By Valerie Milano
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 2/21/2024 – Filmmakers and guests from around the world will gather this weekend at the world-famous Grove in Los Angeles to enjoy award-winning cinema, screenwriting, and panel events at the Sixth Annual DaVinci International Film Festival (DIFF).
Actor Michael J. Fox will receive the festival’s inaugural Visionary Award, which “celebrates those who dare to dream big, with the unyielding spirit that pushes humanity forward,” according to the DIFF website. Certainly, Fox is the perfect person to receive this honor for the very first time.
“His life’s work, etched with beloved characters on screen, shines as a beacon of artistic mastery,” the festival’s website says of Fox. “But beyond the screen, his steadfast dedication to Parkinson’s research and advocacy showcases his profound commitment to making a difference. He is a true inspiration and a living embodiment of the Visionary Award’s core values.”
Fox will be unable to attend the ceremony in person, but he has graciously accepted his award via prerecorded video that will screen at DaVinci’s Award Ceremony, a festival spokesperson has announced.
The 2024 festival kicks off this Friday night, February 23, with a special screening of feature-length romantic-comedy In Fidelity in Theater 13 at The Grove. After the screening, the film’s stars Dennis Haysbert, Willow Shields and Eve Austin. and writer/director Rob Margolies will be on hand for a Filmmaker Q&A.
Starting Saturday morning at 10 p.m. in the two venues (Festival Theaters A and B, which are Grove 13 and 12, respectively), the festival continues through the weekend, culminating Sunday night with the awards ceremonies.
The festival features competition in six categories: Cinema (Narrative)
Storyline (Screenwriting), DIFFdocs (Documentary), GENiUS (Ultra-Short),
Junior Leo Program (Student), and DaVinci Labs (NGO).
Saturday’s schedule is split into five two-hour film blocks that begin at 10 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:45 p.m. and 7 p.m. and conclude at 9 p.m. Sunday is split into four film blocks starting at 10 a.m. and concluding with the 7 p.m. Awards Ceremonies.
