BY KAREN BOSSICK

Electric music began reverberating in Los Angeles’ Laurel Canyon during the mid-1960s as folk went electric.

The Byrds, Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield and the Mamas and the Papas gave birth to the California Sound. And Laurel Canyon became a hotbed of creativity as new bands came to Los Angles to emulate the Beatles.

This moment in the history of American music is examined in the documentary film “Echo in the Canyon.” And it will be among the films screened during the Magic Lantern Cinemas’ 30^th Fall Film Festival.

The festival takes place Friday, Sept. 13, through Thursday, Sept. 26. The films for the week beginning Sept. 13 are:

“Linda Ronstadt—The Sound of My Voice,” which depicts the rock queen of the 1970s and early ‘80s through her early years of singing Mexican canciones with her family to her advocacy for human rights.

“Maiden,” the story of how 24-year-old charter boat cook Tracy Edwards became the skipper of the first all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World in 1989.

“The Farewell,” a comedy based on an actual lie. The film follows Chinese-born, U.S.-raised Billi who returns to China when the family’s beloved matriarch has been given mere weeks to live.

“The Art of Self-Defense,” in which a timid bookkeeper who is attacked by a motorcycle gang learns karate to protect himself but discovers a disturbing world of brutality and hyper-masculinity.

Films during the second week, which begins Sept. 20, are:

“Ophelia,” a reimagining of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In this story a forbidden love blossoms between Ophelia and Prince Hamlet but she must decide between her true love or her own life in order to protect a dangerous secret.

“Echo in the Canyon,” which features Eric Clapton, Jackson Browne, Lou Adler and others.

“Brittany runs a Marathon,” about a hilarious 27-year-old New Yorker who is told by her doctor to “Get healthy.” Pretty soon, she’s thinking of running in the New York City Marathon.

“Luce,” about an all-star high school athlete and debator whose stellar reputation is called into question when his teacher makes a shocking discovery in Luce’s locker.

For information, visit www.mlcinemas.com.