This weekend, my friends at The Cinefamily are having a 24-hour fundraising telethon to A. stay in business, B. buy a 2K digital projection system and C. restore The Silent Movie Theatre (an L.A. landmark).

The Cinefamily is the coolest of the many cool Los Angeles area repertory theaters and the home to my monthly public classic animation screenings (which will begin again in January). The telethon this weekend is open to the public (seats are limited), free admission for anyone to attend – or you can watch it live, online here.

I will be at the theatre on Sunday morning at 10:30am PST to present a few classic silent animated films. I’ll be preceded at 9am by Bob Bakers Marionettes and our friends at Screen Novelties; and will be followed by Pete & Pete creators Chris Viscardi & Will McRobb.

Animators Pablo Ferro, Miwa Matreyek, David Silverman, Phil Lord and Chris Miller and many other noted folks will be participating this weekend for this worthy cause. The 24-hour Telethon starts today at 1pm and ends Sunday at 1pm. The complete schedule of events is listed below:

OPENING (1:00pm-4:30pm)
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– Robert Downey Jr. opens a time capsule!
– A mindblowing multimedia performance by Miwa Matreyek!
– Mark Mothersbaugh talks synths & soundtracks in a disembodied digital discussion, live via Skype!
– Phil Lord and Chris Miller (directors of “21 Jump Street”) present Lego fan films!

PRIMETIME (4:30pm-8pm)
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– Trailers From Hell, live!
– Neil Hamburger presents the stars of tomorrow!
– Dave Franco & Brian McGinn’s comedy shorts!
– “Cracked Out”, with Jon Daly & Brett Gelman!
– The legendary Pablo Ferro talks “Madvertising”!
– A slideshow presentation from pop-art renaissance man Wayne White!

MIDNIGHT MADNESS (8pm – midnight-ish)
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– CINEFAMILY CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA! feat. a sneak peak at Everything Is Terrible’s Holiday Special 2012, “Simpsons” director David Silverman’s Flaming Tuba, and an intergalactic yuletide interview w/ Zorak from “Space Ghost: Coast To Coast”!
– Rob Schrab & Dan Harmon’s Found Crap!
– Nick Offerman shares his talents…and mustache!
– Usher in midnight with an audio/visual odyssey from Cut Chemist!
– Cinefamily’s signature “Total Madness” DJ/VJ set, live!

THE NITE OWL (midnght-ish – 6am)
Presented by VICE
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– A late night visit from Eric Wareheim!
– An acoustic set by John Hawkes!
– A holiday reading by Udo Kier!
– One-Minute Movies with Guy Maddin!
– Special Christmas presentation by Tearist!
– Found footage mayhem unleashed by TV Carnage!
– A special holiday appearance by Brie Larson!
– Daedelus performs live & demonstrates his homemade electronic instruments!
– VICE crashes the party with exclusive, brand new original films!
– Crazy-ass footage from Burger TV!
– Sublime Frequencies presents ethnographic musical oddities!
– Hadrian’s mom teaches spoon-bending and interviews Hadrian!

GOOD MORNING CINEFAMILY (6am-12pm)
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– YACHT celebrates the dawn with film, music, yoga & breakfast!
– Cat Film Festival, featuring a web-cast Q&A on web cat culture with Lil Bub!
– The Bob Baker Marionettes and Screen Novelties’ Christmas Extravaganza!
– Fuzzy Felt Films (warm n’ fuzzy 16mm ephemeral film rarities of the ’60s & ’70s)
– Jerry Beck presents silent cartoons & kids’ shorts w/ live accompaniment by Cliff Retallick (the Cinefamily’s regular silent film accompanist!)
– “Adventures of Pete & Pete” creators Chris Viscardi & Will McRobb talk inspiration and deconstruct “A Christmas Story”!
– Screenwriting guru Robert McKee skypes in and talks with Nicholas Jarecki (writer/director of “Arbitrage”)!

FINALE! (12pm-1pm)
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– A Tribute to Ben Gazzara, featuring archival footage of his fantastic, legendary Q&A appearance at the Cinefamily
– NEW & RENEWING MEMBERS’ POTLUCK: “My Lunch with Schwartzman”: a brunch feast/on-stage interview with Jason Schwartzman!

Check it all out: HERE!

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Jerry Beck

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