FRIDAY OCT 20, AT FROGGY’S
T H E 2 0 2 3 T O P A N G A F I L M F E S T I V A L
In these surreal times, the Topanga Film Festival celebrates its 18th edition as a gravitational hub of open-mindedness, dialogue, and storytelling. Under this year’s theme, “UNREEL: Keeping it real in an unreal Gworld” we will explore the unique challenges and opportunities presented by our current moment. Join us for groundbreaking films, scintillating panels, comedic interludes, and legendary afterparties, all for your inspired pleasure!
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THE ELEPHANTS AND THE GRASS
FRIDAY OCT 20, 11:00-1:00 PM at Froggy’s
RUNTIME: 1:43:00
SOUTH SUDAN
Directors: Beau Rosario, Brandon Gulish
Twelve-year-old Shamira Muhammed recounts the difficult decision she and her mother must make when facing certain death in South Sudan. They choose to trek the 100 miles of brutal terrain in hopes that they will find a new life in a refugee camp in Uganda. Failed murder attempts, weeks in the harsh African bush, and unthinkable abuse on dangerous dirt roads cause them to consider if a violent death in their own home would have been a more humane choice.
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Complete list coming soon.
FRIDAY OCT 20, 1:00 - 3:00 PM at Froggy’s
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BETWEEN THE RAINS
FRIDAY OCT 20, 3:00-5:00PM at Froggy’s
RUNTIME: 1:21:00:
KENYA
Directors: Moses Thuranira, Andrew H. Brown
Filmed with stunning cinematography over four years, Between the Rains explores a childhood caught within a traditional culture that is a casualty of climate change. With unprecedented and intimate access to the Turkana people, this moving coming-of-age story reveals the grave threats facing one of the world's oldest communities.
FRIDAY OCT 20, 5-7PM AT FROGGY’S
Followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers
Directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal
UnCharitable
A first of its kind documentary film with Edward Norton, Dan Pallotta, the founders of Invisible Children, Wounded Warrior Project, Last Mile Health, Charity:Water, the heads of the Ford Foundation, TED, The Bridgespan Group, The Nature Conservancy, No Kid Hungry, One Love Foundation, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, United Way of Greater Atlanta, and more.
FRIDAY OCT, 20 7-10PM AT FROGGY’S
Followed by a Q&A with Rachel Ward
Directed by Rachel Ward
Rachel’s Farm
In this triumphant film, director and actress Rachel Ward voyages from her own wilful ignorance about the ecological impacts of conventional agriculture, to championing a movement to restore the health of our farmland, food and climate and in doing so the wellbeing of the farming communities that sustain the nation, and ourselves. Rachel's Farm is for anyone who cares about how their food is produced, how degraded our soils have become, and the changing role of women on farms.
SATURDAY OCT 21, 1-3PM AT FROGGY’S
Followed by a Q&A with director Colin Gray, Megan Raney Aarons, Jamila Fairley and Dr. king
Directed by Colin Gray
UNZIPPED: An Autopsy of American Inequality
From the award-winning writer & director, Colin K. Gray, produced by The Sibs and executive produced by Lucy Liu, UNZIPPED: An Autopsy of American Inequality is a searing exposé of the growing affordable housing crisis in America.
This intimate feature documentary focuses on one of the country's most iconic and income divided zip codes, Venice CA 90291. Once a mecca for artists, outsiders and a thriving black community, Venice is now the frontline for America's heated battles over gentrification, lack of affordable housing, and homelessness.
With moving, personal profiles of several artist families who struggle to remain in their neighborhood, to bitterly contested community fights over a proposed homeless shelter, UNZIPPED explodes stereotypes and humanizes the lived experiences of people caught in the crossfire of America's growing housing divide.
SATURDAY OCT, 21 7-10PM AT FROGGY’S
Followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers
Directed by Joshua Tickell & Rebecca Harrell Tickell
COMMON GROUND
Common Ground is the highly anticipated sequel to the juggernaut success documentary, Kiss the Ground, which touched over 1 billion people globally and inspired the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to put $20 billion toward soil health. By fusing journalistic expose’ with deeply personal stories from those on the front lines of the food movement, Common Ground unveils a dark web of money, power, and politics behind our broken food system. The film reveals how unjust practices forged our current farm system in which farmers of all colors are literally dying to feed us. The film profiles a hopeful and uplifting movement of white, black, and indigenous farmers who are using alternative “regenerative” models of agriculture that could balance the climate, save our health, and stabilize America’s economy – before it’s too late.
SUNDAY OCT 22, 5-7PM AT FROGGY’S
Followed by a Q&A with Moby, Lindsay Hicks and Bagel
Directed by Moby
the/a Punk Rock Vegan Movie
Moby has been a vegan and vegan activist for 35 years. He grew up in and around New York City and played guitar with Connecticut and NYC hardcore band, The Vatican Commandos. He also sang with Flipper for two days, even though none of the remaining members of Flipper actually remember this. He loves making music, but his life's work is helping to create a world wherein animals and all sentient beings simply are free to live their own lives.
This movie was created to shine a light on the surprising and inspiring history of punk rock and animal rights, but also to remind people of the importance and desperate urgency of adopting the uncompromising ethics and actions of the original punk rock activists.
TFF DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
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BOOM A film about the Sonics
THURSDAY OCT 19, 11:00 - 1:00 PM at Froggy’s
RUNTIME: 01:24:00
USA
Director: Jordan Albertsen
Boom tells the untold story of one of rock 'n' roll's wildest and most influential bands, The Sonics. For the first time ever, all five original members of the band tell the true story of how it all went down, beginning to end. 'Boom' takes a deep dive, exploring how a relatively unknown band from the Pacific Northwest.Featuring interviews with homegrown heroes and breakthrough artists alike, Pearl Jam, The Sex Pistols, Heart, Mudhoney, and many, many more
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DOWNWIND
THURSDAY OCT 19, 3:00 - 5:00 PM at Froggy’s
RUNTIME: 1:36:27
USA
Directors: Mark Samuel Shapiro, Douglas Brian Miller
Hiroshima. Nagasaki. Mercury, Nevada? The latter was the site for the testing of 928 large-scale nuclear weapons from 1951 to 1992. Martin Sheen narrates this harrowing exposé of the United States' disregard for everyone living… downwind.
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SPEED IS EXPENSIVE
THURSDAY OCT 19, 5:00 - 7:00 PM at Froggy’s
RUNTIME: 1:18:10
UNITED KINGDOM
Director: David Lancaster
Speed is Expensive tells the story of the man behind this machine: Philip Vincent. His creations would become the most admired and collected motorcycles in the world. But his devotion to speed cost him his fortune and his career. Set in France and the USA, to the UK and Australia. Ewan McGregor narrates – Former Clash bassist Paul Simonon and TV presenter Jay Leno feature extensively.
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THE ELEPHANTS AND THE GRASS
FRIDAY OCT 20, 11:00-1:00 PM at Froggy’s
RUNTIME: 1:43:00
SOUTH SUDAN
Directors: Beau Rosario, Brandon Gulish
Twelve-year-old Shamira Muhammed recounts the difficult decision she and her mother must make when facing certain death in South Sudan. They choose to trek the 100 miles of brutal terrain in hopes that they will find a new life in a refugee camp in Uganda. Failed murder attempts, weeks in the harsh African bush, and unthinkable abuse on dangerous dirt roads cause them to consider if a violent death in their own home would have been a more humane choice.
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BETWEEN THE RAINS
FRIDAY OCT 20, 3:00-5:00PM at Froggy’s
RUNTIME: 1:21:00:
KENYA
Directors: Moses Thuranira, Andrew H. Brown
Filmed with stunning cinematography over four years, Between the Rains explores a childhood caught within a traditional culture that is a casualty of climate change. With unprecedented and intimate access to the Turkana people, this moving coming-of-age story reveals the grave threats facing one of the world's oldest communities.
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RACHEL'S FARM
FRIDAY OCT 20, 7:00 - 10:00 PM at Froggy’s
RUNTIME: 1:31:00
AUSTRALIA
Director: Rachel Ward
In this triumphant film, director and actress Rachel Ward voyages from her own willful ignorance about the ecological impacts of conventional agriculture, to championing a movement to restore the health of our farmland, food and climate and in doing so the wellbeing of the farming communities that sustain the nation, and ourselves. Rachel's Farm is for anyone who cares about how their food is produced, how degraded our soils have become, and the changing role of women on farms.
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VICORIAN QUEENS
SATURDAY OCT 21, 11:00 - 1:00 PM at Froggy’s
RUNTIME: 45:00
AUSTRALIA
Directors: Joseph Gardner, Andrew Cox
Influenced by the 1990 cult documentary Paris Is Burning, Victorian Queens explores the significance of Naarm's queer geographies and the drag queens who rule them.
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UNZIPPED An Autopsy of American Inequality
SATURDAY OCT 21, 1:00 - 3:00 PM at Froggy’s
RUNTIME 1:30:00
USA
Director: Colin K. Gray
UNZIPPED An Autopsy of American Inequality is a searing exposé of the growing affordable housing crisis in America. Set in one of the country’s most affluent and income divided zip codes, iconic Venice CA 90291, the film humanizes the lived experiences of two families struggling to survive in their rapidly gentrifying neighborhood.
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AMERICAN POT STORY: Oaksterdam
SATURDAY OCT 21, 3:00- 5:00PM at Froggy’s
RUNTIME: 1:36:56
USA
Directors: Ravit Markus, Dan Katzir
WINNER OF THE AUDIENCE AWARD AT SLAMDANCE 2023, American Pot Story: Oaksterdam is a documentary about how change transpires in America. The account of "a small group of concerned committed citizens" (to quote Margaret Mead) who took a huge risk in order to bring about a massive shift in public perception.
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THE DOG AND THE DUCK
SATURDAY OCT 21, 1:00 - 3:00 PM at Corazón
RUNTIME: 1:08:10
USA
Director: Silvia Gallini
Director Silvia Gallini recalls her personal life-changing journey with Joe Blaustein, an expressionistic artist in his eighties who transformed her view of life, of art and of feminine beauty. Through a choir of Joe's students' original and raw artwork and their stories emerges the power of a real teacher, one who is able to help each individual's hidden voice emerge and give shape and color to one's most authentic self.
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PERIODICAL
SUNDAY OCT 22, 2:30 - 3:30PM at Froggy’s
RUNTIME: 1:35:00
USA
Director: Lina Lyte Plioplyte
This documentary that tells the unexpected story of the human body by exploring the marvel and mystery of the menstrual cycle. Periodical includes interviews with experts, activists, doctors, journalists, and celebrities including Gloria Steinem, Megan Rapinoe, Naomi Watts and Anna Konkle. Directed by Emmy-Award winner Lina Lyte Plioplyte (Advanced Style), the feature documentary is told through innovative mixed media storytelling for everyone who wants to know more about the menstrual cycle, and especially for those who don’t.
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the/a Punk Rock vegan Movie
SUNDAY OCT 22, 5:00 - 7:00 PM at Froggy’s
RUNTIME: 1:30:38
USA
Director: Moby
Moby has been a vegan and vegan activist for 35 years. He grew up in and around New York City and played guitar with Connecticut and NYC hardcore band, The Vatican Commandos. He also sang with Flipper for two days, even though none of the remaining members of Flipper actually remember this. He loves making music, but his life's work is helping to create a world wherein animals and all sentient beings simply are free to live their own lives.This movie was created to shine a light on the surprising and inspiring history of punk rock and animal rights, but also to remind people of the importance and desperate urgency of adopting the uncompromising ethics and actions of the original punk rock activists.