Ahhh the L.A. Film Festival: a place where the little guys can rub elbows with each other in the shadow of the big guys, and then go get tanked with some Bruin co-eds. Hey- honestly, this particular festival has  a lot going for it. Although, you might think it'd be inundated with Hollywood glitz and pretension since it's located within the boundaries of L.A. proper, it's not. Cannes, Sundance, even TriBeCa it isn't. It might as well be in Omaha, Nebraska (OK- maybe not quite).
             
              What I found most alluring about the fest was the eagerness of others to mingle. Now I'm sure there were a good number bent only on promoting their own projects, but I didn't run into any of these types. Even the 6'6" doorman, who might've played for the pigskin Bruins, allowed me to slide right by as I made my way into the Red Room.
             
              Speaking of the Red Room, the stylish younger brother of K-Mart hosted (can you guess who that is?) and Absolut provided a myriad of fruity vodkas for revelers to imbibe. Considering that festival passes were a mere $100 for the 11 day event, and said passes admitted bearers to all films and the Red Room for free drinks nightly, that was a helluva deal!
             Check out these Red Room pics:
 

              Although it's difficult to reconcile the fact that a huge department store corporation staged a sort of all-in-one commercial and bar for an indie film fest where artistic integrity still means something, being in the Red Room was actually very pleasant. Perhaps that feeling was due in large part to the fact I had several Absolut raspberry and crans while lounging on a beanbag chair and listening to the DJ spin the phat beats of Gnarls Barkley. OR maybe it was the community-fostering vibe in the room. It's nice to be surrounded by others who face the similar struggles that you do: finding funding, distribution, decent craft service. Of course, a lot of people in that room had a leg up on me: they've had their films accepted at a quality film fest- the bastards!
            
            No, really, these are people that should be applauded. Not just for achieveing some level of success in this industry (although minutely small compared to our studio brethren at least from a financial standpoint- cough- Jerry Bruckheimer) but because most of them seem to have not let it go to their heads. Unless that which was going to their heads was free vodka.    

                  By the way, the one film I had a chance to screen was Man Push Cart, an engaging tale of a Pakistani widower who mans a breakfast cart in Manhattan. Come by "HIT Working Stiffs' Movie Guide: Indie Flics" tomorrow to catch my review.