One of LAFF's signature series is called Guilty Pleasures, which is exactly what it sounds like: pop-culture gems chosen to appeal, first and foremost, to the general public rather than snootier-than-thou critics. A runaway success in this section last year was The Foot Fist Way, Jody Hill's low-budget, low-brow comedy about a love-spurned tae kwon do instructor. "It's really foul and obscene and wonderfully funny," Raddon chuckles. "This isn't just your straightforward kind of festival programming," he explains with playful yet passionate zeal. "It's done with a wink-wink." This year, for instance, there will be a series of films under the gleefully provocative moniker "LA Destroys Itself." And a celebration of Transformers will happen not only onscreen but also in the streets of Westwood Village, the funky neighborhood where the festival takes place. (pictured: Troy Garity and Chris Evans in Sunshine) If it sounds like the organizers are having too much fun, rest assured there is a serious mission behind it all. For the past six years, LAFF has been run by Film Independent, a year-round, non-profit arts organization. The goal has been simple: L.A. is the movie capital of the world, Raddon says; it's only reasonable it should have a world-class film festival celebrating all forms of cinema. One by one, LAFF has successfully tackled a number of obstacles. Initially, the festival was set in Hollywood, but the disparateness of the area wasn't conducive to conviviality. Moving to Westwood Village last year did just the trick. The pedestrian-friendly neighborhood next door to UCLA has groovy Art Deco theaters as well as loads of cafés, boutiques and even - gasp - parking. Competing for attention in the crowded L.A. entertainment market was also a challenge. But getting the Los Angeles Times on board as a festival partner has been key in reaching out to the city's culturally diverse communities. Raddon is thrilled that attendance at LAFF has skyrocketed from 19,000 in its early days to 80,000 last year. And he's delighted that audiences include Hispanics, African Americans, Asians and European immigrants from the area. At the same time, the proximity to the heart of the world's filmmaking complex makes it easy for directors, actors, producers and screenwriters to take part. Also a plus for L.A.'s perennial commuters is that advance ticket purchases come with free parking! There really isn't a film festival like this anywhere else in the world, Raddon says with understandable pride. "The number of believers in this vision - where it used to be a handful - is now a mass of people. This isn't only something that should happen, it's something that is happening." | 
