San Pedro, CA (PRWEB) July 15, 2015
Charles Bukowski: the laughing heart - A 95th Birthday Celebration is a tribute to the legendary writer Charles Bukowski, (1920 -1994). Taking place on his 95th birthday Sunday, August 16th in historic downtown San Pedro, the event will include a screening of Factotum, a feature film based on one of his novels directed by Bent Hamer (1001 Grams), poetry and art contests, a special visit from LA’s own Poet Laureate, Luis Rodriguez, to read selected Bukowski works, a panel and Q&A, a curated exhibition of images taken by several leading professional photographers, books, Bukowski ephemera, and souvenirs for purchase.
WHERE: The event will take place at close-by venues in Downtown San Pedro:
WHEN: 3:00pm, Sunday August 16
WHAT: Factotum film screening followed by a Q&A with special guests, including director, John Dullaghan, who created the award-winning documentary, Born Into This. The film screening will take place at the Historic Warner Grand Theatre in Downtown San Pedro, with The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) providing an on-stage poetry reading from the City of Los Angeles Poet Laureate, Luis Rodriguez.
Poetry & Art Contest
A Call For Entries for Bukowski style poems and best original artwork of Bukowski is announced. For more information please email or submit works to bukowski(at)spiffest(dot)org. One entry per person.
TICKETS: Tickets are available for $15.00 which include access to all events, film screening and poetry slam and art contest exhibit, and limited number of Special Passes are available which grant access to all events including a drink ticket for $30. Student tickets with valid ID are available for $10.00.
PRESS RSVP: Members of the media must RSVP to attend; contacts listed above.
Tickets are available for purchase at http://www.spiffest.org
For media and press passes, please contact press(at)spiffest(dot)org
Charles Bukowski Biography
A prolific author of thousands of poems, hundreds of stories and six novels, Bukowski eventually published over forty-five books and various collections of his work chronicling his own personal experiences reflecting the gritty glamor of Los Angeles and society in general. After a few years working as a mail carrier and later for many years as a clerk at the US Post Office, Terminal Annex, in downtown LA, his experiences inspired his acclaimed debut novel, Post Office. His works address the full spectrum of the human condition, from his own tangled youth and the wretchedness of the world in general, to more uplifting works that have heartfelt expressions of love and joy highlighting the good things that come our way in life. Through his unbridled passion for writing, Bukowski became a philosopher in his own right and his works remain widely influential and more popular today than during his lifetime. Since his death there have been over 20 more works published. The universal accessibility of his acclaimed poetry and modern works resonate within the hearts of readers worldwide. In 1978, Charles Bukowski moved to San Pedro with his wife to be, Linda, where he continued to write prolifically, until his death in 1994.
Ziggy Mrkich, Director of the San Pedro International Film Festival (SPIFFest), said, “SPIFFest is honored to be part of this celebration of Bukowski’s work in the community in which he lived.”
SPIFFEST is supported by Downtown San Pedro, San Pedro Business Improvement District, and the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.