David Ansen's L.A. Film Festival Approach: Mass With Class

Most film festivals are torn between playing art-house obscurities and movies with mass appeal. But new Los Angeles Film Festival artistic director David Ansen believes he can have it both ways.

"Some festivals take the position that it's only art if it hurts. I believe in the pleasure principle," says Ansen, taking a break Monday, during a busy day of media screenings and last-minute decisions, to have lunch at Canter's Deli. "But I also hear constantly that people under a certain age don't want to go to subtitled movies, and my devout wish is that we can turn those people on to them."

It's been a year of enormous change for LAFF, as the festival (which is co-sponsored by The Times) moves from its haunts in Westwood to a group of theaters downtown. Ansen is a key part of this grand reinvention.

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