Everyone said Los Angeles is a city for cars not pedestrians. So we got lucky because screening at the New Urbanism Film Festival we got to see another side of LA altogether.
A great bunch of people, all focused on how to make cities more about people and less about cars!
#HumanStreets in other words. Perfect for the street piano film.
There were films with communities deciding to control their neighbourhood traffic successfully using flower pots, sculptures and even picnic areas .
Also films about homelessness, – a massive problem in L A with 58.000 people currently homeless.
There were many many films about bicycles including two winners from Kampala and Hanoi – delightful!
FRIED DUMPLINGS & BICYCLES – Brenda Mattick
CYCOLOGIC – Emilia Stålhammar, Veronica Pålsson, Elsa Lövdin
There was some brilliant live comedy about random conversations on buses that totally inspired me to only use the buses to get around. I met a man originally form Stamford Hill who wanted to talk about why he thought Prince Charles should not become king. Random definately. He says he still missed London after 30 years.
On opening night Josh Paget the festival director and his team pushed an old piano down La Brea Boulevard and plonked it outside the theatre for the festival.
It created a lot of cosy street life in the sprawling urban landscape of West Hollywood. That is what pianos do best, spread the magic!