Los Angeles is where aspiring filmmakers come to get their big break and showcase their work to the world. Oftentimes, that break starts with landing in film festivals, where they are then discovered and promoted to a wider audience.
One of those local festivals, the Marina del Rey Film Festival, has been giving indie filmmakers the opportunity to break into show business for the past 11 years. Peter Greene and Jon Gursha started the festival because they saw a need.
“My partner came up with the original idea, because there were no film festivals on the Westside of Los Angeles, where we both lived and worked,” Greene said. “[We] celebrate and promote independent film here in LA and around the world.”
Among the movies playing at the festival, which this year runs from June 8 to 14, are two films with Jewish themes: “Witness,” a short documentary about the story of Lublin/Majdanek Concentration Camp, and comedian Daniel Lobell’s “Reconquistador!” which is about him going back to Spain to perform comedy and trace his Sephardic roots. The films are going to be screened at Cinemark 18 and XD on Center Drive.
At a time when people are staying home instead of going to the movies, Greene is advocating for in-person showings. “[We want] to promote the film theater experience,” Greene, who also ran the Silicon Beach Film Festival and Golden State Film Festival, said. “It’s easy to stream films in your own home or even on a smartphone, but there’s nothing like seeing a film in a quality movie theater with excellent projection and great sound. All of our festivals are in high quality venues, which we believe is still the best way to see a film.”
Greene grew up in a Jewish home in New York City, and he’s been working in television and film since he was in high school. After attending film school, he was a production assistant on commercials. From there, he worked in production, development, marketing and promotion, and produced a dozen different film and TV projects, from low budget cult films to studio features.
What initially sparked his love of film, he said, was “growing up in and around New York City, which is such a fertile place for film and culture. From there, [I was exposed] to even more of it in college.”
Running the festival ties into the Jewish values that Greene admires and practices. “The Judaism I practice is very open and welcoming, and that’s what our festivals are all about,” he said. “We give filmmakers the opportunity to screen their stories on the big screen, from issue-oriented documentaries to pure entertainment.”
At the Marina del Rey Film Festival, Greene picks what submissions to screen based on the quality of the storytelling. “Film is a wonderful medium to tell stories,” he said. “Today, more than ever, it’s easier to do in a high quality manner. We have shown feature films that were shot on iPhones that are extremely engaging.”
While it may be easier than ever to shoot a film thanks to smartphones, according to Greene, it’s even more difficult to get exposure because of all the content that’s out there.
While it may be easier than ever to shoot a film thanks to smartphones, according to Greene, it’s even more difficult to get exposure because of all the content that’s out there, with a number of platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and streaming services competing for viewers’ attention. With his festival, he’s grateful to give up-and-coming filmmakers a chance to shine.
He said, “Our goal is to help independent filmmakers promote their work and get it out into the world to experience.”
The Marina del Rey Film Festival will take place June 8th-14th. Learn more and purchase tickets at Marinadelreyfilmfestival.com.
