Entertainment Hollywood

Catalina Film Institute Returns to Hollywood’s Island for 4-Day Celebration of Cinema, Sept 26-29, 2024

• The Lion’s Den®: A Live Pitch Session, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
  Accredited private investors, venture capital financiers, and content development professionals, aptly named “lions,” evaluate pitches from aspiring filmmakers seeking funding or option agreements for feature/short film or streaming content. Filmmakers have the opportunity to strike a deal LIVE if a panel member expresses interest. Lions include: Michael Helfant, Amasia Entertainment, Michael Lazarovitch, Chemically Altered Productions, Natalie Haack Flores, VP of Development at Nuyorican Productions; Marci Linett, Private Equity Investor; London Wright-Pegs Lewis, VP of Business Affairs and Legal.
• Panel: Fade-In – Screenwriters,  2:30 – 4:00 p.m.
  Gain an exclusive insider’s perspective on screenwriting essentials. Our panelists will take a deep dive into the core components of effective screenwriting and offer invaluable insights on consistently working and thriving in the industry. Panelists: Anna Salinas, Loot; David Eick, Battlestar Galactica.
   
• NEW VENUE THIS YEAR: Catalina Island Museum
  • ANIMATIONS: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
  • FAKE IT TIL YOU BREAK IT: 12 – 2 p.m.
  • DON’T KEEP ME IN SUSPENSE: 2 – 4 p.m.
  • WES CRAVEN HORROR/THRILLER: 6 – 8 p.m.
    CFF has the honor of hosting the ONLY Official Wes Craven Award in the world, with the winner selected by the Craven family. Films in competition this year include Devotee, CARNÍVORA, Wake, LOAB, The Thaw, Sempre Avanti, Sundowning  

• Panel: The Director’s Chair – International Directors,  1 – 2:30 p.m. Distinguished panel of internationally acclaimed film directors hailing from various corners of the world, each with their own unique narrative perspective, will tell enthralling tales drawn from their rich experiences and professional journeys, surpassing the bounds of imagination. Panelists: Jon Amiel (England) Sommersby; Krisztian Köves Kasparek (Hungary) HALÁLKERINGÖ, Gregory Nava, (US) Selena 
   
• Panel: Casting the Best Actor, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
  Our panelists explain the process of how they cast lead characters. Listen to notable actors recount how they made a career for themselves as actors and the lessons they’ve learned. Panelists: Donna Morong (Casting Director) 10 Things I Hate About You; Amy Tsang (Actor) Acolyte, Grey’s Anatomy; Cara Jade Myers (Actor) Killers of the Flower Moon; Necar Zadegan (Actor) Mayor of Kingston.
• RED CARPET AWARDS CEREMONY & SPOTLIGHT FEATURE,  7:00 p.m.
  NOT AN ARTIST, Directed by Alexi Pappas,  Jeremy Teicher, starring Haley Joel Osment, Rosalind Chao, Matt Walsh, Betsy Sodaro, Robert Schwartzman, GaTa, RZA, Dan Bakkedahl —- A young woman (Pappas) is accepted into a residency program created by a wealthy enigmatic benefactor, “The Abbott” (RZA), for high-potential artists suffering from creative constipation.

• Panel: Successfully Marketing Your Feature Film – Film Festival, Sales & Distribution,  11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
  Explore the intricacies of securing pre-sales for an independent feature film, touring on the film festival circuit, crafting effective marketing strategies, and securing distribution channels for your feature film. Panelists: Olivia Mascheroni, Verve Ventures: The Purge, Get Out, Insidious; Natalie Haack Flores, VP of Development at Nuyorican Productions: Dune, Bob the Builder; Crystal Hill SVP International Sales at Red Sea Media: Damaged; Lediona Kasapi, TVCO – Germany; Adam D. LaBlack, CEO of LFR Films, Brian Nitzkin, Dept H.