Film festival grows into new space

Las Vegas Hilton to host annual event this weekend

SPECIAL TO VIEWJesse Eisenberg, right, stars in "Holy Rollers," which will make its Las Vegas premiere this weekend during the Las Vegas Film Festival. Advertisement

The Las Vegas Film Festival returns for its third annual event Friday through Sunday, but this year it changes venues, moving from the Boulder Strip to the Las Vegas Hilton.

"A lot of it had to do with looking for a more centrally located venue," said Milo Kostelecky, the Las Vegas Film Festival's director of operations. "We're in some really big showrooms that are a better setting for the screening process. It's a great place. The Hilton has been testing premieres in their main showroom for the past six months. We were very impressed. They have the sound system and the digital equipment that we're happy to see."

The event is scheduled to feature more than 40 films from big Hollywood films such as the Las Vegas premiere of "Holy Rollers" to local student films.

Because CineVegas is on hiatus, the Las Vegas Film Festival now has opportunities it previously might not have had.

"It's allowed us to reach out through the community and create alliances and partnerships that we haven't had in the past," Kostelecky said. "This is our second year with (the College of Southern Nevada), but this year we have work by UNLV students, as well."

In addition, the festival has brought in the Nevada Film Office, which plans to spread the word about what it does. It has a promotional alliance with the Las Vegas School of Film.

The Las Vegas Film Festival has donated tickets to KNPR-FM and the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Nevada for auction. It also distributed tickets to the caregivers at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and plans to do something with its latest charity, the After-School All-Stars.

"I think it's more of a community approach to helping out our local nonprofits," Kostelecky said.

The festival opens with "Holy Rollers," which stars Jesse Eisenberg, fresh off his breakout role in last year's "Zombieland." The story is based on a true story about Hasidic Jews recruited as drug mules to smuggle Ecstasy.

"We're very excited about it all," Kostelecky said. "We've got a wide variety of films this year. We've got some great documentaries, some things people probably aren't expecting. It's going to be a great year for the festival and the community."

There are a variety of viewing and party packages available at lvflimfest.com. An All-Access VIP pass is $100, the opening night showing of "Holy Rollers" is $8, and $10 will cover the closing-night award ceremony. Actors from "Holy Rollers" are set to attend both events.

Contact Sunrise and Whitney View reporter F. Andrew Taylor at ataylor@viewnews.com or 380-4532.