Hollywood Life
July-August 2003

WORLD-CLASS CINEMA

THIS SPRING, THE ARCLIGHT CINEMAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS A CULTURAL MELTING POT WITH SEVERAL INTERNATIONALLY FLAVORED GATHERINGS

A week long Exhibition of Russian Cinema at the ArcLight on Sunset had more oomph than one would expect. Sponsored by former; Russian rock star Stas Namin, it featured over 30 films spanning the century and included work by Sergei Eisenstein, Mikhail Kalatozov and Andrei Tarkovsky. Better still, it exhibited an impressive cache of Eisenstein's drawings and production stills as well as vintage posters dating back to the 1920s. Being more of an art form than a marketing tool, the posters tempted collectors—but none could be bought. A pity.
Taking it all in was Leonardo DiCaprio, who dropped by to collect Tower Award for his contribution to world cinema and introduce a screening of Eisenstein's Battleship Potcmkin. "I respect Russian culture and Russian cinema, especially Eisenstein, Tarkovsky and Paradzhanov," said DiCaprio, who attended with his parents and his Russian immigrant grandmother, Yelena Smirnova.
Having also opened its doors to the L.A. Italian: Film Awards and the Indian Film Festival, the ArcLight is adding a welcome cosmopolitan touch to the newly rejuvenated Hollywood area.  

By Daniel Dav