Las Vegas Weekly

June 4, 2010 · 9:37 AM

Las Vegas International Film Festival gets underway tonight

By Robin Leach

The 3rd Annual Las Vegas International Film Festival starts rolling tonight, and the buzz about the cultural event is growing. Filmmaker Monty Lapica, who started the festival, originally premiered his flicks at the CineVegas Film Festival, and with that event now on hiatus, he’s captured the market for his three days of movies, parties and stars through Sunday headquartered at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Tonight’s opening film is Holy Rollers, a controversial art-house flick about an orthodox Jew in New York City who deals Ecstasy. It was an official selection at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Actors from the film, including Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland), Justin Bartha (The Hangover) and rapper Q-Tip, are scheduled to attend the premiere and opening-night party at The Artisan.

Other stars likely to attend their film screenings include Daniel Baldwin, Willie Garson and Ash Adams. Festival director Milo Kostelecky promises more than 40 films will be shown over the next 72 hours. They include My Run narrated by Billy Bob Thornton, Stealing Second starring Ed Harrison and Quantum Tamers, a documentary about physicist Stephen Hawking. There’s even a short documentary Nourishing the Kids of Katrina narrated by President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, who was at Red Rock Canyon on Tuesday.

Photo: Warner Bros.

Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Justin Bartha in The Hangover.

“We want to promote Las Vegas as a major filmmaking center and showcase a diverse range of films offering something for everyone,” Milo said. “Our mission is to help filmmakers reach the broadest audience possible and to connect with other aspiring filmmakers and industry professionals.”

Our Merry Mayor of Mirth Oscar Goodman is fully supportive: “The Las Vegas International Film Festival has gained international recognition, bringing independent filmmakers, screenplay writers, actors and actresses and fans from around the world to our exciting city. This year’s festival will be spectacular with a great variety of movies.”

Ambhar Tequila is sponsoring the two VIP, invitation-only events in honor of this weekend’s film festival. Five hundred guests are expected for the Artisan celebration complete with the Ambhar Cliffhanger Cocktail and Ambhar Goddess models. Tomorrow’s pool party is at Iron Chef Kerry Simon’s Simon in Palms Place. More than 800 VIP guests and celebrities are expected to enjoy the Ambhar cabana and the Epic Ambhar Margarita, and the bartenders promise to keep the ultra premium five-times-distilled tequila flowing throughout the night.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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