American Cinematheque Launches Major New L.A. Documentary Festival This Is Not a Fiction (EXCLUSIVE)

The American Cinematheque is kicking off a robust new Los Angeles nonfiction film festival dubbed This Is Not a Fiction, running from April 10-18. The festival opens with docuseries “Thank You, Good Night: The Bon Jovi Story,” with Jon Bon Jovi in-person at the Aero Theatre for the L.A. premiere screening.

The event will include in-person tributes to distinguished documentary filmmakers including Barbara Kopple, Joe Berlinger, Brett Morgen, Bill Morrison, Kirsten Johnson, Terry Zwigoff, Jeff Tremaine and Véréna Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor, as well as a virtual Q&A with Frederick Wiseman.

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Other premieres will include “Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus,” “Power,” “Strong Island,” “Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg,” a restoration of “Lumumba: Death of a Prophet” and “Incident,” plus special presentations of Morgan Neville’s “Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces” and “Girls State.” A celebration of the 15th anniversary of “30 for 30” will feature a panel discussion with VP and executive producer of ESPN Films Marsha Cooke, producer Daniel Silver and filmmakers Kopple, Morgen and Tremaine.

Screenings will take place at all three American Cinematheque venues, the Aero, the Egyptian and the Los Feliz 3, including 42 films and 11 short films with more than 20 filmmakers and subjects attending for Q&As. The program will showcase a broad swath of non-fiction filmmaking, from classics to television programs and experimental works.

“’This Is Not A Fiction’ goes beyond the limits of genre, with the lineup reflecting the boundless possibilities of non-fiction storytelling,” said co-founders Chris LeMaire, Senior Film Programmer, and Cindy Flores, Film Programmer. “The festival is a celebration of non-fiction as a form of filmmaking and its profound impact on our lives, from its influence in art and entertainment to its power in education, political advocacy and social discourse.”

The tribute to Berlinger will include screenings of “Brother’s Keeper” and “Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills.” Berlinger said, “I’m excited to include the work I made with the late Bruce Sinofsky, and it is especially gratifying to screen these archival 35mm prints, giving L.A. audiences the intended experiences on their original celluloid formats.”

April will be a big month for local cinephiles with the first Los Angeles Festival of Movies also launching from April 4-7 at several eastside venues.

See the This Is Not a Fiction lineup below. Ticket information available at the American Cinematheque website.

AERO THEATRE – April 10, 2024 at 7:00pm
THANK YOU, GOODNIGHT: THE BON JOVI STORY
Los Angeles Premiere
Guest(s): Q&A with filmmaker Gotham Chopra and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame frontman Jon Bon Jovi

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 10, 2024 at 7:00pm
BASTARDS OF THE PARTY
Guest(s): Q&A with filmmaker Cle Sloan

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 10, 2024 at 10:00pm
NOSTALGIA FOR THE LIGHT

AERO THEATRE – April 11, 2024 at 7:00pm
LOS ANGELES PLAYS ITSELF
Guest(s): Q&A with filmmaker Thom Andersen

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 11, 2024 at 7:00pm
NOT A PRETTY PICTURE
New restoration courtesy of Janus Films
Guest(s): Q&A with filmmaker Martha Coolidge

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 11, 2024 at 10:00pm
MYSTERIOUS OBJECT AT NOON

EGYPTIAN THEATRE – April 12, 2024 at 7:00pm
30 FOR 30: 15th Anniversary Panel
Guest(s): 15th Anniversary panel with VP and executive producer, ESPN Films, Marsha Cooke, producer Daniel Silver, and filmmakers Barbara Kopple, Brett Morgen, and Jeff Tremaine.

AERO THEATRE – April 12, 2024 at 7:30pm
CRUMB
30th Anniversary! On 35mm
Guest(s): Q&A with filmmaker Terry Zwigoff

EGYPTIAN THEATRE – April 12, 2024 at 10:00pm
TRASH HUMPERS

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 12, 2024 at 7:00pm
GIRLS STATE
Guest(s): Q&A with filmmakers and producers Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss. Moderated by Amy Nicholson.

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 12, 2024 at 10:00pm
SANS SOLEIL

EGYPTIAN THEATRE – April 13, 2024 at 2:00pm
LEVIATHAN / SWEETGRASS
Guests: Q&A with filmmakers Véréna Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor

EGYPTIAN THEATRE – April 13, 2024 at 7:00pm
JACKASS: THE MOVIE
Guests: Q&A with filmmaker Jeff Tremaine

EGYPTIAN THEATRE – April 13, 2024 at 10:00pm
GIMME SHELTER
35mm

AERO THEATRE – April 13, 2024 at 12:00pm
HOMELAND: IRAQ YEAR ZERO
Co-presented by the Arab Film and Media Institute

AERO THEATRE – April 13, 2024 at 7:30pm
HARLAN COUNTY, USA / AMERICAN DREAM
Guests: Q&A with filmmaker Barbara Kopple

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 13, 2024 at 12:30pm
LOST LOST LOST

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 13, 2024 at 4:00pm
BROTHER’S KEEPER
Guest(s): Q&A with filmmaker Joe Berlinger
Joe Berlinger’s personal 35mm print

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 13, 2024 at 10:00pm
CATCHING FIRE: THE STORY OF ANITA PALLENBERG
Guest(s): Pre-recorded Q&A with filmmakers Alexis Bloom and Svetlana Zill

EGYPTIAN THEATRE – April 14, 2024 at 12:00pm
TITICUT FOLLIES
Guest(s): Virtual Q&A with filmmaker Frederick Wiseman

EGYPTIAN THEATRE – April 14, 2024 at 5:00pm
RYUICHI SAKAMOTO | OPUS

EGYPTIAN THEATRE – April 14, 2024 at 7:30pm
PARADISE LOST: THE CHILD MURDERS AT ROBIN HOOD HILLS
Guest(s): Q&A with filmmaker Joe Berlinger
Joe Berlinger’s personal 35mm print

AERO THEATRE – April 14, 2024 at 12:00pm
Science is Fiction: The Films of Jean Painlevé
Program includes:
“Spider Crabs and Macropodia (Hyas and Stenorhynchus)”
“The Sea Horse” (1935)
“Blue Beard” (1936)
“Freshwater Assassins” (1947)
“Sea Urchins” (1954)
“Sea Ballerinas” (1956)
“Shrimp Stories” (1964)
“The Love Life Of The Octopus” (1967)
“Diatoms” (1968)

AERO THEATRE – April 14, 2024 at 3:00pm
STEVE! (MARTIN) A DOCUMENTARY IN 2 PIECES
Guest(s): Q&A with filmmaker Morgan Neville

AERO THEATRE – April 14, 2024 at 7:30pm
DE HUMANI CORPORIS FABRICA / SOMNILOQUIES
Guest(s): Q&A with filmmakers Véréna Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 14, 2024 at 1:00pm
SALESMAN
35mm

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 14, 2024 at 4:00pm
LUMUMBA: DEATH OF A PROPHET

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 14, 2024 at 7:00pm
“Gourmet Baby” / SHIRKERS
Sandi Tan’s personal 35mm print
Guest(s): Q&A with filmmaker Sandi Tan

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 14, 2024 at 10:00pm
RICHARD PRYOR: LIVE IN CONCERT

AERO THEATRE – April 15, 2024 at 7:30pm
KURT COBAIN: MONTAGE OF HECK
Guest(s): Q&A with filmmaker Brett Morgen

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 15, 2024 at 7:00pm
FOREIGN PARTS
Guest(s): Q&A with filmmakers Véréna Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 15, 2024 at 10:00pm
CANIBA
Guest(s): Introduction by filmmakers Véréna Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor

AERO THEATRE – April 16, 2024 at 7:30pm
CAMERAPERSON
Guest(s): Q&A with filmmaker Kirsten Johnson

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 16, 2024 at 7:00pm
“Incident” / DECASIA
L.A. Premiere of “Incident,” winner of Best Short Documentary at the 2023 IDA Documentary Awards
Co-presented by the International Documentary Association
Bill Morrison’s personal 35mm print
Guest(s): Q&A with filmmaker Bill Morrison

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 16, 2024 at 10:00pm
DAWSON CITY: FROZEN TIME
Guest(s): Introduction with filmmaker Bill Morrison

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 17, 2024 at 7:00pm
KANEHSATAKE: 270 YEARS OF RESISTANCE

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 17, 2024 at 10:00pm
TONGUES UNTIED / BLACK IS… BLACK AIN’T

AERO THEATRE – April 18, 2024 at 7:30pm
POWER / STRONG ISLAND
LA Premiere of POWER

Guest(s): Q&A with filmmaker Yance Ford

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 18, 2024 at 7:00pm
LANDSCAPE SUICIDE
Guest(s): Q&A with James Benning

LOS FELIZ 3 – April 18, 2024 at 10:00pm
THIS IS NOT A FILM
Co-presented by Arab Film and Media Institute

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