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In a congested festival marketplace—and a tough year—the American Film Institute's 23-year-old A.F.I. Fest is offering free tickets to all festival screenings this week. A.F.I. and presenting sponsor Audi made the move this year to supply complimentary tickets to the screenings, including a limited number of seats at the evening shows and galas, including the festival's opening and closing nights.

The idea is known as "See a Film on Us," and as part of the plan, organizers reduced the number of feature films from about 100 to about 60, and short films by half to about 25; all seats are fully committed under the new plan, an attractive arrangement for sponsors. MORE >>

American Film Institute, A.F.I. Fest, Audi, American Film Market

FEATURE 02.16.09 8:00 AM

Southern California's Top Entertainment & Media Events 2009

SAG Awards
Photo: James Sequenzia

1. Academy Awards
In a town cluttered with award shows, the Oscars always end up at the top of the heap, unrivaled for glitter, buzz, and packed after-parties. The 2009 event—the 81st annual—will hit the Kodak Theater on February 22 and will be broad-cast live on ABC. MORE >>

Southern California's Top 100 Events, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Recording Academy, Screen Actors Guild, Film Independent, Environmental Media Association, American Film Institute, Women in Film, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Glaad, N.A.A.C.P., BET

FEATURE 02.29.08 7:29 PM

Southern California's Top Entertainment Industry Events 2008

The Environmental Media Awards
Photo: Alex Berliner/Berliner Studios/BEImages

1. Academy Awards
The most ballyhooed shindig of the entertainment year, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences’ Oscars take place at the Kodak Theatre. Vanity Fair generally has a lock on the most coveted after-party, but the magazine canceled its 2008 event in the wake of the Writers Guild strike, leaving Elton John's AIDS fund-raiser as this year's most high-profile Oscar bash. Sequoia Productions is the longtime producer of the academy’s official Governors Ball. The 80th annual show was held on February 24. MORE >>

Southern California's Top 100 Events, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, DirecTV, People Magazine, ET, Recording Academy, Warner Brothers, Sony, Film Independent, Screen Actors Guild, American Film Institute, Environmental Media Association, Toyota, Goldenvoice, Women in Film, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, American Cinematheque, The Los Angeles Times, Glaad, N.A.A.C.P., Starz, BET

INFLUENCES 10.29.07 11:53 AM

AFI Film Fest Bows This Week

Artist Someguy cuts a journal cover in Andrea Kreuzhage's documentary 1,000 Journals.
Photo: Andrea-K Productions Inc.

Entering its 21st year, the American Film Institute’s film festival returns on Thursday, showcasing the best in new international cinema in addition to hosting its yearly film competition for emerging filmmakers. Making its North American premiere, Canadian Bruce McDonald’s visually innovative film The Tracey Fragments has a soundtrack courtesy of Canadian indie rock collective Broken Social Scene. Also on the lineup are artist Julian Schnabel’s Cannes award-winner The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (depicting the life of paralyzed French Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby) and the art documentary 1,000 Journals. The festival comes to a close on November 11. —Andi Teran

American Film Institute