy Long Beach Film Festival)
Day one also includes a nod to the hit film “Groundhog Day,” with the screening of “Again Again,” a feature-length film that follows Agatha, a woman who has spent 10 years reliving the same day before finally escaping the time loop, only to discover that facing an entirely new day may be even more terrifying than repeating the last.
There will also be a nod to locals with a short film block dubbed “Nightmares on 4th Street.” Named after the city’s trendy stretch of road where the Art Theatre is located, this group of short films is made up of campy and fun horror movies while a local filmmaker will be highlighted on day two with the screening of “Rescued,” a 126-minute drama written, directed by and starring Long Beach filmmaker DJ Hale. The story follows a homeless man who finds the motivation to turn his life around after a stray dog befriends him and refuses to leave his side.
“That takes place all in Long Beach. There was no film of this moment that spoke more to Long Beach than this film. It just seemed like a must program for our festival,” Steibel said.
The weekend closes with “Downbeat,” a 91-minute independent drama that was recently screened at this year’s South by Southwest Film & TV Festival. This one will appeal to the creative types, since it follows a musician caught between his personal life and artistic ambitions.
The festival organizers also have lofty ambitions for the new festival.
“For the long term we would like for this to become a major stop on the regional festival circuit,” he said.
Long Beach Film Festival
When: Aug. 29-30
Tickets: $10-$150
Information: longbeachfilmfestival.org