11th ANNUAL LA SKINS FEST ANNOUNCES ALL EVENTS AND FILM SCREENINGS
NOVEMBER 14th-19th, 2017
11th Annual LA SKINS FEST
Presented by COMCAST NBCUNIVERSAL
Announces 2017 Event and Film Line Up
Los Angeles, CA, October 30, 2017 – The LA Skins Fest, presented by COMCAST NBCUNIVERSAL, announced today its full list of features and shorts that will be screened through the festival’s 6-day run (November 14th – 19th, 2017). Events will take place at the Academy of Motion Picture of Arts and Sciences, the TCL Chinese Theatre and the SAG/AFTRA headquarters in Los Angeles.
“NBCUniversal is committed to fostering the next generation of Native American talent both in-front-of- and behind-the-camera,” said Craig Robinson, Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, NBCUniversal. “Our partnership with the LA Skins Fest is essential to that mission.”
“We’re proud to support the LA Skins Fest for their great work in identifying the next generation of Native American talent,” said Janine Jones-Clark, SVP Global Talent Development & Inclusion. “We look forward to developing relationships with this year’s participants as we are certain their unique perspectives and life experiences will be impactful to our diversity and inclusion efforts throughout the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group.”
This year’s festival showcases over fifty films from features, documentaries and shorts that represent hundreds of Native American tribes. Of the dozens of films being screened, more than 30 will see their world premieres. Films were selected out of hundreds of submissions from around the world.
This year, the LA Skins Fest opens its screening program with Walt Disney Studios and Marvel Entertainment’s latest blockbuster THOR RAGNAROK at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and closes with the new Danny Trejo horror film MURDER IN THE WOODS.
November 14th, 2017, we will conduct the 6th Annual Native Writers Pitch Workshop. The pitch workshop is designed to give Native American writers the capacity to pitch to creative executives. During this event, we will also announce the 2018 Native American TV Writers Lab open call for submissions sponsored by Netflix, NBC Universal, and CBS Entertainment Diversity.
On Wednesday November 15th, Sundance Institute’s Native American and Indigenous Film Program collaborates with us to celebrate and host our opening night for Native American filmmakers, TV Lab alumni, and Sundance NativeLab Fellows.
On Thursday November 16th 7pm, the SAG-AFTRA National Native Americans Committee as part of LA Skins Fest will host a panel called The Business of Acting: The Landscape of Native American Casting– a Free Panel and Workshop that will feature casting directors from NBC Universal, Fox Broadcasting Company and Paramount.
From Maori filmmaker Taika Waititi, the LA Skins Fest opening night movie is Marvel’s THOR RAGNAROK presented by Walt Disney Studios and Marvel Entertainment. The screening takes place at the Academy of Motion Pictures of Arts and Sciences Pickford Center Theater November 17th at 8pm.
Weekend screenings continue at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Our Saturday, November 18th film programs will highlight Native Women Directors from Canada and the US. The films range from Native American youth activism, cultural rehabilitation, and the disappearance of Native American women across North America. Q&A will follow each screening program.
Saturday night, we honor the great achievements in Native American cinema with our annual award ceremony. Winners will receive distribution opportunities that include a lucrative upfront advance. Hosted by world renowned actress Delanna Studi and Ross Crain, the award celebration will also feature live music and a special performance from Native American comedian Jim Ruel. Event will be held at the Cinematic Pictures Group gallery in Hollywood.
On Sunday, November 19th, the Aids Healthcare Foundation offers a special look at epidemics affecting Native American communities. We screen films that explore HIV/AIDS on the reservations and the Native American LGBTQ experience in the city. Our screening programs continue throughout the day with films focusing on Native American activism, tribal sovereignty and water rights.
We close the 2017 LA Skins Fest with a special screening of MURDER IN THE WOODS. This instant horror classic takes the viewer on a dangerous ride into an evil forest. Q&A will follow the screening with filmmakers and actor Danny Trejo.
Corporate support of the LA Skins Fest plays an essential role in the life of the festival and emphasizes the festival’s commitment to quality, exploration, and excellence in the art of cinema. The LA Skins Fest is privileged to partner with some of the world’s most renowned brands, including Comcast NBCUniversal, Netflix, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Streampix, Walt Disney Studios, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, CBS Entertainment Diversity, National Endowment for the Arts, CBS Corp, Ramona Band of Cahuilla, KCET, Lionsgate, HBO, A+E Network Television, Turner, 21 Century Fox, ABC/DISNEY Television Group, STARZ, Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, Final Draft, SAG/AFTRA, Marvel Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, ABC-7, Writers Guild of America-West, and Department of Cultural Affairs – Los Angeles.
The 11th Annual LA SKINS FEST program is posted in its entirety at
https://laskinsfest.com/2017-festival-schedule/
About LA SKINS FEST
The prestigious LA SKINS FEST ranks among the country’s best film festivals and is an annual gathering for film industry insiders, cinema enthusiasts, filmmakers, and critics. LA SKINS FEST is considered a major launching ground for the Indian Country’s most talked about films. Our long‐standing commitment is to join filmmakers and film connoisseurs together to experience great Native America cinema. The LA SKINS FEST is a 501 (c)(3) non‐profit educational program. Festival headquarters are in Los Angeles, CA.
Media Contact:
Patricia Gomes, Festival Coordinator
323 466 7400