William Friedkin to serve as L.A. Film Fest’s guest director

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William Friedkin, the Academy Award-winning director of 1971’s ‘The French Connection,’ will serve as guest director of the Los Angeles Film Festival and will screen his new NC-17 movie, ‘Killer Joe,’ on June 15, organizers said Tuesday. ‘Killer Joe’ will be shown at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and Friedkin will participate in an onstage interview.

The film follows 22-year-old Chris (Emile Hirsch), who is in debt to a drug lord. He must hire a hit man to dispatch his mother, whose $50,000 life insurance policy benefits his sister (Juno Temple). Chris finds Joe Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a creepy Dallas cop who moonlights as a contract killer. When Chris can’t pay Joe upfront, Joe sets his sights on Dottie as collateral for the job.

Festival organizers also announced that composer Danny Elfman, chef Michael Voltaggio and record producer Raphael Saadiq would serve as the festival’s artists-in-residence, curating screenings and conversations related to their specialties. Elfman will present hand-picked film clips featuring his favorite scores on June 16, and will discuss how film music has shaped his career. Voltaggio, the famed ‘Top Chef’ who owns the award-winning restaurant Ink in Los Angeles, will present Bib Giraldi’s ‘Dinner Rush’ on June 20, followed by a conversation.

Saadiq will present a screening of his choice on June 15, followed by a conversation with KCRW-FM’s Chris Douridas.

The L.A. Film Festival runs from June 14 to June 24.

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-- Nicole Sperling