Entertainment
MONTRÉAL GIRLS celebrates a big night at The Los Angeles International Film Festival
The Québec Government Office in Los Angeles hosted the reception celebrating the win of the “Best Feature Film Award” granted to Patricia Chica’s directorial debut MONTRÉAL GIRLS during the closing night of the Los Angeles International Film Festival.
Last Updated on July 30, 2024 by Daily News Staff
The film, helmed by Québec filmmaker Patricia Chica wins the Best Feature Award. 
(Los Angeles, CA) – November 14, 2022. The Québec Government Office in Los Angeles hosted the reception celebrating the win of the “Best Feature Film Award” granted to Patricia Chica‘s directorial debut MONTRÉAL GIRLS during the closing night of the Los Angeles International Film Festival.
“I’m very proud to see such a big crowd tonight. A film about inclusion and immigration… I’m happy that Montréal Girls, on top of being a wonderful film, is a wonderful window to Québec, to Montréal and to our culture,” said David Brulotte, the Québec Delegate General of Western United States during the closing night speech at the Laemmle Monica Film Center.
Thierry Weissenburger, Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner of the Consulate General of Canada was also among the distinguished guests. “Director Patricia Chica has been one of our very first customers as part of the Canadian Creative Accelerator which is a program that brings the best of what Canada has to offer in terms of producers in film, TV, and music,” said the latter before addressing a few words directly to Chica. “I’m so happy that you got today your opportunity to present Montréal Girls to the global audience here in L.A.” he added.
“When I moved to L.A. in 2014, I was missing my hometown Montréal. Kamal John Iskander and I were neighbors and we started the project with just the title in mind, ‘Montréal Girls’. This film is a labor of love. It took many years. It took many doors closing on us, but we never gave up. We believed that Montréal and Québec have a place in the world of international cinema and we are here to prove it tonight,” said director Patricia Chica in front of a cheering audience.
The filmmakers would like to thank their sponsors and collaborators: the Québec Delegation in Los Angeles, the Canadian Consulate in Los Angeles, Air Canada, Dig-In Magazine, Getty Images, LAIFF, and Flower Child.
MONTRÉAL GIRLS continues its film festival tour with a feature screening at the Mena Film Festival in Vancouver, BC on Sunday, November 27th at the VIFF Center. A panel discussion with the director, cast, and crew will follow.
MONTRÉAL GIRLS is written by Patricia Chica (who also directed, produced and edited) and L.A.-based filmmaker Kamal John Iskander. The producers are Bahija Essoussi and Samuel Gagnon of Objectif 9 in association with Chica’s production company Flirt Films. The feature stars newcomer Hakim Brahimi, as well as Jasmina Parent, Jade Hassouné, Sana Asad, Nahéma Ricci, Manuel Tadros, Natalie Tannous, Chadi Alhelou, Thomas Vallières, Simon Therrien, Guillaume Rodrigue, Marina Harvey, and Martin Dubreuil to name a few. The distribution company is Filmoption International.
To know more about Montréal Girls, please visit the following links:
Official Website: www.MontrealGirlsMovie.com
Teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLQD42WSj1Q
Facebook: @MontrealGirlsMovie
Instagram: @MontrealGirlsMovie
Twitter: @PatriciaChica (Director)
Hashtag: #MontrealGirlsMovie #QuebecInLA
Source: Flirt Films
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Hollywood Legend Rob Reiner and Wife Found Dead; Son in Custody
Renowned filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their Los Angeles home in a reported homicide. Police have arrested their son in connection with the case, and tributes are pouring in.
Last Updated on December 16, 2025 by Daily News Staff
Director Rob Reiner participates in a discussion following a screening of the film LBJ at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas on Saturday October 22, 2016
On Saturday evening October 22, 2016, the LBJ Presidential Library held a sneak peek of Rob Reiner’s new filmÊLBJ, starring Woody Harrelson as the 36th president. The film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, chronicles the life and times of Lyndon Johnson who would inherit the presidency at one of the most fraught moments in American history.
Following the screening, director Rob Reiner, actor Woody Harrelson, and writer Joey Hartstone joined LBJ Library Director Mark Updegrove on stage for a conversation about the film.
LBJ Library photo by Jay Godwin
10/22/2016
Hollywood Legend Rob Reiner and Wife Found Dead; Son in Custody
December 15, 2025
Renowned filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, 68, were found dead in their Brentwood, Los Angeles home on Sunday, authorities say. Emergency responders were called to the residence Sunday afternoon, where both were discovered with fatal wounds consistent with a stabbing. Police are treating the case as a double homicide.
Los Angeles police arrested the couple’s 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, in connection with the deaths. He is being held in custody as investigators continue to piece together the circumstances surrounding the incident.
2016 SAMHSA Voice Awards
Reiner was one of Hollywood’s most influential figures, known for his work as a director, producer and actor. His career spanned decades, from early television fame to directing beloved films that shaped American cinema.
Friends, colleagues and public figures have begun sharing tributes and reactions to the news as the investigation is ongoing.
More details will be updated as they become available.
The Inspiring Legacy of Raymond E. Fowler: A Journey into the UnknownLink: https://stmdailynews.com/the-inspiring-legacy-of-raymond-e-fowler-a-journey-into-the-unknown/
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Entertainment
Hollywood vs. Reality: How LA’s Wilshire Subway Was Really Built
Wilshire Subway: Did LA blast subway tunnels under Wilshire Boulevard? Hollywood says yes — engineers say no. Here’s how Metro safely tunneled beneath Miracle Mile.
When the 1997 disaster film Volcano depicted lava erupting along Wilshire Boulevard and referenced blasting during Red Line subway construction, it delivered gripping cinema — but not accurate engineering.
In reality, Los Angeles Metro did not rely on large-scale blasting to construct subway tunnels beneath Wilshire Boulevard and the Miracle Mile. Instead, engineers used tunnel boring machines (TBMs) specifically to avoid the very risks Hollywood dramatized.
Why Blasting Was Avoided
The Wilshire Corridor sits atop historic oil fields, making methane gas pockets a known and serious concern. A deadly methane explosion near Fairfax Avenue in 1985 led to heightened scrutiny of underground construction in the area. Blasting in such conditions could have caused unpredictable gas releases, ground instability, or damage to surface structures.
As a result, Metro engineers chose pressurized, closed-face tunnel boring machines, which allow for:
Controlled excavation in dense urban environments
Continuous ground support to prevent settlement
Integrated gas detection and ventilation systems
These machines grind slowly through soil and rock while installing precast concrete tunnel linings, creating a sealed, gas-resistant structure as they advance. 
The Real Engineering Feat
Although Volcano took creative liberties for dramatic effect, the true story of tunneling under Wilshire is no less impressive. Advances in TBM technology and methane mitigation ultimately allowed the Metro D Line (formerly the Red Line/Purple Line) to safely pass through one of Los Angeles’ most geologically complex corridors — without explosions, collapsing streets, or cinematic chaos.
Bottom Line
Volcano remains a memorable piece of 1990s disaster cinema, but its portrayal of subway construction is fiction. The real achievement lies in decades of careful planning, modern tunneling technology, and engineering solutions that quietly reshaped Los Angeles beneath its busiest boulevard.
Related Links:
- LA Metro – D Line (Purple Line) Extension Project
- Engineering News-Record: Tunneling Through Gas and Tar in LA
- Los Angeles Times Archive: Methane Risk and Subway Construction
Dreambreaker: A Pickleball Story — A Closer Look at the Documentary and Its Uncredited VoiceLink: https://stmdailynews.com/dreambreaker-a-pickleball-story-a-closer-look-at-the-documentary-and-its-uncredited-voice/
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Entertainment
Beam Unveils Veo 3.1-Powered AI Platform: Transforming Videos into Playable Games and Interactive Stories
Discover Beam’s new Veo 3.1-powered AI platform, transforming videos into playable mini-games and interactive stories—no coding required. Explore the future of interactive media for creators and storytellers.
Last Updated on December 13, 2025 by Daily News Staff
Play and Create
Interactive Shorts
Beam Unveils Veo 3.1-Powered AI Platform: Transforming Videos into Playable Games and Interactive Stories
Video, Reimagined: From Passive Watching to Active Playing
How It Works: No-Code Creation, Limitless Possibilities
- AI-Generated Media: Instantly create video, images, and music using cutting-edge AI tools.
- Drag-and-Drop Grid Editor: Arrange scenes, add branching choices, and build interactive storylines—all visually, right in your browser.
- Instant Publishing: Share your playable mini-games and interactive shorts to the web with a single click.
Free Early Access for Creators
The Future of Interactive Media
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