Out & About - October



By Susan Hornik


Film


Next month, Discover Hollywood readers are invited to hear the uplifting story behind the documentary "Mighty Ground," which follows the journey of a gifted songwriter named Ronald Troy Collins, a homeless man living on the streets of Skid Row. Collins is a living example of redemption and what it means to transform one's self from rock bottom.

HomeAid America, a leading national non-profit provider of housing for today's homeless, is hosting a benefit screening, with a performance by Collins on November 3rd. The event kicks off the HomeAid Tour, where the film travels to several U.S. cities from San Diego to Hawaii, raising money for HomeAid Chapters around the country.

"This film is about humanizing homelessness and that one person can make a change, but even more than that it's about love and transformation," said executive producer, Aimee Schoof. "I was outside a club with music supervisor William Dane, and Ronald came over and asked if he could sing for us. After 30 min of singing and talking, we made a commitment to help."


Mary Elizabeth Ellis and Fran Kranz Former "Law and Order" and "Dogma' frontman turned filmmaker Phil Allocco makes his feature film debut this month with the theatrical and digital release of "The Truth About Lies," which he wrote, produced and directed. The film opens in over 20 cities and digitally across North America.

The film boasts an impressive cast: Fran Kranz ("The Dark Tower," "The Cabin in the Woods"); Odette Annable ("Cloverfield," "Supergirl"); Colleen Camp ("American Hustle"); Miles Fisher ("Superhero Movie"); Chris Diamantopolous ("Wedding Daze," "Silicon Valley") and Mary Elizabeth Ellis ("It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"). Producers include Isen Robbins of Intrinsic Value Films ("Marjorie Prime") and Steve Carr of Blue Fox ("Daddy Day Care"). Adam Horovitz, best known as "Ad-Rock" from the pioneering hip hop group the Beastie Boys, composed the music.

"I was a recording artist with MCA and Def Jam for the first 10 years of my professional life," said Alloco. "I was always passionate about film and always wanted to get involved so I started creating short films, which won awards. That was very encouraging and led me to be one of the short-listed directors picked by Steven Spielberg from a world-wide search of over 12,000 directors for his US TV series, "On the Lot" for FOX TV, produced by Spielberg and Mark Burnett."

He added: "I love the collaborative nature of filmmaking. To see a film that only lived in your head come to life is an amazing process. Also working with Adam Horovitz was great. He is such a talented and humble guy and we were very fortunate to have him."

Aloco said the movie is autobiographical. "Like Gilby, I lost my career, my apartment burned down and I moved in with my girlfriend, who ended up leaving me for someone else. None of these things seemed funny to me at the time. But looking back while I was writing, they became hysterical. Almost every scene is based on some real event in my life."


Music



International contemporary violinist Assia Ahhatt brought the house down in Hollywood, when she performed at an exclusive showcase event in celebration of the worldwide release of "ALL-IN." Ahhatt partnered with legendary producer and creative genius Humberto Gatica, known for his work with Cher, Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, Andrea Bocelli, Julio Iglesias, Tina Turner, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson and Barbra Streisand, in a unique musical collaboration.

Actress/producer Kimmarie Johnson, Alice Amter ("Big Bang Theory"), E! founder Larry Namer and Sophie Gayot (Gayot Guides) were among the many guests.

Ahhatt, who performed live five songs from "ALL-IN," was warmly welcomed by the packed house at the by-invitation only event, receiving wonderful reviews and feedback on her work.

"My repertoire is very diverse; I took violin lessons, playing classical music when I was five years old," she said. "Many of my songs from this time were beautiful and difficult creations, which garnered me awards and diplomas from international competitions. When I started in show business, I began to play classical music in modern arrangements."

Ahhatt has a lot of original music and songs, which she writes on her own, or were written for her by other composers.



"When I listened to these hits, loved by millions of people all over the world, I thought that it could be wonderful to play some of them, using the violin in order to breathe new life into this music. Much of these songs have become modern classics. I want to inspire love, happiness and joy in people who attend my performances. I want to inspire children to take violin classes, and adults to be more kind and happy. It's my mission in this world."

"ALL-IN" features 13 new arrangements and covers of some of the world's most loved iconic songs. Songs include "Viva la Vida" (Coldplay), "S.O.S." (ABBA), "Tears in Heaven" (Eric Clapton), Unbreak My Heart (Toni Braxton), "Kiss from a Rose" (Seal), "Earth Song" (Michael Jackson), "Moves Like Jagger" (Maroon 5), "Love Runs Out" (One Republic), "My Heart Will Go On" (Celine Dion), Latin standard "Quizás, Quizás Quizás," "Superstition" (Stevie Wonder), "Somebody to Love" (Queen) and "Hallelujah" (Leonard Cohen).

"ALL-IN" is available now on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and Google Play.


Actor Peter Facinelli hosts OIC benefit

Events

The Orthopedic Institute for Children (OIC) benefit pre-dinner took place at newly launched restaurant, Les Coulisses. Special guest, actor Peter Facinelli served as the evening's host. This event was a pre-dinner in support of the upcoming OIC "Swing for Kids Golf Classic" hosted by Craig T. Nelson, taking place next month.

Swing for Kids Golf Tournament is an annual fundraising event known for its unique on-course features, including tequila tastings, hand-rolled cigar bars, international cuisine pop-up tastings, and many other surprises. The tournament will kick off on Monday, November 6th at Palos Verdes Golf Club, Palos Verdes, CA. Funds raised from the event will benefit the OIC. All proceeds will be used towards the building of a new Physical Therapy Center that will help kids heal faster, better and give parents the tools to aid in their child's rehabilitation.

Gifts


It's fall and many are cleaning and organizing their homes. Boxy Girl®, a unique box which brings elegance to organization with high-end acrylic beauty organizers, might be the perfect item to purchase to spruce things up. The custom Lucite® framework provides the vanity display with uniquely stackable drawers, and an option with or without a lid. Celebrities like Kylie Jenner and "Real Housewives of Orange County" star Tamra Judge are fans of the brand.

Posted By Discover Hollywood on October 24, 2017 02:37 pm | Permalink