The School of Cinematic Arts and IFC Films invite you and a guest to a special preview screening of In the Loop, directed by Armando Iannucci, and starring Peter Capaldi, Tom Hollander, Gina McKee and James Gandolfini.

Admission is free and open to all.

About In the Loop

"Scathingly funny... a smart sophisticated comedy" — Manohla Dargis, The New York Times

Official Selection: Sundance Film Festival 2009, Tribeca Film Festival 2009,
Los Angeles International Film Festival 2009

A British government minister (Tom Hollander) makes a verbal stumble during a TV interview, inadvertently backing a U.S. war in the Middle East. The prime minister's venomous communications chief (Peter Capaldi) attempts damage control, as tensions quickly escalate on both sides of the pond. Soon the Brits are in Washington, where a U.S. general (James Gandolfini) thinks war is a crazy idea, and the beleaguered U.S. Assistant Secretary for Diplomacy (Mimi Kennedy) scrambles to infiltrate the elusive and very hawkish War Committee. The hapless minister responsible for the mess fuels the flames by attempting to gatecrash various corridors of power, while his well connected young spin doctor (Chris Addison) sleeps his way into diplomatic hijinks with a sexy young intern (Anna Chlumsky). The situation culminates in a feverish United Nations Security Council vote that makes war seem as "unforseeable" as the slip of the tongue that ignites this crackling, fast-talking political satire showcasing some of the most rollicking wordplay since the heyday of screwball comedy.

From writer and director Armando Iannucci (The Thick of It; The Day Today; Knowing Me, Knowing You... with Alan Partridge). The team of Iannucci, Capaldi, Addison, producer Adam Tandy plus other cast and crew on In the Loop previously collaborated on the award-winning BBC television series The Thick of It, which ran for six episodes and two specials from 2005 to 2007.

35mm print provided courtesy of IFC Films. Not Rated. Running time: 106 minutes.

Opening in theaters on Friday, July 24.

To learn more about the film and to view the trailer, click here.

About the School of Cinematic Arts Alumni Screening Series

This June through August, the School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) Alumni Screening Series will host a wide array of film screenings and filmmaker Q&As, highlighting new blockbuster and independent American films, international and documentary features, and recent work by our SCA alumni. These screenings will be hosted in various SCA venues. The screenings are free to the public, but will require an electronic reservation, which can be made through the Web site for each individual screening. Many screenings will be overbooked to ensure that capacity is met in the theater. Some screenings will be run from digital sources.

To view the calendar for the Alumni Screening Series, click here.

About Check-In and Reservations

The theater will be overbooked to ensure capacity, and the RSVP list will be honored on a first-come, first-served basis, with no reserved seating. Please bring a photo ID or printout of your reservation confirmation, which will automatically be sent to your email account once you successfully make an RSVP. Doors will open at 7 p.m.

About Parking

The USC School of Cinematic Arts is located at 900 West 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007. Parking passes may be purchased for $8 at USC Entrance Gate #5, located at the intersection of West Jefferson Boulevard and McClintock Avenue. We recommend parking in outdoor Lot M or V, or Parking Structure D, at the far end of 34th Street. Please note that Parking Structure D cannot accommodate tall vehicles such as SUVs. Metered street parking is also available along West Jefferson Boulevard.