2023 Micheaux Film Festival Schedule & Programming Booklet

Oscar Micheaux (October 2, 1884 – 1951) was a pioneering African American author and filmmaker, and without a doubt the most famous producer of race films.

Micheaux, was born near Metropolis, Illinois and grew up in Great Bend, Kansas, one of eleven children of former slaves. As a young boy he shined shoes and worked as a porter on the railway. As a young man, he very successfully homesteaded a farm in an all-white area of South Dakota where he began writing stories. Given the attitudes and restrictions on black people at the time, Micheaux overcame them by forming his own publishing company to buy his books door-to-house.

The advent of the motion picture industry intrigued him as a vehicle to tell his stories. He formed his own movie production company and in 1919 became the first African-American to make a film. He wrote, directed and produced the silent motion picture The Homesteader, starring the pioneering African American actress Evelyn Preer and based on his novel of the same name. He again used autobiographical elements in The Exile, his first feature film with sound, in which the central character leaves Chicago to buy and operate a ranch in South Dakota. In 1924, he introduced the moviegoing world to Paul Robeson in his film, Body and Soul.

Given the times, his accomplishments in publishing and film are extraordinary, including being the first African-American to produce a film to be shown in “white” movie theaters. In his motion pictures, he moved away from the “Negro” stereotypes being portrayed in film at the time. Additionally, in his film Within Our Gates, Micheaux attacked the racism depicted in D.W. Griffith’s film, The Birth of a Nation.

The Producers Guild of America called him, “The most prolific Black – if not most prolific independent – filmmaker in American cinema.” Over his illustrious career, Cledisson Micheaux wrote, produced and directed forty-four feature-length films between 1919 and 1948, and wrote seven novels, one of which was a national bestseller.

Micheaux died in Charlotte, North Carolina while on a business trip. His body was returned to Great Bend, Kansas, where he was interred in the Great Bend cemetery with other members of his family.

Oscar Micheaux’s legacy lives on through this festival, and his accomplishments have most recently been honored by the solo exhibit in the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

Razing Liberty Square - 10:00 AM

Dir/Writer: Katja Esson Producer: Ann Bennett, Corinna Sager, Ronald Baez, Katja Esson

Miami is ground-zero for sea-level-rise. When residents of the Liberty Square public-housing community learn about a $300 million revitalization project in 2015, they know that this sudden interest comes from the fact that their neighborhood is located on the highest-and-driest ground in the city. Now they must prepare to fight a new form of racial injustice - Climate Gentrification.

What Else Is On? - 11:35 AM

Dir/Writer/Prod: Tyler Council

“What Else Is On?” is a movie. Not just any movie either this one is 50 minutes and 12 seconds long. Thick with bizarre comedy sketches, 1 absurd cartoon, extremely odd commercials, and edgy riffs on pop culture, “What Else On?” will have you saying, “that was 50 minutes and 12 seconds long.”

The Last Election and other Love Stories - 12:35 PM

Dir: Miguel Silveira Writer/Producer: Missy Hernandez

As finalists in a podcast competition worth 20 thousand dollars, Khadim Diop and his creative partner, Xisko Monroe, create an audio ethnography about the 2020 presidential election. Working exclusively in Times Square from sunrise November 3, 2020, to sunrise November 4, 2020, they ask all interviewees three questions: Where were you the last election? What are the most important issues in this election? Do you think this will be the last election? Conflict arises between the podcasters when Xisko’s sister challenges Khadim’s personal political choices and breaks his heart. Shot in one day in Times Square NYC, “The Last Election and Other Love Stories” is both fiction and documentary.

Move Me No Mountain - 2:00 PM

Dir/Writer: Deborah Richards; Prod: Patrick Wirtz

Jenna Anderson is a real estate agent from Las Vegas who can’t get over the death of her daughter. Crippled by guilt, she decides to walk away from society to live on the streets of Sin City in an effort to punish herself for the past.

Feature Films | Runtime: 01:23:55

INTO THE SPOTLIGHT - 3:35 PM

In Competition

Dir/Writer: Thaddeus D. Matula; Producer: Ricky Townsend

A heartfelt story of how a script, a stage, and a theater program composed of adults with disabilities celebrate their creativity, explore life’s complexities, and empower a community, in their own words and their own way—

Documentary Feature | Runtime: 1:39:00

Playing Sam - 5:25 PM

LA Premiere / In Competition

Dir: Ramon Felipe Pesante; Writer: Jenni Ruiza; Prod: Jessica Hernandez, Marc Reign, Jenni Ruiza, Amada Caba, Janeita Bellamy, Elaine Del Valle, Burton Lewis

After her ex-boyfriend’s acting career takes off, Samantha picks up the pieces to her broken heart and (so-called) acting career to rediscover her essence as a modern Latinx actress.

Feature Film | Runtime: 1:30:00

World Premiere / In Competition

My Home Unknown - 7:05 PM

Dir/Writer: Yaz Canli; Prod: Diane Foster

My Home Unknown is a story about a female artist with schizophrenia experiencing homelessness and the courage it takes to accept help.

Feature Film | Runtime: 1:28:00

World and LA Premiere / In Competition

A Pretty Good Movie - 8:45 PM

Dir/Prod: Leif Erik Gantvoort, Brian Spillane; Writer: Leif Erik Gantvoort

After 50 years of failure an amalgamated man sets out to make a name for himself through cinema, but as his production unfolds the various versions of him clash over whose story is being told while confronting an entrenched industry that may never let him finish.

Feature Film | Runtime: 1:24:00

E875

- 10:20 PM

Dir/Writer: Jinjia Peng; Prod: Polina Barilo

No logline

Student Short| runtime: 26:28

In Competition

Nowhere Men - 10:00 AM

Dir: Aria Inthavong; Writer/Prod: Aria Inthavong, Saixana Inthavong

Narrated by two-time Tony Award winner, Donna Murphy, “Nowhere Men” is a wildly ambitious comedy that follows a delusional director and his beleaguered cast’s attempts to stage his terrible Beatles musical that he believes will send them to Broadway. But the twist? Virtually everyone aside from the director are real people whose unscripted reactions to the production’s chaos are captured on camera.

Feature Film | Runtime: 1:24:03

Mother of Color - 11:35 AM

Dir/Writer: Dawn Jones Redstone; Prod: Ashley Mellinger, Tara Johnson-Medinger

In a tumultuous world, Noelia, a whip-smart community organizer and single mother of two constantly has to make hard choices between her kids and her career. When she’s offered the chance to interview for a position that could change everything, she begins receiving mysterious messages from her ancestors. Noelia senses that something bigger is at play as she works through a series of obstacles to get to the interview and follow her dreams.

Feature Film | Runtime: 1:27:00

SPIRIT BOX - 1:15 PM

LA Premiere

Dir: Rumi Oyama; Writer: Rumi Oyama; Co-Writer: Joseph Pham; Prod: Elliott Masie, Cathy Masie, Rumi Oyama, Brian Rubiano, Chang Weita

A troubled teenager reeling from the mysterious death of his parents is tasked to save New York City from a plethora of ghosts released from Japanese spirit boxes leading him to his family’s darkest secrets...

Digital Web Series | Runtime: 51:45

In Competition

World Premiere / In Competition

The Exchange. In White America.

Kaukauna King 50 Years Later - 2:20 PM

Dir: Joanne I Williams; Writer: Gary Reistad, Kathleen Tank; Producer: Debbie Paschke

High school student exchange between a mostly Black high school and an allwhite high school in 1966.

Documentary Feature | Runtime: 1:01:39

Twin Flame - 3:30 PM

Dir/Writer/Prod: Bolaji Tijani-Qudus

In Competition

After the death of his parents, young Siji Martin finds himself displaced to his Aunty Iyabo’s home as a “houseboy” in Lagos, Nigeria. Siji struggles to fit in with his peers at his new school who refer to him as “garbage”. Luckily, he befriends comical classmate Claxton and develops his first crush on the ever-studious Tiwa. Fast forward to the present. Determined to rise above his impoverished status, adult Siji opts to navigate the upper-class business world in Nigeria. In the process of corporate climbing, he gets engaged to Zola, a rich social media influencer from a very powerful and connected family. Shortly after Siji’s engagement, Tiwa returns to Lagos for a trip after living her adult life in Oakland, California, United States. The two reunite and feel the sparks of an unrequited love, almost two decades old. Siji must now face his strong feelings for Tiwa and decide which is more important to him, true love or wealth and power . . .

Int’l Feature Film | Runtime: 01:50:00

Good Egg - 5:30 PM

Country: Nigeria / LA Premiere

Dir/Writer: Nicole Gomez Fisher; Producer: Nicole Gomez Fisher, Dorottya Mathe, Yara Martinez

How far are you willing to go to bond with your egg donor?

Watch Jessica and her unique “bonding” experience with her potential egg donor, Bridget, as it unfolds and goes awry!

Feature Film | Runtime: 1:33:00

Scrap - 7:20 PM

Dir/Writer: Vivian Kerr; Prod: Rachel Stander

After getting laid off, a young single-mom (Vivian Kerr) finds herself living in her car and struggles to hide her homelessness from her estranged brother Ben (Anthony Rapp) and his wife (Lana Parrilla).

Feature Film | Runtime: 1:45:02

LA Premiere / In Competition

My First Horror Film - 9:15 PM

Dir/Writer: Shihan Van Clief; Prod: Shihan Van Clief, Ronald Erickson II, Arianna Basco

An aspiring influencer documents her journey to booking her first film; now her and the rest of the cast are trying to survive the film they were just casted in.

Feature Film | Runtime: 1:27:00

LUNA NEGRA

- 10:55 PM

Dir/Writer: Tonatiuh García; Prod: Joel Núñez

World Premiere

The story of three siblings and the rebellion of a town to defend a river. An unexpected piece of news will make them make decisions that will change their destinies forever because what flows can be as appeasing as it is implacable.

Int’l Feature Film | Runtime: 1:39:00

Country: Mexico / In Competition

LEAVING THE WORLD BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT - 12:10 PM

A collection of stories of those who endeavor to leave this world better than they found it, by advocating for taking care of the Earth, treating others with kindness, and creating outlets of positivity for the disenfranchised.

Dandelion

Dir./Writer: Ling Zhao, Zhengwu Gu

In a dystopian world, a coal-burning robot working on a mine one day finds something that he has never seen before - a dandelion.

World Premiere / In Competition

A Touch of Kindness: Man of Fire

Dir./Writer/Producer: Justin Rowe Tolliver

A documentary short that explores the effects that life on the job as a Long Beach firefighter has on engineer Ryan Sweeney’s home life and overall mental health.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 6:24

Electric Pioneers

Dir./Writer: Patrick Phillips, Prod: Deitrah Taylor, Patrick Phillips

Exploring the growing popularity, challenges and changing perceptions of PEV (personal electric vehicles) through a diverse group of riders in Atlanta.

World Premiere / In Competition World

KINGDOME

Dir./Producer: Shawn Antoine II

“Kingdome” is a powerful and inspiring documentary that chronicles the remarkable journey of the legendary basketball tournament in Harlem known as the Kingdome. For 37 years, this tournament has been a symbol of community, resilience, and the transformative power of basketball.

US Documentary Short | Run time: 20:00

TIME TO CHOOSE YOU - 1:15 PM

World Premiere

A collection of stories of those who finally decide to choose themselves, and the journey it takes to arrive at that conclusion.

Zae is Zendaya

Dir: Tyler Davis, Writer: Zae Jordan, Calvin Seabrooks, Prod: Anosh McAdam, Lauren Bancroft

A small town husband and father discuss the struggles with balancing his double life as Zendaya.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 4:36

DAYLIGHT

World Premiere / In Competition

Dir./Writer/Producer: Yaa Asantewaa Faraji

A ballet dancer struggles to cope with the realities of her new life after one night goes terribly wrong.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 12:16

Why Me!?

Dir/Writer/Producer: Delores Flynn

Single mother Nicole finally finds love but ends up in an abusive relationship where brokenness fills both of their lives causing the cycle to continue. The filmmaker has partnered with Michigan based domestic violence organization HAVEN on the project. HAVEN is a nationally recognized nonprofit leader that provides programs to promote violence-free homes and communities and helps victims of domestic violence and sexual assault

U.S. Narrative Short | Runtime: 39:00

grist

Dir./Writer/Producer: Shannon Harris

Hannah ends three-year on-again, off-again “situationship” with Roman due to irreconcilable world views that have potentially serious ramifications. But it wasn’t “all a wash.”

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 5:00

W.A.L.L.D

Dir./Writer/Producer: Johnny Ray Gill

A woman starts a nonprofit organization to tackle the erectile dysfunction crisis plaguing women all over America. Turns out, misinformation is not a vagina’s best friend.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 5:58

Hair or No Hair

Dir/Writer: Janessa St. Pierre; Prod: Janessa St. Pierre, Geoff Manton, Graysen Sangster

A young black woman has been hiding behind wigs for years until her Alopecia is exposed publicly. She uses this experience as a catalyst to break free of the shame she feels towards her baldness.

Int’l Short | Runtime: 15:10

NOT SAFE FOR WORK - 2:50 PM

Country: Canada / World Premiere / In Competition

A collection of stories of those in the workplace, trying to get work or attempting a new career.

Unseverable

Dir: Tyler Davis, Writer: Laurie Magers, Prod: Anosh McAdam, Lauren Bancroft

In the world of Severance, Geoffrey is UNSEVERABLE.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 4:33

World Premiere / In Competition

How to do Sh!t with Guido Gagootz - Season 4

Director/Writer: Adriano Valentini

With the help of his diverse Brooklyn neighbors, a stubborn, argumentative, yet oddly woke tracksuit-wearing Italian-American, known as Guido “Gagootz” Gaguzzi, starts a how to YouTube channel (purely for tax right-off purposes) that never actually teaches anyone how to do anything.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 5:00

The Recruit

Dir: Bao Truong; Writer: Christina Connerton; Producer: Bao Truong, Christina Connerton

A chronically ill people-pleaser interviews for a life changing job at a recruiting agency, only to unravel the sinister cult that lies within. Inspired by true events.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 10:36

I Care About You... But

Dir: Calvin J Walker; Writer: Lafayette Dennis; Producer: Calvin J Walker, Lafayette Dennis

Tasked with the assignment of voting in a new team lead at work, Ethan must determine which is more important, ethics or opportunity, after finding out his colleague and friend, Demetria, has been on the receiving end of unsolicited sexual advances by one of the candidates.

Int’l Short | Runtime: 15:10

In the Static

Country: Canada / World Premiere / In Competition

Dir: Robert Butler III; Writer: Dani Fernandez; Producer: Camille Corbett

A paranoid woman returns to work after witnessing a traumatic experiment in her office’s laboratory, only to discover her coworkers may be trying to kill her.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 10:00 LA Premiere

Mr. Black’s [Uncorroborated Guide to Career Success

Dir./Writer/Producer: Lauren Ann McGarrett

In order to sweeten his career prospects, Theo, a reserved zillennial, receives the help of retired campaign manager and irritable neighbor, Mr. Bernard Black. With nothing better to do, Mr. Black implements his expertise in politics to help transform Theo into the ideal candidate for his dream job. However, Mr. Black knows nothing of the modern job market, online applications, skill tests or algorithms. Nonetheless, he uses his traditionalist philosophy to train Theo into the man he thinks he should be. But while Theo practices asking to speak to the manager, Mr. Black sees firsthand what it’s like to be a young person in the 21st century.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:10

World Premiere

IN THE MEANTIME, IN BETWEEN TIME - 4:25 PM

A collection of stories of those passing time, passing through time or getting stuck somewhere in between…

The Tragedy of a Dog

Dir: Tyler Davis; Writer: D.J. Mausner; Producer: Anosh McAdam, Lauren Bancroft

A sweet and bubbly couple outfit their dog Jellybean with a translation collar only to receive a harrowing monologue.

Timeless

Dir: Matege “Pest” Rogers, Writer: Miriam Nsimbi, Ernest “GNL” Nsimbi, Prod: Miriam Nsimbi, Ernest “GNL” Nsimbi, Rukia Nabbanja

As we spread love to other people, we become exponential, eternal, infinite. Love is timeless.

Music Videos | Run time: 5:36

Sleep Limbo

Dir: Tyler Davis, Writer: Evan Mills, Calvin Seabrooks, Prod: Anosh McAdam, Lauren Bancroft, Nick Gage

Evan drifts off to slumberland, but is greeted by an unexpected visitor.

Sweetest Vacation

Dir: Ryan Stevens Harris; Writer: John Michael Elfers, Ryan Stephens Harris, Phillip E. Walker, Alberto Anaya López, Hope D. Williams, Katherine Phillips, Margaret Newborn, Daniela Lugo, Franklin Whitlatch, Jacuetta Green; Prod: John Michael Elfers

95th Academy Award® televised ceremony appearing Phillip E. Walker Stars in this much celebrated Serlingesque mini short film which leads viewers on a dark comedy fantasy romp through the mind. There an elder is thrusted into a different world . . . via some assistance.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 4:07 Music Videos | Run time: 3:17

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 5:51

Dir./Writer: Toy Lei; Prod: Toy Lei, Venita Ozols-Graham

Wracked by guilt, a woman contemplates her future after she mysteriously wakens on the moon.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 10:20

Éternel Voyageur

Dir/Writer: Stephanie Annette / Director: Alvin Mankuro Prod: Wiselone Films

GiGi traveled to another reality to deliver a message for future Tomas, that present day Tomas may not be able to receive.

Int’l Short | Runtime: 7 minutes, 47 seconds

Moon in-between

Country: France

Dir./Writer: Juliana Khanjian; Prod: Juliana Khanjian, Anaïs Amin, Akeallah Blair

Vana, a young woman with ALS, wakes up in a dream-like state stuck between her world and the afterlife. After meeting the gatekeeper, David, she finds out that she must make a monumental decision of either going back to her life with ALS surrounded by loved ones or continuing on to the afterlife.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 14:51

THE PURSUIT OF PASSION VOL 1 - 5:35 PM

A collection of stories featuring those who let their passion drive them, for better or for worse.

Faster

Dir./Writer: Arina Rozova

The story is about a girl who is in the eternal pursuit of success and status. Work brings her money, sports – a beautiful body, parties - avoiding loneliness. Alcohol, drugs, strange men...All in a circle. Maybe it’s time to stop?

Music Video | Run time: 4:40

Star Vehicle

Dir: Tiffany Yvonne Cox; Writer: Will Allan; Prod: Leigh Allan, Will Allan, Angela Alise, Bryce Gangel

We follow Black Woman, Gay Black Man, Angry Guy, Tall Girl, Middle Eastern Guy, and eventually, Hot Girl, as they navigate what it means to have the abilities and the drive to be a star, but always be relegated to roles no one even bothers to name. With a perfect blend of hilarity, heartbreak, and searing social and racial commentary, STAR VEHICLE gives voices to those actors grinding every day to land roles that don’t even have voices themselves.

MIC DROP

Dir./Writer: Joshua Trust Reed; Prod: Christin St. John, Ivan Rome, Yohana Desta

Calvin “Cal” Chambers is a struggling rap artist. One night, he goes to the studio in an attempt to finish his album. As he struggles to rap, there are other things on his mind. His ex-girlfriend’s world tour kick-off concert is on the very same night. To finish his album and overcome his writer’s block, he must come to terms with her success and as well his insecurities.

The Reflection of Francisca Newman

Dir/Writer: Jon Frenkel Garcia; Prod: Andrew Reyna

In this cinematic fairytale, Francisca Newman, a psychologically disturbed ballerina, fails at her life audition. Her perfectionism starts to take a noticeable toll on her mental health, where in a world of passion and beauty, sensibility and enlightenment becomes darkness.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 15:00

The Sun Will Come Out

Dir: Elizabeth R Hinlein; Writer/Producer: Liz Hinlein

World Premiere

THE SUN WILL COME OUT is a comedic short form narrative/doc film focusing on a Broadway Star, Mandy Gonzalez, telling her origin stories through her major failed auditions; ANNIE, THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL, BETTE MIDLER. It combines storytelling and interviews with Mandy recreating her past botched, flopped, and bombed auditions. Thus showcasing her spirit and passion and inspiring us to never give up.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 6:00

LA premiere / Feature Talent: Mandy Gojzalez

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 10:01

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:48

LA Premiere

LA Premiere / In Competition

Tammy

Dir./Writer/Producer: Andrew T. Horng

When an Asian-American skateboarder, who’s either stereotyped or ignored by everyone in her life, is invited to a skateboarding contest, her rare opportunity to shine is ruined by the presence of another Asian-American skateboarder.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:00

The Comic Shop

Director: Robert Butler III Writer: Cheyenne Ewulu Prod: Robert Butler III, Cheyenne Ewulu, Matt Allan Smith

Rather than going to graduate school, a former engineering major opens up her own Comic Book store in the heart of Los Angeles with her quirky friends.

Digital Web Series | Runtime: 12 minutes, 47 seconds

World Premiere / In Competition

Bad Things Happen In Philadelphia - 7:05 PM

Dir: Kyra Knox; Producer: Kyra Knox, Allen Iverson, Mark Mims, Omar Evans, Cleon Lockett, Paul Taylor, Naquis Brabham

Bad Things Happen in Philadelphia is a full-length documentary focusing on the effects of gun violence on young men, women & mothers living in Philadelphia. This film follows the stories of three young adults who were empowered to discover their self-worth, and ultimately pivot their life journeys toward a positive and hopeful future, all through the power of basketball. The year 2021 was the most violent in Philadelphia’s history with over 500 murders. 2022 is on track to pass those numbers. Community leaders do what they can, but for Shoot Basketballs NOT People founder Garry Mills, the prospect of losing just one more kid to gun violence is one too many.

Documentary Feature | Runtime: 1:07:36

One Night in LA - 8:35 PM

Dir/Writer/Prod: MeMe Kelly

World Premiere / In Competition

In 24 hours, a Mom and Professor diagnosed with terminal cancer lives her truths out loud for the first time while refusing to ask her family’s permission to forgo a treatment that could prolong her life!

Feature Film | Runtime: 1:17:34

World Premiere

STEVEN CAPLE JR.

First-generation college graduate and Cleveland, Ohio native Steven Caple Jr. has quickly become one of Hollywood’s most sought-after filmmakers. Directing both film and television, his signature touch and artistic lens has landed him multiple directorial awards as well as a name on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2018. Notably, he directed TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS, which released on June 9, 2023 by Paramount Pictures. Most recently, Caple Jr. helmed CREED II starring Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone and Tessa Thompson. As the second installation of the CREED franchise, heavyweight contender Adonis Creed returns to faces off against Viktor Drago, son of Ivan Drago. MGM released the feature in November 2018 and the film has grossed over $200 million at the worldwide box office to date.

Upcoming, Caple Jr. is set to direct THIEVES’ GAMBIT for Lionsgate and is also set to direct and produce BY ALL, written by Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier and also produced by Legendary, Gotham Group and Jennifer Levine. In what has been described as “Collateral” meets “The Warriors” the project is set to be released by Warner Bros and follows a world without the Los Angeles Police Department and the aftermath that ensues. His debut feature film THE LAND premiered at Sundance 2016. Produced by Macro Ventures, Priority Pic tures and Mass Appeal (Nas), the film was picked up by IFC Films and released theatrically in summer 2016. In staying true to his native Cleveland roots, his work in capturing the city’s vivacious spirit lead Cleveland Magazine to acknowledge Caple Jr. as one of Cleveland’s Most Interesting Persons in 2017 with “his push for honest and raw stories.”

Previously, Caple Jr. directed multiple episodes of the BLACK-ISH spinoff GROWN-ISH for Freeform, as well as the mini docu-series RAPTURE for Netflix. His short films have also won awards at the Director’s Guild of America, NBC Shortcuts, American Black Film Festival, and more. Furthering his pursuit of excellence, Caple Jr. also entered the world of commercial directing, collaborating with clients ranging from Google, Delta, to the NFL.

With Steven’s passion for humanity at the forefront, he tackles issues beyond the camera lens and within his community. Caple co-founded Engage the Vision, a non-profit organization that mentors youth in his community and helps foster the new generation of creative minds.

Yvette Nicole Brown

Yvette Nicole Brown is an Emmy-nominated actress, writer, producer and host best known for her roles on the television shows: “Community”, “The Mayor”, “Drake and Josh”, “The Odd Couple”, Disney Plus’ “Big Shot” and “Act Your Age”* and films including “Dreamgirls” “Tropic Thunder”, “Avengers: Endgame” and Disney’s “Disenchanted.” She is also a 2020 NAACP Image Award Nominated writer for “Always A Bridesmaid” - the Romantic Comedy she penned and Executive Produced that is streaming on Netflix and BET+. Yvette sits on the National Boards of Donors Choose, EMILY’s List, MPTF Next Gen and SAG-AFTRA and is a caregiver and advocate.

THERAPY SESSIONS VOL 1 - 12:05 PM

A collection of stories featuring those who are battling mental health, grief and addiction. Sometimes you’ve just got to talk it out…

Don’t Worry About It

Dir./Writer: Melissa Kong; Prod: Grace Hahn

After her father’s death, a young woman’s obsessive-compulsive disorder spirals out of control. She enters an intensive therapy program, where she must learn to deal with his death and OCD before it takes over her life.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 12:11

The Outside

Dir./Writer: Monet Ravenell; Prod: Monet Ravenell, Ino Yang Popper

After her stay at a mental hospital must come to an end, a defiant psyche patient is determined to do everything possible to stay locked up and avoid The Outside.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 10:00

Circles

Dir: Audie C Silcott; Writer: Jeffrey Creightney; Prod: Jeffrey Creightney, Audie Silcott, Taeshia Agyemang

Stuck in a never ending cycle of addiction, Maxwell must find a way out before it’s too late.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 15:23

World Premiere

The Fallen

Dir: Julian Morales, Writer: Julian Morales, Carolina Speroterra; Prod: Diliana Alexander, Vanessa Morales, Julian Morales

A psychologically tormented Assassin looks for a way to end her suffering.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 15:33

Faded Requiem

Dir./Writer/Producer: Brandon Joseph Ruffin

A man, isolated to his home, begins to lose his grip on reality while left alone with his grief. His denial of reality begins to distort and misshape the world around and as well as the world within him.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 10:00

The Scars Beneath

Dir: Bridgett Ladd; Writer: Bridgett Ladd, Andria Chappell; Prod: Sheridan Randolph, Andria Chappell, Larry Person

A young woman battling depression after the death of her mother and surviving a car crash. She feels anxiety is taking over her life. But with the support of a close friend and her sister. She will fight through her fears and not suffer in silence.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 22:08

MATTERS OF THE HEART - 1:50 PM

LA Premiere

A collection of stories all about love: Forbidden lovers, recent exes, and rekindling the love that was…

Rumi’s Rumba

Dir./Writer: George Kostopoulos, Prod: Ramfis Myrthil

Professor Johnson, a college poetry professor, lectures his students on a poem by Rumi. When class finishes, one of the students, Olivia, approaches the professor with a question about the poem. This leads into a romantic fantasy musical sequence. Conflict arises soon after when Dean Cox and his secretary, Miss Flannigan, accuse Professor Johnson of exploiting Olivia.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 15:33

Dir./Writer/Producer: Joey Medina

A caucasian man is nervous to meet his Mexican girlfriend’s parents for the first time.

U.S.

eXcape

Dir: Molly Rose Heller; Writer: Taylor Steele; Prod: Isabel Lopez, CNT Productions

eXcape is the story of two queer Black women on the heels of a break-up that mysteriously turns into a game of “Escape the Room.” They are then forced to relive key moments from their relationship if they ever want to leave their once-shared apartment.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:12

The Space Between

Dir: Calvin J Walker; Writer: Lafayette Dennis; Producer: Calvin J Walker, Lafayette Dennis

Meet Los Parents 20s.30s.

Loyalty versus self-preservation becomes vital when ex-lovers find themselves in a chance encounter. Will they revisit the past or unburden themselves of the remnants of their destructive relationship?

Dir./Writer: Jee Hoon Fred Seo, Prod: Yiwen Jessica Qian, Caroline Melchi, Nic Leblanc, Maria Quezada

Tae, 20, an international architecture student, longs to be with his 30-year-old girlfriend, Joo Hee, in Seoul. But when she pushes him to find a job in America, he befriends a classmate named Nala. Only after having a fling with Nala, does Tae realize who his buildings are truly designed for. But by the time he decides to return to Korea, Joo Hee fears that Tae no longer needs her anymore.

Short | Run time: 3:43 U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 10:00

THIRTY

Dir./Writer: Oluwatoyin Giwa; Prod:Tiffany Campbell, Oluwatoyin Giwa, Desiree Vasquez

Ryann has been blessed with everything she’s prayed for. However, on her 30th birthday, she only wishes for one thing…

Narrative Short | Run time: 20:00

OVERCOMING THE ROADBLOCKS - 3:35 PM

A collection of stories of those who work hard to overcome the roadblocks in their lives - caring for family members and creating paths that aren’t often tread.

The Bloom

Dir: Jody Xiong, Writer: Zhang Yimou, Prod: Li Zhiwei, Yao Guoqing

For the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Paralympic held at the bird’s nest in Beijing , Chinese artist Jody Xiong was invited by Chief Director Zhang Yimou to create a technologically-powered art installation called ‘The Bloom’. The project brought together 12 disabled people around an 8-meter wide, circular canvas to create a colorful smiley face by detonating paint-filled balloons using the power of their minds. It is a tech and art experiment, an expression of the strength of the

Commercial Spots | Run time: 4:59

Pedacito De Carne

Dir: Akilah Walker; Writer: Diana Gonzalez-Morett; Prod: Akilah Walker, Diana Gonzalez-Morett, Camila Villanueva

China

‘Pedacito de Carne’ is a drama that follows Sandra, a young millennial caregiver for her mother, Antonia who is living with Frontotemporal Degeneration, a rare form of dementia. The disease is quickly progressing and both women have to adjust, grieve and cope with the awkwardness and helplessness of their new roles.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 17:00

Baby Sister

Dir./Writer: Cetre; Prod: Cetre, Tremayne Johnson, Mario Jackson

A young woman cares for her special needs twin brother where at times it can be a difficult challenge.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 11:01

My Little Caregiver

World premiere

Dir: Sam Solomon, Goldmond Fong; Writer: Sam Solomon; Prod: Benjamin Bradley Gilbert, Sam Solomon, Goldmond Fong

When the regularly scheduled nurse from a local caregiving agency doesn’t show up for work, imaginative 10 year old Elijah acts on the chance to spend a day alone with his mother who is a wheelchair user. After a brief argument in the afternoon, Elijah wakes up to find his mom’s demeanor different, excited to play games with her son. But is it too good to be true?

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 15:00

World Premiere / In Competition

disabled. This short film really records the process of the experiment.

Disabled Artist Showcase: Creating Our Spaces

Dir/Producer: Emmitt Thrower

We examine the work of four disabled musical and film artists living with Cerebral Palsy and SMA (Spinal Muscle Atrophy) who are helping to lead the movement that is advocating for inclusion of more disabled artists in the music, film and entertainment industries. Their extraordinary talents are showcased for all to see. Their advocacy work for disability inclusion leads them on a difficult path demanding more access for disabled creators. They use their creative gifts to make their statements and to move their work forward. We showcase their talents and messages in this film produced and directed by disabled filmmaker Emmitt H Thrower.

U.S. Narrative Short | Runtime: 29:00 World Premiere

BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER VOL 1 - 5:05 PM

A collection of stories featuring the many different dynamics that come with that special word: family.

Dir./Writer: Samantha Aldana; Prod: Fabiola Andrade

Beulah has almost given up. Her mother, Lottie, is so sick she won’t eat, the sore on Lottie’s arm is getting worse, and their farm can’t keep up with the pile of medical bills. One day, a meteor falls from the sky and lands in their fields. When Beulah goes to investigate, she finds a strange creature—a tall and beautiful thing—dead in the crater.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 7:18

Our Late Father

LA premiere / Feature Talent: Betsy Borrego

Director: Sylvia Ray Writer: eP Cho Producer: eP Cho, Chantal Casutt, Tracy Clifton

After Jin meets not only his father but also unknown family members for the first time, everything becomes confused and chaotic.

Digital Web Series | Runtime: 11:28

Angels Day 6

Dir/Writer/Prod: Tiffany Bliss Brown

In Competition

In the very short span of six days, a hardworking, loving, fiercely devoted son must come to terms with the pain and finality of losing his beloved mother to Alzheimer’s disease while struggling through the feelings he has for the newly hired nurse he employed to be her nighttime caretaker.

U.S. Narrative Short | Runtime: 36:03

LA Premiere

Matriarch

Director: Donald Conley Producer: Tiffany Jackman, Darious Clark Monroe, Kendra Chanae Chapman

Matriarch is an experimental short documentary celebrating the legacy of elderly motherhood from the perspective of the filmmaker’s grandmothers, two Southern Black women hoping to maintain their independence during what could potentially be the final year of their lives.

U.S. Narrative Short | Runtime: 29:10

LIFE CHANGES IN AN INSTANT - 7:05 PM

A collection of stories of those who handle life changing events and lessons.

Training Wheels

Dir/Writer: Lavado Stubbs

A black father and his 6 year old son simple bike-riding stroll in their suburban neighborhood turns into a life-changing lesson for the boy.

Int’l Short | Runtime: 8:42

RAINE

Dir/Writer: FREY Dagne Prod: Jelena Nik

Raine touches on the interesting historical and ongoing dynamic between Ethiopia and Italy. The story focuses on an Ethiopian child who is abandoned by her father at birth only to be brought back, at the age of six, into his destructive world. The events of that day lead Raine to be hunted throughout her life, until she learns to become the hunter.

Int’l Short | Runtime: 12:17

Ahmad

Dir./Writer/Prod: Korstiaan Vandiver, Dario M. Harris

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 17:22

Country: US (Language: Amharic, English, Italian)

Imagine coming face to face with your little brother’s killer just a few years after his murder. Ahmad - follows a vibrant six-year-old on his final moments alive and takes you on a turbulent ride as Pierre battles with his next move. This screenplay is based on a true story.

Country: Canada / LA Premiere / In Competition LA Premiere

Rite of Passage

Dir: Grant Housley; Writer: Nehemyah Gray, Nagi Moore, Daniel Williams, Kyrah Dames, Kids In The Spotlight, Inc.; Prod: Tige Charity, Tiffany Thomas, Michele Ly, Justin Dickson, Mike Trainotti, Kim Sparks

Two brothers in the middle of a fight get trapped in a mysterious elevator that reveals to them blood has nothing to do with family.

| Run time: 16:26

Blue Eye Shadow

LA Premiere

Dir: Terrence Ivory; Writer: Eddrick Jerome; Prod: 3MEL LLC, Powerhouse Inc. Productions, August Varner Media

A beautiful coming of age story of love and innocence. It’s Saturday night. After Mom & Dad depart for a night of dancing two young brothers discover a long held secret.

21:06

THE PURSUIT OF PASSION VOL 2 - 8:40 PM

A collection of stories featuring those who let their passion drive them, for better or for worse. Volume 2

Andre

Dir: Lavado Stubbs, Prod: LaToya Hanna- Moxey

André Musgrove is one of the only black male professional underwater cinematographers and photographers in the world. Born and raised in The Bahamas, he worked on a variety of projects both in front and behind the camera with international brands.

Commercial Spots | Run time: 1:50

BREAK

LA Premiere

Dir: Sam Henderson; Writer: Sam Henderson, Ryan Romine; Prod: Sam Henderson, Ryan Romine, Rachel Jobin

Shot on Black & White 35mm and set in the 60s, BREAK is the story of a young drummer who is looking to calm his nerves in front of two veteran musicians and fulfill his dream of being a drummer in a jazz trio.

8:45

LA Premiere / In Competition

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time:

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time:

U.S. Narrative Short

En La Arena

Dir./Writer: Frankie Garcés; Prod: Frankie Garcés, Arsenio Castellanos

Isabella Oliveira (Selena: The Series) and Arsenio Castellanos (Snowfall) star in the complicated journey of two Latino-Americans following their dreams despite traditional norms and cultural expectations. You’ll fall in love with this multi-era journey through the Westside that details the long term ramifications of gentrification, the unique outlook of trailblazers, and the tender support of relating to another’s life experience.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 16:30

Bike Thief

Dir:Yvette Lu, Leanne Velednitsky; Writer: Leanne Velednitsky; Prod: Arisa Olazabal, Leanne Velednitsky

In Competition

After her bike is stolen, a heartbroken girl scours Los Angeles in hopes of reuniting with her one true love.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 7:17

Sinbad: The Lost Footage

LA Premiere

Dir: Michael Malone, Writer: Paul Michael Bair, Prod: Paul Michael Bair, Alec Clawson, Michael Malone, Leo Hutchinson III

On Valentine’s Weekend in Las Vegas, in the year 1996, a new film crew was hired to do Behind The Scenes. Until today, that footage was never released.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 6:32

The Good Life

LA Premiere

Dir: David Mahmoudieh; Writer: Kion Gozi, Juliet Coleman, London Jones, Adrian Cano Tahlaya “Sci” Proud; Prod: Kids In The Spotlight, Inc., Tige Charity, George Lako, Annalea Fiachi

Following a tragic accident, an aspiring musician loses his sight and lust for the “good life” he always dreamed of. Now he must find his way back through the music.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:48

LA Premiere / In Competition

Enfield Is Prayer - Mystery of the Palm Leaf Library

Dir./Writer/Producer: Pavi Lustig

Short film about Enfield Is Prayer, a motorcycle touring outfit based in India, Germany, Greece and Mexico. This film is the venture’s manifesto, packaged in a docu-ad format with stunning aerial and 360 degree camera footage of India and a kicking soundtrack.

Commercial Spot | Run time: 9:00

LA Premiere / Austria

Say It Louder

Dir./Writer/Producer: Rahwa Asmerom

A former teen-reggae-pop-star turned race scholar is forced to confront the trauma of past fame when pressured to return to the limelight.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 17:00 World Premiere

THIS IS A MAN’S WORLD - 10:20 PM

A collection of stories about boyhood, manhood, and everything in between.

JEROME

Dir./Writer: Gianfranco Fernández-Ruiz; Prod: Gianfranco Fernández-Ruiz, Santi Naidoo, Ben O’Keefe

Basketball connects Jerome to his long-absent father, though not in the ways he wishes. As he struggles to accept his family’s shortcomings, Jerome questions who he and who he’ll become.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 14:27

Paper Line

Dir/Writer: Ryan Watson; Producer: Marissa Allen, Jessica Rosado

Seven pledges get the shock of a lifetime when they unknowingly sign up to join secret fraternity of black martial artists at an HBCU in Florida. Most of the pledges go in expecting a severe form of physical and mental hazing that is in line with the stereotypical Greek hazing. Unbeknownst to the pledges, they are attempting to join a fraternity of martial artist who live by a strict code of silence and discipline.

U.S. Narrative Short | Runtime: 32:00

Hyde Park Crenshaw

Dir./Writer: Marquis Moore; Producer: Ryan Handy, Rolando Breathwaite, Toryan Rogers

Jeremiah and CJ who are best friends that grew up together are set on two different paths but sometimes growing up in South Central LA you become the product of your environment and your past and present moments might sometimes effect your future.

SLICE

Dir./Writer: Zaire Love; Prod: Charolette Cook, Caitlin Mae Burke, Joyya Baines

SLICE explores how Rico and his homeboys in Memphis, TN find joy by submerging themselves in an original swimming art form of athleticism and creativity called slicing.

US Documentary Short | Run time: 16:30

LA Premiere / In Competition

GIRL PROBZ VOL 1 - 12:10 PM

A collection of stories that uniquely affect the ladies in your life. Volume 1

¡Nails!

Dir/Writer: Ryan Watson; Producer: Marissa Allen, Jessica Rosado

When Catalina develops a crush on another girl in her Quinceañera court, her fingernails grow at a superhuman pace — a blessing in Black and Latina beauty culture, but a curse for a lesbian (at first glance). A whimsical, intersectional, uplifting coming-of-age story.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 5:00 In Competition

Cartography of a Woman

Dir./Writer: Andressa Back, Prod: Martín Restrepo, Raine Lundy

A woman must invent her boundaries to find a place where she is not a territory to be conquered.

Student Short | Run time: 13:41

Under A Juniper Tree

Dir: Lynslee Mercado; Writer: Ayessa Sotelo

World Premiere

A young woman named Dara falls in love with a woman named Juniper in her dreams, unaware of her true intentions.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 17:18

World Premiere

Snowflake

Dir: Carter Bowden; Writer: Lily Clayton Hansen; Prod: Carter Bowden, Lily Clayton Hansen

After being told she was ordinary, a woman risks everything to create the person she always wanted to be with social media.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:45

THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED - 1:15 PM

A collection of stories that focus on the injustices that racism is responsible for creating.

Say Their Names

Dir./Writer/Producer: David Reibman

US Documentary Short | Run time: 9:43

iMPRINT

Dir./Writer: Jasmine Je’toi Williams; Prod: Kayla Skipper

World Premiere

A dead widowed father is forced to unfold the concept of racial divide to his impressionable daughter after a life threatening experience.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 8:17

Colored White

Dir./Writer/Producer: Alicia Buckner

LA Premiere

Using images from 27 Black Lives Matter Protests the story of 16 people killed by the police is told along with Poetic context. No logline.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 8:27

World Premiere

Just Say It

Dir./Writer: Sheran Goodspeed Keyton; Prod: Sheran Goodspeed

Keyton, Charles W Bush

You can know someone for years and never really know them. The same holds true for knowing yourself. In a moment’s notice, two lovers realize that “I don’t see color” is simply an unrealistic cliché.

Kijana Mfalme [Boy King

Dir: Cutty, LaTrice Amanda Strong; Writer; LaTrice Amanda Strong; Prod: Chad Quinn, LaTrice Amanda Strong

The state of humanity is viewed through the lens of a black boy.

Dir./Writer/Producer: Adetoro Makinde

A powerful and gripping story about a white terminally ill businessman who uses racism to force an African American man he never met before to kill him in order for his family to receive his life insurance money.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 12:32

Beautiful Violence In The Wake of Mourning

Dir: Elizabeth R Hinlein; Writer/Producer: Liz Hinlein

World Premiere

In the middle of the pandemic, Tyrese Allyene-Davis a disabled Black youth, celebrated his 21st birthday isolated in his NYU dorm room. Bound by his wheelchair and a brick wall facing window, his thoughts began sinking into spaces of despair following the murder of George Floyd. A few months later he watches the documentary film “I Am Not Your Negro” by Raoul Peck and is moved beyond tears by the truth of James Baldwin’s words. With no one to talk to, Tyrese pours his visceral feelings into an audio-only Facebook post, leaving his followers to question his state of mind, and the images behind his words.

US Documentary Short | Run time: 6:12

LA Premiere

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 5:01

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 8:00

World Premiere

ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE? - 2:25 PM

A collection of stories of those who are forced to make tough decisions, and must ask themselves if they’re willing to pay the price for success.

Life Uncertainty

Dir: Louis Gomez, Writer: Lentz Louis, Prod: Tracy L Witty

Life Uncertainty is a music video produced by Love of the Arts Foundation and filmed in the Coachella Valley with music written by Lentz Louis, a Haitian Musician and directed by Louis Gomez, a Dominican Director. This production infuses cultures and is Lentz Louis’ debut English video and LOT-A’s first production as a foundation whose mission it is to elevate unrepresented artists.

Music Video | Runtime: 3:33

Strings

LA/World Premiere / In Competition

Dir/Writer/Prod: Rodrigo Moreno-Fernandez

Penny has her share of demons, and she’s about to take on one more. Despite her inability to play, Penny has big dreams of becoming the world’s greatest axe player. After stealing one from an antique shop, she decides to break it in at the local punk bar she frequents. Things don’t go very well, and Penny ends up face down in the alley after being thrown out by the owner. Defeated, she quickly turns to a familiar vice, shooting smack to ease the pain. As her high subsides, a dark presence approaches her with a proposition: Penny gives up three souls, and all her dreams come true.

Int’l Short | Runtime: 13:00

The Portrait

LA Premiere / In Competition

Dir: Razzaaq Boykin, Writer: Razzaaq Boykin, Gem Little, Prod: Gem Little

Accomplished fashion designer Dorian Gray celebrates the five year anniversary of his clothing line ‘The Gray Collection’. He’s waiting for the arrival of Cornelius Black, a famous fashion designer, and Dorian’s career aspiration. Cornelius wants to finalize a deal buying the Gray Collection from Dorian, who has reservations. Sybil Vane, photographer and Dorian’s on again/off again girlfriend, wants to prevent Dorian from selling out. Torn between his dreams and his true love, Dorian is haunted by a transforming portrait that only he can see. Dorian’s biggest night will soon become his worst.

Student Short | Runtime: 18:17

Puncher’s Chance

LA/World Premiere / In Competition

Dir: Garland Scott, Johnny Rey Diaz; Writer: Garland Scott; Producer: Margarita Reyes, Cody Stokes, Cooper Pair

A struggling single father and former boxer, reluctantly takes a match on short notice.

MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN (& OTHER LIES) - 3:50 PM

A collection of stories that prove America was never great for all of us.

How I Got Over

Dir./Writer: Valerie Udeozor; Prod: University Of Louisville

Becoming Black Lawyers

Dir./Writer: Evangeline Mitchell; Prod: Evangeline Mitchell, Jalene Mack

When these five Black lawyers set out on their journeys to receive a professional legal education, they did not realize that they would have to struggle against additional battles even more challenging than the rigors of learning the law in a hypercompetitive environment. They discover the contradictions of studying in an institution that idealistically represents “justice” for all.

US Documentary Short | Run time: 25:00

The Poison Garden

Dir/Writer: Chris James Mancini, Evellyn Santos; Writer: Chris James Mancini; Prod: Evellyn Santos

It tells the true stories of 3 acts of racial terrorism that occurred in and out of South Florida’s courts in the 1930’s and draws parallels to the problems of law enforcement of today.

LA Premiere

Delores Gordon Alleyne now Age 90 is the first black woman to graduate from University of Louisville Medical School in 1957. In the short documentary narrated with rap music, her story is used to promote health professions in the black community.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 22:20

World Premiere / In Competition

U.S. Narrative Short | Runtime: 37:00

THERAPY SESSIONS VOL 2 - 5:40 PM

A collection of stories featuring those who are battling mental health, loss and feeling stunted. Sometimes you’ve just got to talk it out… Volume 2

ba•la

Dir: Arti Ishak; Writer/Prod: Yuchi David Chiu

A competitive swimmer must overcome his PTSD and learn how to swim again before the upcoming team trials.

Mood

Dir./Writer/Producer: Anthony R Page

Mood is a 10:34 second short film highlighting mental health and its issues. A young lady with dissociative identity disorder, formerly known as multiple personality disorder struggles with herself.

Therapy Session

Dir./Producer: Darryl Koi Pugh; Writer: B. Gordan Stovall

When therapy blurs the line between patient and captor, escaping the session becomes survival.

Neon Rage

Dir: Alejandra Parody; Writer: Cecilia Cereijido-Bloche; Prod: Jake Murphy, Cecilia Cereijido-Bloche

Camila, a young aspiring-and-struggling illustrator, meets Madison, a teenage girl, when Camila is hired by Madison’s (very) wealthy family as her tutor. Unlike Camila, Madison is confident, popular, and has never experienced rejection. Though Camila initially dismisses the teenager as vapid and out-of-touch, they connect over their shared struggles as artists at heart. Camila becomes seduced by Madison’s can-do-attitude and naïve drive. The short interaction ultimately sparks a new fire inside of Camila.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 10:34 LA Premiere

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:04

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 15:52 World and LA Premiere

World Premiere World Premiere

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:00

Lettre La

Dir./Writer: Kyvon Edwin; Prod: Letitia Guillory, Kyvon Edwin

A heartbroken West-Indian radio host hides his internal trauma from his unsuspecting radio callers as he struggles to heal and restore his peace of mind.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 12:30

Meta Care

LA Premiere

Dir: Jerod B Couch; Writer: Diana C Abousaleh; Prod: Jerod B Couch, Jamarrio Washington, Diana C Abousaleh, Byron Hardy

A schizophrenic, restless woman, suffering from dissociative amnesia is patient zero in a government healthcare experiment, Meta Care, that uses simulations and virtual reality as a means to attempt rehabilitation of violent criminals.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 17:47

The Three Phases of Isa

LA Premiere / In Competition

Dir: Andi Chapman; Writer: Mildred Marie Langford; Prod: Mildred Marie Langford, Conisha Wade, Jessica E. Williams

Isa and Stephan, who met while Isa was a freshman in college, have been married for twenty-years; a marriage riddled with domestic violence. Tonight is their twenty-first year anniversary, where another domestic dispute ensues. This time leaving Isa to fight for dear life. In a moment of mental escapism, she confronts the younger versions of herself attempting to gain the freedom she so desperately seeks.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 16:24 In Competition

THE MOST VULNERABLE - 7:35 PM

A collection of stories that focus on the most vulnerable in societythe homeless, children, immigrants and the formerly incarcerated.

Personal Jesus

Dir: Samia Zaidi

Official music video for “Personal Jesus” by Depeche Mode, performed by SOM.

Music Video | Run time: 3:39

LA Premiere / In Competition

Garbage

Dir./Writer: Di Zhang; Prod: Jieying Wu Amy Wu

In the bustling New York City supermarket, a struggling immigrant mother and a security guard unite in a world of secrets and blurred lines between right and wrong. As they cross the moral line and start stealing to survive, their bond deepens. But when their fragile friendship is threatened by exposure, they must navigate the treacherous terrain of loyalty, trust, and survival.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 14:30

Ellie & Martina

World Premiere

Dir./Writer: Lila Yomtoob; Prod: Stacie Capone, Elise Sievert Bhushan Don Downie, Roberto Drilea

Two women who have very different lives find they have a lot in common when one finds the other’s abandoned baby. Produced with $0 budget with collaborative process from script through post.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 7:00

Me Tree

Dir./Writer: Alexander Cecil McNab, Prod: Henry Cohen

World Premiere

Franklin returns to his hometown with plans to develop a vacant lot, but when he arrives, he discovers that his old neighbor, Summer, is homeless and now living on the very land he’s slated for construction. Franklin fails to convince Summer to move off of the property. When Summer ends up turning into a human tree, she turns the entire neighborhood into trees in an effort to thwart Franklin’s development ambitions. However, Summer quickly learns that, no matter how rooted she is, change is inevitable and nothing can prevent progress.

Student Short | Run time: 6:02

Far From the Wheel

Dir./Writer: Aram Winter, Prod: Elyse Gottuk

World Premiere

Unable to find work due to his arrest record, Enen’s time is spent fixing his deceased mother’s car. When his brother, Daniel, shows him an escape from this state of limbo, Enen must let go of the past. But the past has a strange way of sticking around.

Student Short | Run time: 10:23

LEGENDS, GHOSTS MYTHS VOL 1 - 8:50 PM

A collection of stories that speak to the spooky, scary and haunted. Boo!

Go To Bed Raymond

Dir: Nikki Taylor-Roberts; Prod: Casimir Nozkowski

U.S.

Short | Run time: 7:18

Bury the Hatchet

LA premiere

Dir: Herman Rosales; Writer: Liz Savage, Herman Rosales; Prod: Liz Savage

After being kept secret for generations, a vindictive spirit is released and seeks revenge on the woman who gave him a cursed tarot reading that he believes killed his family.

8:23

Legend of El Cucuy

World Premiere

Dir./Writer: Cynthia Garcia Williams; Prod: Landi Maduro

“Legend of El Cucuy” is a cautionary tale. Laura and her husband Carlos are permissive parents, and their choice to raise their daughter Isabel without discipline has resulted in a very rude, disobedient child. Carlos is having doubts about their behavioral strategy, but Laura is determined to make different choices from their parents. Against his better judgment, Carlos tells Laura about El Cucuy’s origins, and that same night, El Cucuy pays the family a visit.

U.S.

Short | Run time: 15:00

The Snapshot Stalker

Dir./Producer: Danielle Mitchell; Writer: Danielle Mitchell, Noah Pinnt

5 years after the traumatic event of surviving a serial killers attack, Alisha Thompson hears the news of her killer Bud “The Snapshot Stalker” confirmed dead. Little does she realize he has been keeping a close eye on her over the years and decides to pay a visit.

U.S.

Short | Run time: 6:37

World Premiere

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time:

Narrative

Narrative

Narrative

Dir: Robert Alicea; Writer: Robert Alicea, Scarlett A. Camargo; Prod: Tim O’Hanlon, Charlie Alberto IV

A tormented young woman suffering from sleep paralysis blames the tragic death of her father on a powerful demonic entity. With the help of a hypnotherapist, she must now venture into the darkest corners of her mind before becoming the latest victim of The Hat Man.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 15:28

My Life, My Life, My Life

LA Premiere / In Competition

Dir/Writer: Calum Sikander Smith; Prod: Kerri Coombs, Shaleen Sutherland, Brandon K Smith, Amy Laurel Barager

Both a visually exciting horror flick, and a heavy-hitting meditation on grief and PTSD, “My Life, My Life, My Life” follows Allison, as she confronts both the pain of losing a sister . . . and the terror of getting her back.

Int’l Short | Runtime: 13 minutes

The Hat Man The Island

Country: Canada / LA Premiere

Dir./Writer: Camille Corbett; Prod: Camille Corbett, Miranda Pacheco, Vaughn Millette, Sade Nyda

The Island is a horror short about Zora, a young black woman, who discovers that her father has been murdered during her family’s luxury vacation in Caribbean. Suddenly the vacation they are on becomes increasingly sinister and Zora doesn’t know who to trust outside of her family, especially the hotel owner Martisha, the person responsible for Maurice’s death. With the help of her surviving family members, Zora must save herself from dying at the hands of the beautiful, Martisha and avoid the mythical obstacles throughout the island. During this journey, Zora learns that she is even more powerful than she thought.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 10:00

Caroline

Dir./Writer: Riccardo Constant; Prod: Riccardo Constant, Nyka M. Saint Jean, Giovanah Vilméus Delva

On his way to visit his sister Lauren in San Francisco, Marcus’ car broke down in the middle of nowhere. A stranger invites him to spend the night at her cabin, but her kindness and enchanting beauty is hiding a dark truth.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:47

World Premiere

LETTING GO… - 10:40 PM

A collection of stories featuring those who are working hard to let go.

Why We Leave

Dir: Anastasios Kestsios; Writer: Toni Christopher, George Ketsios, Anastasios Ketsios; Prod: George Ketsios, Toni Christopher

Why We Leave is a dramatic narrative about a married couple struggling to connect with each other after the suicide of their son.

U.S.

12:03

Things That Remain

World Premiere

Dir./Writer: Jami Ramberan; Prod: Shom Shamapande, Pharoahe Monch

Waiting hours for the coroner to pick up his body, their dad’s death forces two siblings to ask new questions about fatherhood and who dad really was.

16:32

The Lesson

Dir./Writer/Producer: Joey Medina

World Premiere

An average Joe has a break down after Losing his wife and daughter in a car accident. This short film will take you on an emotional journey while you try and decide who is the victim and who is the villain. And hopefully walk away with a new outlook on a current epidemic that’s taking over society.

U.S.

1805

Short | Run time: 8:30

World Premiere / In Competition

Dir/Writer: Daniel H Jacobson; Producer: Ross Denyer, Ray Hungria, Raz Birger

In the North, the last states take their first steps toward abolishing chattel slavery; though it will be generations before they will free the last of their slaves.

For Basammer, an enslaved man on Mr. Jared Corey’s Virginia plantation, that sounds close enough to freedom; and it’s but a few days’ march away, just across the Mason-Dixon line. He escapes with his secret wife Marfay, leaving the vainglorious Mr. Corey with none to punish (or profit from) but those that remain. The journey of Basammer and Marfay tests their love, pitting it against their morality as they battle both the laws of nature and the laws of man.

U.S. Narrative Short | Runtime: 29:59

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time:

Narrative Short | Run time:

Narrative

GOOD FRIENDS ARE HARD TO FIND VOL 1 - 12:05 PM

A collection of stories featuring friendship - the good, the bad, the terrible. Volume 1

Blueberry

Dir./Writer/Producer: Stephanie Glover

A determined, practical boy has a change of heart when his favorite food comes to life.

The Vacation

Dir./Writer: Jarreau Carrillo; Prod: Julius Pryor, Marttise Hill

In Flatbush, Brooklyn, four friends are stuck in their car after it breaks down on the way to the beach on the last day of the summer.

Yogurt Raisin

Dir: Michael Cooke; Writer: William Roebuck; Prod: Anthony J. Davis, R. Shanea Williams

Surrounded by various cultures rather than his own, Daryl is a collective Black male who sees things as they are. When his White, yet urban best friend Jacob, decides to tie the knot with his beloved sister, secret animosity becomes the theme of the night as their group of friends gather to celebrate Jacob’s last night of freedom.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 9:27

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 5:00 In Competition

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 16:25

Let’s Go Action Squadron!

Dir./Writer: Paris Brown; Prod: Heather Mckinney

A group of estranged childhood friends with no fighting experience must reunite as adults to fulfill a promise they made as children to become space ninjas and save the planet Earth.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 9:43 In Competition

One of The Guys

Dir./Writer/Producer: LaChelle Chrysanne

When Mel visits her musical collaborators for a studio session, a shocking revelation brings the dynamics of their friendship into question.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 23:15 World Premiere

BEFORE YOU GO - 1:20 PM

A collection of stories featuring those who will soon depart.

The Whippersnappers

Dir/Writer/Prod: Ryan Cole

The saga continues as The Whippersnappers take their new skin for a test drive! Oh yeah, it’s jello day!

Digital Web Series | Runtime: 4 minutes, 31 seconds

Ro & the Stardust

Dir./Writer: Eunice Levis; Prod: Rachel K. Ofori, Elvis Nolasco

A free-spirited teen fulfills her terminally ill grandmother’s dying wish of building a rocket ship to launch her into outer space.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 15:39

Mandarins

Dir./Writer: Chelsie Pennello; Prod: Chelsie Pennello; Chelsie Pennello, Tina Xia, Emai Lai, Jeremie Cander

A black sheep attempts to eulogize her mother with a story about pigeons.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 14:13

Because, I Love You

LA Premiere

Dir./Writer: Joshua Brooks Cliatt, Prod: Brandon Pridgett

A devoted teenager cares for her mother battling a terminal illness, who secretly plans for her daughter to go on a wellness retreat to start her life. With her mother’s blessing, the teenager accepts the opportunity to spread her wings and start anew.

Student Short | Run time: 18:28

GRAVE TALK

LA Premiere

Dir: Andrew Huggins; Writer: John Sexton, Donna Whitmore-Sexton, Andrew Huggins; Prod: Donna Whitmore, John R Sexton

Arvie Candler was a 12 year old witness to one of the most publicized World events in 1947. He never spoke to a single person in 60 years about what he knew. Can Arvie find peace before his death? Or will what he knows just become GRAVE TALK?

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 10:40

LOVE IS PATIENT, LOVE IS KIND - 2:40 PM

LA Premiere / In Competition

A collection of stories about love, dating, and rekindling the love that was…

Speak Up Brotha!

Writer: Roderick Lawrence, James J. Johnson, Obbie West; Prod: Salma Qarnain, Roderick Lawrence, Ron Gillyard, Will Campbel, Ike Mbanefo, Obbie West, Dario Harris

Grad student Ahmad Jones drives for a rideshare company. He receives a request from a mysterious woman — a poet. They connect over music, but she seems to ignore him. When the opportunity arises to see her again, Ahmad must learn how to communicate in ways beyond his understanding to win her heart.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 14:57

LA Premiere / In Competition

Not Meant to Be

Dir./Writer: Brayden Morin; Prod: Amanda Lungaro, Amalea Cox, Lauren Robinov

Nash and Veronica, meet for the first time months after a breakup. Although awkward at first, the two begin to reminisce on their relationship, their affection begins to rekindle until Nash takes it too far talking about the intimate moments they once shared forcing Veronica to step away. Nash follows her, apologizes and explains that maybe it wasn’t their destiny after all.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 8:50

How Not To Date While Trans

Dir./Writer: Nyala Moon; Prod: Eileen Makak, Chien Yu Wang

“How Not To Date While Trans “ is a break-the-fourth-wall, dark comedy that follows the dating life of a black trans woman and the problematic men she meets along the way. Andie searches for romance and self-love but ends with heartbreak.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 12:20

The Table

Dir: Caralene Robinson; Writer: Nina Simone Moore; Prod: Crystal Whaley, Christine Shaw

Inspired by famed photographer Carrie Mae Weems “Kitchen Table Series,” “The Table” follows the relationship of Ed and London over seven years, primarily at their dining room table.

INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE

VOL 1 - 4:20 PM

A collection of stories that tell the tale of injustices of many kinds, and how the oppressed choose to fight back. Volume 1

Charlottesville

Dir./Prod: Rikard Westman

Music video for the song Charlottesville by NIGHT. Music Video | Run time: 3:57

Project & Serve

Dir./Writer/Prod: Espie Randolph III

When a young Black teen is pulled over by an angry cop, he must use his father’s advice to navigate the struggle and quiet his own rage in order to survive the traffic stop that threatens to put an end to his night and possibly his life.

Student Short | Run time: 15:02

World Premiere

Wade in the Water AIKĀNE

Dir: David Bianchi; Writer: Joivan Wade, Llewellyn C Radford II, David Bianchi; Prod: Joivan Wade, David Bianchi, Percelle Ascott, Tafara Makopa

A moving spoken word short film, inspired by the old negro spiritual ‘Wade in the Water’, is about three men unveiling their fear of being a black man in America.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 9:54

Dir: Daniel Sousa, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson; Writer: Dean Hamer; Prod: Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu

A valiant island warrior, wounded in battle against foreign invaders, falls into a mysterious underwater world. When the octopus who rescued him transforms into a handsome young man, they become aikāne, bound by love and trust, and an epic adventure begins.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:54

The Son Rises

LA Premiere In Competition

Dir/Writer: Alexander G. Seyum; Producer: Bernice Molina Valle

Manny, a rebellious biker, must fight for justice when his younger brother is killed in a senseless police shooting. Harassed by those who have sworn to protect him, he finds parallels between his story and that of Jesus Christ, as he’s slowly nailed to a cross of his own.

U.S. Narrative Short | Runtime: 46:42 In Competition

MI CULTURA - 6:05 PM

A collection of stories featuring those who struggle to embrace their own culture, or desperately want to be accepted by another.

Please In Spanish

Dir./Writer/Producer: Patricia Seely

Feeling disconnected from her Dominican heritage, a young woman warms to her cultural identity after meeting a lively neighbor.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 9:22

Broken Toilets

Dir/Writer: Jesse Toledano; Producer: Thomas Mahoney, Keith Duplessis, Raymond Duplessis, Zak Levin

BROKEN TOILETS is a comedy about Yossi, a young Hassidic property manager who harbors a love for hip-hop. During the everyday mundane, often absurd tasks that come along with property management, he meets two tenants, Kevin and Dee, young aspiring Hip Hop artists who realize that Yossi’s raw talent and background brings them an edge that can lead to their big break. The three of them come together to make a demo, or at least they try to. The series tells the trials and tribulations of Yossi, as he tries to navigate the demands of his job, family, and faith as he sets out to follow his musical passion. The series also closely follows Dee and Kevin as they navigate their pursuit of a career in hip-hop as they struggle as young adults to make a life for themselves.

Digital Web Series | Runtime: 22:25

Wei-Lai

Dir: Robin Wang, Writer: Tony G.X. Shi, Prod: Andy Yi Li, Aleeya Naomi Shroff-Mehta

Tired of getting pushed and punished by his own parents, Wei-Lai, an 11-year-old Chinese American boy, decides to show up at his best friend’s family and offer himself up for their adoption.

Student Short | Run time: 13:39

Butterfly/Bataplai

Dir./Writer/Producer: Veialu Aila-Unsworth

In Competition

Raya loves makeup but her family does not. She’s torn between her secret dream of being a makeup artist and her family’s strict religious beliefs. In a nightmare, she receives a profound message from her Papua New Guinean ancestor who encourages her to look at her Indigenous culture for answers.

U.S. Narrative Short | Runtime: 46:42

In Competition

LA Premiere / In Competition

LA Premiere

S.Q.A.G. Short Quiet Asian Girl

Dir./Writer: Benedict Chiu; Prod: Grant Singer, Emily Kim

A SQAG (short quiet asian girl), in a desperate effort to upend her anonymity, disguises as another student to take a test in her place.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 7:55

Mother’s Tongue

Dir./Writer: D. Wilmos Paul; Prod: Austin Oggletree, Edward Johnson

Junior, an African teenager, ashamed of his accent, enrolls in a creative writing club thinking he can make it through the semester without speaking… until he’s faced with his worst fear.

Digital Web Series | Runtime: 22:25

LA Premiere / In Competition

This docuseries takes a deep dive into the entrepreneurs’ journeys as they overcome obstacles, navigate relationships, and scale their businesses, all while leaning on the community around them.

U.S. Docu-Series | Runtime: 25:00

Special Screening

HOW TO DEAL - 8:55 PM

A collection of stories featuring those who deal with grief and loss in their own way.

Tough Skin

Dir: Elijah Brewer; Writer: Henrique Goncalves; Prod: Joseph A. Gonzales, Danger Charles

After an accident in the woods, a boy discovers his repressed emotions have strange physical manifestations.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 2:54

I Pray This Sh*t Works

LA/World Premiere

Dir: Rasheena Nash; Writer: Kestlyn Blassengale, Rasheena Nash; Prod: Tyrell Jemison, Geno Brannon

This film explores Brandon Goodson’s therapy sessions following the death of his best friend. Brandon’s internal battle with grief, God and family finds him searching for a sense of control.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 11:06

World Premiere / In Competition

The Flower That Never Wilts

Dir./Writer: Chris Shaw; Prod: Michael Petrovich, Hasna Nada, Luke Orr, Stephen Enloe, TJ Shaw, Chris Shaw, Brad Rundblade

Simon, a prodigy painter, living the playboy lifestyle of 1970’s Hollywood, finds his career fading as his work isn’t what it used to be due to the tragic loss of his wife. Not only is Simon’s art suffering, but his outlook on life is slipping into darkness, despite his childhood friend and art dealer remaining by his side. After Simon is broken by the reality of his decisions, a life model walks into his world and challenges his perspective.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 24:25

Gutter

Dir/Writer: Theodore Drusba Prod: Jean-Martin Bisson

Mist. Dust. A bowling alley in the crosshair of a thunderstorm. A pregnant woman, a businessman and a widower find shelter in its midst. Pins are knocked down until gloomy moths kindle an outage.

Int’l Short | Runtime: 21:31

Country: Canada / LA Premiere / In Competition

TERRI

Dir: Meiko Taylor; Writer: David Hunter Jr; Prod: David Hunter Jr., Daniel K. Hunter, Tatiana M. Johnson, Mark M. Harris, Antionette Harris, Jamari Perry

A husband and wife struggle to communicate after an unexpected tragedy.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 21:00

Photosynthesis

Dir./Writer: Ashli J. Washington; Prod: Bianca Haly-Wilkins, Damon Bailey, Nakeshia Wright

After receiving life-shattering news, a chance encounter with a stranger in a plant shop challenges a woman’s morals and credence about love.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 20:51 LA

LEGENDS, GHOSTS MYTHS VOL 2 - 10:50 PM

A collection of stories that speak to the spooky, scary and haunted. Boo! Volume 2

In The Matchbox

Dir: Mike Rae Anderson; Writer/Producer: Jermi Little

Uncle Wendell shares a centuries old family secret with his great nephews. If the secret gets out, it can effect and infect the entire world. Literally.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 10:43

The Fallen Woman

Dir./Writer: Jennifer Zhang; Prod: Willis Chung, Ben Tan, Jennifer Zhang

Two intrepid internet ghost hunters travel to a ranch purportedly haunted by a gold-rush era Chinese prostitute. As their friendship rapidly deteriorates, a dark secret about one of the hunters’ connection to the case comes to light.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 16:32

World/LA Premiere / In Competition In Competition

Premiere

MOTHERS

Who’s There

Dir./Writer: Desmond Levi Jackson

An exhausted sketch artist struggles to complete his newest artwork but a supernatural force blocks him at every turn.

Student Short | Run time: 5:22

Around the corner

Dir./Writer: Victoria Dong, Prod: Océane Bouhier

World Premiere

Tina is burnt out from new responsibilities as a mother and her inattentive husband isn’t there when she needs help the most. One night after an exhausting day, a dark creature arrives to destroy the life Tina tries so hard to maintain.

Student Short | Run time: 5:01

The Duppy Man’s Walk

LA Premiere

Dir./Writer: Gregory James Foxx Jr.; Prod: Gregory James Foxx Jr., Torrey Rogers, Dr. Randy King

Upon failing to show proper respect at the edge of a mysterious marsh, two young men pay a horrific price for their encroachment, when a restless entity makes its displeasure known.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 18:12

& OTHERS - 12:05 PM

LA Premiere

A collection of stories that are unique to motherhood and those who fill the role - the good, the bad, the ugly.

The Birth

Dir./Writer: Lasse Jensen, Søren Grau; Prod: Kristian Petersen

Real Estate agency ‘Werner Boliger’ wants to tell a story about how they just want to give the best condition for their clients. It is a funny story about real estate agent ‘Mads’ who “appears” into people’s treasured life situations to tell about Werner Boliger and how they can help their client with a housing facility... Often excused by his embarrassed wife.

Commercial Spot | Run time: 0:25

LA Premiere

How to Cure Insomnia

Dir./Writer: Khiam’e L.F., Prod: Changhui Shi, Khiam’e L.F.

Seventeen years of life. Eight years of braces. Two years of diapers. Seven hours of labor. A lifetime of waiting and worrying if today will be the day that he won’t come home. Welcome to motherhood. There is no cure.

Student Short | Run time: 18:57

Blessed Be

World Premiere

Dir./Writer: Therés Amee; Prod: Jaime Zevallos, Roopashree Jeevaji, Pia Vicioso-Vila, Manny McCord

Hours after giving birth, a 16-year-old girl is brought to a medical facility after she hemorrhages to death on a desolate road in northern India. A mystery begins to unfold.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 8:31

Nanny

LA Premiere

Dir/Producer: Olzhas Ermerbaev; Writer: Maya Iskakova, Anel Sartaeva; Prod: Yerkezhan Maksut, Akzhol-bi Sarsembaev

A single mother, who escaped from her abusive husband, is desperately trying to provide for her little son. Her friend helps her get a job as a nanny for a wealthy family under false pretenses. After realizing their plan has worked, the two of them decide to start a babysitting agency, which introduces them to hardships that will change their lives forever.

Digital Web Series | Runtime: 47:00

Shoebox

LA Premiere

Dir./Writer: David Fortune; Prod: Saleah Smith, Katie White, Kare Bortlous

After sweeping hair at a local barbershop, a 12-year-old boy hopes to make a purchase that will bring honor and healing to his loved ones.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:04

World Premiere

BASED ON A TRUE STORY - 1:45 PM

A collection of stories featuring those who’ve made a difference during their existence.

Dir: Myra Aquino; Writer: Myra Aquino, Eric Hwang; Prod: Tita Pambid, Reuben Domingo, Myra Aquino

Set in the Philippines during World War II, a young woman struggles to find purpose after losing her father.

Student Short | Run time: 18:00

Beauty Queen Bamber Bridge

Dir./Writer/Producer: Mark D. Bonner

In Competition

A young black servicemen stationed in Europe during WWII meets a longtime white pen pal in the British Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, during a racial boiling point in America. Inspired by true events.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 15:02

Bwa Kayiman

Dir./Writer/Producer: Yves Beneche; Prod: Vicky Jeudy, Ibet Inyang Beneche

Set in 1791 at the start of the Haitian Revolution, a young woman is determined to break societal norms and join the enslaved men in fighting against Napoleon’s French army.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 12:26

The Stones That The Builders Rejected

Dir./Writer/Producer: Otis Dominique

Jeffrey “Hot Sauce” Maxwell works for God. For the last twenty odd years Jeff has dedicated his life to those at the bottom of the proverbial totem pole. Traveling in and out of the city’s most dangerous neighborhoods, the Chicago Englewood native is on a mission. One he believes will be his last. The Stones That the Builders Rejected follows Jeff’s journey to transform Chicago’s failing Black communities.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 5:00

World/LA Premiere

I Am More Dangerous Dead

Dir./Writer: Majiye Uchibeke; Prod: Denzel Jenkins, Miles Lagoze

“I Am More Dangerous Dead” is a poetic tribute to the indomitable spirit of Ken Saro-Wiwa, the Nigerian writer and activist who valiantly fought against the destructive oil industry in his beloved homeland. Through lyrical storytelling and metaphorical imagery, the film portrays his unwavering determination, the price he paid for his convictions, and the enduring legacy he left behind.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 24:00

THIS IS AMERICA - 3:30 PM

A collection of stories featuring the fearless few who seek a better life in another country, and the obstacles they face.

Bienvenidos a Los Ángeles

Dir./Writer: Lisa Cole, Prod: Lisa Cole, Vivian Johnson, Cindy Lu, Jolene Mendes, Benjamin O’Keefe, Lolia Etomi

Inspired by true events and shot on location at LAX airport, “Bienvenidos a Los Angeles” tells the timely story of Imani, a Nigerian single-mother living in Los Angeles, who offers to help a perfect stranger reunite with her son. In doing so, Imani learns this simple act of kindness threatens to jeopardize her own path to citizenship.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 17:00

I Have No Tears, and I Must Cry

Dir./Writer: Luis Fernando Puente; Prod: Rollins Wimber

Maria Luisa is ready to escape immigration limbo, but when her green card interview takes an unexpected turn, she faces the anxiety of losing the life she had planned.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:00

LA Premiere / In Competition In Competition

Esperanza

Dir./Writer: Shruti Parekh; Prod: Shruti Parekh, Laura Scarano

When an immigrant taxi driver in upstate New York takes an undocumented couple to the Canadian border, they find themselves at odds in the shared pursuit of a better life.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 18:00

Hoar

Dir./Writer/Prod: Jeanette Dilone

When a phone sex operator is accepted into Oxford University, she must confront her livein mother, a codependent hoarder, about her decision to move across the globe.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 16:17

Crosses in the Dust

Director: Christine Kane; Producer: Christine Kane, Aaron Hose, Irene Pons, Tim Reid

At the Arizona-Mexico border, the Sonoran Desert has been weaponized as part of the “Prevention Through Deterrence” policy, which has cost the lives of thousands of migrants since its inception in the mid-1990s. CROSSES IN THE DUST follows a law professor and her students as they assist organizations fighting the ongoing immigration crisis along the border while honoring those who have perished on their journey into America.

Digital Web Series | Runtime: 10:53

GOOD FRIENDS ARE HARD TO FIND VOL 2 - 4:55 PM

A collection of stories featuring friendship - the good, the bad, the terrible. Volume 2

Third Wheel Material

LA Premiere

Dir/Writer: Lyandre Pierre; Prod: Julian Park, Tezeta Solomon, Rickey Larke

THIRD WHEEL MATERIAL is a weirdly sweet comedy that follows three best friends; a couple, Tanya and Darren, and their reluctant third wheel Avery. The three friends each navigate their own personal journeys through self-discovery, love, and the absurdity of life.

Digital Web Series | Runtime: 25:27

In Competition

Echoes

Dir: Roku Jingwen Long; Writer: Roku Jingwen Long, Alexis Garrett Stodghill; Prod: Alexis Garrett Stodghill, Nina Betty Cochran

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Taylor, an African-American delivery woman, crosses paths with Lin, the harried mother and owner of a Chinese restaurant in Queens. Lin, overwhelmed by the impact of the virus, is forced to close her restaurant and grapple with the responsibility of caring for her children. Meanwhile, Taylor experiences her own setback when the last order she picks up is unexpectedly canceled, leading to a financial loss and a fine. Both women, seeking solace from the pandemic’s pressures, find comfort in each other’s company. They bond over a viral social media trend called the “screaming in the pot” challenge, engaging in a lighthearted activity that brings them closer together and fosters mutual understanding and camaraderie.

U.S.

Short | Run time: 15:13

The Fruitloop

World Premiere

Dir./Writer: Dr. Louis Deon Jones, Chishawn Julius West; Prod: Dr. Louis Deon Jones, Chishawn Julius West, Jataun Gilbert, Llyod Ambrose, Dom Collier, Taylor Bryon Barr

The Fruitloop short film takes a look at the modern-day trials and tribulations of four Black gay men. As they unpack various stories surrounding the experience of sexuality, identity, love, and messiness within being Black and gay.

U.S.

Short | Run time: 20:03

A Real One

World Premiere

Dir./Writer: McKenzie Chinn; Prod: Lisa Masseur, Sarah Minnie

They’re 17 and live on Chicago’s largely Black south side. Their friendship is tested when Lauren reveals a tightly-held secret to Keisha, and the two friends must take matters into their own hands in a landscape where the only thing they can truly count on is each other.

U.S.

Short | Run time: 15:28

TRADING PLACES - 6:25 PM

A collection of stories featuring those who dare to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.

BLACKIFIER

Dir: Christian Kamaal, Writer: Jalen Young, Cory Gorman, Jordan Shanks

After watching an odd TV infomercial advertising a magical spray called Blackifier, that when used can make anyone appear to be black to everyone else around them, Karen, an entitled white woman who’s not fond of black faces, embarks on a journey inside an alternate TV universe to find out just how ‘exciting’ the black experience really is.

U.S.

Short | Run time: 15:00

LA Premiere

Narrative

Narrative

Narrative

Narrative

Lookism

Dir./Writer: Martin Fuhr, Mona Stingl

While DAVID (26), is an unkempt, lanky bartender and leads a decent, yet boring life, JOHN (29) is quite different. Handsome, successful and captivating. John becomes an inspiration for David, which is why he tries to become more and more like him. But David’s imitation carries a high price. Will it pay off?

Student Short | Run time: 8:20

Save Face

LA Premiere

Dir./Writer: Ian Damont Martin; Prod: Carol Cohen, Ian Damont Martin, Angela Salinas, Eugene S. Park, Jason Matsumoto, Luzzo, Nicholas Reinhart

Micah’s hiding in plain sight. Until today. A Black boy who must navigate personal and political revolution when he is suddenly exposed in an alternate world that presumes him extinct.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 8:07

ALTERNATE

Dir./Writer/Producer: Harry Fowler

LA, possibly World Premiere

In an ALTERNATE reality, where the racial history of white and black people are completely reversed, co-workers Andrew Adebayo and Jarquan Adamu explore the uncomfortable and ambiguous lines of what is appropriate and inappropriate in the workplace.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:40

Comic Escape

World Premiere / In Competition

Dir./Writer: Alphonso McAuley; Prod: Martin Russell Johnson

A young boy unexpectedly finds a comic book that changes his reality.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 7:18 In Competition

Palm Sunday

Dir./Writer: Wes Andre Goodrich; Prod: Patrick Nichols, Cameron Carr, Andrew Harrell, TRUJULO PRODUCTIONS

Inspired by true events, Palm Sunday is a southern gothic drama about a young Black Caribbean Immigrant who attempts to assimilate into an all-white church in 1970s Raleigh, North Carolina.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 15:00

LA Premiere

DOING IT DIFFERENTLY THIS TIME - 7:55 PM

A collection of stories that showcase dating of a different kind.

The Perfect First Date

Dir: Christopher J Hall; Writer: Tommy Dickie; Prod: Christopher J Hall, Tommy Dickie

What happens when a perfectly spontaneous first date goes exactly according to plan.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 15:00

Baggage

Dir./Producer: Leon Pierce Jr.; Writer: Deck Metellus

LA Premiere

Iris and Russell go on a first date where they unpack their baggage on one another in a very literal sense.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:00

Hello. Goodbye

Dir: Ebony Blanding; Writer: A’sia Horne; Prod: A’sia Horne, Kiah Clingman

A newly engaged photographer is forced to face her past when a visitor reminds her of the life she should have lived.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 16:17

Full Service

LA premiere

Feature Talent: Cristina Encarnacion,Jared Wofford

Dir./Writer: Soma Helmi; Prod: Po Wei Su

An Indonesian woman gets more than she expects when she resorts to hiring an escort to bring to her cousin’s engagement party.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 9:52

Willing to premiere / In Competition

Feature Talent: Michele Selene Ang, Yoshi Sudaroso, Savira Windyani

Taste

Dir./Writer: Bobby Huntley; Prod: Miama Abena Trotmon, Rita Lamar, Eric Rai’Vaun, Loraine Foushee

In a world where women’s reproductive rights have all been eradicated, two women turn to a psychedelic truth TAB to find out if their blind dates are worthy of being possible lifelong companions.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 17:00

CHECK ON YOUR STRONG FRIEND - 9:20 PM

LA premiere / In Competition

A collection of stories surrounding friendship, jealousy, and loss.

Little Cuts

Dir./Writer: Maia Henkin; Prod: Elise Berggreen

Determined to fix their broken friendship, two best friends travel to the desert. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly erupts into chaos.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:58

Strong Friend, Let Go

LA premiere / In Competition

Dir/Writer/Prod: Larry Powell; Writer: Larry Powell, Galen Williams, Anwar Ali, John Sweet, Colin Carswell; Prod: Larry Powell, Angelica Robinson

A community of artists struggles to let go of past resentments in order to peacefully lay their mentor to rest.

U.S. Narrative Short | Runtime: 41:26

World Premiere / In Competition

GOOD FRIENDS ARE HARD TO FIND VOL 3 - 10:40 PM

A collection of stories featuring friendship - the good, the bad, the terrible. Volume 3

Get A Grip

Dir: Raouf Zaki; Writer: Timothy Chivalette; Prod: Monica Ledoux

When a man asks his neighbor for milk to put on his cereal, he gets a lot more than he bargained for.

Commercial Spot | Runtime: 2:03

When We Grow Up

World Premiere

Dir: Michael Landry, Madeline Mack; Writer: Brandon Haynes, Michael Landry, Madeline Mack; Prod: Alvaro Valente, Brandon Haynes, Michael Landry, Madeline Mack

While navigating their thirties in Los Angeles, six friends must reconcile where they’re at in their lives with where they thought they’d be. This is a story about taking risks in the search for radical authenticity.

Digital Web Series | Runtime: 24 minute, 14 seconds

IRL

World Premiere

Dir./Producer: Ryann Price; Writer: Ryann Price, Jeorgia Jones

This meta-adventure follows two friends as they discover that chatrooms and house parties are not the same! Watch until the very last frame and see for yourself if things are truly as they seem.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 10:12

See You Later

Dir./Writer: Lanchi Hong

World/LA Premiere

On the day of a birthday party, it’s clear not everyone will attend after two girls try and fail to reach their friend, leaving numerous voicemails in the process.

Student Short | Run time: 4:37

My Little Astronaut

Dir./Writer/Producer: Israel Torres

Out of touch with reality and struggling with mental illness, August finds himself in a fantasy world. He spends most of his life within the crippling boundaries of his dissociative mind. Following a failed attempt August makes an effort to improve the state of his mental health in hopes of feeling a sense of belonging.

Box Exchange

Dir: Frank Tran; Writer: Frank Tran, Julia Stier; Prod: Frank Tran, Arthur Kanai, Charlene Chiu

Amanda and Max need the support from their best friends, Sadie and Jace, in order to follow through with the final Box Exchange of personal items after a contentious breakup.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 24:13

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:45

LA Premiere

GIRL PROBZ VOL 2 - 12:10 PM

A collection of stories that uniquely affect the ladies in your life. Volume 2

Battle Zone: H-Mart

Dir: Tyler Davis; Writer: Miya Kodama, Laurie Magers; Prod: Anosh McAdam, Lauren Bancroft

Nowadays, H-Mart isn’t just a grocery store. It’s a place for creepy men to try and meet Asian women.

POST COMEDY

Dir: Via Bia; Writer/Producer: Via Bia, Jax Baires

A comedian’s set is interrupted by the one thing she never jokes about.

Covid Book Club

Dir: Kim Furst; Writer/Producer: Julie Phillips

What’s a post-menopausal girl supposed to do when her famous music producer husband publicly dumps her for a younger wanna-be punk rocker/ska singer named Gretl Grunge? DUH! A reality show, of course! Dori Britt wants to show the world she is FINE. But that’s hard to do when she’s holed up with her live-in housekeeper during a pandemic. So she starts a book club to show the world she’s smart, social, and FUN! But things go awry when you combine, wine, cheese, cutlery, and “Karens”.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 8:29

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 14:02

LA Premiere

World Premiere / In Competition

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 4:46

World Premiere

DIVA

Dir/Writer: Christopher Mack

What would you do to be a star? On a film with no budget? Audrey, a working actor, is determined to follow her dreams to shine, but finds herself up against growing challenges. Diva is a timely, comedic, and sharp commentary on working in the film industry as a female actor. It explores victimization and complicity in film making.

Int’l Short | Runtime: 12:52

The Little Girl Inside

Dir./Writer/Producer: Ambyr Michelle

Country: France / In Competition

The Little Girl Inside follows the vengeful and curious Ava as she searches through hotel rooms, hoping to discover something new within herself. When what’s behind those doors becomes repetitive and underwhelming, Ava questions her identity and existence—that is, until one night a stranger convinces her to make a life-changing decision.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 19:57

MILF

MOM I’D LIKE TO FEATURE - 2:00 PM

A collection of stories surrounding fertility, pregnancy, and motherhood.

Dir./Writer: Felicia Pride; Prod: Regina Hoyles

A forty-something single mother gets her groove back with a little assistance from her teenage daughter. LOOK BACK AT IT is set in Baltimore and also serves as a proof of concept for a feature film of the same name.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 11:44

LOOK BACK AT IT Wonders

Dir./Writer: Huriyyah Muhammad; Prod: Okema Moore, Snyder Derival, Huriyyah Muhammad

Hardworking moms, Teeni and Cherice don’t ask for much. Like everyone else, they are on the grind, just trying to make a better life for themselves and their toddler. Struggling financially, things get worse when they come home to find an eviction notice plastered on their door. The solution however surprises even them when their cranky, constipated toddler poops three golden nuggets. While WONDERS is a response to the eviction crisis across the country, at its heart is a celebration of the wisdom of our elders and the magic of our babies. It speaks to community, personal power and legacy presented with humor and imagination.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 11:44

In Competition In Competition

LA Premiere

7 Minutes of Heaven?

Dir: NEEN; Writer: Pages Matam; Prod: Jamari Perry

A gender reveal party goes comically south when the mom-to-be hides in a closet with her queer bestie and spills the tea…he may be the daddy.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 10:12

Don’t Be Desperate

World Premiere

Dir/Writer: Yhá Mourhia D. Wright; Producer: Michelle Daniel, Javana Mundy

When an imaginative and anxious Broadway hopeful receives life-changing news, she is forced to confront her deepest desires and worst fears.

U.S. Narrative Short | Runtime: 27:42

Nativity

Dir: Zach Kaplan; Prod: Brandon J. Somerville

LA Premiere / In Competition

A young married couple in 2092 have a meeting with their doctor at the Nativity program for genetically constructing their first child, but as more choices are asked of them, they realize some rather fundamental questions still need to be discussed.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 12:46

BROTHAS, YA’LL ALRIGHT? - 4:05 PM

LA Premiere / In Competition

A collection of stories told from the unique perspective of Black menall about boyhood, manhood, and growing up in American society.

We Were Meant To

Dir: Tari Wariebi Writer: Tari Wariebi, Christina Kingsleigh Licud; Producer: Jordan Vernon Tyner

In a world where Black men have wings and their first flight is a rite of passage, Akil must defy fears, insecurities, and societal barriers while discovering his perfect launch into manhood.

U.S. Narrative U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 27:28

Feature Talent: Amin Joseph (Snowfall), Karimah Westbrook (All American) In Competition

Fresh

Dir./Writer: Malcolm Ford Walker; Producer: Malcolm Ford Walker, Corey Baron, Chris Smith

After getting picked on by his friends, a young man with a bad haircut journeys through New York City in search of a barber in order to impress a girl at a skatepark.

Student Short | Run time: 9:14

The Measure of A Man

Dir/Writer: Denzel Jenkins; Prod: David Duran Lopez, Stephanie Jones

A young man victim of rape finds a healing space through his estranged father.

Student Short | Run time: 15:00

Dir./Writer: Ryan Darbonne, Prod: Tamar Price

Two black men on a fishing trip stumble across the body of a dead white man and debate what to do with it.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:56

What They Found Triggered

World Premiere / In Competition lA

Dir: Hisonni Mustafa; Writer: Eduardo Robinson, Hisonni Mustafa; Prod: Shante Deloach, Adia Bell, Trina Colon, Brandon Champ Robinson, Eduardo Robinson, Hisonni Mustafa

When a dedicated teacher’s prized student mysteriously disappears, he is confronted with a pivotal challenge that compels him to reconcile with the boy’s mother in a race against time to locate him.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 15:00

World Premiere

THERE’S BEEN A MURDER.. - 6:05 PM

A collection of stories of those committing crimes or trying to solve them.

Dir/Writer: Eoin Duffy; Producer: Jamie Hogan

With story and visuals purposefully separated, a Regular Rabbit battles a comically absurd onslaught of disinformation. He is not the nightmare being told. He is as shown, a regular ol’ stupid rabbit doing his usual rabbit stuff! The narrator is full of s#!t!! How is this so hard to believe?! Fake news!! Where’s the evidence?! Agh!!! He is nothing more than a Regular Rabbit!

Int’l Short | Runtime: 7:43

Regular Rabbit Savage Dawn

Country: Ireland / LA Premiere / In Competition

Dir: Tamiah Bantum; Writer: Jessica Rookeward; Prod: Jessica Rookeward, Travis Leland

Tom Havis’ life has been torn apart by a mysterious killer. Out for revenge, he stumbles upon a young woman whose secrets may just be the answers to his hunt.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 10:09

The Shipment

LA Premiere / In Competition

Director: Jose Peña; Writer: RJ Lucci; Prod: RJ Lucci, Margarita Karaghiozakis, Derek S. Nelson, Ammar Assad, Frank Malakauskas

Two New York Criminals, escaping a sticky situation, head out west to California, where an opportunity to steal a new cosmetic drug may provide them the score they’ve been looking for.

Digital Web Series | Runtime: 22:22

Hardened

World Premiere / In Competition

Director: Tim Young; Writer: Brandon Scales; Prod: Brandon Scales, Miguel L Antonio, Rui Canvasking Lopes, Evelyn Brito, Yhá Mourhia Wright

Investigative reporting rule #1: You could get someone killed. Investigative reporting rule #2: Someone may want to kill you. After successfully publishing an article exposing a corrupt Mayor Collins administration, reporter Luke Harden is approached by Gina Rose, a victim of sex trafficking. With nowhere else to turn, she gives him a lead on his next story, her trafficker’s name. His investigation sends him down a rabbit hole exposing a massive powerful network including cartels, police, and elected officials who will do anything to keep their secrets hidden.

Digital Web Series | Runtime: 12:04

LA Premiere

Mama Duke

Dir./Writer: Cyrille Phipps, Prod: Monique Hazeur

A single mother devastated by a job loss and badly settled divorce finds her computer compromised on the verge of a desperate and dangerous new business venture.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:46

Curiosity

Dir: James Sunshine; Writer/Prod: Tasha Hardy

CURIOSITY is a quirky dramedy about a bored, small town janitor, Bob Cooke, who has a not-so-secret double life of spying on people and impulsively getting into their business. When he witnesses the girl of his dreams being kidnapped, it sends him into a hyper stealth mode, working alongside his younger, skeptical friend Dustin – a cop wannabe.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 14:37

Savasana, Inc.

Dir: Tony Diaz; Writer/Prod: Peter Zizzo

LA Premiere / In Competition

A film producer at the breaking point in his marriage schemes to have his actress wife murdered. Things do not go quite as planned. From two-time Emmy winning filmmaker Tony Diaz and Emmy / Grammy winning actor, writer, and composer Peter Zizzo, comes a murderously twisted comedy about toxic men, dark women, and of course, hot yoga.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 17:49

Feature Talent: Peter Zizzo, Emily Chapman, Chauntal Lewis In Competition

WHO I AM, AS I AM - 8:25 PM

World Premiere

A collection of stories featuring those who are learning to embrace themselves, and in turn allowing others to see the real them - who they are, exactly as they are.

Confirmation

Dir/Writer: Nana Duffuor; Prod: Yaél Bermudez

Maame is a God-fearing mother who wants nothing but the best for her son, Kojo. But when he befriends an out and proud, expressive young man in their church, Maame must confront her fear of accepting Kojo’s burgeoning sexual identity or risk losing him.

Int’l Short | Runtime: 11:49

Country: Ghana / LA Premiere

Dir: Rodrigo Carvalhedo, Silvia Lara; Writer: Rodrigo Carvalhedo; Prod: Silvia Chen, Rodrigo Carvalhedo

A magical birthday wish sends a closeted gay man into a surreal coming-out journey between Brazil and Los Angeles. Wishful Thinking is the director’s real-life coming-out letter, screened to his family.

US/Brazil Narrative Short | Run time: 17:46

Fat lip

LA Premiere / In Competition

Dir: Ryan Craver; Writer: Donovan Tolledo, Rali Chaouni; Prod: Donovan Tolledo

At the end of summer, KEVIN pierces his own lip as a last-ditch effort to win over a skater boy, who also happens to be his best friend. Kevin soon finds that his self-destructive plan may not be as infectious as he envisioned.

Student Short | Run time: 16:19

Let Her Eat Cake

LA Premiere / In Competition

Dir/Writer: Amanda Gordon; Prod: Tiana Cantu, Raine Shank

Striving to please her overbearing mother, a 13-year-old gymnast must lose 5 pounds in one night.

Student Short | Run time: 11:43

Wishful Thinking Be

Dir./Writer/Producer: Desmond Jackson

LA Premiere

A habitual liar afraid of disclosing his sexuality is slowly killed by the lies he tells his friends.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 6:28

Green Trip

LA Premiere

Dir: Jeff “J.O.” Oliphant; Writer/Prod: Al Washington, James Peoples

Derrick struggles to find weed during a stressful return to his hometown until he learns that his family’s acceptance is the ultimate high.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 22:36

LA Premiere

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS VOL 1 - 10:05 PM

A collection of stories all about family and the many versions that define the word ”home.”

The Show Must Go On

Dir./Writer: Chase Gutzmore; Prod: Isaac Gazmararian, Liam Nelson, Chase Gutzmore

Actress Porshe is in town to visit her family on a 2-week break from her hit broadway show. However, the future of the show gets put in jeopardy once she finds out a secret her brother Tony has been keeping from her while she’s been away...

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 15:42

Dir./Writer: Miguel Melo, Prod: Josslyn Glenn

An unlikely pair, a non-binary painter and an uptight woman, bond through the power of story, leading them to rediscover the meaning of home and close circles that burden them.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 15:00

This one is for the neighborhood A Black Saturday

Dir./Writer: Tori Sampson

No logline

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 8:40 LA Premiere

Good Filipino kids

Dir./Writer: Andrew Acedo; Prod: Andrew Acedo, Ross Matlin

Two Filipino lovers with different upbringings struggle to fulfill cultural and familial expectations, forcing them to face a crossroads in their relationship and individual identities.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 17:22

Ghostwriter…

Dir./Writer: Vonii Bristow; Prod: Vonii Bristow, Davetta Florance-Bristow

A boy, a father, and a secret...when his world caves in, how will he deal?

19:59

Dir: Ravi Guru Singh, Kelechi Nkemdilim; Writer/Prod: Ravi Guru Singh

As his wedding day approaches, an Indian American man realizes his turban must be tied for his wedding and has to decide whether to invite his father be a part of the biggest day of his life.

The Invite Reggie and June

10:59

Dir./Writer: Brandon Thomas; Prod: Gabby Occchipinto

In Oakland California we’re introduced to a family leaving their 3 year olds “Red Egg & ginger” party. A young Black father named Reggie is completely oblivious to how he botched a traditional Chinese event important to his Asian-American wife. June will one-up Reggies mistake with her lack of understanding her husband’s Black experience.

12:51

INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE

VOL 2 - 12:05 PM

A collection of stories that focus on the injustices and obstacles that racism is responsible for creating.

PreSchool To Prison

Dir: Dr. Karen Baptiste; Prod: Edwin Walker, Dr. Karen Baptiste

Countless children are educationally lynched in the United States with labels such as emotionally disturbed and intellectually disabled, resulting in children under the age of 8 to be shuffled from school to prison for minor infractions; Meanwhile investors are cashing in on this new form of slavery with Black & brown children being disproportionately impacted the most.

17:22

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time:

LA Premiere

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time:

World Premiere

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time:

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time:

ANIMALS

Dir./Writer: Jordan K. Paul; Prod: Xan Churchwell

Months into his move to Los Angeles from the US Virgin Islands, Jordan and his White roommate Tyler are stopped by the young LAPD Officer, Miller. Tyler attempts to “fight oppression” and gets into a physical altercation with the officer.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 15:00

Until It’s You

Dir./Writer/Prod: Trevor McGhie

World premiere / In Competition

When a seemingly “woke” activist’s phone goes missing at prom, she becomes suspicious of a young black man... exposing how dangerous ones subconscious bias can be.

17:21

LA Premiere

Dir/Writer: Megan Trufant Tillman; Prod: Kimiko Matsuda-Lawrence

A nine-year-old loner wants his brother to teach him how to play the trumpet. In the 7th Ward of New Orleans, that’s not so simple.

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS VOL 2 - 2:00 PM

A collection of stories all about family and the many versions that define the word ”home.” Volume 2

Little Trumpet Saturday

Dir./Writer: Shandrea Evans; Prod: Lexx Truss, Kendra Mitchell

Feeling homesick after moving to Los Angeles, a young woman begrudgingly visits her great-aunt where she discovers friendship, communal history, and her new city through a fresh lens.

17:22

World Premiere

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time:

U.S. Narrative Short | Runtime: 30:00

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time:

Your blue heart

Dir./Writer: Don Castro; Prod: Don Castro, Sherry Huang

A father, waiting for his son to arrive home, faces a hidden truth that emerges as the night unfolds. Starring Don Castro (Power Book II: Ghost, Marvel’s Daredevil) and Roy Flores (Here Lies Love on Broadway, Inventing Anna), “Your blue heart” is a meditation on memory and the mysterious way it lives inside of us.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 8:59

October Mourning

Dir./Writer: Frederick Thornton; Prod: Gia Rigoli, Sean Hackett, Veronica Kompalic, Jazmin Cortes

Henry-- a Black man grieving the unexpected loss of his father, Charles, finds himself regretting all the conversations they never had, when an opportunity arises for them to talk one final time.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 19:25

Solitude

LA Premiere / In Competition

Dir./Writer: Knial Saunders; Prod: Bei Lameng, Mary Liu, Blaine Morris

Zeph’s relationship with his friend and crush, Sol, is called into question as he increasingly spends more time with him preparing for an art exhibition. Desperate to save her son, Augustine stages an ambush to confront him. Events take a turn, forcing Zeph to call into question how he will move forward how he will reconcile who he is and who he is pretending to be for others. he will be accepted by his family – if at all.

Student Short | Run time: 17:29

World Premiere

Dir: Mo McRae; Writer: James Gutierrez; Prod: Kids In The Spotlight, Inc., Tige Charity, Scaleble Content Production, Lex Scott Davis, Matt Cassaro

Abandoned as a baby, Percy’Q traverses through life attempting to overcome the traumas of his past.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 11:47

Rainy Days Perception

LA Premiere

Dir: Erik Bloomquist; Writer: Robyn Babina; Producer: Robyn Babina, Erik Bloomquist

A seemingly perfect family has a secret that they aren’t willing to share or discuss, despite the fact that it is negatively impacting them in similar and extremely emotional ways.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 12:08

World Premiere

Zindagi Dobara Life Again

Dir/Writer: Amritpal Kaur; Prod: Jaspreet Kaur, Marcos Nieves, Mario Torres Torres

Zindagi Dobara is a short narrative film centering a young South Asian teen who is forced to live with her distant aunt she’s never met or heard of before when her parents are killed in a car accident. The two are forced to embark on a lifelong journey to coexist and perhaps one day, love one another.

U.S.

Short | Run Time: 15:00

SISTAS, HOW YA’LL FEEL? - 3:55 PM

A collection of stories told from the unique perspective of Black womenfriendship, love, and dealing with the cards life has dealt.

Ashay

Dir: Tyler Davis; Writer: Asia Martin, Jordan Stafford, Calvin Seabrooks; Prod: Anosh McAdam, Lauren Bancroft

A thriller about an ashy woman who struggles to find lotion.

5:07

Dir: Phyllis Toben Bancroft; Writer: Phyllis Toben Bancroft, Nikki Syreeda; Prod: Phyllis Toben Bancroft, Sandra Evers-Manley

When an ambitious college student’s impromptu date takes an unexpected turn, silence is easier, but at what cost? This short film deals with the self-silencing that occurs in the aftermath of a traumatic assault.

With Salt Swipe

16:15

Dir: Tailiah Breon; Writer: Destiny Jackson; Producer: Fetle Negash, TyKecia Hayes

After failed attempts at love, Leah, a successful journalist, talks her best friend, Keith, into making a dating pact. The two are all in as they set out for a night on the town. They quickly find out that sometimes things have to go left in order for them to go right.

21:20

Narrative

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time:

World Premiere

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time:

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time:

Dir: Ric Serena; Writer: Nakia Secrest; Prod: Ric Serena, Nakia Secrest, Jennifer Secrest, Warren Farnes

As a successful radio DJ, Tracey made a career out of her love for music and its connection to the human experience. But when confronted with her mother’s illness, she is forced to reevaluate her own life. Divided between the hauntingly beautiful memories of her past, fears of the future and the painful realities of her present, she gives herself the ultimate challenge - a broadcast of reconciliation.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 19:56 In Competition

THE FORMATIVE YEARS - 5:50 PM

A collection of stories that revolve around the most important years that shape us into who we will become.

Radio Silence To The Letter

Dir: Nirav Bhakta; Writer: David Aguilar, Nirav Bhakta; Prod: Chun Chun Chang, Bhavani Rao, Rachel Breitag, Lauren Robinson

‘To The Letter’ follows a young unhoused student as she attempts to learn how to read. Letters and words escape her into the cloudy darkness of her frustration until her tutor breaks through and braves the storm with her. The film is inspired by the non profit School on Wheels ABC Literacy Program, which is designed to help unhoused students in kindergarten through third-grade catch up to their grade level in literacy and develop a love of reading.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 5:00 In Competition

Kid Ugly

Dir./Writer: Jazmin Aguilar; Prod: Miranda Guzman, Miranda Pacheco

A notorious outlaw named Bottle Tooth Guapo, runs into their biggest fan Lazlo, who is determined to show them that he is a force to be reckoned with and a worthy sidekick.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 12:00

Joe Eats a Tiger

Dir./Writer: Salieu Sidique; Prod: Jalen Blot, Arisa Olazabal, Salieu Sidique

A precocious young boy struggles to come to terms with his own self-image amidst his parents’ heated separation.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 15:00 LA Premiere

Five and a Half

Dir./Writer: Heidi Nyburg; Prod: Kristin T Higgins

Based on a true story, a sheltered little girl spends an unnerving afternoon with her estranged father where she’s left with just her imagination to stop time and escape impending disaster.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 14:59

Remedial

Dir./Writer/Producer: Laurie J. Gardiner

LA Premiere / In Competition

“Remedial” is a coming-of-age narrative drama that centers around a young British boy who relocates to Houston, TX with his mother after a devastating and unexpected loss. After enrolling in a new school, his new homeroom teacher is forced to make a difficult decision when his behavior becomes increasingly disconcerting.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 20:05 In Competition

Port of a Prince

Dir/Writer: JR Aristide; Prod: Gilbert Mirambeau

A young Haitian boy must decide if joining a gang is the right path for him.

Int’l Short | Runtime: 14:42

Country: Haiti / In Competition

Dir: Neill Blomkamp; Writer: Jason Hall, Neill Blomkamp, Zach Baylin; Prod: Doug Belgrad Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, Dana Brunetti

Based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough, the film is the ultimate wish fulfillment tale of a teenage Gran Turismo player whose gaming skills won a series of Nissan competitions to become an actual professional racecar driver.

Feature Film | Runtime: 2:11

Special Preview Screening

JOURNEY TO ANOTHER LAND - 10:00 PM

A collection of stories that transport us to another world, and the scares, caution and triumphs that come along with the journey.

FATHEAD

Dir./Writer: c.Craig; Producer: Mitchell Graham Colley, Anthony Gaitros, Letia Solomon, Alexa Villarreal

When one of the last free children of Junkyard Paradise has her brother stolen away from her, no Ragamuffin army or vicious beasts will stop her from getting him back.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 19:56 In Competition

Autopilot

Dir./Writer: Jennifer Zhang; Prod: Jennifer Zhang, Gina Su

A lone pilot on a homebound space vessel finds herself trapped in a waking nightmare when her holographic “virtual companion” begins to defy his own programming.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 16:39 World Premiere / In Competition

Sans Serif

Dir./Writer: Emerson Niemchick

Set in an alternate universe, a young girl wins a free procedure to have every word she has ever spoken available in a script format.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 13:13 LA Premiere

Black Dragon R ng đen

Dir: Alexander Thompson; Writer: Nathaniel Hendricks, Alexander Thompson; Prod: Sam Froelich, Isaiah Kang, Alexander Thompson

Vietnam, 1968. A feared American colonel nicknamed “the Black Dragon” by Vietnamese locals must face his inner shadow when his platoon presents him with a captured Vietcong girl who harbors some very unusual powers. A Jungian psychological thriller/parable examining the capacity for monstrous evil lurking within us all, the film is loosely inspired by the My Lai Massacre, one of America’s most pernicious wartime atrocities.

U.S. Narrative Short | Run time: 14:40 In Competition

We’d like to give a huge thank you to our sponsors and community partners! Without you this event would not be possible.

All digital programs are available on our virtual platform, Sparqfest.

are not premiere focused, trust me. We are thrilled because they are stories and films full of parity not oft seen (but we saw was needed this year/all years)– and some of the most incredible films and new forms, brave and bold, cutting-edge, smart, and FULL of voice and vision of the identities and the people who create them. You’ll find in our line-ups, that some of our best projects this year are getting their first bigscreen treatment, an international audience online of thousands, and access to industry-leading professionals who are excited to see their work at MFF.

This season includes incredible new styles/forms that push boundaries, a record-breaking number of projects from creators identifying as wom xn, LGTBQ+, with disability, multi-hyphenate identities, and new inno of style and forms (and some brilliant musicals – hello!) and one of the internationally and ethnically diverse group of storytellers – in both missions received and selected screenings. The worlds of these proj have incredible and strong voices, perspectives, and represent the LEGENDS on the rise who made them – and – that we are proud to pres a season where parity and diversity is seen, heard, breathed, and so fully on screen to bring our audience, our industry, our cre ators, and more – a place where the world over can be found for a brief moment this summer right here at The 2022 Micheaux Film Festival.

We hope you embrace and fall in love with these selected projects & artists as much as we have. We’ve watched every single submission received, and every selection in this lineup; and many quite frankly have moved us, changed us, and challenged us.

With love, with gratitude, and with humility to be in the presence of legends – thank you for being here and thank you to all the creators for sharing your stellar work.