An Evening of Film and Cocktails at Soho House West Hollywood
- By: Ani Gutierrez
The “American Clay” screening at Soho House West Hollywood unfolded as an intimate evening that blurred the lines between film and nightlife.
The night began the way some of the best nights in LA often do: high above Sunset Boulevard, in a room where the skyline feels like it’s just another guest at the party. On Monday evening, American Clay made its Hollywood debut at Soho House West Hollywood, drawing an intimate crowd of insiders, creatives, and entertainment types for a film screening that was as much about conversation and cocktails as it was about cinema.
The event, hosted by Saddlebrook Media and sponsored by Aston Martin, unfolded with a cocktail reception that blurred seamlessly into rounds of screenings and a cast-and-crew Q&A. The screening itself was brief, but the evening stretched long with the kind of sociable energy that made you want to linger.
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Lights flashed as photographers roamed, capturing guests mingling at the open bar and pausing at the step-and-repeat backed by the film’s logo. The vibe was equal parts elegant and laid-back. Sharp tailoring mingled with slouchy chic, industry chatter mixed with genuine laughter, and an endless flow of martini glasses caught the glow of the buzzing room. Hors d’oeuvres circled, connections bloomed, and through the windows, the full sprawl of Los Angeles sparkled in panoramic view.
Unlike a standard screening, the night felt intimate, almost familial. Cast and crew didn’t hold themselves apart, but slipped easily into the crowd, fielding questions during the Q&A and then continuing the conversations glass-in-hand afterward. “The story was inspired by our family history…a legacy of stories,” explained executive producer and co-story creator Carmen Perkins during the discussion. She described how American Clay taps into the roots of Black, multicultural, and Native & indigenous identity, expanding on the stories passed down through generations.
If the screening was the spark, the party was the oxygen. Guests seemed just as content leaning into the social energy as they were settling into the red plush seats of the screening room. After all, Soho House West Hollywood isn’t just a social club, it’s a cultural backdrop, where velvet-curtained exclusivity meets LA’s effortless cool. The night was just as cinematic as the screening itself.
Events like these remind you why LA nightlife thrives on its intersections of film, fashion, music, and storytelling colliding under one roof. At Soho House, those intersections always feel amplified, like a reminder that culture here is both curated and lived-in. By the end of the night, the film had made its mark among the crowd, but the real takeaway was the community that formed around it, glass by glass, conversation by conversation, above the lights of Sunset Boulevard.
American Clay is directed by Chris Jackson, written by Aviv Rubinstein & Vi City, stars Kaitlyn Jackson & Ella Taylor, and is derived from the minds of Carmen Perkins & Michelle Taylor.
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