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    'Cha Cha Real Smooth' leans into authenticity with a filmmaker willing to criticize himself

    The arrival of the film "Cha Cha Real Smooth" announces not just one but two noteworthy new talents. Writer, director, producer and actor Cooper Raiff at age 25 has already made two award-winning feature films. His first, "S—house," won the grand jury award at the 2020 South by Southwest Film Festival even as its premiere was canceled by the onset of the pandemic. "Cha Cha Real Smooth" won the ...
    by Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times Jun 30, 2022 6 minutes
    Cooper Raiff, left, and Dakota Johnson in the movie“ Cha Cha Real Smooth.”.

    The arrival of the film "Cha Cha Real Smooth" announces not just one but two noteworthy new talents.

    Writer, director, producer and actor Cooper Raiff at age 25 has already made two award-winning feature films. His first, "S—house," won the grand jury award at the 2020 South by Southwest Film Festival even as its premiere was canceled by the onset of the pandemic. "Cha Cha Real Smooth" won the audience award at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, while Raiff again saw the in-person premiere curtailed due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.

    It wasn't until "Cha Cha" played at the 2022 South by Southwest festival that Raiff finally got to see one of his films with a public audience.

    "I just realized that this is the reason why I wanted to make movies and what it's really all about," Raiff said of finally sharing one of his films with a proper audience.

    "After South By, I had a whole week where I was like, 'Slow down.' I'm not just making things. I'm making and

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