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Red Carpet Premieres include films featuring Rumer Willis, Sylvester Stallone,
Jane Seymour, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ben Stiller, Jake Reiner, Beau Bridges & More
BEVERLY HILLS, CA (APRIL 4, 2024): The 24th Annual Beverly Hills International Film Festival® (BHFF) returns bigger than ever with more than 250 films in competition. The Festival announced their 2024 official selections, including their expanded program and Opening Night celebrations. Set to kick off Wednesday, May 1, Opening Night will feature over 15 premieres and red carpet arrivals at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres (6801 Hollywood
Boulevard). For the complete festival program, schedule, and passes, visit everlyhillsfilmfestival.com.
“We’re thrilled to be able to add more than 100 films to the program this year,” said Nino Simone, BHFF President and Founder. “We’ve leveled-up the experience for festival-goers with more screenings and more red carpets, expanding the Festival experience from Hollywood’s backyard in Beverly Hills to right at Hollywood’s doorstep.”
The Beverly Hills Film Festival will feature red carpet premieres daily, networking events, panel discussions, and nightly after parties from Wednesday, May 1 - Sunday, May 5, culminating in the Closing Awards Ceremony and Gala held at the iconic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (7000 Hollywood Boulevard) on Sunday.
OPENING NIGHT FILMS: MAY 1
● The Kindness Within (World Premiere) - Documentary Feature; directed by Steven Tati.
Come on the journey of a lifetime with Leon Logothetis, aka the Kindness Guy — five-time best selling author, host of the Kindness Diaries on Netflix and Discovery+ and a former broker. Watch as he finally faces his pain, surrenders to his calling, and goes on an incredible, soul-stirring adventure to find the meaning of life.
● Chuck Zito: an American Story (Los Angeles Premiere) - Documentary Feature; directed by Dominique Milano. Follow multi-talented and versatile Chuck Zito: boxer, martial arts expert, bodyguard, stunt man, actor, and ex-president of the New York Hells Angels club. Featuring Sylvester Stallone, Dean Winters, Pamela Anderson, Chazz Palminteri, James Caan, Ron Perlman, Tony Danza, Andrew Dice Clay, Vincent Pastore and more.
● My Divorce Party (Los Angeles Premiere) - Feature, directed by Heidi Weitzer.
Divorcee Xan gathers her close friends to celebrate her impending split, only to reveal she intends to burn her divorce settlement money to start fresh. Chaos ensues as each friend has a wildly different opinion on what Xan should do. Starring Rumer Willis, Kimia Behpoornia, Dionne Gipson
● Bau, Artist at War (Los Angeles Premiere) - Feature; directed by Sean McNamara.
The inspiring love story of Joseph Bau, artist, forger, holocaust survivor. Using his artistic skills, humor and hope in the camps, Joseph stays alive and helps hundreds to escape. Miraculously, he finds love in the midst of despair. Starring Emile Hirsch, Inbar Lavi, Josh Zuckerman, Michael Benyaer.
● Murder at Hollow Creek (World Premiere) - Feature; directed by David Lipper.
A disbarred lawyer and his eccentric brother attempt to pull off the robbery of a lifetime but find
themselves in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a disgruntled Serbian mobster. Starring Jason Patric, Mickey Rourke, Jessica Lord, Casper Van Dien, Penelope Ann Miller, Jason London, Jeremy London.
● And You Are? (Los Angeles Premiere) - Short; directed by Alicia Coppola.
Lynn, a grandmother suffering from Alzheimer's only has the past to prove she exists. Her grandson Max, desperately wants to erase his past as it never proved his true existence. Starring Jane Seymour, Diana Lu, Zack Barack
● ME (World Premiere) - Feature; directed by Jefery Levy.
A down and out actress secretly sells a reality show about her friend, a delusional eccentric, a once famous creator of reality shows, who now believes that his entire life is being filmed by hidden cameras and that he is the star of his very own reality show. Starring Steve Agee, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Julian Sands, Molly Ringwald, Sam Trammel, Susan Taylor
● Finding Serenity (Los Angeles Premiere) - Short; directed by Kim Richards (The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett) Becca (Emily Swallow) is a strong willed woman who has her life together, except for her feelings. One afternoon, when faced with a memory of her lost brother, Becca battles her emotions leading her into a journey of what was.
● The Flip Side (West Coast/Los Angeles Premiere)- Shor; directed by Sophie Worm
In a 1973 hospital nursery, a new mother has second thoughts about a done-deal adoption, while a strange woman tries to convince her to take the baby and run.
Opening Night films will be immediately followed by the Official Opening Night After Party at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Tropicana Pool/Bar at 9:30pm.
2024 BHFF HIGHLIGHTS
● Wrong Numbers (World Premiere - Thurs, May 2)- Feature, directed by Duane Edwards
After a disastrous blind date, Emma strikes up a conversation with Jack. They stumble into a one-night stand that turns out complicated and destructive. Starring David Kelsey, Emily Hall.
● Bleecker (Los Angeles Premiere - Thurs, May 2)- Feature; directed by Edith Hagigi
BLEECKER tells the intertwining stories of a motley of characters in NYC’s Village. The straight face in this pack is Maya, who has come to The Big Apple to find her place in this world. Starring Bob Ari, Alicia Crowder, Tovah Feldshuh, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor and Callie Thorne
● Joe Baby (World Premiere - Thurs, May 2) Feature - Action/Thriller; directed by Steven Brand, produced by David Lipper. A money collector for a private investigator is hired to track down 10 million dollars stolen in a dodgy real estate deal, opening a complex can of worms. Starring Ron Perlman, Willa Fitzgerald, Harvey Keitel, Jason London
● Mississippi Scholar (World Premiere - Thurs, May 2) - Feature; directed by Marcus Bleecker, written and produced by PJ Leonard. This film reveals the impediments one underprivileged intellectual must overcome to realize his dreams of the future. Starring Obba Babatunde, Shannon Brown, Lance E. Nichols
● The Lost Princess (World Premiere - Thurs, May 2) - Feature, directed by Hicham Hajji.
Plot: Alec Touati discovers his true destiny when he stumbles upon a haunted castle with a tragic love story. With Nassim and Hana's help, he fights to protect the castle's legacy and fulfill his ancestral purpose. Starring Eric Roberts, Robert Knepper, Cillian O’Sullivan, Irma Lake
● Camera (Los Angeles Premiere - Fri, May 3) - Feature; directed by Jay Silverman;
Heartwarming story following OSCAR, a 9-year-old boy who cannot speak — who has just moved with his widowed mom to a struggling fishing town. Picked on and bullied, nobody realizes that Oscar sees great beauty, until a broken film camera brings him together with Eric (Beau Bridges), an eccentric old repairman. Starring Beau Bridges, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Bruce Davison, Scotty Tovar, Ross Partridge, Jorge-Luis Pallo, and introducing Miguel Gabriel
● Love and Taxes (Los Angeles Premiere - Fri, May 3) - Feature; directed by Ken Feiberg and Craig Tollis, Written by Lloyd J. Schwartz (writer/producer of The Brady Bunch), starring Jake Reiner & Alexis Abrams. In this unique 70s romance, an unconventional story between a CPA and a waitress. Their connection? An annual meeting under the guise of preparing her taxes. Yet with each passing year these sessions evolve into much more than number crunching "Love and Taxes is totally unique. It's so difficult to find a new way to make a romantic comedy, but Ken Feinberg has done it." - Rob Reiner.
● Another Happy Day (Los Angeles Premiere - Fri, May 3) - Feature; directed and written by Nora Fiffer This new mom feels truly terrible at taking care of her newborn, as she stumbles through her days. On her desperate search for a friend, she tumbles into an unlikely bond with an estranged aunt-in-law she never knew. Starring Lauren Lapkus, Carrie Coon, Mike Castle
● I Built a Ukrainian Inside Myself (World Premiere - Sat, May 4) - Documentary, directed by David Van Hooser. There is a war for humanity going on behind the bombs and bullets of Russia’s war against Ukraine. A journey to Ukraine following the Russian invasion reveals how everyday people quickly created ways to feed, house and serve the millions looking for sanctuary from the hostility. With cast Christina Katrakis and Roman Kudlay
AWARDS
The BHFF Jury judges for the following categories: Golden Palm Award (best film in all categories); Best Feature; Best Documentary; Best Short Film; Best Director of Photography; Best Editor; and the Golden Palm Screenplay Competition Award. Audience Choice Awards include Best Feature; Best Documentary; Best Short Film; Best Director; Best Male Performance; Best Female Performance; Best Producer; Best Screenplay; and Best Animation.
EVENTS & EDUCATION
Along with the abundance of great films presented at the Beverly Hills Film Festival®, the Festival also allows attendees unprecedented access to the collective wealth of talent and experience through a variety of expert panel presentations, discussions, workshops, and seminars. Renowned directors, producers, writers, cinematographers, and actors will give festival attendees a unique glimpse into the fascinating world of filmmaking and screenplay writing on a professional level.
A full schedule of panels and presentations will be available at beverlyhillsfilmfestival.com
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