In relation to film festivals and Los Angeles, location is a royal pain. Somehow the city’s first international film festival–the sorely-missed FilmEx–always managed to position itself in a physically appropriate part of town to the zeitgeist of the moment.

The origin of the Los Angeles Film Festival was a more modest independent movie showcase that unreeled on the lots at Paramount and Raleigh Studios. As the event expanded, it hopped around the city in search of a home that had enough available screens as well as an environment that would provide a sense of community.

It appeared to find that sweet spot in Westwood. The festival struck a deal with UCLA that eased the ever-vexing local issue of parking and set up shuttle buses for those unfamiliar with the concept of walking from one theater to another. As part of Westwood Village was already a pedestrian mall, it wasn’t that difficult to set up activities to hang out, show movies and take care of families, as well as the young and the hip.

Three years ago that all changed when Film Independent–the organization behind LAFF–made a deal with the devil, in the form of AEG, that shifted everything to Los Angeles’ burgeoning downtown area. In addition to a screening base at the Regal multiplex, Film Independent’s Spirit Awards would also relocate to a downtown venue and become a dinner rather than a lunch event.

The negative response to the latter from the independent film community following its maiden tryout was unforgiving. The following year the Spirits were back on the beach in Santa Monica.

The response to LAFF’s first year at the Regal and its environs hardly generated four-star reviews. However, the media in general were willing to extend “benefit of doubt” and ascribe problems to growing pains and getting used what invariably comes along with a new home. I had to miss this year’s opening night because it conflicts with my radio show. So my first taste of LAFF 2013 was Friday evening. I gave myself an hour for what would ordinarily be a 20-minute door-to-door experience. I underestimated. Getting into the West parking lot was, to be polite, a nightmare. In a failed effort to make the experience easier,  the entrance was reduced to a single lane with eight parking attendants directing traffic.While there appeared to be ample parking space, one would be hard-pressed to know that based upon the hysteria of direction signs and frantic staff inside. It was then a mad dash to the theater and up three flights to the auditorium.

There were only seconds to spare to find an available seat (curse those patrons holding space for friends that never arrived … twice). The good news is the first movie I saw was Short Term 12, a truly terrible title for an exceptionally well-observed tale of young people working at a juvenile care facility.

This year’s program appears to be one of LAFF’s strongest though navigating the schedule is not easy. There is an art to arranging and compiling information that very few festivals appear to get right.

It would also be nice to have a venue where one could relax after a screening, meet friends and compare notes. The Regal is anything but, with polite staff directing you to the exit and out the door. The guest and press area atop the parking garage is simply a poor substitute for the leafy climes of Westwood. The industrial park ambience is, to be kind, heartless.

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