The Los Angeles Film Festival announced today that Grammy Award-winning platinum artist and actor, Common, will serve as this year’s Artist in Residence. The 2008 Los Angeles Film Festival takes place in Westwood Village from Thursday, June 19 – Sunday, June 29.

In his role as Artist in Residence, Common has programmed a sidebar of films that have inspired his work: Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction and Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Common will also participate in a pre-Festival Conversation on Monday, June 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Majestic Crest Theatre (1262 Westwood Boulevard) in Westwood.  The event is free and open to the public.

“We are thrilled to have Common as this year’s Artist in Residence,” said Festival Director, Rich Raddon. “His vision is eclectic and far-reaching, and aligns itself perfectly with what the Los Angeles Film Festival offers to audiences in Los Angeles.”

Common stars in the Festival’s Opening Night Film, Universal Pictures’ Wanted, from director Timur Bekmambetov, alongside actors James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann, and Angelina Jolie.

The Festival also announced that it is implementing numerous changes to produce an eco-friendly, “green” Festival this year, as part of a company-wide greening initiative by Film Independent – the non-profit filmmakers organization that produces the Los Angeles Film Festival, as well as the Spirit Awards.

The Festival has partnered with NBC-Universal, which is a green company, on both Opening and Closing nights of the Festival. The Opening Night premiere of Universal Pictures’ Wanted, as well as the Closing Night premiere of Universal Pictures’ Hellboy II: The Golden Army, will be produced in an eco-friendly fashion.

Changes being made for the overall Festival will impact everything including the use of bio-diesel fueled generators and the recycling of all paper, wood, glass and plastic used at the Festival. Printed materials will be produced on recycled paper using eco-friendly inks, and catering will use organically-grown produce purchased from local farms within a 150-mile radius of Los Angeles. In addition, all carbon emissions created by the production of the 2008 LA Film Festival will be offset by TerraPass, which funds clean energy and carbon reduction projects, including wind power, farm power, and landfill gas capture.

Artist in Residence, Common, is not like most people. In hip hop, he has become one of its most poetic and respected lyricists.  His seventh and most recent album Finding Forever, saw the continuation of his producing partnership with Kanye West and debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. It went on to earn a Grammy award. And while he continues to push the envelope musically (his eighth album, Invincible Summer, is due out in early August), Common also continues to make his mark as an actor, appearing in Smokin’ Aces, American Gangster, Street Kings and the upcoming Universal blockbuster Wanted. He’s currently in production on Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins.

Not busy enough dividing his time between the studio and the set, Common has also launched a popular hat line, called SOJI, working to empower urban youth in the U.S. through his Common Ground Foundation and has written three children’s books that draw on the cultural relevance of hip-hop to communicate a better understanding of self-respect and love to children.

ABOUT THE 2008 LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL

Westwood Village is home to Film Independent’s Los Angeles Film Festival, which runs from Thursday, June 19 – Sunday, June 29. Festival-goers will experience the best of American and international cinema, enjoying more than 230 feature films, shorts, and music videos, as well as Coffee Talks, Poolside Chats, and other special star-studded events. Westwood Village will showcase films and events among various venues, all within walking distance of each other, with ample, convenient parking and easy access to shopping and dining, setting the stage for the biggest Festival yet.

Over the course of 10 days and 11 nights, the public is invited to take advantage of world premieres including independent films and major studio releases, as well as tribute screenings, outdoor movies, celebrity-filled red carpets, and more. Screenings and special events will be held in Westwood at the following locations: Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater At The Geffen Playhouse, AMC Avco 4, The Italian Cultural Institute, The Landmark, Landmark's Regent Theatre, Majestic Crest Theatre, Mann Festival Theatre, Mann Village Theatre, Hammer Museum, Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum, and W Los Angeles – Westwood. Additional offsite event screenings will take place at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood and the California Plaza on Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Film Festival is presented by the Los Angeles Times and is supported by Premier Sponsors – Target, American Express OPEN and Netflix – and by Principal Sponsors – Kodak and IFC. Promotional support is provided by Schawk. Special support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Academy Foundation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the Argyros Foundation. American Airlines is the Official Airline Partner; Movado is the Official Timekeeper; WireImage is the Official Photography Agency of Film Independent; P.R. Newswire is the Official fast breaking news service of Film Independent. The W Los Angeles – Westwood and the Hotel Palomar are the Official hotel partners of the Festival.

Festival passes are available for the general public beginning May 21. Individual tickets are available through phone and online sales beginning June 2. The Festival Ticket Office, located at 1020 Westwood Boulevard, will be open to the public beginning Sunday, June 8, selling both passes and individual tickets.

For event information and tickets, call 866.FILM.FEST (866.345.6337) or visit LAFilmFest.com. Film notes, images, and trailers are available for viewing at LAFilmFest.com now.

ABOUT FILM INDEPENDENT

Film Independent is a non-profit membership organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds the audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry. Anyone passionate about film can become a member, whether you are a filmmaker, film industry leader, or a film lover.

With over 250 annual screenings and events, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry. Film Independent also offers free Filmmaker Labs for selected writers, directors, and producers; provides cut-rate services for filmmakers; and presents year-round networking opportunities. Film Independent’s mentorship and job placement program, Project:Involve, pairs emerging culturally diverse filmmakers with film industry professionals.

Film Independent produces the Los Angeles Film Festival, celebrating the best of American and international cinema, and the Spirit Awards, a celebration honoring films and filmmakers that embody independence and dare to challenge the status quo.

For more information or to become a member, visit FilmIndependent.org