LA Happenings: RAW Film Festival Gets Fresh With Shorts

From late night restaurants to bookstores and galleries hidden within parks, train stations and other public spaces, Pop-up culture seems to be both a remedy for and proponent of our digital age. It would only be a matter of time then that the catchy term would tumble into the film world, specifically the film festival realm. The folks behind the artist support organization RAW: natural born artists are using "pop-up" to describe the first annual RAW Film Festival, which is set to bow this Sunday, April 24th at Echo Park's Bootleg Theater.

At first glance, a showcase for high-concept, award winning short films (like Drew Mylrea's Next Door, pictured above) from both Los Angeles based filmmakers and their international brethren, RAWFF doesn't want to be anything but typical. Festival founder and director Nick Night states: "LA is 'the city of cities', it's neighborhoods are so disparate that it's often hard to discern what we have in common, culturally and artistically. That's why RAW Film festival is focused on local filmmakers. 35 out of the 40 filmmakers who's films we're showing live and create in Southern California. There is so much amazing independent work to draw from."

In addition to being an incubator and network link for local filmmakers, RAWFF will be offering room for artists from multiple disciplines and mediums the opportunity to play, interact and share. This includes the work of photographer Ryan Schude, VR experience from New Deal Studios, Lithic VR, and Perception2, as well as a dance performance from WHYTEBERG and sets from musicians Kayla Briët, Neonderthal and The Employment.

Get an eyeful of things to come with the fest trailer below. For more info and to purchase tickets visit RAWFF's site here.