The Artivist Collective presents its 8th annual Artivist Film Festival August 18, 19, 20, 2011 at the historic Egyptian Theatre in the heart of Hollywood, California.  This year the closing night awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, August 20th from 6:00 to 10:00PM.  Highlights include the Artivist Awards given to ten films and Artivist Award Honoree Kristen Bell, known for her film (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Burlesque, etc.) and television work (Heroes, Veronica Mars, etc.), as well as her philanthropy (Alzheimer’s Association, Invisible Children, PETA, SCPA, etc.).  Actress Rachel Bilson will present the award to Bell.  Also on hand will be Master of Ceremonies Dan Nainan and presenters Persia White and Marco Antonio Regil.  The closing night ceremonies are complimentary to the press and public (as is the entire festival) but seats are limited and must be reserved in advance.

Read the rest of this entry »

Breakdance Project Uganda reaches youth in the slums of Kisenyi, Uganda (photo credit: Nabil Elderkin)

Award-winning film Bouncing Cats, the inspiring documentary of one man’s attempt to create a better life for the children of Uganda through hip hop, is on the festival circuit making its way around North America along with limited sneak peek screenings and benefit events.  Narrated by Common and featuring interviews with Will.I.Am, and K’Naan, the story follows the legendary Crazy Legs of the Rock Steady Crew and b-boy Abramz, the founder of Breakdance Project Uganda (BPU), on a journey to unify, empower and inspire youth in the war torn region that has been called one of the worst places on earth to be a child.*  The film, by director Nabil Elderkin, recently won “Best Documentary Feature Film” at the Urbanworld Film Festival in New York, “Outstanding Achievement in Documentary Filmmaking” at the Newport Beach Film Festival, and “Audience Favorite Award” at Southern Utah International Documentary Film Festival.

Read the rest of this entry »

In honor of the 35th anniversary of outrageous cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show (RHPS), the Million Dollar Theater in Downtown Los Angeles will host a special screening of the film with guest Barry Bostwick in person and an international shadowcast of performers on Saturday, September 25, 2010. The anniversary screening will start with a full pre-show of games and presentations at 10:00 p.m. with the film screening at 11:00 p.m. Bostwick, who stars as Brad Majors in the film, will officiate the madness.  For this special event, the on-stage “all-star” cast, with full costumes and props, will include the best of the best Rocky Horror performers from shadowcasts as far away as Paris, France.  This select group of performers includes many featured in the upcoming Twentieth Century Fox Rocky Horror Picture Show: 35th Anniversary Blu-ray Disc.  Presented by LA’s own Sins O’ The Flesh, the evening is part of SinsCon, the 35th Anniversary Convention of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which runs the three-day weekend of September 23 – 25, 2010 in Los Angeles.  The event is being produced in partnership with the LA Conservancy.

Read the rest of this entry »

Royal/T piano painted by Kenny Scharf (photo credit: Amanda Brooks)

Royal/T, the playful art space, shop and café, is expanding its nighttime offerings with live entertainment, a new art cabaret space, tapas and other culinary treats, and extravagant special events — fusing popular culture, music, film, and contemporary art into a creative Westside lounge environment.  Set in Royal/T’s back gallery space, Nighttime at Royal/T‘s mission is to provide high quality eclectic programming in art-full, high-style surroundings filled with owner Susan Hancock‘s world-class contemporary art collection.  The space will be open every Wednesday, Thursday as well as selected additional nights, featuring cabaret acts and eclectic music performances. Cabaret nights are free and run from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Cover charge for most other events range from $5 to $20.  Royal/T will also continue to offer special evening events featuring films, DJ sets, art performances, and theme parties.  Nighttime at Royal/T events will feature French-Japanese fusion tapas except when a guest chef reigns in the kitchen.

Read the rest of this entry »

Nonlife Zoo Photo Courtesy Royal/T

Angelenos are invited to dress like their favorite zoo animals and explore their wild sides at Royal/T‘s A Night in the Jungle on Friday, August 6, 2010 from 8:00pm to 1:00am in celebration of The Nonlife Zoo‘s pop-up space residency – an imaginary visual of animal existence on earth. A Night in the Jungle will feature international music maestro DJ Daedelus spinning in the back space as partygoers dance the night away and enjoy Royal/T’s signature soju cocktails, beer, wine, and new vegetarian tapas. If any guest needs a break from dancing, owner Susan Hancock will provide animal card energy readings and rides throughout the space will be available courtesy of artist Kenny Scharf‘s Cartz Royale. The Nonlife Zoo residency, presented by Royal/T in conjunction with MollaSpace, raises awareness and funds for animal preservation.

Read the rest of this entry »

"War Machine" photo credit: Michael Tullberg

After seven years in development, non-profit organization Overtone Industries is set to launch their site-specific theatricale, Songs and Dances of Imaginary Lands, with three weekends of performances opening Thursday, July 8, 2010.  Billed as a contemporary opera, the large-scale, genre-bending production integrates an astounding array of innovative art installation, dance, voice, live and recorded music, projected video, costuming, community participation, and theater. Songs and Dances of Imaginary Lands was developed and cultivated by Director O-Lan Jones in an extensive guided collaboration that involves twenty one librettists, eleven composers, Costume and Scenic Designer Snezana Petrovic, Musical Director David O, Instrument Inventor Bart Hopkin, Choreographer Nina Winthrop, twenty performers, a nine-piece live orchestra, dozens of crew members, scores of community volunteers, and many others.

Read the rest of this entry »

Buddha Bark is the premiere wellness, pampering and gifting lounge for celebrities and their dogs to primp and prepare pre-awards shows, debuting in January 2010 during the 67th annual Golden Globe Awards. Created by canine wellness expert, Madison Svensson, her Buddha Bark event series is the first to bring together top experts and brands from both the celebrity lifestyle world and the canine wellness community. Showcasing cutting-edge organic treatments, services and products for people and their pets, Buddha Bark will take place on Friday, January 15th and Saturday, January 16, 2009 from 11:00am – 5:00pm. Find refuge in an exclusive Zen-inspired garden oasis located in the heart of the awards show action zone complete with bungalows, a dog park, salon, art gallery, fashion runway, performance art, walking gardens and more. Read the rest of this entry »