La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival

La Jolla

International Fashion Film Festival

text by JenniFer Moulaison

The classic glamour of Hollywood film society has always paired splendidly with the pinnacle of haute couture fashion. Today, the new genre of the fashion film is considered by many to be the most integral part of a fashion brand’s advertising campaign. Among the palm-lined streets of sunny, coastal La Jolla, an important fashion and film festival has quickly evolved into what is described as the Cannes Film Festival meets New York Fashion Week. Those who appreciate great films as much as the stunning ensembles showcased within them, eagerly mark their calendars for the La Jolla International Fashion Film Festival (LJIFFF), which takes place each year at the end of July. Chosen for its environmental similarities to that of Cannes, La Jolla’s moderate climate and dramatic setting, complements the beauty of the fashion industry and their films. It might be difficult not to be upstaged by some of the most picturesque Pacific coastline California has to offer, but the LJIFFF holds its own and continues to gain momentum and recognition as the largest gathering of fashion film professionals. This is no small feat considering just a decade ago, the concept of the fashion film didn’t exist the way it does today. What began as a novelty and means for only the most avant-garde fashion houses to surprise their audience while showcasing and marketing their freshest designs, quickly became a new standard for all designers. Now in its sixth year, the event takes place at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego and draws a global audience of many highly respected names among the fashion and film industries. The festival is fueled by the remarkable short fashion films, created by talented directors worldwide. Fred Sweet, founder of the LJIFFF, felt these individuals deserved an outlet where they could be recognized for their efforts. “I have seen six minute fashion films more provoking and engaging than 90 minute feature films,” says Sweet. Early on, he anticipated the growth and success of this unique art movement. Offering two days of film screenings, seminars lead by influential names in fashion and film, dazzling after-parties, press receptions, and an awards ceremony, the LJIFFF has all the defining characteristics of a high profile event. But what would a film festival be without a red carpet? LJIFFF’s red carpet affords guests and celebrities the chance to be interviewed by the world’s press. Also featured on the carpet, are a selection of garments and collection pieces from nominated films, displayed to showcase talented fashion designers’ creativity and craftsmanship. The LJIFFF has seen some exceptional highlights in past festivals such as hosting the world’s first Karl Lagerfeld fashion film retrospective with many of his early works. The films nominated for the LJIFFF award ceremony are chosen very carefully and thoughtfully. “We review over 11,000 films during the process,” says Sweet. “The final number of nominated films usually winds up around 75 screened over two days and all the big brands are represented along with the best and most creative directors.” With 15 award categories, the LJIFFF hosts one of the largest film festival juries to vote and judge the films. Not just glitz and glamour, the festival also supports a worthy cause with its partner, the United Nations’ Ethical Fashion Initiative. This project connects micro-communities of artisans to the international value chain of ethical garment production. This group of ethically concerned and highly capable individuals are working to provide a fair wage for artisans in the developing world. Through their efforts, the designs of talented, but small-scale and slow producing artisans, are assisted in reaching a global market. Through the LJIFFF’s authenticity and an eclectic mix of attendees, from celebrities and European royalty to top film and fashion talent, this event continues to thrive and gain respect among discerning festival-goers.

Kiki Sukezane

A New Kind of Hero

text by JenniFer Moulaison PhotograPh by darian zahedi

hair & makeup by miyabi goto styling elizabeth parks kibbey

Those select few who have managed to carve out careers within Hollywood’s television and film industry can tell you, the pursuit of professional acting is a challenging one. With English as your second language and your homeland across the ocean, this challenging pursuit becomes even loftier—but not impossible as proven by rising star Kiki Sukezane, who just landed a prominent role on NBC’s soon-to-air series Heroes Reborn.

Hailing from Kyoto, Japan, Sukezane descends from a noted samurai family and is well versed in martial arts. She first began what would become a vital relationship with American culture as a high school foreign exchange student. By twenty, seeking to broaden her horizons and further expose herself to diversity in the world, Sukezane took on a volunteering opportunity in Tanzania, Africa. It was during her time there she decided to pursue acting—not as a means for her own success, but rather as a tool to build awareness for the realities taking place in other parts of the world.

She returned to Japan and spent two years attending acting school and performing various roles in Japanese films. Now residing among the rolling hills of sunny Los Angeles, Sukezane has taken on a variety of roles there and in New York, as well as starring in a Japanese television series, and a German film. Ultimately, her hard work and unrelenting pursuit earned her attention and she was cast in the sought-after role of Miko Otomo in the new mini-series, Heroes Reborn, which branches from the original series-turned cultural phenomenon, Heroes. We took a moment to sit down with Kiki Sukezane and get her thoughts on what promises to be a successful acting career.

What was your experience like as a foreign exchange student here in the US?

I was seventeen years old when I went to high school in a small town called Sisseton, South Dakota for a year. It’s a small town, where everyone knows everyone else. Half of the students were Native American and the home where I stayed had a lot of cows and horses, so it was a very American kind of experience.

What inspired you to involve yourself in volunteer opportunities in Tanzania?

I wanted to see the differences in the world. Also, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to be or what I wanted to do in my future, (I was only twenty when I went there) but it was during that trip I decided to become an actress. I wanted to do what Angelina Jolie does. I would like to show people the reality of the world and inspire as many people as possible.

What was the single most challenging or defining moment you took with you from this experience?

I was there for a month. The most challenging time was when I was robbed by three men at a beach. They had butcher knives and took my phone, camera and money. That was a scary experience but I would say it was everything else during that time that was the most defining. It was an amazing time in my life.

What’s your life like in Los Angeles as compared to Kyoto and Tokyo?

My life in LA is kind of relaxed and boring compared to living in Tokyo. In Tokyo, I’m really busy all the time, meeting a lot of people. Many places are open until morning so you can imagine it’s pretty crazy and hectic. In Kyoto, where I grew up, it’s a really beautiful, traditional city. My family still lives there. I sometimes really miss Japan, but I also love LA—the weather is so nice!

What was the defining step to landing this exciting role?

I guess I’m a lucky girl. I also think I really understood this character and the producers saw that.

Can you tell us about the role you’re taking on in Heroes Reborn? Is there any part of your character that resonates with you?

My character’s name is Miko Otomo. She lived in Tokyo and is looking for her missing father. She has a kind of quiet, unique personality, which is similar to mine.

What intentions or plans do you have following the success of your part in Heroes Reborn?

I guess I’ll just keep going. I’ll keep auditioning, looking for the next big role. And, of course, I’d love to do films.

What kind of advice can you offer young people like yourself, looking to uproot their lives and embark on challenging careers here in the States?

Dream huge! If you have thought carefully about it, then go for it.

The Audacity of Jean-Charles Boisset

text by teresa rodrigUez

The stage is set. It’s opening night of Festival del Sole and JeanCharles enters Castello di Amorosa like he owns it. He might as well, since he already has 25 wineries around the globe. Walking through the courtyard, drawing guests to him like a magnet, his presence surpasses the shine of the metallic tuxedo jacket he wears. There’s curiosity and mischief in his piercing blues eyes and his Cheshire Cat grin gives the impression he knows something that the rest of us don’t.

Originally from Vougeot, Burgundy, France, where his parents founded a winery in 1961, he arrived in the United States as a naïve eleven-year-old. “Before coming to America, I would fantasize that the American way of life was amazing and filled with possibilities.” Then, he landed on the ripe, fertile soil of Napa Valley and experienced a profound cultural shift that lead him on his path to his remarkable success. “Reality exceeded my expectations! Indeed, America allows you to dream, anything is possible here! So, I took advantage of the wonderful gift of freedom and exciting opportunities and I haven’t stopped yet.”

An alchemist of the senses, Jean-Charles can take the ordinary and transform it into a mind-blowing experience. To him, sound, taste, touch, smell, and sight are dancing muses he enjoys choreographing. A glass of wine is not just liquid; it is the intimate history of the grape vine, the sound of warm wind through its delicate leaves, and the taste of joyful moments when the elixir finally wets one’s palate. Every glass has a story and he is a master storyteller. “My ultimate objective is to enlighten, surprise, and to take people to a place where they thought they would never go.” He has the ability to harness ideas, experiences, and moments like they were wild horses at his beck and call.

A mercurial entrepreneur, he lives on the sharp edges of risktaking. “I have never been bored. I am always curious to see where creativity will take me—usually beyond unlikely realms. I seek out extremes.” He continues to turn the conservative wine industry upside down with his innovations and radical changes. One such invention was the “smart bottle” used for his Yellow Jersey wine. Sure, the bottle is made out of plastic, but it’s unbreakable, reusable, recyclable, and lightweight. The success of the “smart bottle” was followed by his creation of the octagonal-shaped packaging with screw-top closures. His inspiration for that packaging was from an eggshell. “The eggshell is only 7% of the total weight of the egg—it is the most efficient packing of all time.” Once again, the unraveling of discovery that created a breakthrough in the wine industry.

Part of what drives Jean-Charles is his love of exploration. “I have always been interested in the eras between 1300 - 1600 AD, when we thought the world was flat—but we were wrong. This is a reminder that there is more space for imagination, exploration, being spontaneous, and dreaming.” Jean-Charles shares.

As for his perception of reality, he does not see the world like the rest of us mortals. “I adore discovering other ways to see and experience. I am a big fan of Surrealism.” In some odd Surrealistic ideology, Jean-Charles challenges his thinking constantly. “It’s all about interpretation. The way I see a tree is not the same way that you see a tree. That fascination is constantly giving me other glimpses on how the world works.” Jean-Charles contemplates.

It is his continuous rumination that enticed him to design jewelry. “The jewelry is an experience of what I feel, see, and experience. First, the jewelry was born because I wanted to have an adornment on a bottle of wine that I could keep forever. Wine is a memory. Plus, men don’t have much for adornments. I won’t get a tattoo, so it is a great way to express who you are, and still be elegant. It represents what I want to wear—each piece has a deep meaning entrenched in what I strive to enjoy: all-encompassing nature, earth, the galaxy, precious metal, gemstones, pearls, and ideas of the mind.” He continues.

The interview concluded with a two-word question: “Any regrets?” He paused, and then answered in hushed tones, “Sometimes the regret I have is to do the obvious. I will leave at that.”