Cinemartini’s Inaugural Screening Event

Cinemartini’s inaugural screening event was held December 13th at the R bar in Koreatown, here is Los Angeles. The event was a huge success, with over 50 submissions for films. We chose the 8 films that best represented a cross section of films being made today, and the filmmakers got a chance to network with the other industry professionals in attendance, all over some amazing cocktails prepared by the R Bar staff. I want to give a big shout out to Dan Lawler, Leta Lucy, and my partner, Laura Ramirez, for helping to make the night a a huge success. View The Gallery Here

While the initial idea of Cinemartini was born out of an observation for the need to provide more opportunities for filmmakers to “four wall” their films, the actual event was much more than that. People had a chance to see films in a relaxed setting with new friends, and the intimate nature of the event (along with the cocktails I’m sure) helped to lower inhibitions and get people talking about the the current state of independent film, both here in Los Angeles, and abroad. I overheard discussions about the rise in production value of foreign films, best business practices for viral marketing on less than a shoe string budget, and several comments about the tasty baked treats provided by my wife, Natalie.

And speaking of four walling, I’m proud to announce that several of the films shown that night have been accepted to IMDB.

The next event will be Thursday, January 17th. We’ve already began receiving submissions and I’m looking forward to announcing the official selections soon.