IFC Films hosted a lovely dinner at “the new Mr. Chow’s” called Philippe on Melrose in LA Monday night as part of AFI Fest, currently underway. One organizer wondered how the turn out would be, but alas, great food and wine brings them out every time! IFC filmmakers and others were among the 35 or so people who came out, in addition to actors Ti West (“House of the Devil”) and Sara Simmons (“In Search of a Midnight Kiss”) pictured here after dinner hanging with IFC Films’ Lizzie Nastro.
Two of IFC Films’ current directors who have screenings at this year’s AFI Fest, which continues through Saturday (though the closing night film is Thursday - go figure) as they’re leaving the dinner hosted by the New York distributor. Bahman Ghobadi (“No One Knows About Persian Cats”) and Corneliu Porumbiou (“Police Adjective”).
AFI Fest Artistic Director Rose Kuo joined the fun at the IFC dinner for its filmmakers screening at AFI Fest (and others too) on Monday, joining Martin Schweighofer of the Austrian Film Commission, Argentine director Lisandro Alonso (“Liverpool”) and doc filmmaker Kirby Dick (“Outrage”).
All are smiles following their big Chinese fusion feast! iPOP caught up with this group before they headed out to seize the night… Director Gregg Araki (who is finishing his latest, “Kaboom”) with producer Charlotte Mickie, Strand Releasing co-prez Marcus Hu (one of the coolest guys in the biz) and another gem of a person, Janet Pierson, SXSW Film Festival producer.
Director/actress Julie Delpy (center, obviously) said I had to do a “quick photo” if I was going to get her here at the IFC dinner Monday night as she chatted with Samuel Goldwyn Films’ Peter Goldwyn at Philippe in West Hollywood. Delpy, who is currently filming “Les Passages” by Donna Vermeer worked with the distributor for 2007’s “2 Days in Paris,” which she directed (a favorite of ours that year btw). Also hanging are AFI Fest’s Rose Kuo and IFC Films’ Shani Ankori.
Some of our favorite journalists including Karina Longworth, Anne Thompson, Mark Olsen from the LA Times and AFI Fest’s Rose Kuo (she gets around a party, doesn’t she?) at the IFC dinner.
And this at the Roosevelt Hotel after dinner. Legs and a Martini - just a little guerilla photography! [Photo by John Hoffman]
The gleaming, and apparently new skyline, in Qatar’s capital, Doha. Most of the international guests are staying in this area at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival at one of two hotels - The Four Seasons and the W Hotel Doha. The W has quite a night life, attracting what appears to be a large community of expats, who head to hotels where alcohol is served (not cheaply). Locals said that the skyline that is now rising from this area of town did not exist five years ago.
Ahead of the Doha Tribeca Film Festival opening night, organizers hosted this very lovely lunch with a great round of Arabic cuisine (the hommos here is amazing!) Mira Nair, Martin Scorsese, Geoff Gilmore (formerly of Sundance, now Tribeca Enterprises head) and the inaugural festival’s exec director Amanda Palmer all gave chats. Great view, delicious food, and by the waterside. Unfortunately, it was also over 100 degrees (at least it felt like it) and everyone was in the direct sun, so some people started heading out between courses. One guest told me, “I think I know how to get rich in Qatar… Tents!” I sort of felt bad for the staff running around wearing their long-sleeved uniforms with gloves. Ouch!
Martin Scorsese at the Doha Tribeca welcome lunch.
The I.M. Pei-designed Museum of Islamic Art was a fabulous venue for the opening of the festival, it’s a stunning building that fuses traditional Arabic architecture with contemporary overtones set in expansive grounds with the building itself nestled right in the Persian Gulf (called the Arabian Gulf here) itself. An illuminated “red carpet” spanned the bridge to the main building where stars, members of the Qatari royal family and I’m sure a host of other regional who’s who walked. Doha-based 24 hour worldwide news network Al Jazeera gave updates in the run up to the festival’s opening here, and 3,000 locals came out to watch the opening film, “Amelia,” on a huge outdoor screen in the museum grounds. In fact, apparently scuffles broke out as chairs filled up. There were also some other snafus. The police who were handling the traffic didn’t seem to know which buses to let into the grounds (I was on one and all of us on the bus ended up having to get out and run across a very busy Roundabout in front of the museum - pretty scary). But all in all, quite impressive.
The illuminated red carpet at the Museum of Islamic Art.
While V.V.I.Ps including Scorsese, Patricia Clarkson and other stars as well as the Tribeca heads and the Qatari royals partied in a room upstairs, the “V.I.Ps” hung out in the courtyard at the Museum of Islamic Art ahead of the start of the screening. No alcohol was served at the opening party, just “mocktails” as one expat who lives here calls it.
More of the courtyard at MIA, with the view facing the Gulf and the Doha city center across the harbor.
M.I.A. looking toward the courtyard from the outside.
Inside the Museum of Islamic Art in the main lobby.
Crowds gathering for the outdoor screening of Mira Nair’s “Amelia” (Middle East premiere).
Heading out to CineVegas this year? Well, if you’ve got a car and a “strong urge” in between those screenings, gambling, drinking and partying and want some good old fashioned fun in a “traditional setting” (let’s face it, Craigs List has gotten a bit of bad press lately), then there’s always The Shady Lady Ranch. Now if a recent iW Poll on our readers’ sexual tastes are any indication (naturally the poll isn’t exactly scientific), a good chunk of you are pretty satisfied from across the board so to speak. And apparently “The Shady Lady Ranch” may have some “Shady Dudes” on the horizon as well, according to an article in the San Jose Mercury... So ladies (and gentlemen), if the Shady Lady ladies aren’t going to get you going, then there very well maybe some new employees coming along… Famous “Hollywood Madam” Heidi Fleiss was going to open her “Heidi’s Stud Farm,” which was going to feature men, but her drug deals sort of got in the way. But remember CineVegasers, prostitution is still illegal in Clark County, which covers Las Vegas, so monetary transactions for some, well, “action” is illegal - unless it’s in the form of champagne and caviar…
Simon Staho’s “Heaven’s Heart,” is on IFC’s Festival Direct… So why not check it out? Here’s a synop: Lars (Mikael Persbrandt) and Susanna (Lena Endre) have been married for twenty years. They love each other dearly and together they have created a secure, happy existence with well-paid jobs, a large house, two cars and a daughter who is about to move away from home. Life has turned out just as happily and comfortably for Susanna’s best friend Ann (Maria Lundqvist) and her husband ULF (Jacob Eklund), who will also shortly be celebrating their twentieth wedding anniversary. One evening when the two couples are having dinner together, Susanna tells the others about an adulterous colleague. The story provokes strong reactions that cause a dramatic showdown among the two couples - and turns their lives and marriages upside down.
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