LA is known for filmmaking; so you shouldn't be surprised to learn dozens of film festivals occur in the LA area every year. The Los Angeles Film Festival is one of the largest, screening over 100 films during its 10-day festivities. The festival showcases independent, international, feature, documentary and short films and draws in a crowd of more than 90,000 to its special events and premieres.
The historic movie palace, Million Dollar Theater, was built by entrepreneur Sid Grauman before his Egyptian Theatre and Grauman's Chinese Theatre. The Million Dollar Theatre has been preserved for its unique and extraordinary architecture, even though the building lay abandoned for two years. Re-opened in 2008, the theater currently shows live Spanish theater.
Housed in the oldest surviving structure of LA's original Chinatown, the Chinese American Museum is part of the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument. As such, the mission of the Chinese American Museum is to use art, cultural artifacts and historical facts to "foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of America's diverse heritage."
Since opening in 2001, Dolby Theatre has served as a venue for televised theater performances. When not hosting the annual Academy Awards Ceremonies or American Idol, the theater presents a variety of public cultural events and entertainment. Concerts, shows and performances by national artists are common, including Cirque du Soleil.