blue header

IMG_6515

Flying out to LA I knew one thing was certain, I would return a changed person – baptized by the fact that I could now, officially, call myself a feature filmmaker. The festival itself was 9 days, but I stayed in LA for just over two weeks, saw at least 14 movies, and talked myself dry. Moments that I didn’t capture were just as good as the ones below, nor do the ones included actually “say” all that much, but the experience, for me, was singular and these are the images that describe it.

IMG_6439

One of the signature events of the LA Film Festival is the filmmakers retreat beforehand where they wined and dined us before the tsunami. On the bus to palm springs I had time to chat with Remy Auberjonois, whose film Blood Stripe would take home the Grand Jury Prize, and Maria Govan whose film Play the Devil was also lush and beautiful. During the ride Damani Baker was still typing out credits for his film The House on Coco Road, which was 15 years in the making.
 

IMG_6434

IMG_6448

IMG_6450-brighter
Wining and Dining.
 

IMG_6461
Filmmaker Ryon Baxter whose film Green is Gold, one of my favorites, won the audience award in the fiction category. Ryon and I had breakfast together several times. This shot came after we scarfed down a quick dinner at Whole Foods and sprinted to catch the festival bus leaving the hotel.
 

IMG_6476

Eva Longoria was right behind me in the above shot. Me and my producer Vincent Harris on the red carpet during opening night of the 2016 Los Angeles Film Festival, June 1, 2016 in Hollywood, California.
 

Raafi Rivero and Vincent Harris during opening night of the 2016 Los Angeles Film Festival on June 1, 2016 in Hollywood, California.

IMG_6498
Our premiere sold out!
 

IMG_6491
High School buddies Yoon Ahn and Robb Chavis, who’s now a TV writer.
 

IMG_6505
With filmmakers Karim López and Tanuj Chopra. Karim edited Tanuj’s film Chee and T. Also, Karim was my freshman year roommate in college and Tanuj was one of my senior year roomies.
 

IMG_6506
Lalithra Fernando, who worked on Chee and T, also worked on my film Their Eyes Were Watching Gummy Bears years ago. I introduced him to Tanuj. Sharing that history made having our films premiere at the same festival, on the same night, all the more special.
 

IMG_6520
With producer Inuka Bacote and Cinematographer Shawn Peters who blessed 72 Hours with his beautiful eye. It’s hard to tell but we all came to the brunch event that morning wearing the same color blue.
 

IMG_6548
Filmmaker Robert Pietri
 

IMG_6539
Kaela and I were all smiles.
 

538105540-rr-vince-LAFF
Vincent and I looking very serious.
 

IMG_6614
Hanging at the buffet with the crew from Chee and T – Tanuj Chopra, Arun Chopra, Chee Malabar, and me.
 

IMG_6626
Yoon gave me a food and architectural tour of LA.
 

IMG_6759

IMG_6660

IMG_6746

IMG_6803

IMG_6817

IMG_6509
Obligatory trip to Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles.
 

IMG_6826-lalithra-snoop

IMG_6559

My AirBnb after the festival had the saddest old dog. And the best view.
 

IMG_6606


© 2006 – 2024 Raafi Rivero.