3 MINUTOS
Short / Drama / US / 5 minutes
Under the time pressure of a potentially life changing test, a young couple unexpectedly takes a quick but meaningful look at their past, present and potential future.
Director: Douglas Ryan
Producer: Douglas Ryan, Alexandra Grace
Writer: Douglas Ryan
Cast: Alexandra Grace, Austin Barnes
Program 7 – Drama Shorts: Circle of Life | Friday, September 26, 2025, 7:00 pm
AIMEE COMES FIRST
Short / Comedy / US / 17 minutes
Three days from turning 40, Aimee Garcia is proof women can have it all. A thriving career, loving family, hot fiancé; what more could she want? Um … an orgasm.
Director: Aimee Garcia
Producer: Aimee Garcia, AJ Mendez, Diego Cabrera
Writer: Aimee Garcia
Cast: Aimee Garcia, Alfred Molina, Lamorne Morris, Olga Merediz, Noel Gugliemi, Yvette Monreal
Program 15 – Comedy Shorts #2 | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 5:45 pm
Aliadas
Short / Drama / US / 28 minutes
Laura, a college professor, is contemplating participating in a pro-Palestinian demonstration during commencement as an act of solidarity. Her co-workers approach her with concern about what that might do to her job security. Laura now must decide whether to follow her beliefs or keep her job.
Director: Juan Diego Ramirez
Producer: Juan Diego Ramirez
Cast: Raquel Sanchez, Adria Saldivar, Tom Sandoval
Program 6 – Drama Shorts: Bearing Witness | Friday, September 26, 2025, 5:35 pm
ANACHRONISM
Short / Drama / US / 13 minutes
On the brink of perfecting his latest creation, a young inventor is visited by his future self. Via his time-traveling watch, his older self urges him to leave his relationship as it will lead to his personal and professional demise.
Director: Nick Talarico
Producer: Sofia Ribeiro
Writer: Nick Talarico, Sofia Ribeiro
Cast: Ryan Hennessy, Anton Nassif, Nevada Grey, Sophia Delphi
Program 22 – Sci-Fi / Fantasy Shorts | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 3:50 pm
Beethoven’s Great Great Great Great Great Grandchild
Los Angeles Premiere / Short / Dramedy / US / 10 minutes
The last living descendant of Beethoven tries to capitalize on their heritage, but they have no musical talent whatsoever.
Director: Daniel Maggio
Producer: Daniel Maggio, Hunter Hawkins
Writer: Daniel Maggio
Cast: Hunter Hawkins, David Fleming, Olive
Program 10 – Comedy Shorts #1 | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 12:00 pm
Blackberry Winter
West Coast Premiere / Short / Dramedy / US / 17 minutes
A fairytale Valentine’s Day takes a turn when Amber, our Georgia Peach living in the Big Apple, sees an unexpected text message on her boyfriend’s phone. Launched into a journey of self-discovery, with a future that is uncertain, Amber questions whether to follow her head or her heart to find her way forward.
Director: Jason Hightower
Producer: Jason Hightower, Arizona Newsum, Amber Iman
Writer: Amber Iman
Cast: Amber Iman, Phillip Johnson Richardson, Cynthia D Barker, Angela Robinson
Program 13 – Dramedy Shorts: The Ties That Bind | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 3:50 pm
Burt and Hathaway
Short / Dramedy / US / 7 minutes
David Koechner plays a pernicious businessman who has a habit of losing employees to factory fires and, through a chance encounter, rekindles a bromance with a former colleague.
Director: Julien Lasseur
Producer: Jamie Thalman, Emma Fazzuoli, Julien Lasseur
Writer: Brian Groh, Julien Lasseur
Cast: David Koechner, Larry Clarke
Program 13 – Dramedy Shorts: The Ties That Bind | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 3:50 pm
Buzzkill
Short / Comedy, Horror / US / 9 minutes
A jealous vibrator will do whatever it takes to secure its spot in its owner’s life.
Director: Amanda Griswold
Producer: Michelle P. Carter
Writer: Julie Dare
Cast: Katherine Cozumel, Aubrey Duncan, Spencer James Hammerstad, Meghan Sinclair
Program 9 – Horror / Comedy Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 9:10 pm
Caesar’s Cache
California Premiere / Student / Sarah Lawrence College / Short / Drama / Switzerland / 37 minutes
Set in 1890s Switzerland, after discovering Roman gold in the Alps, a Civil War veteran is confronted by a visitor from his past whose uncertain intentions threaten his peaceful existence.
Director: Ralph C. Schulz
Producer: Ahmad Al Lawati, Ralph C. Schulz
Executive Producers: Paul Darrell McGuire, Jerald J. Silverhardt
Writer: Paul Darrell McGuire, Ralph C. Schulz
Cast: Paul Darrell McGuire, Jona Zeschke, Dominik Ellwanger
Program 2 – Student Drama Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 1:55 pm
Carriage Return
Short / Drama / US / 19 minutes
Half-drunk and hardly working, playwright Lane Williams is in desperate need of inspiration to finish his latest script when a knock at the door escalates to ferocious pounding. His old writing partner, Charlie Marlow, has sought him out with violent accusations of plagiarism.
Director: Ferguson Sauvé-Rogan
Producer: Daniel Sauvé-Rogan, Lexi Giovagnoli
Writer: Daniel Sauvé-Rogan
Cast: Jeremy Parr, Carlos Sanchez
Program 22 – Sci-Fi / Fantasy Shorts | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 3:50 pm
Church Bell
Southern California Premiere / Short / Music Video / US / 4 minutes
A music video for Tongo Eisen-Martin, the Poet Laureate of San Francisco, and his band LOAN.
Director: Naftali Beane Rutter
Producer: Naftali Beane Rutter, Ellen Westberg
Writer: Tongo Eisen-Martin, Naftali Beane Rutter
Cast: Tongo Eisen-Martin
Program 23 – Drama Shorts: Behind the Mask | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 5:25 pm
DAD-rahpy – EP 1- It was dads at first site
West Coast Premiere / Short / Comedy / US / 13 minutes
DAD-rahpy follows two Afro-Latino fathers who randomly meet on a bench at a children’s park. As they build a friendship they confront their internal conflicts, and the joys of fatherhood while juggling the obstacles of life.
Director: Rick “Wind” Herrera, Alexandra “Cloud” Gutierrez
Producer: Alexandra “Cloud” Gutierrez
Writer: Rick “Wind” Herrera
Cast: Jerry Diaz, Rick “Wind” Herrera
Program 10 – Comedy Shorts #1 | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 12:00 pm
Dahlia’s Monsters
Student / Cal State University Northridge / Short / Drama / US / 15 minutes
When a young woman prepares to move away from her hometown and her sister, the trauma that she thought was in her past finds its way into her present. She knows she can claim her independence, but she doesn’t understand that battles are fought better when we have allies at our side.
Director: Abigail Salmon
Producer: Celeste Bird, Yuliia Zolina, Abigail Salmon
Writer: Abigail Salmon
Cast: Allison Landis, Abigail R. Blythe, Skylar Grace, Charlie Belle Parsells, Amy S. Johnson, Eric E. Johnston
Program 1 – Student Sci-Fi / Thriller Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 1:00 pm
Darling
Short / Drama / US / 15 minutes
After months of suspicion, Fiona follows her husband to a seedy motel where her worst fears are confirmed. Accepting an invitation from Liza, a sex worker, to enter the motel room, Fiona learns that not everything is as it seems.
Director: Finola Hughes
Producer: Finola Hughes, Mandy Mills, Susan Gallagher, Spooner Greenbird, Michelle Vaineharrison
Writer: Mandy Mills
Cast: Kristina Klebe, Mandy Mills
Program 20 – Drama Shorts: Love & Loss | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 1:00 pm
Do Not Disturb
Student / California Institute of the Arts / Short / Animation / US / 2 minutes
Dazey the groundhog prepares for hibernation. However, when Shaggy the bear encroaches on her burrow, she has to stand her ground.
Director: Apoorva Dasari
Producer: Apoorva Dasari
Writer: Apoorva Dasari
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
Don’t Forget To Live
World Premiere / Student / New York Film Academy / Short / Drama / France, US / 7 minutes
Thalia’s pursuit of artistic excellence collides with her yearning for love when she succumbs to the intoxicating pull of Ethan, only to discover the devastating consequences of chasing a fleeting connection.
Director: Rohan Aggarwal, Maya Tannous
Producer: Bita Laura Arefnia
Writer: Maya Tannous
Cast: Maya Tannous, Nick Garabedian
Program 3 – Student Shorts: Romance 101 | Friday, September 26, 2025, 3:05 pm
Ectropy
Short / Experimental / US / 20 minutes
Ectropy follows the Artist, a member of the Timeless Presence species who struggles to see his potential. Aided by the young Gaia, the Artist faces existential challenges and immense pressures as they paint the fabric of nature.
Director: Jordan Schulz
Producer: Jordan Schulz, Andrew Crème, Randall J. Slavin
Writer: Andrew Crème
Cast: Sir Daniel K. Winn, Vivienne Lucille
Program 24 – Two Perspectives: The Artist’s Journey | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 5:45 pm
El Bar De Hernando
Student / New York Film Academy / Short / Romance / Colombia, US / 9 minutes
Yiyo works at a Salsa Bar as a bartender, but tonight before starting his shift he falls in love with a woman who has attended the venue. We see how shy he is and his incompetence with women. During the night he must take a step out of his comfort zone when he realizes he might have a chance with this beautiful woman.
Director: Andres Felipe Bernal Farias, Maria Gomez
Producer: Andres García
Writer: Andres Felipe Bernal Farias
Cast: Nicolas Marin, Osmara Rojas, MJ García, Tomas Mejía
Program 3 – Student Shorts: Romance 101 | Friday, September 26, 2025, 3:05 pm
End of Things
Short / Comedy / US / 5 minutes
End of Things tells the story of Walter Brown on the day he gets his divorce papers handed to him and sets off on a journey of self discovery.
Director: Timothy Hautekiet
Producer: Alexander Arntzen
Writer: Timothy Hautekiet
Cast: Bethany Struble, Shannon Lee Barry, Ryan Blewett
Program 10 – Comedy Shorts #1 | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 12:00 pm
Erebus
Short / Drama / US / 16 minutes
A haunting tale about the indelible and irrevocable power of memory, love, and loss. Nestled in the twisted woods of their private and broken world, Miles and Sarah must consider the cost they are willing to pay to keep their love alive.
Director: Brian Reynolds
Producer: Steve Cubine, Eve M. Cohen, Shawna Pevec, Daniel M. Bennett
Writer: Aleks Pevec
Cast: Aleks Pevec, Grace Gregory
Program 22 – Sci-Fi / Fantasy Shorts | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 3:50 pm
Escape Artist
Student / USC / Short / Animation / US / 7 minutes
Kubus Bots traverse the galaxy pillaging civilizations of their creative energy, but interacting with the Artos civilization they discover they can’t capture or control everyone…
Director: Kieran Barker
Producer: Kimblerly Joseph
Writer: Kieran Barker
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
Essence of Yourself
Los Angeles Premiere / Student / California Institute of the Arts / Short / Animation / Poland / 2 minutes
In a moment of turmoil, stress, and overwhelm, Celly, the brain cell escapes her body seeking excitement in the outside world, unaware that her body is in grave danger, if she doesn’t take a break.
Director: Patrycja Kupczyk
Producer: Patrycja Kupczyk
Writer: Patrycja Kupczyk
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
Eugene O’Neill’s – The First Man
Los Angeles Premiere / Feature / International / UK, US / 2 hours, 24 minutes
World renowned anthropologist Curtis is consumed by grief over his young daughters’ deaths. He finds solace in immersing himself in preparations for his upcoming expedition to Asia, where he aims to unravel the mystery of “The First Man.” However, he must confront an undercurrent of family conflict as he battles against his relatives’ unsettling suspicions that his wife Martha is carrying his best friend Bigelow’s child.
Director: Hardeep Giani
Producer: Hardeep Giani, Matthew Pitts-Tucker
Writer: Eugene O’Neill, Hardeep Giani
Cast: Vincent Andriano, Charlotte Asprey, Alan Turkington, Rebecca Lee, Josie Kidd, Charlie Roe, Kate Copeland, Richard Emerson-Gould, Martin Lear, Alex Francis, Nesba Crenshaw, Cat Mckeever
Program 8 – Narrative Feature #1 | Friday, September 26, 2025, 7:30 pm
Exposé
Short / Dramedy / US / 13 minutes
A wine-soaked night leads to a twisted game of “Truth or Dare” that has Jack, Hank and Susan hiding a secret that could shatter their lives. Angie scrambles to uncover the devastating lie at the heart of her life. Can Angie’s crazy game sabotage their night? Their marriages? Their lives?
Director: John Webb
Producer: Anthony Mora, Virginia Schneider
Writer: Ann Convery
Cast: Virginia Schneider, Abby Relic, James Elden, Pyar Anderson
Program 13 – Dramedy Shorts: The Ties That Bind | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 3:50 pm
F*CK ME!
Los Angeles Premiere / Student / USC / Short / Dramedy / US / 6 minutes
After a heartbreaking and eye-opening attempt to rekindle their intimacy, Evelyn and Gary make an effort to revamp their love-life as they embark on a sex therapy journey.
Director: Jo Branson
Producer: Malani Fenner-Smith
Writer: Brooklyn Jo Branson
Cast: Lise Porter, Ted Wells, Jenny Branson
Program 3 – Student Shorts: Romance 101 | Friday, September 26, 2025, 3:05 pm
Fairy God Bro
Short / Comedy / US / 6 minutes
When needing to reveal her biggest secret to her normal fiancé, a witch turns to her fairy god mother for help only to be surprised by her fairy god bro.
Director: Stephanie Williams
Producer: David Cameli, Stephanie Williams, Jules Quaas, Evan Morton
Writer: David Cameli, Bailey Castle, David Hartley
Cast: David Cameli, Bailey Castle, David Hartley, Michelle Persoff
Program 10 – Comedy Shorts #1 | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 12:00 pm
family dinner
Student / California Institute of the Arts/ Short / Animation / US / 4 minutes
Tonight, dinner starts with a slice of tomato.
Director: Huayi Yu
Producer: Huayi Yu
Writer: Huayi Yu
Cast: Emily Gin, Lauren Kong
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
Feathers and Silver
Student / California Institute of the Arts / Short / Animation / US / 2 minutes
Chasing a rumor, Nightclaw boards a mysterious airship in pursuit of the legendary outlaw Blackbeak. But inside its shadowy bar, he walks straight into a deadly trap—and a secret that could change everything.
Director: Junyoung Kwon
Producer: Junyoung Kwon
Writer: Junyoung Kwon
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
FIGHTER
California Premiere / Student / California Institute of the Arts / Short / Animation / US / 3 minutes
A girl who’s tired of life finds refuge and passion within the gaming world. However, her will to fight only extends to her VR boxing matches, rather than the outside world.
Director: Lauren “Reni” Park
Producer: Lauren “Reni” Park
Writer: Lauren “Reni” Park
Cast: Fel Chen
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
Folded
Short / Comedy, Horror / US / 8 minutes
Two roommates, desperate to escape their realities, accept the unthinkable.
Director: Ari Kraiman
Producer: Erika Lebby
Writer: Erika Lebby
Cast: Erika Lebby, Kilee Rheinsburg
Program 10 – Comedy Shorts #1 | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 12:00 pm
Forgive Me
Short / Horror/ Thriller / US / 19 minutes
Jessica is the only Asian girl in her American suburb. While navigating cultural expectations and casual racism, she is stalked by a menacing shadow with a tragic past.
Director: Cameron Sun
Producer: Ryan Blewett
Writer: Cameron Sun
Cast: Savira Windyani, Hana Wu, Allison Gabriel, Jack Seavor McDonald, Mike Peebler, Kitana Turnbull
Program 19 – Horror / Thriller Shorts | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 10:00 pm
God Dam
Student / Savannah College of Art and Design / Short / Animation / US / 3 minutes
A mockumentary about two beavers that work in a post office. The camera crew observes a typical work day for Clint Eatswood, the energetic manager, as he attempts to clean up the mess created by his unenthusiastic employee, Humphrey Damiels.
Director: Abigail Hill
Producer: Abigail Hill
Writer: Abigail Hill
Cast: Brian Cloutier, Wesley Mills
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
Goddamn’s Great Big Adventure: The Dating Crisis
Student / California Institute of the Arts / Short / Animation / US / 3 minutes
Goddamn an adorably naive sock ventures out to find love and runs into a few problems along the way.
Director: Lulu Arrow Mckown
Producer: Lulu Arrow Mckown
Writer: Lulu Arrow Mckown
Cast: Jonna-Lynn Alonso
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
Good Boy
World Premiere / Short / Drama / US / 8 minutes
A journey of how two wandering souls find exactly what they are looking for.
Director: Brett Robert Culbert
Producer: Shadow C. LaValley
Writer: Shadow C. LaValley
Cast: Roberto Hasbun, Shadow C. LaValley, Dylan Handley, James Healy Jr., Roslyn Gentle
Program 23 – Drama Shorts: Behind the Mask | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 5:25 pm
Grandpa’s Stamps
Student / California Institute of the Arts / Short / Animation / US / 3 minutes
A young girl bonds with her grandpa as he introduces her to his cherished stamp collection.
Director: Yunqing Pan
Producer: Yunqing Pan
Writer: Yunqing Pan
Cast: Peter Trivelas, Alessia May
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
Guys Next Door
Short / Animation / US / 26 minutes
Three normies get their lives mixed up with three government assassins on the run and end up in a world of bio-technological intrigue and philosophical lunacy.
Director: Noel Belknap
Producer: Sam DelPilar
Executive Producers: Wolfgang Hammer, Eric Kaplan
Writer: Eric Linus Kaplan
Cast: Simon Helberg
Program 12 – Animation Shorts | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 3:00 pm
‘Head Sighs’ – Jumprope
Short / Music Video / US / 4 minutes
Two friends mettle with dark forces, summoning a creature from their nightmares.
Director: Matthew Hardesty
Producer: Matthew Hardesty, Taylor Gibson, Chris Dunaway, Nolan Kerbert
Writer: Matthew Hardesty
Cast: Julia Sell, Sarah Jean Campbell
Program 19 – Horror / Thriller Shorts | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 10:00 pm
Heart Full of Hope
World Premiere / Feature / Drama / US / 1 hour, 19 minutes
Whitney, a determined woman in her 30’s, refuses to let renal kidney failure stop her from earning a college degree, while Lynette, her lively and devoted younger sister, is always by her side. But beneath Lynette’s unwavering support, she quietly struggles with the pain of knowing she isn’t a match to be Whitney’s kidney donor.
Director: Dale Fabrigar
Producer: Nicole Menendz, Suzanne DeLaurentiis
Writer: Tricia Aurand
Cast: Chelsea Rose Cook, Julie Taylor, Sebastian Armani
Program 26 – Narrative Feature #5 | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 7:30 pm
HER HOUSE
Short / Horror/ Thriller / US / 12 minutes
A young woman and her estranged mother are forced to reconcile their differences when they discover an evil presence lurking in the home of their recently deceased matriarch.
Director: Will Lee
Producer: Katrina Ungewitter, Ian Hedman
Writer: Will Lee, Ian Hedman
Cast: Taylor Joree Scorse, Gloria Gruber, Lexa Gluck
Program 19 – Horror / Thriller Shorts | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 10:00 pm
Homeward Dawn
Short / Drama / US / 20 minutes
A long night in jail leads to a catharsis and a new day for a veteran trying to outrun his painful past.
Director: Alysha Daniele Haran
Producer: Jacquelyn Ryan-Krichevsky, Bryan Bihari
Writer: Alysha Daniele Haran
Cast: Justin Jesso, Jason Kelley
Program 23 – Drama Shorts: Behind the Mask | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 5:25 pm
How We Hamsters Die
Student / San Jose State University / Short / Animation / US / 6 minutes
A comedic 2D animated short film in which hamsters recount the tragic tales of their wacky deaths – based on true stories.
Director: Phoebe Burdick, Mio Gribskov
Producer: Mikayla Hatchell
Writer: Phoebe Burdick, Mio Gribskov
Cast: Alethea Anderson, Phoebe Burdick, Mio Gribskov, Annika Magbanua, Joe Schwall, Oliver Woody, Tom Austin, David Chai, Mattea Muzzy, Jillian Stephenson
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
Hullabaloo: The Curse of the Cheshire Cat
Short / Animation / US / 8 minutes
A young aristocrat, who fancies herself to be a super-sleuth, attempts to apprehend the elusive cat-burglar known as “The Cheshire Cat”.
Director: James Lopez
Producer: James Lopez, Evelyn Kriete, Grant Viklund
Writer: James Lopez
Cast: Claudia Lenz, Valarie Arem
Program 12 – Animation Shorts | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 3:00 pm
Human Trial
World Premiere / Student / Glendale Community College / Short / Thriller / US / 8 minutes
MK Ultra in the Tinder era. A pharmaceutical lab tech accidentally ingests an experimental drug during a first date and we all get to monitor the side effects.
Director: David Shuck
Producer: Julia Lopez, Malena Wilson, David Shuck
Writer: David Shuck
Cast: William Sibley, Sharukh Khan, Annie Reznik
Program 1 – Student Sci-Fi / Thriller Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 1:00 pm
I-Scream
World Premiere / Short / Horror, Comedy / US / 21 minutes
What was once a carefree, easygoing summer day, suddenly turns into a thrilling, fast-paced rescue mission as best friends Brandy and Bailey must save their younger siblings, Ben and Jerri, from a paranormal ice cream truck.
Director: Jordan Beltz, Carlee Coulehan
Producer: Kelly Beltz, Rich Beltz, Jack Coulehan, Sarah Durham, Tim Lender
Writer: Jordan Beltz, Carlee Coulehan
Cast: Jordan Beltz, Carlee Coulehan, Mia Kopischke, Camden Kleba, Christian Barker, David Lemmink
Program 9 – Horror / Comedy Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 9:10 pm
In Loving Memory Of Our Transgressions
World Premiere / Short / Experimental / US / 10 minutes
Adrian, a teenage boy wrestles with his identity. Feeling out of place and isolated he reflects on David, a neighboring teen who recounts his transgressions growing up in Rock Island, Fort Worth, TX.
Director: Jorge.
Cast: Jacob Tobias, David Ortiz, Alma Viramontes, Arek Thompson, Amanda Cecilia, Daniel Hernandez, Kamber Alme, Alondra Gonzales, Galissa Gonzalez, Aleeya Ciacelli, Jovanny Parga, Pedro Lopez, Carlos Lopez, Richard Zacarias, Aaron Avelar
Program 23 – Drama Shorts: Behind the Mask | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 5:25 pm
INFINITY!
Short / Drama / US / 11 minutes
A famous Japanese American ballroom dance duo must choose between their passion or their lives as WWII concentration camps begin to rise in the U.S.
Director: Benjamin To
Producer: Catherine WenChun Cheng, Benjamin To
Writer: Benjamin To
Cast: Olivia Cordell, Jonathan Tanigaki
Program 11 – Drama Shorts: Love, Actually? | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 1:35 pm
Invisible Basketball
Short / Comedy / US / 4 minutes
In this comedic short film, a basketball coach teaches his players about teamwork by having them practice without a ball. Then the real challenge begins.
Director: Harry Valentine
Writer: Harry Valentine
Cast: Harry Valentine, Alyssa DeVries, Christine Stemmer, Karla Espino, Mackenzie Horras
Program 10 – Comedy Shorts #1 | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 12:00 pm
It’s an Art
World Premiere / Student / Harvard University / Short / Documentary / US / 7 minutes
An elderly cobbler and a young shoemaker reflect on the labor, artistry, and shared humanity behind an item we wear everyday.
Director: Kiana Pan
Producer: Kiana Pan
Cast: Christos Soillis, Ives Barrera
Program 4 – Student Documentary Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:00 pm
Jalopy
Student / Loyola Marymount University / Short / Drama / US / 12 minutes
To rekindle their relationship, Mark and Loretta drive to Yosemite for an anniversary trip in Mark’s vintage jeep, which starts to show signs of mechanical problems.
Director: Sal Ardongde
Producer: Sal Ardongde, Ben Foley
Writer: Sal Ardongde
Cast: Lauren Birdsall, Benedikt Sebastian
Program 3 – Student Shorts: Romance 101 | Friday, September 26, 2025, 3:05 pm
Life Support
Short / Drama / US / 11 minutes
Inspired by true stories, an emergency doctor struggling under the weight of life-and-death decisions must confront his own hidden traumas as he teaches a young medical student what it truly means to save a life.
Director: Jamon Tolbert
Producer: Bonnie Kim
Writer: Andrew Chu, Jamon Tolbert
Cast: Abigail Johnson
Program 23 – Drama Shorts: Behind the Mask | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 5:25 pm
Love & Gold
West Coast Premiere / Student / Brigham Young University / Short / Animation / US / 10 minutes
Two thieves enter the same dungeon searching for a gem worth incredible wealth, but what they find along the way is worth more than all the treasure in the dungeon combined.
Director: Connor Van Dyke
Producer: Jaysen “Ducky” Duckworth
Writer: Connor Van Dyke
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
MISMATCH
Student / UCLA / Short / Animation / US / 3 minutes
A seemingly ordinary matchstick, repeatedly dismissed and denied recognition as a military veteran, slowly ignites with emotion—until it finally flames up, revealing the true weight of the micro aggressions it endured.
Director: Luna Lee
Producer: Luna Lee
Writer: Luna Lee
Cast: Luna Lee, Matt Haro, Brianna Yi, Madeline Palmer, Emily Newland, Edwin Zha, Jess Reed
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
Mother
World Premiere / Short / Horror/ Thriller / US / 14 minutes
An unnerving and unsettling look at a woman’s desperate attempts to become a mother despite her inability to conceive. Entirely from Lizzie’s perspective as an unreliable narrator, we see what goes on in her mind which is very distinct from reality.
Director: Elizabeth J. Musgrave
Producer: Elizabeth J. Musgrave, Frank J. Forte
Writer: Elizabeth J. Musgrave
Cast: Elena Afanasiev, Garrett Edell, Lauren Flynn
Program 9 – Horror / Comedy Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 9:10 pm
Motherload
West Coast Premiere / Short / Dramedy / US / 15 minutes
A mother’s artistic dreams clash with the demands of motherhood until a chance encounter with a gentle stranger during a rare moment of peace pushes her to redefine her life’s possibilities.
Director: Jennifer Berry
Producer: Jennifer Berry, Kyla Garcia
Writer: Jennifer Berry
Cast: Kyla Garcia, Jonah Jacobson
Program 7 – Drama Shorts: Circle of Life | Friday, September 26, 2025, 7:00 pm
Muscle Beach
World Premiere / Short / Drama / US / 12 minutes
A brother travels across the country to fulfill his sister’s last dying wish.
Director: Eliot Charof
Producer: Eliot Charof
Writer: Eliot Charof
Cast: Love Almqvist, Anne Windsland, Alan Charof, Ron Gordon, Granola The Dog
Program 20 – Drama Shorts: Love & Loss | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 1:00 pm
Nate and Moriah in Venice
West Coast Premiere / Feature / Dramedy / US / 1 hour, 40 minutes
A young, struggling couple goes on vacation to rekindle their happiness, but their past catches up with them as they wander the streets of beautiful Venice for a day.
Director: Austin Balke
Producer: Austin Balke, Francis Dillon
Writer: Austin Balke
Cast: Corrinne Mica, Michael Ridley
Program 18 – Narrative Feature #3 | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 8:30 pm
Natural Selection
Student / California State University Fullerton / Short / Comedy / US / 16 minutes
Natural Selection tells the story of a young woman’s journey to find love- backed by a nature documentary narrator observing her every move. Through Nicole’s idealistic and overly romanticized view of love and finding a partner, the film offers a female perspective on navigating the proverbial jungle of the dating scene.
Director: Amanda Ryan D’Ambrosio
Producer: Coral Lomeli, Martina Tucker
Writer: Amanda Ryan D’Ambrosio
Cast: Nicole Anneliese Smith, LaToya Blakely, Lo Weaver, Matt Tang, Vincent Doud, Collin Riley
Program 3 – Student Shorts: Romance 101 | Friday, September 26, 2025, 3:05 pm
NO LEFT TURNS
Short / Drama / US / 32 minutes
After receiving traumatic news about her brother, a recovering addict is thrust into crisis. Her friends desperately try to talk her out of relapse in this story of separation and connection, and of how far people will go to protect the ones they love.
Director: Douglas Ryan
Producer: Alexandra Grace, Douglas Ryan
Writer: Douglas Ryan
Cast: Alexandra Grace, Camryn Basile, KC Okoro, Austin Barnes
Program 20 – Drama Shorts: Love & Loss | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 1:00 pm
Not Today, Not Tomorrow
Short / Thriller, Drama / US / 17 minutes
After a daring prison escape, childhood besties Bo (Amanda Holquin) and Olivia (Katrina Steele) find themselves stranded in the desert with no water. With the odds stacked against them, Bo and Olivia need to find a way to settle their differences, survive the desert and elude possible capture, all in order to reach Uncle Roger’s safehouse. One thing is certain, if they’re going to die it’s Not Today, Not Tomorrow.
Director: Neil Miguel Watson
Producer: Matthew Levin, Katrina Steele, Neil Miguel Watson, Veronica Paige Smith
Writer: Katrina Steele, Neil Miguel Watson
Cast: Amanda Lynn Holquin, Katrina Steele
Program 16 – Dramatic Thrillers: Breaking the Chains | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 6:40 pm
Offspring
Student / UCLA / Short / Animation / US / 3 minutes
A spider is born in a cave.
Director: Hannah Mutz
Producer: Hannah Mutz
Writer: Hannah Mutz
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
Outlandish
Student / California Institute of the Arts / Short / Animation / US / 4 minutes
A sheltered child ventures out of their safe house into a dangerous forest in search of their missing friend.
Director: Christina Wu
Producer: Christina Wu
Writer: Christina Wu
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
Palmas
Student / USC / Short / Documentary / US / 21 minutes
Rooted in the subversive tradition of Mexicanidad, Palmas confronts viewers with the haunting histories of the Kizh-Gabrieleño tribe, the Chavez Ravine evictions at Dodger Stadium, and the Palm Tree, presenting a triptych experience of the buried voices of Los Angeles.
Director: Aric Lopez
Producer: Dhruv Patel, Ana Flávia Veiga
Writer: Aric Lopez
Program 4 – Student Documentary Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:00 pm
Penguins In Paris…A Love Story?
West Coast Premiere / Short / International / US / 13 minutes
A romantic drama about two lovers – an American woman and a French man – deciding whether to stay together and have a child or to split, allowing the man to follow his dream, to voyage to Antarctica to study penguins, which are at risk because of global warming.
Director: Kenny Hargrove
Producer: Kenny Hargrove, Ophelie Bazillou
Writer: Kenny Hargrove
Cast: Genia Michaela, Christopher Fournier
Program 11 – Drama Shorts: Love, Actually? | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 1:35 pm
Reminisce
Short / Drama / US / 12 minutes
25 years younger than her husband, a woman’s world is turned upside down when her husband’s college classmates come to visit.
Director: Leslie Morris
Producer: Ashna Sharan
Writer: Ashna Sharan
Cast: Ashna Sharan, Wayne Jay, Elisa Nixon, Roger Gutierrez, Anupam Dhyani
Program 11 – Drama Shorts: Love, Actually? | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 1:35 pm
RESTLESS
World Premiere / Student / UCLA / Short / Documentary / US / 6 minutes
Three third culture kids talk about their restless legs.
Director: Ender Waters
Program 4 – Student Documentary Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:00 pm
Ride Share
World Premiere / Short / Drama / US / 11 minutes
A ride share driver gets a fare, which turns out to be his ex and her new man. She takes the opportunity to address unresolved issues.
Director: Will Ahrens
Producer: Will Ahrens
Writer: Will Ahrens
Cast: Tony DeNiro, Jasmine De La Fuente, Dorian Burks, Jeffrey Delfin
Program 11 – Drama Shorts: Love, Actually? | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 1:35 pm
Routine
World Premiere / Short / Drama / US / 8 minutes
A young man slogs through his workweek amid a mental health crisis.
Director: Jake Bernstein
Producer: Jake Bernstein
Writer: Jake Bernstein
Cast: Justin Ferante
Program 23 – Drama Shorts: Behind the Mask | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 5:25 pm
Scary Marian, the Scariest Librarian
Student / Glendale Community College / Short / Horror / Thriller / US / 6 minutes
Two students make too much noise in the library, and pay the price…
Director: Brian Thomas Fagan
Producer: John C. McKay
Writer: Brian Thomas Fagan
Cast: Robby Dewey, Alex Hall, Damian Neto, William Sibley, John Fagan
Program 1 – Student Sci-Fi / Thriller Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 1:00 pm
Second Chance
Student / Petaluma High School / Short / Documentary / US / 9 minutes
An inspired young filmmaker who witnessed a disturbing incident at school looks inside Juvenile Hall and Court, through the moving account of a juvenile offender and his parents, as well as the insights of the judge, attorneys and probation officer. Second Chance takes a step towards better understanding, compassion and ultimately, hope for juveniles who are some of the most vulnerable in our society, and who are also part of its future.
Director: India Anne Mitchell
Producer: India Anne Mitchell
Writer: India Anne Mitchell
Program 4 – Student Documentary Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:00 pm
Secrets Kept
World Premiere / Student / Elon University / Short / Thriller / US / 15 minutes
A detective pair hunts down a murderer targeting criminals, but the truth is not what they expected.
Director: Griffin Powell
Producer: Griffin Powell, Ben Ohlmeyer, Ariel Turobiner
Writer: Griffin Powell
Cast: Mason Seel, Isabella Shaffer, Nick Brillo, Ben Ohlmeyer, Meghan Carroll, Griffin Powell
Program 1 – Student Sci-Fi / Thriller Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 1:00 pm
Sequoia
Student / New York Film Academy / Short / Thriller / US / 15 minutes
In a seemingly idyllic suburban neighborhood where 1950s-inspired AI maids maintain perfect homes, one diligent maid gains sentience and embarks on a dangerous quest for truth.
Director: Michelle Künzler
Producer: Michelle Künzler, Rui Dong
Writer: Michelle Künzler
Cast: Elsha Kim, Amber Koval
Program 1 – Student Sci-Fi / Thriller Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 1:00 pm
Sewing Machine
Short / Horror / Thriller / US / 6 minutes
Heather, a young fashion designer, is working on her latest collection when a knock at the door changes everything. Left on her doorstep is a mysterious sewing machine, seemingly a gift – but it carries a lot more than just bad vibes.
Director: Tyler Hagen
Producer: Alex M Kennedy
Writer: Tyler Hagen
Cast: Heather Briganti, Emilia Bryan
Program 9 – Horror / Comedy Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 9:10 pm
SIENNA AND THE SIT
Short / Comedy / US / 17 minutes
Sienna, a heartbroken LA seeker ready to try any spiritual remedy, has tried everything to get past her ex, to no avail. When her friend Ruthie says there’s nothing left for her to do but sit Shiva, Sienna takes her metaphorical comment literally, and hosts a Shiva for her ex.
Director: Scottie Thompson
Producer: Scottie Thompson, Sarah Ivy
Writer: Scottie Thompson
Cast: Meta Golding, Brett Dalton, Kathy Najimy, Scottie Thompson, Alyshia Ochse, Rupak Ginn, Stephen Bowman, Lisa Lee Cooper
Program 15 – Comedy Shorts #2 | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 5:45 pm
Sleep
Student / Snyder School of Cinema and Media Arts / Short / Drama / US / 9 minutes
In the dead of night, a father attempts to comfort his child, who believes their deceased mother is tapping on the bedroom window.
Director: Logan Kishi
Producer: Gabriella Graves, Logan Kishi
Writer: Logan Kishi
Cast: Tyler Tackett, Maya Manko
Program 2 – Student Drama Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 1:55 pm
Solo Trip
West Coast Premiere / Short / Drama / US / 9 minutes
A woman has an out-of-body experience on the beach. She meets a young soul, a soul mate, and an old soul before returning to her body.
Director: Travis Roman
Producer: Jane McGinnis
Writer: Travis Roman
Cast: Christine Fiala, Chiedu Mbonu, Constantine Taylor, Henry Larsen-Solomito
Program 7 – Drama Shorts: Circle of Life | Friday, September 26, 2025, 7:00 pm
Someday
Los Angeles Premiere / Short / Drama / Hong Kong / 11 minutes
One day in Hong Kong, two childhood friends spend an evening wandering the city before one of them leaves for good. Through silent moments, playful banter, and a deep undercurrent of unresolved feelings, Someday captures the tension of what could have been — a love story never acted upon, narrated by an introspective voiceover that’s interrupted by reality. It’s a story of memory, yearning, and the beauty of ambiguity.
Director: Justin Baggio Cheung
Producer: Justin Baggio Cheung, Jonathan Linux Cheung, Ki Ki Ng
Writer: Justin Baggio Cheung, Jeffery Lee
Cast: Jonathan Linux Cheung, Stephanie Kuo
Program 11 – Drama Shorts: Love, Actually? | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 1:35 pm
Soultones
Student / Loyola Marymount University / Short / Drama / US / 15 minutes
George lives in a hazy world of guitar riffs and old vinyls, under the watchful eye of a caretaker stretched too thin. When an estranged visitor arrives and challenges their fragile rhythm, tensions rise and questions emerge about what’s really going on inside George’s mind. However everything changes when a figure from the past shows up with a guitar in hand—and a song that could bring George back to himself. Soultones is a music-infused psychological drama about identity, legacy, and the healing power of a song.
Director: Austin Jeffrey Bourdages
Producer: Stanley Frederick Alger, Austin Jeffrey Bourdages
Writer: Austin Jeffrey Bourdages
Cast: Bradley Ash, Katie Kelley, Glenn Kennedy, Bruce Burns, Dennis Holland
Program 2 – Student Drama Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 1:55 pm
Spitting Image
West Coast Premiere / Short / Dramedy / US / 12 minutes
When cynical 17-year-old Anne learns that her adoptive parents, Liz and Phil, are actually her birth parents, she sits them down at the kitchen table for a rigorous interrogation.
Director: Dimitri Dyó
Producer: Erwick D’Souza, Dimitri Dyó
Writer: Dimitri Dyó
Cast: Emma Hart, Annette Saunders, Greg Paroff, Ollie Andree Bowen
Program 13 – Dramedy Shorts: The Ties That Bind | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 3:50 pm
Stone Garden
Short / Drama / US / 15 minutes
After running away from home, a young boy happens upon a mysterious stone garden. Through the help of the enigmatic Stone Witch, caretaker of the garden, he learns a painful lesson about regret, sacrifice and ultimately what it means to love and be loved.
Director: Alysha Daniele Haran
Producer: Bryan Bihari, Jacquelyn Ryan, Daryn Okada
Writer: Alysha Daniele Haran
Cast: Laurel Nicole Blairsden
Program 22 – Sci-Fi / Fantasy Shorts | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 3:50 pm
Stranded
Short / Drama / Brazil, US / 10 minutes
A frustrated investment banker finds purpose in the hair that he is losing.
Director: Luca Floris
Producer: Luca Floris, José Eduardo Lins
Writer: Luca Floris
Cast: Luca Floris
Program 23 – Drama Shorts: Behind the Mask | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 5:25 pm
STREET SMART: Lessons from a TV Icon
Los Angeles Premiere / Feature / Documentary / US / 1 hour, 26 minutes
STREET SMART: LESSONS FROM A TV ICON is a feature documentary about Sonia Manzano — known to millions as “Maria” from SESAME STREET. The film follows Sonia’s remarkable journey, from a young girl in the South Bronx finding refuge in television, to becoming the first Latina on American TV in a regular role, through 44 years on screen on SESAME STREET, and now as a creator of ALMA’S WAY.
Director: Ernie Bustamante
Producer: Steven Canals, Maor Azran
Writer: Ernie Bustamante
Cast: Sonia Manzano, Stephen Schwartz, Sonia Sotomayor, Carmen Osbahr-Vertiz
Program 21 – Documentary Feature #2 | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 3:10 pm
Symptoms
Short / Dramedy / US / 14 minutes
A middle-aged woman is determined to win the biggest deal yet for a mindfulness app company, but brain fog, her erratic period and a douchebag boss upend her day.
Director: Eliza Gibson, Todd Eric Valcourt
Producer: Jennifer Sherer
Writer: Eliza Gibson
Cast: Pinky Jones, Frankie Kevich, James Austin Kerr, Leslie Thurston, Shaw Purnell
Program 15 – Comedy Shorts #2 | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 5:45 pm
The Boulder Theory
California Premiere / Student / Savannah College of Art and Design / Short / Animation / US / 4 minutes
After falling in love with a boulder, two glyptodons brawl over their shared romantic interest.
Director: Quinn Tisdale
Producer: Ella Vaccaro
Writer: Quinn Tisdale
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
The Diary of Nightmares
World Premiere / Student / Los Angeles City College / Short / Horror/Thriller / US / 5 minutes
The girl finds a horror book titled The Diary of Nightmares. As she starts reading the book, she finds herself in a world of terrifying stories, where a horrifying creature chases her, intent on killing her. To save herself and return to the human world, she must share her nightmare with the book.
Director: Elizaveta Manina
Producer: Elizaveta Manina
Executive Producer: Ekaterina Melnikova
Writer: Elizaveta Manina
Cast: Ekaterina Melnikova
Program 1 – Student Sci-Fi / Thriller Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 1:00 pm
The Junction
Short / Drama / US / 40 minutes
A mother and daughter try to navigate their strained relationship while running from a haunting that follows them wherever they go.
Director: AJ Lambert
Producer: Katherine Croft, Natalie Peyser, Harriet Cauthery
Writer: AJ Lambert
Cast: Alicia Blasingame, Emily Gateley, Frania Del Carmen, Matthew Marzo
Program 16 – Dramatic Thrillers: Breaking the Chains | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 6:40 pm
The Lonely Life of Lint
Student / UCLA / Short / Animation / US / 4 minutes
An unexpected discovery sends a lonely lint creature on a quest for companionship.
Director: Sarah Sklar
Producer: Sarah Sklar
Writer: Sarah Sklar
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
The Magic of Santa Claus
West Coast Premiere / Short / Animation / US / 9 minutes
Despite receiving a heartbreaking diagnosis, Santa Claus moves on with his life as if nothing happened.
Director: Andrew de Burgh
Producer: Andrew de Burgh, C. Diamant, Ananya Chopra
Writer: Andrew de Burgh
Cast: Piedmont’s Children’s Choir
Program 12 – Animation Shorts | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 3:00 pm
The Opener
Feature / Documentary / US / 1 hour, 13 minutes
After a struggling street musician goes viral playing songs from his bedroom, he’s invited on tour by one of his heroes, Grammy-winner Jason Mraz, and given the chance to prove himself on the big stage.
Director: Jeff Toye
Producer: Sunya Mara
Cast: Philip Labes
Program 14 – Documentary Feature #1 | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 4:35 pm
THE OTHER SIDE
California Premiere / Short / Drama / US / 30 minutes
Set in the heart of Mumbai, The Other Side is a compelling portrayal of the struggles endured by a Mumbai street artist aspiring to attend one of the country’s finest art academies. When he is faced with the decision between his desires and a friend’s needs, he must choose between his heart and his conscience.
Director: Nikita Hattangady
Producer: Nikita Hattangady
Writer: Nikita Hattangady
Cast: Swapnil Kanase, Arpita Ghogardare
Program 24 – Two Perspectives: The Artist’s Journey | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 5:45 pm
The Pink Skirt
World Premiere / Student / John Burroughs High School / Short / Drama / US / 11 minutes
The Pink Skirt is about a single mom and her 10-year old son who wants to be a ballerina for Halloween. The short delves into themes of acceptance and the struggles of raising a child as a single mom.
Director: Hannah Hope O’Briant
Producer: Hannah Hope O’Briant
Writer: Hannah Hope O’Briant
Cast: Mary Faber, Henry Witcher
Program 2 – Student Drama Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 1:55 pm
The Princess is Missing!
Student / California Institute of the Arts / Short / Animation / US / 3 minutes
The Rajah and his troop of warriors search far and wide to rescue their beloved princess from an evil beast.
Director: Kabir Azul Kukathas
Producer: Kabir Azul Kukathas
Writer: Kabir Azul Kukathas
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
THE PROFESSIONAL PARENT
Short / Drama / Romania, Slovakia / 15 minutes
Ingrid, a single mother living with her daughter and grandmother in an eastern Slovak village where Roma face stigma, becomes a professional parent to a Roma girl to survive.
Director: Erik Jasaň
Producer: Erik Jasaň, Marian Crisan
Writer: Erik Jasaň, Marta Parlatore
Cast: Ela Lehotská, Oľga Solárová, Klára Sviteková, Mariana Kroková, Andrej Šoltés
Program 6 – Drama Shorts: Bearing Witness | Friday, September 26, 2025, 5:35 pm
The Spot
World Premiere / Short / Horror/ Thriller / US / 7 minutes
A woman’s obsession with a spot she cannot make clean drives her to madness and beyond.
Director: Gabriella Westwood, AJ Starzak
Writer: Gabriella Westwood
Cast: Gabriella Westwood, Daniel Van Thomas
Program 19 – Horror / Thriller Shorts | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 10:00 pm
They Slay
Short / Horror, Comedy / US / 26 minutes
Longtime friends begin to butt heads at a Halloween party when an unruly demon unearths the group’s uncomfortable truths.
Director: Maddie Macloud
Producer: Lennon Carter, Lo Lundeen, Maddie Macloud, Justin Stirewalt
Writer: Lo Lundeen, Lennon Carter
Cast: Charlie Jackson, Jalina Brown, Lo Lundeen, Lennon Carter, Cameron Jackson
Program 9 – Horror / Comedy Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 9:10 pm
To Engage
Short / Drama / US / 8 minutes
A romantic picnic is derailed by a marriage proposal.
Director: Le Chau
Producer: Seth Allyn Austin, Barbara Austin
Writer: Jenni Nicole Bloom
Cast: Jenni Nicole Bloom, Seth Allyn Austin, Varenna Salvo, Elen Orleans, William Bremer
Program 11 – Drama Shorts: Love, Actually? | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 1:35 pm
Toby
West Coast Premiere / Short / Dramedy / US / 14 minutes
While Michelle cares for her terminally ill mother, she also has to contend with her mother’s tiny, overprotective dog, Toby. As Michelle navigates the challenges of caretaking and confronts her own fears and insecurities, she learns valuable lessons about love, loss, and the enduring power of canine companionship. Toby is based on a true story.
Director: Olivia Nash
Producer: Brandie Louck, Olivia Nash
Writer: Brandie Louck
Cast: Brandie Louck, Taco, Elise Ogden, Tommy Lee Rhodes IV
Program 7 – Drama Shorts: Circle of Life | Friday, September 26, 2025, 7:00 pm
TOTALLY SICK
California Premiere / Short / Comedy / US / 8 minutes
Two potty-mouthed, abrasive, and cynical New Yorkers have the worst one-night stand ever only to discover that one of them is seriously ill.
Director: Adam Nadler
Producer: Phil Rivo
Writer: Adam Nadler
Cast: Kerri Louise, Phil Rivo
Program 13 – Dramedy Shorts: The Ties That Bind | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 3:50 pm
Two Step Forward, One Step Back
World Premiere / Short / Drama / US / 13 minutes
During Chinese New Year, a grieving Chinese American teen is visited by her late mother’s spirit, forcing her to confront love, loss, and the courage to live authentically.
Director: Cici Liu
Producer: Tina Lin, Wenhan Zhang
Writer: Ruixue Chen, Wenyu Huang
Cast: Ruixue Chen, Yaoyao Qi, Chen Lee, Ana Mendoza, Katherine Ni
Program 7 – Drama Shorts: Circle of Life | Friday, September 26, 2025, 7:00 pm
Visitant
West Coast Premiere / Short / Thriller / US / 5 minutes
During a late-night rendezvous between a straight-laced man and an androgynous sex worker, secrets emerge and it becomes clear that these two may know each other from the past.
Director: Cameron J. Kic
Producer: Angie Guo
Writer: Cameron J. Kic
Cast: Joey Sorce, Luke Stoddard
Program 19 – Horror / Thriller Shorts | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 10:00 pm
Waiting
Short / Dramedy / US / 22 minutes
While a cynical, aged-out rock star and his fiercely independent maybe-daughter await the results of a paternity test, they struggle to find a connection that goes beyond the biological.
Director: Saric Cooper
Writer: Saric Cooper
Cast: Robert Fleet, Kaylee Garrett, Danny Cooper, Jalana Phillips
Program 7 – Drama Shorts: Circle of Life | Friday, September 26, 2025, 7:00 pm
Watching Walter
Short / Drama / US / 17 minutes
Based on the true story of Holocaust survivor-turned watchmaker Wladyslaw “Walter” Wojnas (played by Stephen Tobolowsky), Watching Walter is a proof of concept short touching on several poignant moments in Wojnas’ life. Set in both 1995 Philadelphia and World War II Nazi occupied Poland, it’s a story of one man’s triumph over tragedy.
Director: Mitch Yapko
Producer: Mitch Yapko, Cynthia Gravinese-Brown, Mark Dylan Brown, Mark Aznavourian
Writer: Mark Dylan Brown
Cast: Stephen Tobolowsky, Gareth Williams, Benjamin Stockham, Andrew Elvis Miller, William Leon, Maxfield Lund, Allen Rueckert, Cynthia Gravinese-Brown
Program 6 – Drama Shorts: Bearing Witness | Friday, September 26, 2025, 5:35 pm
Water Lilies
Feature / Drama / Republic of Korea / 1 hour, 59 minutes
The water lilies bloom, even in the filthiest waters. Amid the mire of selfish desires and the indifference to others’ suffering, hope begins to bloom anew in the fleeting moment when we recognize the humanity within one another.
Director: Chanho Lee
Producer: Jiyoon Oh
Writer: Jungbum Park, Chanho Lee
Cast: Hyowon Lee, Eunseo Choi, Seungyeon Lee, Incheol Park
Program 25 – Narrative Feature #4 | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 7:30 pm
We Were Young
Short / Drama / US / 12 minutes
Lydia gets an unexpected knock on the door— Mark, her high school sweetheart. As they navigate the memories of their youthful love, Mark confronts the choices that led them apart. Lydia, now content with her new life, struggles with resurfaced feelings. Through it all, Lydia finds closure and peace with her past, allowing her to embrace her new life without Mark.
Director: Roe Moore
Producer: Roe Moore, Meagan Parker
Writer: Johny Walsh
Cast: Johny Walsh, Patrick Cronen
Program 11 – Drama Shorts: Love, Actually? | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 1:35 pm
When It Hits
Short / Drama / US / 9 minutes
Two siblings clash while navigating their own journeys through grief.
Director: Veronica Mitsuk
Producer: Veronica Mitsuk, David Terry
Writer: Veronica Mitsuk
Cast: Veronica Mitsuk, David Terry
Program 20 – Drama Shorts: Love & Loss | Sunday, September 28, 2025, 1:00 pm
When The Skies Are Blue
Student / California Institute of the Arts / Short / Animation / US / 3 minutes
A young artist and a child traverse the crystal rain apocalypse in search of… art supplies?
Director: Matthew Lei
Producer: Matthew Lei
Writer: Matthew Lei
Cast: Stacy Sterling, Emily Lane
Program 5 – Student Animation Shorts | Friday, September 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
Why Dogs Howl
Short / Dramedy / US / 5 minutes
After meeting online, a BOY and GIRL are out on their first date. It rapidly devolves into the BOY vomiting out his life in a Howl that ultimately encompasses the entire universe.
Director: Sandi Johnson
Producer: Gary Teitelbaum
Writer: Gary Teitelbaum
Cast: Gary Teitelbaum, Hayley O’Connor
Program 13 – Dramedy Shorts: The Ties That Bind | Saturday, September 27, 2025, 3:50 pm
BENEATH THE UNDERCURRENT
Finalist / Feature Screenplay / US
Having stopped taking her Bipolar medication, Vivian (“Viv”) Stewart, a famous writer, decides to kill off the main character of her newest novel; however, when an angry Kathryn comes to life, she aims to drive Viv to suicide as a way of seeking revenge, because if Kathryn goes down, she’s taking Viv with her.
Writer: Helen Alexis Yonov
Diwata
Finalist / Short Screenplay / US
With her twilight years on the horizon, a Filipina grandmother ditches her eightieth birthday party to summon the spirit of her long-dead granddaughter, navigating hallucinations and repressed memories as she attempts to make amends with her past–and rediscover herself.
Writer: Shea Formanes
Don’t Eat Paper!
Finalist / Feature Screenplay / US
Roy is obnoxiously in love with his therapist, Joanie, whose attempt to “fire” her client unintentionally leads to his death, but Roy’s ghost expects to maintain their “relationship”; however, a wild road-trip with Roy leads Joanie to discover her true mission in life.
Writer: Julius J. Galacki
Moonshot
Finalist / Short Screenplay / US
When a rogue, thrill-seeking Neil Armstrong goes off-script during the moon landing, NASA races to rewrite history — but what he finds up there was never meant to be broadcast.
Writer: Michael Henry Moore
Oceandrop
Finalist / Short Screenplay / US
On a classified deep-ocean descent, two specialists discover a buried artifact that shouldn’t exist — and one of them begins to remember something buried with it.
Writer: Michael Henry Moore
Prodigal
Finalist / Student Screenplay / US
When Archie Saxe’s estranged father and Tulsa Renaissance Faire owner dies and insists in his will that Archie must be present for the reading, Archie travels to the fairgrounds to collect a big inheritance and finally move out of his mom’s house. However, when the will reading doesn’t go his way, Archie must come to terms with the geek inside him and win the faire. Whatever that means…
Writer: Aidan Cullen
Sam Katt, Detective
Finalist / Feature Screenplay / US
Sam, a down-on-his-luck cat detective, reluctantly agrees to find a missing puppy. As his brother disappoints him, his secretary leaves town and his girlfriend breaks up with him, Sam struggles to change in a demimonde of stray animals and lost souls.
Writer: V.R. Marianne Zahn
Split
Finalist / Short Screenplay / US
Sharing a bottle of expensive wine at an upscale restaurant, two women explore how wise observations, mobile homes and California culture influence a major life decision.
Writer: John A. Goodlove
The Devil’s Chalice
Finalist / Feature Screenplay / US
After two college professors and their students stumble on the deadly secrets of a powerful political organization they have to fight for their lives when the criminals go-all-out to kill anyone who gets in their way.
Writer: SherLann Dearri Moore
The Fourth Psalm
Finalist / Feature Screenplay / US
Dire consequences ensue when two Catholic priests at a New Mexico parish clash during the 1980s Sanctuary Movement, endangering the lives of three innocent Central American refugees.
Writer: John Martins III
Amoeba
Semi-Finalist / Feature Screenplay / US
Writer: Noreen Quadir
A popular teen under the social status microscope battles with her sexuality and living up to others’ expectations of her, while working towards her rigorous college dance application process.
Beat of Your Own Drum
Semi-Finalist / Feature Screenplay / US
In the shadow of their father’s cruelty, two gifted brothers in 1920s Missouri, one with a secret love for Jazz, and the other sharing the same love, but living with autism-find refuge in a hidden world of Jazz-where music may be their only escape and each other, their only home.
Writer: Nicholas P Runfolo
Best of Times
Semi-Finalist / Short Screenplay / US
Four Vietnam veterans in a retirement home play their own version of Blackjack until a strange, new, entertainment employee changes the rules of the game and one veteran’s life.
Writer: Jim Norman
Leaving Vacaville
Semi-Finalist / Feature Screenplay / US
Lia loves her new life in Los Angeles with her Armenian Gangster boyfriend, but needs a partner in crime, she persuades her bestie Cassie to leave their hometown of Vacaville for the high life’ of L.A. The girls want to do what the boys want to do, and make their own money but get in more trouble than they bargained for.
Writer: Wendy Bain
The Judge Retires
Semi-Finalist / Feature Screenplay / Scotland
On the verge of retirement, a disillusioned British judge turns whistleblower and showman, exposing corruption from the bench with flair, fury, and fishnet tights.
Writer: Jonathan Fear