The La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival is adding some new elements for its seventh annual installment, to take place Thursday through Saturday, July 28 to 30, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 700 Prospect St. in La Jolla.
The first new item, to be unveiled July 28, includes a series of art installations with international creators, featuring San Francisco-based Mexican artist Antonio Contreras, who won the festival’s Best Actor award in 2015 for “Ay Jose.” His artwork includes a collection of three 9-foot by 11-foot murals representing his fashion legacy. The first pays homage to fresco painter Diego Rivera, with costumes by Benito Santos. The second is a tribute to Europe, with homage to Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali and including clothing by European designers such as Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli and Christian Dior. The third represents the United States, specifically the Golden Age of Cinema and Tom Ford, Contreras’ favorite American designer, with Madonna’s song “Vogue” as backdrop.
The multi-talented Contreras has been creating artwork since age 10. The process he uses for creating the murals begins with the concept drawn on paper and then enlarging the picture. The next step is painting with watercolors and treating them like oils by adding very little water. The last coat is done with acrylics. I asked him how long the process takes and he said, “The first mural took 80 hours to finish.” These pieces of artwork will be displayed outside the Festival and will be interactive as they may be used as a media wall. I asked Contreras about “All about J,” his new film for the festival. “This will be a world premiere,” he said, “and is an international collaboration with Mercedes Benz Fashion Week on Mexico City. It is about a famous movie star, played by Rhodessa Jones, who has an affair with her co-star, and from there everything goes awry.” Developments for this year’s festival also include a video installation, along with vintage costuming, from the iconic world of Hollywood fashion. There also will be a world premiere of a 3-D Brazilian film. Look for more onstage live musical performances during the screening programs.
This festival will be filled with awesome screenings, red carpet celebrities, awards, press receptions, industry networking and afterparties. For more, see ljfff.com. UPCOMING EVENTS
Thursday June 9: Hats Off to the Del Mar Races. Ralph Lauren celebrates Lauren icons and couture millinery by Diana Cavagnaro for opening day at the races, located at 7830 Girard Ave., 4-7 p.m. RSVP to Blair Rutledge at [email protected].
Thursday-Saturday, July 28-30: La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival at Museum of Contemporary Art, 700 Prospect St. July 28, unveiling of art installations at 6 p.m.; July 29, screenings and afterparty at 8 p.m.; July 30, seminars and panels, matinee screening, Red Carpet, IFFA Award presentation and Gala afterparty at noon. Diana Cavagnaro is an internationally renowned couture milliner based in the Gaslamp Quarter. Learn more about this hat designer, teacher and blogger at DianaCavagnaro.com.