The Venice Fine Arts Film Festival has partnered with the LA Art Show to present a curated selection of films on Thursday, January 28th. Each of the three selections examines a category of art that is represented at the LA Art Show and the Los Angeles Fine Art Show. Both shows take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center from January 27-31, 2016. The film series is free with admission. Space is limited.

12:30pm TIKOTIN - A LIFE DEVOTED TO JAPANESE ART

Documentary from the Netherlands follows a grandson who is in search of the turbulent history of his grandfather Felix Tikotin, a Jewish-German dealer in Japanese art, two World Wars and a series of personal adversities and later a museum of his life’s work in set up on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel.  Twenty-five years after his death, his grandson tries to unravel the story of his grandfather. Behind the success story and the exciting adventures, he finds a family man who cannot prevent his family from falling apart.

2:30pm ROJ FRIBERG - A SINGULAR VISION

Documentary film from the UK explores the life and work of 80 year old Swedish artist, Roj Friberg. Considered by some to be an 'outsider' and others a potential 'Master', Friberg has strong views about the 'eroding' state of society today, and art's place in it.

4:30pm Short Film Program:

IDEAS ARE THAT GRAND: Winner Best Animated Film

Sometime in the future an old man, equipped with the benefits of evolution, survived the extinction of all other living beings. It is a very lonely world for someone unable to die. 'Así de grandes son las ideas' is a collaboration between director/animator Quique Rivera Rivera and multiple Latin Grammy and Grammy Award winner René Pérez Joglar (Calle 13).

SONIA'S STORY: Winner Best Short Film

The short movie is set in Florence in the '70s. It opens with a tribute to the Sergio Leone’s movie “The good, the bad and the ugly”. All children who were born in Italy in the ’60 knew about this film. The Director’s quote from the famous “Triel” is the stylistic device to introduce the story of Sonia from age 11 to adulthood. The spectator gets in touch with the feelings of an entire generation through Sonia's life. That historical and political period in Italy is marked by terrorism and the movie describes the generational conflict of people at that time. Following utopian ideals, some Italian young people renounced their backgrounds and behaved violently. In the film, this behaviour is evoked as Sonia's emotional journey. Due to her actions, she lived a long period of detention, during which time she constructively reviewed her past. Sonia's life is marked by her love for art and beauty, so the Roman amphitheatre in Fiesole where she used to play as a child, welcomes her, at the end of her personal renaissance, finally free.

BIG HEAD: Winner Best Documentary Short Film

The Chilean painter Javier Marticorena receives in his home studio an unexpected visit: "Big Head", an enormous English Mastiff dog. Big Head overnights for a few days, the perfect time to portray it. During this unusual coexistence, the painting work should not only be a test of the relationship between the artist and his model, but also between men and the animal.

The LA Art Show and the Los Angeles Fine Art Show take place from January 27-31, 2016 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, West Hall A & B 1201 South Figueroa Street, 90015. For additional information, visit www.laartshow.com. General admission to the LA Art Show is $20. 

About Venice Institute of Contemporary Art:

The Venice Institute of Contemporary Art (ViCA) is a non-profit arts organization devoted to identifying, protecting and sustaining the history and culture of one of the most important centers of American independent artistic expression. Through its exhibitions, events, research facilities, and education curriculum, targeted to adult and family audiences, ViCA will celebrate the world of art internationally, and most importantly the art and culture of Venice Beach/Southern California. This marks the beginning of a community effort to comprehend the art world through the lens of Venice. www.thefineartsfilmfestival.com